Calling in big gobblers on crisp and dewy spring morning is a pastime for many, but especially for Jessie Perkins. As an Elkland native and active outdoor-woman, Perkins is making waves in the bird game industry, specifically with her hand crafted turkey calls.
It all started in 2009 when Perkins was thrown and trampled by her horse shattering seven vertebrae and severely damaging her spinal cord.
Doctors gave Perkins a bleak diagnosis: a 0% chance of ever walking again. However, Perkins knew otherwise.
“Of course I laughed, and replied with, “You must not know God the way I do”. The doctors came back by saying it was physically impossible that I lived, and to prepare myself to spend the rest of my life bedridden,” stated Perkins.
Perkins picked herself up and took things one step at a time, enduring seven years of intense physical therapy. A doctor prescribed she spend time outdoors, rekindling her love for turkey hunting. This is what led to the creation of her own turkey calls.
“I do leather work and turkey calls and it kind of became a creative outlet,” explained Perkins. “I was just going to physical therapy four days a week and that's boring.”
Since, she has submitted bird calls of various styles, makes and colors winning national recognition for her woodworking and leather skills. With over 1,000 entires, Perkins’ custom turkey calls and leather pieces placed in every category she entered in the 2022 National Wild Turkey Federation’s Grand National Call Maker’s Championship.
Perkins earned the following accolades:
1st in Decorative Box Call Amateur
3rd and 4th in Innovative Hunting Accessories
5th in Decorative Wingbone Call: Open Amateur
5th in Decorative Wingbone Call: Thread - Wrapped Only
7th in Decorative Striker
Perkins years of hard work are evident by her national accomplishments and beautifully displayed artwork. The last 12 years have been nothing short of a testament of Perkins faith.
“My spinal cord damage has caused a lot of painful, irreversible damage, but I lived to tell the story and I’m still standing on my own two feet. I should be bedridden, but here I am, walking from the workbench to the woods, building calls and tooled leather that receives top honors at the world and national levels,” shared Perkins. “I’m just proud to start from nothing and develop into receiving national recognition.”
Perkin’s turkey calls and custom leather work is available for purchase on her Facebook page, Jessie’s Farm Art and Custom Leather and Etsy shop.
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