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Turkeys have a distinctive fleshly wattle that hangs from the underside of the beak, and a fleshy protuberance that hangs from the top of its beak called a snood. The female is smaller than the male, and much less colorful.

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Turkey Hunting and Scouting Tips

BASIC TECHNIQUES

Although turkeys have certain patterns of behavior, turkey hunting is challenging because wild turkeys are extremely wary and are not totally predictable. Your success will depend on your selection of an area with good turkey numbers, your abilities to use your equipment, your willingness to adapt your hunting techniques to changing situations, your persistence, and a little bit of luck. Mr. Murphy plays a small role too sometimes.

SCOUTING

The first step in turkey hunting is to scout the woods before the season opens. You can start the scouting at home with topo maps and by using the phone to query state biologists on what areas to key in on. If you would like info on aerial photos, computer topo map programs and how to download free topo maps off the Internet I have this on my webpage here: aerial photos or topo maps. Turkeys favor certain areas and will use them year after year if the habitat does not change. A good time to scout in the spring is a week or two before the season, especially if the weather has turned warm which can trigger winter flock break-up and calling by gobblers. Your objective in scouting should be to identify those areas that turkeys frequent. These areas include roosting sites, feeding sites, dusting and strutting areas. Look for turkeys and turkey sign such as tracks, feathers, scratchings, dustings, and droppings. Look for dusting areas with tracks in them or roost trees with droppings and feathers under them. In dry areas, search around water sources for turkey tracks.

If you spend enough time scouting, you will become very familiar with the area and you may be able to determine regular movement patterns of the flock. The best times to look or listen for turkeys include the early morning hours from one-half hour before sunrise until mid-morning, and late in the evening as the turkeys go to roost. Resist the urge to call turkeys while scouting, you'll just educate the birds to your calls. You can shock call to get toms to gobble, but if you yelp up a tom, he'll remember the danger and probably not come to your call again.

Turkey tracks that have a middle toe longer than 4 inches were made by an adult gobbler. Droppings of a Tom are usually long and J shaped, hen droppings are shorter. But, droppings from either can be soft without any definite shape. If leaves are turned over and the ground is moist, birds are using the area. Leaves will be piled directly behind a scratching turkey in a V shape, indicating the direction of travel. Look for turned over cow pies too, as the turkeys love to eat the beetles that congregate underneath the cow pies. Roost droppings look like someone shook a paintbrush of white paint out on the leaves. Dusting areas will have small bowls, or indentations, in the dust where the turkeys squat down to dust themselves. You may find some feathers in a dusting area because the birds like to preen themselves while dusting.

Although gobblers may roost or strut in different areas, you will learn the locations they use most often. If you do not hear gobblers calling, try a crow call, owl call, shock call or predator call in early morning or just before dark. Gobblers will often respond, giving away their location. This is an effective way to locate roosting sites for spring turkey hunting. While scouting, pay close attention to large trees that you may want to sit next to while hunting. Use this time to roughly measure distances for shooting zones. Also note the location of fences, ravines, dense brush or streams that may keep a gobbler from coming to your call during the season. If possible visit the area you will hunt a day or two prior to hunting. This will familiarize you with the land, and you can determine whether turkeys are still using the areas where you saw them earlier.

PLANNING

For fall or spring turkey hunting trips, use the information gathered during scouting trips to plan your hunting strategy before entering the field. Having a well-planned trip can mean the difference between an enjoyable and successful hunt or a disaster. A good safety precaution is to leave your hunting plan, including your location and estimated time of return, with someone at home. You can use a cellphone to call in your GPS coordinates if you have this toys available. If you have put a gobbler to roost the night before, you will know exactly where to set up in the morning.

CALLING TURKEYS

Researchers have identified at least 28 distinct calls in the wild turkey vocabulary. The most effective way to get within shotgun distance of a spring gobbler is to call him by reproducing the sounds a hen makes. These hen sounds can be made with your voice or with some type of turkey calling device. Commercially available turkeys calls fall into two broad categories: friction calls, which produce sound by rubbing two surfaces together; and mouth calls, through which air is inhaled or exhaled.

One other type of call, a shaker, produces gobbles when you shake it in a rapid motion. The easiest calls to master are the friction calls (for example, box, peg and slate, peg and glass, or push button). The major disadvantage is that you cannot hold a shotgun and work them at the same time. This is important because you may spook your wild bird when you put the call down and raise the shotgun. A second disadvantage is that most calls do not always work well if they get wet. Placing the friction calls in a loose plastic bag will allow you to operate them during wet conditions. Diaphragm mouth calls are popular among hunters. They are the most versatile calls but require much practice. They are unaffected by wet weather, allow the hunter to use both hands freely, and can be used without making any discernible movement.

Two other types of calls, the turpin call and the tube call, produce realistic calls, but require hand movement to operate. Shaker calls are the only ones specifically designed to produce realistic-sounding gobbles. No practice is necessary; the sound is the same each time you shake them. They produce only the gobble sound and are not usually considered a requirement for successful turkey hunting. The type of call used is less important than how well the hunter masters calling techniques. The best ways to learn turkey calling are to listen to live turkeys, an instructional tape, and/or an experienced turkey hunter. Turkeys have more than two dozen different calls, but the hunter will rarely notice more than about 10. There are 10 basic sounds the hunter should be able to recognize. Listed below are these sounds and how to use them.

