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Photo by J.J. Reich |
Fred Zink
Fred Zink’s waterfowl calling titles are too numerous to mention, but when the founder of Zink Calls made the leap to turkeys, he called in the flock for some help.
Fred Zink is a champion. He began competitive waterfowl calling 20 years ago, and notched more than 20 calling titles throughout the 1990s. His titles are too many to mention completely, but include Ohio, Michigan and Illinois state championships, numerous national titles and the 1998 International Championship.
Today, Fred Zink is founder and owner of Zink Calls in Port Clinton, Ohio. His company’s slogan is “A Champion in Every Call,” appropriate given Zink’s accomplishments.
Ohio Origins
Zink’s vast hunting experience started at an early age.
“I grew up in southwestern Ohio, in a family that hunted and fished,” said Zink. “We were always outdoors. I was in elk camp in the Rockies with my dad by age 3.
“I started turkey hunting at age 15. My uncle lived in central Ohio and had good land access to wild turkeys. And I learned to hunt them the hard way — on my own. It was not until the third year that I bagged my first turkey.”
But hunting ducks and geese was his primary passion, so competing in waterfowl calling contests was a natural fit.
“After eight years of competing in calling contests and winning several of them,” Zink said, “we started receiving many requests for a call with my name on it.”
The first duck call Zink crafted was made of wood, which he bored out on a drill press.
“After a few years of practice and many more requests, we started manufacturing our waterfowl calls in spring 2000.” That’s when Zink Calls was born. “The first call I designed and marketed was the Paralyzer XR-2 duck call,” he said.
Three Turkey Champs
With an undying desire to be in the spring woods, and the ability to manufacture calls using high-tech machines, Zink decided to take a look at designing a premium turkey call line. “Our equipment allows us to duplicate call designs perfectly,” said Zink. “It made sense to expand our line.”
To be sure the “Champion in Every Call” motto stayed true, he hired some turkey calling champs to join his team.
He contacted Mark Six, a good friend from high school, a decorated competitive turkey caller and avid turkey hunter.
“Mark is up to speed with the top players in the competitive turkey calling world,” Zink said. “He said we have some of the best right here in Ohio, and he was going to call them up and see what they had shaking.”
Three weeks later, they had a meeting with Josh Grossenbacher and Shane Hendershot, and Zink knew it would be a great fit within the first five minutes. He hired both of them, and they now head up all the turkey related items at Zink Calls.
“What makes Josh and Shane special is their ability to win contests, their skill at hunting turkeys, but, most of all, their passion for the sport and their down-to-earth, country-boy approach,” said Zink.
The long list of competition titles held by Hendershot, Grossenbacher and Six, plus Zink’s large external pro-staff (about 125 members strong) is quite impressive. Of which the most glorious titles are Hendershot’s 2007 Wild Turkey Bourbon/NWTF Grand National Championship and 2008 World Turkey Calling Championship.
Proud Products
Zink takes special pride in the quality of his company’s turkey calls.
“Quality and consistency are absolutes for us,” said Zink. “Our diaphragm calls are individually hand stretched by Shane and Josh themselves to their exact specifications — every call, every time.
“Our friction calls feature a revolutionary E-Z Gripper ring built into the side of the call, ensuring better grip on the call while in use.
“There’s also a striker conditioning area on the back of the call to freshen your striker tip when needed. With the special features on these calls, they still carry great sound quality.”
New to Zink’s turkey call line-up is the Thunder Ridge Series line of friction calls. “These calls produce quality turkey sounds at a very reasonable price,” said Zink. “And our new line of instructional DVDs makes a great addition to our new line of turkey calls. These videos will definitely help you become a better caller and turkey hunter.”
An NWTF Friend
Like any good conservationist, Zink knows how important it is to give back to the resource. That’s why he is an ardent supporter of the NWTF.
“My staff and I have volunteered for appearances at banquets,” Zink said, “and have been involved with specialized hunts including Wheelin’ Sportsmen events, JAKES hunts and the Ohio Governor’s Hunt, as well as donating many products for auction and raffles at numerous NWTF banquets. We look forward to many more years assisting chapters across Ohio in helping promote hunting and conservation.
“To me, NWTF is a top-notch organization that’s doing something nationwide where the results are seen daily, whether it is reintroduction programs, improving habitat, purchasing new public hunting grounds or fighting for hunters’ rights. The NWTF does a ton for sportsmen to be able to enjoy the outdoors, and I am proud to be a part of it.”
In addition to being a sportsman, businessman and conservationist, Zink is also a family man. Married to his wife, Dawn, for 15 years, they are raising daughter Taylor, 12, and son Gunnar, 10, in the rich outdoor tradition that the NWTF symbolizes. — J.J. Reich