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What A Hoot!
Knight & Hale Ultimate Team Pro Staff Member Makes Hooting History

Mark Prudhomme, Knight & Hale Ultimate Team Pro Staff member and world champion hooter

It’s a bird? It’s an owl? No, it’s Mark Prudhomme, Knight & Hale Ultimate Team Pro Staff member, and world champion hooter. Over the past two years, Prudhomme has made hooting history with his owl calls and other hunting calls, taking him to the top and fulfilling a unique passion.

Prudhomme is a soft spoken, modest man who lives and breathes the outdoors. He explained that he has always had an uncanny knack for impersonating game calls, voices and sounds. Even as far back as grade school, Prudhomme was casually known for his vocal abilities. It was not until many years later, however, that he realized the market for his talent.

Today Prudhomme is 40 years old and proud to report that his talent has been put to good use. In 2005, Prudhomme placed first in the World Hooting Championship, first in the 2006 National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) Grand National Hooting Contest and first in the 2006 U.S. Open Hooting Championship, setting a world record for consecutive hooting wins.

His list of awards does not stop there, though. Since joining forces with Knight & Hale nearly three years ago, Prudhomme has also won the South Carolina State Turkey Calling Championship, the South Carolina Owl Hooting Championship, the South Carolina Goose Calling Championship and the North Carolina State Open Championship in owl and turkey, to name a few.

Why hooting? Hooting, Prudhomme explained, is an integral part of turkey hunting. “To locate a turkey in the woods early in the morning, you make the sound of a Barred Owl,” he said. “The single or double Barred Owl hoot will produce a shock gobble from the turkey and help reveal its location.”

It sounds far fetched, but is a time-tested, tried and true method of turkey hunting, he continued. While on stage competing, however, Prudhomme does more than just the single or double Barred Owl hoot. In just 60 seconds, Prudhomme is apt to produce hoots, screams, eight-note hoots, laughs and more. “I first started turkey calling about 10 years ago, and it kind of evolved into branching out into other animals and contests,” he said. “I now call in every contest that there is for every animal I know about.” Four years ago, Prudhomme began hooting as an addition to his turkey calling. Initially, he started hooting with his natural voice and later moved to using a standard Knight & Hale Owl Call. This year, Prudhomme’s 7-year-old son also began competing in hooting and game calling contests. “He has a long way to go, but he is gonna be O.K.. at it,” he said. “It takes a lot of practice and listening, but he will be good.” Prudhomme spends his life deeply entrenched in the great outdoors. When not hooting, Prudhomme works as a game and wildlife manager and as a hunting guide. “Every day this is all I do,” he said. “I am in the woods every day of the year. It is all I have ever done, and all I have ever wanted to do.” Prudhomme aspires to defend his title as World Champion Hooter and perhaps add a few more animals to the list. In 2007, he will again compete in the Grand National Championship held in Nashville, Tenn. He also hopes to begin working with Knight & Hale in designing new and improved game calls. Knight & Hale Game Calls is one of the leading and most innovative game call companies in the industry. Knight & Hale Game Calls produces game calls and accessories for almost every type of hunting. For more information, visit www.knightandhale.com.

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