• Tree yelp. This is the first turkey sound heard in the morning. It is a slow, soft, nasal sound, consisting of three or four yelps made only at daybreak from the roost. It is made when turkeys are just becoming visible in trees It is a greeting call to make sure that all is well after a dark night of not seeing or hearing one another. This call can only be heard on still mornings in a roosting area. Tree yelps should be the first call made by a turkey hunter who has set up near a roosted turkey. This is where scouting really pays off.

• Plain yelp. The plain yelp is the one sound most people associate with turkeys. Turkeys use this sound to communicate with distant birds. The yelp is made by all turkeys in the fall, winter and spring. A yelp from a gobbler is lower pitched, more coarse, and less musical than from a hen. The plain yelp is best used routinely throughout the morning while hunting. Plain yelps are usually done in a series of two to five in a row and always have a very even rhythm. Plain yelps will evoke a response from a spring gobbler and call him in if he is of a mind to come. It is the standard call when working a spring gobbler. Some hunters use it successfully with an occasional cluck.

• Cluck. The cluck has several meanings. The sound is a short, soft, single-syllable, non-musical tone. It is used to gain another turkey's attention. If used too loudly it will alarm turkeys. It can be used in the following manner: "cluck (pause briefly), cluck, cluck (pause), cluck (pause), cluck (pause), cluck, cluck." Its major use is to evoke an answering cluck from any nearby turkey. It works well because turkeys are curious about any other turkey sound. Some successful hunters use an occasional cluck with the plain yelp in this manner: "cluck (pause), yelp, yelp (pause), cluck, cluck (pause), yelp, yelp, yelp."

• Purr. There are 2 purrs used by hen and tom turkeys. The first purr is a soft fluttering call used by turkeys when communicating to each other, usually when they are content and relaxed. The second purr call is the fighting purr used when turkeys are posturing for a fight or agitated at something. Hunters often use purrs with clucks when gobblers are in close but not quite close enough.

• Putt. This is a short, sharp, loud cluck. It sounds very similar to the cluck, only the cluck is softer and less distinct. It will not call in turkeys, but you should know the call when you hear it, because it is the worst sound a calling hunter can make. It is the alarm call of the turkey, and generally will be the last call you hear before a turkey departs.

• Cackle. A cackle is an excited call of a hen and is often emitted when flying down from a roost. It is usually a series of 12 or more yelps which rise abruptly in pitch and cadence and then gradually decline in pitch and cadence. The fly-down cackle of the hen has been called the true mating call. Often the yelps are very short and staccato. Turkeys will also cackle when they fly over open water, fields or when jumping down off a deadfall or rock ledge. Another cackle is the assemble cackle made in the fall when the hen calls in the young poults. It's just a slowed-down version of the regular cackle.

• Cut. A cut is a short, staccato yelp and is usually emitted by the hen in a series varying in length and cadence. It is often used by an aggravated hen as she defends her nesting territory from other hens, but it will often excite a gobbler. Sometimes used by lost or lonely hens who are searching for other turkeys. They are usually loud and aggressive and about 15 seconds in duration.

• Kee Kee Run. This is a call made by a lost young turkey trying to reassemble with its fall flock. It is a high-pitched "kee kee, kee" followed by a short, raspy yelp or two.

• Hen Assembly. This call is made by an adult hen to gather her flock. It is a long series of yelps rising in volume and pitch and then declining. The series may be as long as 15-20 yelps.

• Lost Call. The lost call is used by an adult of either sex who is looking for company. It will be a series of plaintive yelps and you'd better be ready, because they might just run in on you.

• Gobble. The gobble has limited use and affects turkeys in two ways: hens hear a potential mate and gobblers hear a potential rival. Gobblers may investigate other gobbling in their vicinity and may fight uninvited gobblers. The gobble call will sometimes help you locate a gobbler but may not bring him into shotgun range. Extreme caution should be used when using a gobble call as it may attract other hunters into your calling territory, and you may find yourself being hunted by another turkey hunter. For that reason gobbles are not recommended while hunting but can be effective to locate roosting birds in the evening.

• Whine. The whine is a soft, high-pitched, drawn-out call of the hen, usually used in combination with putts and clucks.

• Spittin' and Drumming.This call is done by toms to attract hens for mating. The call is 2 notes, the first is the spittin' sound, "pffffft", followed by the vroom sound. Some hunters say the vroom sounds like an idling car muffler.

Beginners should keep several points in mind. It is better to call too softly than too loudly, to call too rarely than too frequently, and to perfect one or two calls rather than attempt some sound not yet mastered. Timing, or rhythm, can be more important than the actual quality of sound. Finally, remember that no two turkeys sound alike and what works on one gobbler might send the next one in another direction. If a gobbler will not respond to your call, change or vary your current calling technique.

