Gobbler Time

It’s gobbler Time.  The season starts the first of March and last for one month.  For those of you who love Duck Hunting this is the next best thing.  It’s a challenge to pit your skills and knowledge against the turkey.  In case you don’t know, they can see real good, hear real good and run really fast.  The rules differ if you’re hunting private land or public land, but morning is your best choice.

Duck Hunting is something we do together.  Turkey season tends to be best for the loaner who wants to commune with nature.  You’ll need to scout your area and do you homework ahead of time.  Dad loves this season, and his bag of turkey calls (he uses close to ten different calls), portable blind, a few decoys and a cushion to sit on are stashed in his backpack waiting to go.

Your best bet is to set up early in the dark while the turkeys are still in the trees.  Mark uses an owl call first thing in th morning, because the turkeys don’t like it and it will cause them to start gobbling.  You’ll have to sit and wait, just like when you’re duckin’, but the hunting is not as hard and there won’t be as much prep work required to go.

A little later than in the morning than expected because of fog and getting lost twice, decked out in full camo, including gloves and mask, the blind is set up and the 22 magnum close by.  There it is.  You hear the gobble, but it’s way in the distance.  The trick now is to use the hen call and coax them in.  Your best bet is to imitate the female.  You want them to come in close and then start the purr to create interest in your deocys.  Wait for it.  Wait for it. Bang!  Bird down.  Be careful now, this is when “Turkey Fever” sets in.  A four year old bird with an 11 1/2 ” beard can get any one shakey.  Meat, beard, tail fans and the wings are harvested.  The wing bones are used for making turkey calls and of course, who doesn’t love a hot turkey dinner.

General Gun season is the same time as the regular hunting season, but turkeys don’t gobble during this time, so if you get one it’s usually an accident and not because you’ve outsmarted them.  Be careful to only take the ones with the beards,  It’s a rarity, but occassionally a hen will have a beard which makes her legal.  You won’t see this very often and as much as we love the hunt a hen with a beard is safe from us.

This is the final feather phase and a two bird limit makes it short and sweet.