Our Story

Russell Andrews, Co-Owner and Operator of Black Label Game Calls, was born and raised in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. For 26 years, he has cultivated a relentless passion for scouting and hunting turkeys, but never without the integrity of a true outdoorsman and conservation on his mind.

Russell's affinity for the woods started with his Pawpaw, Alton "Cootie" Lewis, and while the two of them share hundreds of memories in the woods together, losing his Pawpaw in March of 2022 has placed Russell on a warpath to do two things -- continue to carry Cootie's legacy throughout the hollows and hills of North America and equip fellow hunters with the best calls in the industry so they too can share the same level of success he and his Pawpaw have so many times together.

To date, the pinnacle of Russell's experience hunting turkeys came just weeks after the passing of "Cootie" Lewis. At just 36 years old and in an effort to commemorate his Pawpaw, Russell completed the coveted "Grand Slam" in a single season, having hunted and harvested all four species of North American turkeys in south Florida, Alabama, and Nebraska. Rest assured, the same doggedness that Russell carries into the woods, his approach in designing, producing, and delivering calls for you is the exact same. Expect quality and long-lasting performance. Expect nothing but the best.

Jesse Martin is Co-Owner and Operator of Black Label Game Calls, and was born and raised in Mt. Sterling, Kentucky. Jesse developed a love for turkey hunting at a young age and has been perfecting his craft in scouting them, calling them, and carrying them out of the woods for 26 years now. The vivid memories of visiting his aunt and uncle, seeing turkeys strut around their backyard, and listening to the many different ways the birds communicated with each other, that's when the obsession for calling turkeys began. For Jesse, it's not near as much about the harvest -- it's about the hunt.

Jesse applies this "process-over-product" mindset to the design phase and manufacturing of all Black Label Game Calls' products. He has an inherent demand for excellence, both for others and himself, as he is a well-decorated turkey calling champion. Jesse boasts 6 Grand National Turkey Calling Championship titles, 2 back-to-back U.S. Open Championship titles, 2 World Championship titles, and he is a 16-time Kentucky State Champion in calling, along with state titles in Tennessee, West Virginia, Indiana, Ohio, and South Carolina. The level of expertise is unmatched and he is in constant pursuit of outfitting hunters with the best diaphragms and slates in the industry so they too can experience what it is like to be a championship caliber turkey caller.

In this phase of life being a father, Jesse spends time instilling a love for the woods and turkey hunting in his kids. Sadie and Siler are no strangers to investing the time scouting for turkeys, calling them up, and having them meet their demise. Sadie, just 9 years old, has already harvested 4 birds and has been bit by the competitive calling bug just like her father, as she is the reigning Kentucky State Kids Champion. Not far behind is 3-year old Siler, who is sure to follow in their footsteps and find his way to being crowned champion also. With a pedigree like Jesse's, the kids will be great regardless.