CAMOUFLAGE

A wild turkey's eyesight is estimated to be about 10 times better than a human's. In addition, turkeys can distinguish color to some degree and are quick to spot unnatural colors in their environment. For this reason, turkey hunters should avoid clothing that will draw attention to them. The best camouflage clothing is both protective and comfortable. Many hunters make the mistake of camouflaging everything except their face and hands. This is a serious mistake because the face and hands reflect light, and they are the body parts a hunter is most likely to move. Face masks, gloves and camouflage make-up are most frequently used to camouflage the face and hands.

Face masks can obscure vision, cause glasses to fog, and lead to overheating. Facial greases tend to run if you get hot. Some new models of face masks have provisions for fitting around the frames of glasses, and are less likely to cause glasses to fog. Every hunter is different, and like most equipment, trial and error is the only means of determining the best combination. Gun camouflage is also important because the gun barrel reflects light. Camouflage tape and camouflage spray paint work well to mask the gun's shiny appearance. There are camouflage paints available for guns that can be removed after the turkey season is over.

FIREARMS AND PATTERNING

Shotguns. There is considerable difference of opinion on shotgun ammunition for turkey hunting. But there is no argument that the wild turkey is hard to bring down, and hunters have a responsibility to use loads powerful enough for quick and humane kills. Most experienced turkey hunters agree that the best turkey loads are 12 gauge 2 3/4 inch, 3 inch or 3 1/2 inch magnums of No. 4, 5 or 6 shot. The 12 gauge 3 1/2 inch and 10 gauge 3 1/2 magnums are increasing in popularity, because they can provide a few extra yards of range. But with these bigger magnums you get more recoil. You can add a Pachmayr "Decelerator" recoil pad to tame the nasty kick. The Remington 870 SPS-T™ Super Magnum and Mossberg 835 Ulti-Mag 12 gauge pump shotguns are favorites among many turkey hunters. The Remington 870 comes with a 23" barrel, camo, 2 beads, swivel studs and 2 turkey chokes. The Mossberg comes with a 24" backbored barrel, the receivers drilled and tapped for scope mounts, camo finish, 1 turkey choke, ambidextrous safety and have the fiber optic sights already installed.

Chokes and getting better patterns. Because of the small target, dense patterns which deliver most of the shot into the head and neck region are preferred. For this reason, full-choke barrels are used in most turkey guns. Also, installing a longer forcing cone and having your shotgun barrel "backbored" will help in tighter patterns. A fine gunsmith to have this gunsmithing work done is Gun Docc. There is also a good explanation of what "backboring" and longer forcing cones are on Gun Docc's webpage too.

Beads, scopes, and sights. A scope, open, fiber optic sight or front and rear beads are additions to your shotgun which might improve your aim. I've been using a Leupold 1 X 4 scope on my Rem 870 12 ga. for about 7 years now. Works great! It's really helped me look for a beard since they plant stockers out here in California and you can't shoot them the first year, they have to have a beard and F & G trims them off when they release them. And yes, I manage to call in at least one no shoot tom every year *L*. Some guys say they have trouble looking for the turkey's head, but if you keep both eyes open you still see everything. I've even shot geese with the scope on. The scope also helps judging distance with the heavy duplex reticule. The only drawback is when it rains, it can be a pain to keep the lens clear. Click here for more info and pics on mounting a scope to a shotgun.

Another plus is when the birds are in brush, you can pick out the longbeard and know when he's about to step out instead of having to make the decision as he runs across the opening. I carry the allen wrench to take the scope and mount off just in case and can go to 2 beads in a pinch. Never had a problem with Leupold scopes through the years, but ya never know. I leave it on 1 or 2 power and have had no problems with sun flaring it. I use the anti-glare honeycomb lens filters from Butler Creek and have never spooked a bird with scope flash,,,,,, yet. *L* It's kinda spendy to dish out $225.00 for a scope like this, but I use it on yotes and bobcats too.

A scope is also helpful in that it keeps your head down on the shot. A lot of turkey hunters miss because they lift their heads too soon to see the turkey. Other hunters like the "Tasco Red Dot" scopes which uses a red dot for the crosshairs. You can adjust the intensity of the red dot, but 1 drawback is these scopes run off a battery which can go dead at the worst moment. Another scope that is popular is the Simmons "Pro Diamond" which has a range diamond so you know when the turkey is in range. I use the B-Square scope mount on my 870, which straddles the shotgun receiver but can be rough on your hands while you carry it. I recommend using the Remington vent rib mount to mount your scope, which attaches to the vent rib with set screws and does not protrude around the receiver.

Tru_Glo makes fiber optic sights you can mount on your vent rib shotgun. Simple snap-on or magnetic installation, no screws required. These are some pretty slick sights, one of the best for low light shooting.

Target patterning. A new turkey hunter, or an old turkey hunter with a new shotgun, should spend some preseason time patterning his/her gun with various size shot to pick the best load for the gun. There are two important factors related to the way your shotgun shoots. What is the effective killing range of your gun and how many pellets will strike the vital neck and head region at various ranges. You should test your gun with both standard and magnum loads. Some shotguns shoot better patterns with standard loads than they do with magnums. Turkey shells usually come in 10 to box, so it can get expensive to buy a bunch to pattern. You can get 2 or 3 of your buddies to help out and buy a bunch of different shells since you will only need 3 or 4 to find your best results.

