Corn husking can be done bare handed. And people have placed in the contest husking bare-handed. More of the higher placing contestants have used husking hooks.
HookTable.htm lists 8 husking hooks and pegs by 3 different sources. (When shipping costs are considered and for single and small quantity purchases, the items with the lowest list price may not have the least overall price.) One each of the listed items will be available to be tried and borrowed at the contest.
An effort is being made to obtain some husking hooks that may be borrowed by visitors to use in the practice picking area and in the contesst.
A search is being made to find descripton(s) of efficient bare-handed method(s).
The How to Pick page at www.illinoiscornhusking.com describes how
to pick using husking hooks. The DNR Distributing offering husking hooks and pegs for sale on that same page appears to be defunct.