craigdailypress.com

Elk calling is about more than the thrill of the hunt. For a Dinosaur teen, it's also about the prizes.

Justin Snyder, 14, who lives at K Ranch west of Dinosaur, swept the competition at a bugling contest earlier this month. He came away with a trophy, wall tent and a new archery bow.

Justin took first place in the youth division at the fifth annual Screaming in the Rockies on July 1 and 2 at Sportsman's Warehouse in Grand Junction.

The winners in each of the four divisions -- peewee, youth, women's and men's -- go on to compete in the overall caller face-off. Justin won that, too.

Maybe it's not fair to call it a face-off. Judges can't see the participants.

Justin said judges sit in a camper to listen to calls so they can focus on the quality of the sounds.

Competitors make cow calls for 30 seconds and bugle calls for 30 seconds.

"(The judges) have to hear it like there's an actual elk out there," Justin said.

This is Justin's third year competing at Screaming in the Rockies. His first year, he placed second. His second year, he placed third.

This year, he took best overall and said he's pleased about that. He's even considering attending a national competition in Las Vegas.

But Justin said he didn't get that good overnight.

He has been hunting since he was in diapers and calling since he was 9.

"I started out because I saw my dad doing it and I wanted to try it," Justin said.

When he was younger, he made cow calls with his voice.

"As a little kid, I started making noises and they said, 'Whoa that's an elk call right there,' so I just kept doing it," Justin said.

He can still make calls with his voice but uses a reed more often.

He likes to climb mountains and practice making mating or bark calls, depending on the season.

He attributes his interest in calling to his family members, who all hunt.

His father, Mike, and mother, Norma, might compete with him in Grand Junction, Justin said.

He said he calls better than his father and isn't afraid to admit it.

"He thinks so, too," Justin said.