A person can make their own targets or purchase life-sized turkey targets. To make your own patterning targets get some poster board from Wal-Mart that is 22" x 28" for $.31 each. Draw a turkey head on the poster board by closing your fist and drawing around it for the turkey head with a black magic marker. Place these targets at 20, 30 and 40 yards and shoot each size shell at each target. The objective to check your aiming point first and secondly to check your pattern on the target. You should do all your shooting from a sitting position as if you were turkey hunting. This will give you practice in judging actual turkey size at the various range and improve your aiming skills that will guarantee a quick, clean kill. One last tip that has cost many hunters a turkey is to practice shooting from both sides. Turkeys are not the most cooperative birds, and if the bird walks in on your off shoulder, it's almost impossible to swing all the way around to shoot them without spooking the bird. It will feel very awkward at first, but with practice you can become proficient enough to take what may be your only shot of the year.

SPRING HUNTING TECHNIQUES

One successful technique that can greatly improve a turkey hunter's chance of locating a bird is "putting a gobbler to bed." During the early evening on the day before you are going to hunt, position yourself on a ridge or at the mouth of a canyon. Take out a crow call, owl call, gobbler box, or a predator call and give a call. If a gobbler answers, try to pinpoint his location, noting prominent features where the gobble seemed to come from. If time allows, move to another location and repeat this procedure. Get up early the following morning, well before sunrise, and sneak to within 100-150 yards of the gobbler's roost tree at about the same elevation. You should be in place at least one hour before sunrise. If you were unable to locate a roosted gobbler the night before, try again early the morning of your hunt. Listen for a gobbler when it gets light enough for song birds to begin singing, which is well before sunrise. If there are no gobblers calling try to shock one into gobbling with a loud owl hoot or crow call.

It is not advisable to use turkey sounds until you are concealed and ready. If you do not hear a gobbler, you should move to another area, watching for strutting gobblers, listening for gobbles, and trying shock calls to locate a gobbler. Do not sit all morning at one spot unless you are confident that gobblers frequent the area. Determining the exact location of a gobbler can be difficult. The distance the gobble can be heard and direction from which the sound seems to come are influenced by topography, wind direction and velocity, the direction in which the gobbler is facing, and the extent to which the new green foliage is out. Heavy foliage can act as a sound barrier. In most of the blue oak/grasslands and black oak/conifer habitats, turkeys roost in oaks below the ridge lines and out of the prevailing winds. If you hear a turkey gobbling from a roost site, remember that it is easier to call a gobbler up a hill than down one. In addition, if you try calling from too far away he might not respond, especially if he has a hen nearby. After locating a roosting bird, try to get within 100-150 yards in a suitable location to begin calling. Choose a calling site very carefully, as this will probably be the most important decision of the day's hunt.

Try to pick a spot that a turkey will most likely go, such as west of the roost where the gobbler can approach the site with the sun at his back. Keep in mind that gobblers like to show off to their hens, so a clearing that catches rays of the rising sun is a good bet for early morning calling. Also, make it easy for the gobbler to get to your calling location. Do not expect him to wade through thick brush or cross a fence or creek. Choose a site such as a large tree or rock where you have good visibility in all directions. It is critical to set up so that you are able to see the gobbler, identify your target, and have a clear shot. Start calling softly after legal shooting hours begin. A good first call is the "tree-yelp." This tells the gobbler that a hen is roosting nearby. When the gobbler hears it, he will often gobble back. When this happens, stop calling and get in position. Generally, within the next 10-15 minutes, you will either see or hear him.

You may be able to hear him fly down, and his gobbles usually sound farther away once he is on the ground. If he is within sight do not call or he might see you. If you give him time, chances are he will work right up to you. If you have positioned yourself up against a big tree or rock, wait until he is well within 40 yards before you shoot. If after about 10 minutes the gobbler does not answer your "tree-yelp," try a series of plain yelps and clucks. It may be that the gobbler you "put to bed" last night has already assembled with a group of hens. In this case, listen for gobbles and yelps. Remember that if a gobbler is already with some hens he may not gobble much and may not be interested in your calls. Aggressive calling to the hens can sometimes bring both the hens and the gobbler to you. If the birds are far away, move as quickly and quietly as possible to a place where the bird can be called. Once in place try clucking and purring. Sometimes the gobbler will come right away, other times he will wait, expecting the hen to come to him. If he does not come after 5 minutes and you know he is still in the area, try a few soft yelps, clucks and/or purrs. If your gobbler is still in the area but has not come to your call, try other calls such as a "cut" or "cackle" or any type of call that excites him to try to bring him into range.

Sometimes aggressive calling will work, other times soft, infrequent calling works better. Experiment with your own techniques. Many hunters use a decoy to entice a gobbler into gun range and draw his attention away from them. Hunters who use decoys will experience a variety of results. Some gobblers will fight with or try to mount decoys. Others will strut for hours around a fake hen. Yet, other turkeys will run in the other direction or hesitate when they first spot a decoy. If you can tell that a gobbler is moving away, one option is to try to get to where he is headed. If the gobbler is moving back and forth along a ridge or a fence, you may be able to move to a site along his track while he is at the farthest point from you. But, if you move too often, sooner or later you will find that the gobbler is where you just moved from. It often pays to stay in one location for at least 45 minutes to an hour. When a gobbler does come toward you, have your gun ready before he comes into view. You may want to rest your elbows on your knees while holding your gun.

