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The Arizona Varmint Callers Association (early name of Phoenix Varmint Callers
Inc.) first came into existence in the mid 1950s as a result of a promotional
demonstration by representatives of a predator call company based in Texas.
Several individuals at the demonstration recognized the potential for reducing
the number of predators, in particular coyotes, and consequently increasing deer
and antelope fawn survival rate, and at the same time improve marksmanship,
sharpen hunting skills, and enjoy the outdoors.
The early members of the club included such well known sportsmen as Ben Avery,
outdoors editor for the Arizona Republic; Pete Brown, writer and outdoors editor
for Field and Stream; George Bohm and Lucky Wade, both owners of prominent
valley gun stores; Jack Cain, one of the founders of Circe Calls; and Del
Western, guide and producer of Coyote Safari, one of the first promotional films
on varmint calling. Other individuals that made significant contributions
throughout the club's growing up period were: Fred Farnbach, the Arizona Game &
Fish Department first Hunter Safety Chief; John Doolin, who helped put together
the early big bore rifle matches and was a participating member on almost every
work detail; Bob Hirsch, father of the Sportsmen Against Vandalism Everywhere
(SAVE) program; and Bill Dudley, an exceptionally good caller with national fame
who gave the club tremendous exposure through calling demonstrations at sporting
goods stores and trade shows throughout the state
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THE EARLY YEARS
The new club struggled at first trying to find an identity and attract members.
Varmint calling was virtually an unheard of sport at the time. According to
Avery, someone suggested a judged calling contest, well publicized, with an open
invitation to the public to participate or just watch. The first contest was
held in 1957 with Del Western winning first place. The event was so well
received it started the annual tradition which became known as the Arizona State
Calling Contest, a tradition still alive today. In 1960 the newly formed Circe
Calls Inc., located west of Phoenix in Goodyear, donated a revolving trophy to
be handed down each year from the previous winner.
In the early years the Phoenix club sponsored prairie dog hunts in areas where
sprawling "dog towns" were a hazard to grazing cattle prone to break a leg
trying to recover from stepping into one of the cavernous underground runways.
Another control activity was aimed at porcupines in an effort sponsored by the
U.S. Forest Service to minimize damage to young pine trees. Club members
conducted urban coyote surveys in Maricopa and Pima counties where animal
control officers were concerned about rabies outbreaks in near epidemic
proportions. Volunteer members participating in this night calling coyote count
were subjected to an experimental rabies vaccine for a program directed toward
finding a substitute for the painful “Pasteur Treatment”.
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