It’s Turkey Season

If you are like me…there are several seasons or outdoor times each year that you can really get cranked up about and turkey season is for sure at the top of the list. It seems pretty clear through the years that you are one or the other; you have turkey hunted and are experienced or you are new to the sport. My column today is structured more towards those newbies that have yet to venture out into the turkey woods…that being the case, you veteran hunters give this a read and maybe there is a tip or tidbit that will help you in your search of a big gobbler.

First off, I am fortunate to have as a friend a fellow by the name of John Phipps. John and I go way back and he is without question one of the finest guys I know; he is also the best turkey hunter I know and therefore I recently sat down with him on Easter Sunday and we discussed several things that a new or rookie hunter can do to better help his odds in the woods.

>>> Click Here <<< to listen to an audio clip of a discussion that I had with John Phipps who is a local hunter here in southern Indiana. John is one of those special guys with a special talent for calling and harvesting turkeys. In this clip, John talks turkeys for the new or beginning turkey hunter and gives his advice on calls, shotguns, shell, etc….I think you will very much enjoy listening to a veteran hunter and his advice on how you can better prepare yourself to have a better chance of harvesting a bird this spring.

One of the first questions I asked John was pretty simple, “What does turkey hunting mean to you”? I loved John’s answer and I will piggy back upon it and agree that turkey hunting is so much more than just the hunting of a turkey…I would add that if I couldn’t actually harvest a turkey, I would still go and I’m not sure the experience would be diminished at all! Just being outdoors ahead of daylight, watching, listening and experiencing mother nature as all her creatures wake up is, at times, mind boggling. I thought in fact that when I first started turkey hunting this was pretty special; it turns out that as each year comes and goes…I anticipate those first morning sounds more and more. The utter darkness and moving carefully to get to a spot where you have scouted and know that Mr. Tom is overhead, waiting, is intriguing…but once there, when the whip-poor-wills and other morning birds start to awake is special, well, it is past special and sets the mood for the rest of the day, successful or not?

John and I discussed scouting and quite frankly it is of high importance for you to find a place to hunt…then put the time in to understand the topography as well as the location of birds. True, you can be pretty successful at locating birds by just listening, but you learn so much about a piece of property while just out moving around and that ‘mind map’ will be of great importance to you when it is dark and you need to close on a bird to set up. A few years back I had moved in and set up in the dark…at the usual bewitching hour, nothing; I waited for another half hour and still nothing. This wasn’t too surprising as there are just some days that the birds don’t gobble. I stayed put and called occasionally but eventually got tired of sitting and decided I would put to use my integral knowledge of this property and moved slowly and quietly uphill about 400 yards to a big hayfield. I can still remember how long it took me to move and when I finally peered through the edge of the woods…there before me was several birds and in the middle was a nice Tom. Once again I used my understanding of the property and pulled back into the woods, moved ahead of the birds and set up…about half an hour later the group of birds moved past me and I made a nice 30 yard shot! Was this a perfect hunt…guess it depends on your definition of perfect; no, I didn’t have a bird come charging in on me…but I had a front row seat for a nice group of birds as they passed by, well within shotgun range…pretty perfect if you’re asking me.

Lastly, please, please be careful this spring. It seems like each year we read about a turkey hunter getting shot. I have to say that of all the hunting I do…turkey hunting has the most potential for something to go wrong. First off, know where you are! If you are not hunting on a property you have permission to be on…get off and go secure permission. Not only is it dangerous and illegal…you may actually mess up someone else’s hunting. Never, ever, wear blue, white or red as these are Tom turkey colors and you will really be asking for trouble. Don’t be afraid to wear orange to and from your set up area (many turkey vests have an orange flap that can be placed on your back or over your shoulders). One more great tip is to buy a bird bag that is orange…this way, once you harvest your turkey you will have an orange bag that will both aide you in carrying the bird and make you quite visual as you are removing the bird from the woods or field.

So, purchase your license and make your way to your hunting spot and prepare. If you are new to the sport then by all means grab your box call, diaphragm, or slate call and start practicing. Don’t worry about making 15 turkey sounds, just try and get comfortable in making a few of the basic calls; for me that is a soft yelp, a cluck and a purr…in no particular order. If you are a veteran hunter then try and help a younger or less experienced hunter out; offer to go scouting with them and if you are looking for a way to jump start a youth hunter (17 or under) and really make an investment, by all means invite a young hunter along and take them out during the youth season that runs the Saturday and Sunday (April 20 and 21 of 2013), prior to the annual Wednesday opener (April 24).

Turkey hunting is  much more than a season, its more than just pulling the trigger…its placing yourself into nature and absorbing the sounds, colors, sights, smells, etc…all in search of memories and I hope this spring we can all harvest a bag full of memories as we all Enjoy the Great Outdoors.