You can lift your gun when a turkey walks behind a large tree, but watch for other turkeys with the gobbler that may see you move. Once a gobbler is in an open area in front of you, movement of your gun will send him flying or running, leaving you without a shot. Wait to see if the gobbler turns away while strutting, causing his tail to block his view of you. This is the time to move. Do not shoot while a gobbler is in full strut. A good opportunity is when he gobbles and his head and neck are held up away from his body If you are ready to shoot, a cluck on a mouth call will often bring the gobbler out of a strut. Shoot immediately when the gobbler's head is raised. When using a shotgun, as opposed to a bow, the head and neck are the only killing shots you have on a turkey, so make sure you have a clear shot at them before you squeeze the trigger. When you shoot a turkey, immediately move toward the downed bird.

Many times a turkey will only be stunned and will regain his senses and try to escape. By moving toward the bird you can cut the distance for a second shot if needed, or physically subdue the bird. Placing a knee on top of the bird and breaking its neck is a good technique. Use caution if you grab for the legs, because the spurs of the gobbler have injured many hunters. If your hunt does not go as expected, you are not alone. That is the challenge of turkey hunting. Keep trying. Persistent, patient hunters are the most successful. Turkey hunting is one of the finest woodland sports. The attraction is not based primarily on harvesting a wild turkey, but rather on the manner in which it is taken. Whether you carry a gun, a bow or a camera, few types of hunting in California require as much knowledge of animal behavior as locating a gobbler and then successfully calling him, to you. For those who have experienced it, the spring turkey hunt is often their favorite.

FALL HUNTING TECHNIQUES

The fall turkey hunt is for either sex, and hunting techniques are quite different from a spring gobbler hunt. One of the more successful techniques is to locate and break up a fall brood flock, and position yourself where they were and call them back. Locating a brood flock often requires a great deal of time. However, local hunters and Department of Fish and Game personnel can assist hunters with information on flock locations. Large brood flocks, which are made up of hens and their young of the year, leave sign similar to that of spring turkeys, but on a larger scale. Look for tracks, droppings and the telltale feeding areas with oak leaves scratched in lines. Fall brood flocks are quite vocal, so listen for turkey talk as you scout for the flock. Once a flock is located, a good break-up of the flock is mandatory for a successful hunt with this technique. Many hunters rush the flock, shouting and waving their arms to startle the flock into scattering. Remember, do not run with a loaded gun in your hands. In many turkey ranges in California, the rocky terrain makes it dangerous to run at the flocks.

A well-trained dog can be used to break up the flock, but must be hidden in a blind during the hunt or removed from the hunt area. After you have broken up the flock, locate a calling site near the point of the break up. Wait about one-half hour or until you hear birds calling before you start to call them. The most frequently used call in the fall is the "kee kee run" or lost bird call. It is a high pitched "kee kee kee" in a series, usually followed by a yelp or two. Young birds will "kee kee" frantically and try to locate each other a short time after you have broken up the flock. By responding to this sound you can get them to approach within shooting range. Another call to try if the "kee kee run" is unsuccessful is a hen assembly call. This is the call of an adult hen gathering her flock. It is a long series of yelps raising slightly in volume and pitch and then declining in volume and pitch.

Hens will often use a series of 15 to 20 yelps for a gathering call. This will often lure a young bird within shooting range. A technique for locating fall flocks is to locate a roost by listening for soft yelps and birds flying into trees the evening before your hunt. If you can locate a roost, this flock can usually be scattered at day break. It is also possible to scatter roosting birds after shooting hours the night before in the same way you would during the day. This will separate the flock during the night, and reassembly will take place the next morning. Hunters have also had success calling gobblers and hens by locating their flock and reproducing the calls they are making. Young birds usually will return within an hour while an old gobbler may take 3 to 4 hours. Hens and their young tend to vocalize a lot as they return. Old gobblers tend to return silently. Often a gobbler flock will approach a coarse gobbler yelp to investigate the intruder. Another technique worth trying if you are working adults without young is to reproduce their call exactly and add more aggressive calls after each series. Successful fall gobbler hunting is difficult and requires a great deal of patience and knowledge.

Safety for Turkey Hunting

Surprisingly, most hunters involved in hunting accidents have many years of hunting experience. When interviewed, they cannot believe that it happened to them. It can happen to you. By being sure of your target and using the defensive measures outlined below, you can help ensure that you have a safe, quality hunt. All California hunters who have not held a California hunting license in a prior year must successfully pass a hunter safety course before purchasing a hunting license. Some prior license holders have taken the course as a refresher, often with their children. Turkey hunting safety depends on most of the principles taught in these courses, but there are many unique aspects of turkey hunting safety that all turkey hunters should also be aware of.

