After hearing the news that GSM Products, the parent company of Stealth Cam, Wildview, SSI, Feeder Max, SSI and Cyclops, has now partnered with Walker’s Game Ear last July, NAHC caught up with Paul Butski, fellow NAHC member and company representative for GSM/Walker’s Game Ear, to find out what’s he’s been up to.
Butski’s career in the hunting industry spans 30-plus years, in which he has worn many hats—including an accomplished game call designer and manufacturer, champion turkey caller, professional hunter and guide, popular seminar speaker, as well as host and producer of hunting shows and videos.
Butski began work for Quaker Boy Game Calls in 1979, heading up development and manufacturing of turkey calls. He’s designed and manufactured calls for H.S. Strut, Primos and Haydel’s Game Calls, where he personally hand-set hundreds of thousands of game calls each year. Butski is credited for designing the cutter style mouth call, which remains the hottest call on the market to this day. He opened Butski’s Game Calls (www.butskisgamecalls.com) in 1986, and still owns, operates and is involved with hands-on design, creation and tuning of several friction, box and diaphragm mouth calls.
Over the past three decades, Butski has won several owl hooting, elk calling, and numerous turkey calling championships, including The Masters, the Levi Garrett All American Open (two times), The US Open (six times), the National Wild Turkey Federations Grand National Turkey Calling Championship (three times), six-time runner-up at NWTF Grand Nationals, Champion of Champions.
As an experience and successful hunter and guide for deer, wild turkey and elk, Butski has hunted and called for some of the top sports figures and celebrities in North America. “I’ve hunting with some amazing people including Dale Earnhardt, Davey Allison, Wade Boggs, Bo Jackson, Larry Csonka, Mike Bodicker, Travis Fryman, Bruce Sutter, Dave Krieg, Charlie O'Brien, several astronauts and country singers, any many others. One of my most favorite outdoor memories has to be calling in the only turkey that the legendary Roy Rogers has ever killed.”
Butski has been involved with Bob Walker and Walker’s Game Ear for the past 18 years. Walker’s Game Ear is the recognized leader for sound amplification with hearing protection. He’s been closely involved with product design and development, marketing, promotion and conducting sales training. “I am excited about the recent partnership with GSM. They bring a wide range of innovative products including digital infrared motion detector scouting cameras, laser sights and super-bright LED, halogen and krypton lighting products, which are inline with Walker’s high-tech, electronic goods.”
“I’m still working hard at running Butski’s Game Calls, and collaborating with Bob Walker as the co-host and co-producer of the outdoor television program Sportsmen's Outdoor Strategies. But, I am very excited about my new role as a company representative for the new company, GSM-Walkers Game Ear. As some of first of my promotional duties for the company in 2008, I will attending the Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show in Harrisburg, PA (February 2-10), the NWTF Convention and Sport Show in Atlanta, GA (February 20-24), and the NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits in Louisville, KY (May 16 - May 20). I warmly welcome all fellow NAHC members to come and talk to me about elk, deer and turkeys, hunting tactics and calling tips.”
Butski was born in Niagara Falls, New York, and started hunting at the age of nine. He married his wife Halina (“the love of my life”) in 1972, is still in love and married after 35 years in the outdoor industry (perhaps a record). He has three beautiful daughters, six fun grandchildren, and is also a life member of the NWTF and the NRA.