The National Rifle Association offers a turkey hunter safety education course and publishes the hunter's educational series which includes a book on wild turkey hunting. Contact the NRA for more information. Most hunting accidents can be prevented. Accidents happen when people disregard firearms safety fundamentals. Prevention involves knowing and obeying basic safety rules. If the three basic rules for handling firearms are followed most firearm-related tragedies could be prevented.

• 1. Treat every firearm as if it were loaded. Always check to make sure the gun is empty; never take anyone's word that the gun is unloaded. Check for yourself, open the action, look, then leave it open. "I didn't know it was loaded" is no excuse.

• 2. Always point the muzzle in a safe direction. Experienced hunters always handle a gun safely. They never let the muzzle point at anybody, including themselves. They also insist that everyone follow the same rules.

• 3. Be sure of your target and beyond. Responsible hunters are certain of the target before firing. They never shoot at a sound. They never shoot at a patch of color. They never shoot at anything except what they are hunting, and only after they have made a positive identification. They will pass up a great trophy gobbler rather than make a mistake and cause an accident.

You must always be alert when handling firearms and while hunting. However, there are certain times when you must show extra caution:

• 1) When carrying a firearm in rough terrain or obstacles. Be sure of your footing and always keep your firearm pointed in a safe direction.

• 2) When you are tired after a day's hunt. Reserve enough energy to complete a safe hunt.

• 3) When you first spot or think you have spotted a turkey. Do not rush into a careless shot.

• 4) When hunting companions forget or ignore the safety rules. Immediately bring it to their attention.

• 5) When carrying a turkey out of the field, use a field pack, a hunter-orange mesh bag or a hunter-orange ribbon to mark the bird. Do not carry the bird over your shoulder.

CAMOUFLAGE SAFETY

Hunter camouflage is an important part of hunting the wild turkey, but it may present a problem. The better you are camouflaged and concealed, the less likely another hunter will be able to see you. The proper way to notify an approaching hunter is to calmly and clearly speak to him. DO NOT move or wave. DO NOT use a turkey call to alert the hunter. If the other hunter does not respond to your first call, repeat louder to announce that you are near. Not everyone has good hearing, it is paramount in this situation to remain still until recognized by the approaching hunter To dress for success and safety follow these tips from the National Wild Turkey Federation:

• 1. Never wear clothing that contains the colors red, white, or blue because they can be mistaken for colors found on wild turkeys.

• 2. Be sure that the accessories you carry that are red, white, or blue (e.g. diaphragm calls, box calls, box call chalk, candy wrappers, apples, etc.,) are not visible to other hunters.

• 3. Camouflage your gun. If not, at least cover up white diamonds or other red or white markings.

• 4. Always keep your hands and head camouflaged when calling.

• 5. Wear dark-colored socks and pants that are long enough to keep your bare skin from being exposed.

• 6. Do not "over-camouflage" by sitting in vegetation so thick that it obscures your vision.

• 7. If you use a man-made blind of camouflage netting, maintain a clear field of view.

Other safety measures you may wish to consider include:

• 1) placing a blaze orange band around the tree you sit next to

• 2) placing a blaze orange sign "Camouflage Hunter in Area-Be Careful" in your vehicle window

• 3) wearing some blaze orange while moving from one spot to another

• 4) showing blaze orange on your decoy and decoy bag while transporting.

CALLING SITE LOCATION

Calling site selection is very important for both turkey hunting success and safety. You cannot shoot a turkey you cannot see. Moreover, gobblers do not like dense, brushy areas where they cannot see potential trouble from natural predators. Use calling sites where you can see for 75-100 yards. Do not sit near the edge of a hill that you cannot see over; you may be surprised by a hunter. Sit against a tree, stump or rock wider than your shoulders. Turkey hunting involves making turkey sounds with various devices. Some require movement on the part of the hunter When shaking a gobbler tube call it may resemble the motion of a gobbling turkey, and in combination with the gobble sound may be misinterpreted by an overanxious turkey hunter. By choosing a large tree, stump or rock, slight movements will be shielded from view of hunters coming from behind who you may not detect.

DECOY-RELATED SAFETY

Decoys can be effective for bringing turkeys in close and taking their attention away from you, but caution should be used to avoid dangerous situations. Hunters may stalk your calls, see your decoy, and shoot at the decoy. If you are in line with the decoy you could be in danger. Follow these defensive hunting tips from the National Wild Turkey Federation:

• 1. A decoy should never be visible while being transported. Never carry an uncovered (identifiable) decoy.

• 2. Whenever possible, set up by a tree that is greater in diameter than the width of your shoulders.

• 3. From your seated position, identify the clearest line of vision in front of you. Establish a "sight line" that allows you 100 yards visibility, Then set your decoy approximately 20 yards from your position on the line.

• 4. Should you see another hunter, call out to them in a loud clear voice. Their presence has already compromised your location and an unintelligible response from you may only confuse them, rather than alerting them to your presence.

• 5. If you are calling over decoys and then elect to move to a new location, check carefully to ensure that no one is stalking your decoys. Check before leaving your calling site location. Should you see someone in the area, rule 4 applies. You may also consider using one of the decoys that incorporate some blaze orange color into the wing and tail feathers.

CONTROLLING YOUR REACTIONS

Always be aware that the mind can sometimes cause a person to "see" what that person wants to see. Hunters may sometimes "see" wildlife where there is none. This ability of the hunter's mind to "create" a wild animal can be attributed partly to the strong desire to locate and bag game. The moment of high excitement is triggered as soon as a buck, bear, turkey or other game is seen, and it is in that moment of greatest excitement accidents can and do occur Peer pressure and overconfidence has been shown to play a part in your mental attitude, so reconsider each "opportunity" for a brief second and make sure of your target. Restrain your reflexes so you do not shoot without thinking. Here are some basic rules:

• 1 - Never shoot at sounds or movements. Assume every sound you hear and movement you see is another human being until proven otherwise.

• 2. Never shoot at a patch of color. Positively identify your target as a legal turkey first.

• 3. Always positively identify any target before raising your gun, be certain it is legal game.

• 4. Double check before you shoot. Consider placing a National Wild Turkey Federation "Hunt Safely" sticker on your gun's receiver to remind you to make absolutely sure.

Field Dressing a Turkey

Field dressing your bird allows the body to cool down as fast as possible. However, if you wish to document the weight, you should have your turkey weighed on a certified scale before you dress it. In any situation, it is important that you cool down the bird as fast as possible. Careless handling of wild game can result in spoilage. Turkeys that are not going to be mounted should be field dressed like any other upland game bird. This is done by cutting just above the vent to the brisket and removing the entrails. The heart, liver and gizzard should be separated from the entrails. Cut open the gizzard and remove the inner lining while it is warm. If you want to save these three organs, they should be placed in a ziplock plastic bag and cooled immediately.

You can clean turkeys much like you do ducks, geese, grouse and pheasants. The advantage to plucking is that you leave the skin on which keeps the bird from drying out while being cooked. Plucking turkeys in the field after field dressing is easier when the carcass is warm, and all wing and tail feathers can be removed by hand. When the carcass is cold, dipping the bird in scalding water helps feather removal. Skinning a turkey is cleaner and faster, but the meat may dry out when cooked. To keep the turkey from drying, cook it in foil or in a baking bag. Covering the bird's breast with strips of bacon during cooking will also reduce drying.

The Feather Distribution Project

The Feather Distribution Project provides wild turkey feathers to the Pueblo Indians of New Mexico and Arizona for use in religious ceremonies. The Pueblos have used these feathers for over 1,000 years. I do not buy or sell feathers; all are given free as a gift to the Pueblos. However, I am happy to reimburse postage costs. The Project began in 1982 in response to requests from Pueblo men for feathers. To date we have distributed more than 2,500,000 wild turkey feathers free-of-charge to the Pueblos. Most have been donated by NWTF members, including more than a dozen on the Bowsite. Please send feathers to: Dr. Jonathan E. Reyman Illinois State Museum - Research & Collections Center 1011 East Ash Street Springfield, IL 62703-3535. We prefer plucked feathers. If you send whole tails, wings, or caped, please make sure that they are dried thoroughly before shipping. I suggest removing as much meat as possible and then drying them using borax for at least 30-45 days. Otherwise they tend to decompose and are wasted.

7/20/99 - I just thought I say thanks to those of you who sent feathers, wings, tails, beards, etc. We have received more than 400,000 feathers and have distributed most of them. We have about 50,000 still awaiting delivery. This is a vast increase over the 2,000-3,000 we distributed in 1982, our first year. One hunter sent 2 dozen fans accumulated over a decade or so; others sent as many as a dozen, and we also received more than 50 pairs of wings. The Pueblo Indians are delighted to have them and wish you all a successful fall hunt. The Feather Distribution Project is nearing the 5,000,000 mark in feathers distributed in 18 years of operation. You've made it possible. Thanks again, and good hunting. Dr. Jonathan E. Reyman

Scoring a Turkey

Any turkey is a magnificent bird and is considered to be a trophy However, some hunters like to compare their gobblers with others taken within their state or other states. The National Wild Turkey Federation developed a turkey trophy scoring system that would allow all gobblers to be compared against each other equitably. The scoring system is based upon three measurements - weight, beard length(s) and spur lengths. The formula for overall score is: weight (lbs. and oz.), plus 10 times spur lengths (right & left), plus 2 times the beard length. All measurements are recorded in sixteenths of an inch. Weight must be measured to the nearest ounce (for example, 22lbs. 3oz. = 22 3/16 points). Spurs must be measured along the outside center, from the point at which the spur protrudes from the scaled leg skin to the tip of the spur (for example, left spur 1 inch plus right spur 1 1/16 inches times 10 = 20 10/16 points).

Beard length is measured from the center point of the protrusion from the skin to the end of the longest bristle (for example, 12 2 /16 inches times 2 = 24 4 /16 points). Turkeys with multiple beards must have each beard measured and recorded separately. The total score for the turkey in the example would be 22 3/16 + 20 10/16 + 24 4/ 16 = 67 1/16. Weights must be from certified scales with a current seal from the Division of Weights and Measures, State Department of Agriculture. Pictures are required for the measurements of the spurs and the beard. In addition, the scores must be witnessed. To register your turkey, write Entry Rules & Application, National Wild Turkey Federation, P.O. Box 530, Edgefield, SC, 29824-0530 or telephone (803) 637-3106.

Wild Turkey Hunting General Info: The United States’ history is deeply related to this small land bird for its hunting has been a major factor in the survival of the native inhabitants of the North American continent. Many centuries have passed and wild turkey hunting is still popular along this part of the world, while at the same time regarded with respect and gratitude, as well as care for the future of the next generations. But this has not always been this way as it had many ups and downs along the way, yet managing to uphold its roots and essence as a meaningful and significant piece of American history.

Long before European settlers arrived in the Americas, native Americans enjoyed abundant populations of wild turkeys and hunted the birds for food. Nevertheless, by the beginning of the 20th century, the majority of wild turkey populations were wiped in North America, being victims of decades of environment devastation and marketable harvest. By the Great Depression, less than 30,000 turkeys were left in the whole of the United States. Luckily, the American huntsmen, wildlife agencies as well as conservation groups interfered and wild turkey populations bounced back spectacularly. Over 7 million turkeys now wander North America, with populations fit for hunting in each state except Alaska; turkeys are furthermore hunted in some regions of Mexico and Canada.

This turnaround started in 1937 through the approbation of the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act that put taxes on guns, ammo and further hunting gear allocating them for protection and natural habitat improvement programs. Lobbied for in addition to being supported by hunting enthusiasts, this levy collected billions for restoration of wildlife. These resources are still needed in our day to sustain ongoing efforts to safeguard turkeys as well as other game or non-game species. With almost 3 million affiliated hunters, all of them paying taxes on gear and purchasing hunting licenses, this sport’s ongoing role in conservation can’t be overlooked. Since 1985, National Wild Turkey Federation unpaid helper and associates have spent over 202 million dollars on 31,000 projects meant to lend a hand to wildlife agencies in trapping and transferring turkeys to regions of appropriate habitat as well as improving the health of the nation’s woodlands.

To put it briefly, wild turkey hunting has managed to place itself on a high stand in American history and in the people’s conscience as a distinctive entity. Although its four thousand years of existence, this sport is still well-liked today, and with so many measures taken to ensure a better future for these animals it would seem that not only will it survive the clash of modernity but will be a part of it.

About Wild Turkeys: The Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) is the heaviest member of the Galliformes, and is one of two species of turkey ( the other is the Ocellated Turkey, found in Central and South America). Adult wild turkeys have a small, featherless, bluish head; a red throat; long reddish-orange legs; and a dark-brown body. The head has fleshy growths called caruncles; in excited turkeys, a fleshy flap on the bill expands, becoming engorged with blood. Males have red wattles on the throat and neck. Each foot has four toes, and males have rear spurs on their lower legs.

Turkeys have a long, dark, fan-shaped tail and glossy bronze wings and as with many other species of the Galliformes, turkeys exhibit strong sexual dimorphism. The male is substantially larger than the female, and his feathers have areas of red, green, copper, bronze, and gold iridescence. Female feathers are duller overall, in shades of brown and gray. Parasites can dull coloration of both sexes; in males, coloration may serve as a signal of health; the primary wing feathers have white bars.

Wild turkeys have 5,000 - 6,000 feathers and the feathers of the tail reach the same length in adult birds but different length in the young. Males normally have “beards” which consist of adapted feathers that protrude from the chest and they normally measure 9 inches. In some groups, 10%-20% of the females have beards, generally shorter as well as thinner than the males’. The typical weight of an adult male pheasant is 8.2 kg (18 lb) while an adult female’s is 3.2 kg (8 lb).

Turkeys are amazingly lively fliers and extremely sly, nothing like their domestic equivalents. In the air they are capable of reaching 50 mph (80 km/h). They regularly fly near the ground for just a quarter of a mile (400 m). In the early spring, the males, also known as gobblers or toms, guzzle to declare their being there to females as well as rival males. Males also release a low-pitched pulsation sound whereas hens “yelp” with the purpose of letting gobblers know of their location. Toms frequently yelp just like females and hens are capable of gobbling, although they hardly ever do so.

Even though turkeys regularly feed in the woods, for mating the birds move toward areas that offer visibility, like open woods, pastures, fields and even calm roads, by use of their exceptional eyesight to observe danger. The open areas around woods or brush offer displaying males as well as females they draw a rapid means of getaway. Hens usually nest on ground at the foot of a tree or bush, or in soaring grass and at nighttime, they settle in trees. Turkeys that live close to lakes can roost on tree branches overhanging water.

Wild Turkeys, which do not migrate, have benefited from reintroduction programs across the United States, where not hunted or harassed, they often become accustomed to human proximity. Turkeys have taken up residence on golf courses and are reported to be established in New York City’s Central Park. City dwellers and suburbanites have generally welcomed this influx, though a few view turkeys as interlopers. Although every spring media reports make much of turkeys crossing city streets, wandering into buildings or up fire escapes, and standing their ground against humans, such incidents hardly represent the norm.

Bow Hunting Turkey: Calling turkeys while bow hunting takes more time in comparison with the other hunting methods because hunters need to get the turkeys closer that’s why hunters must be more patient while using calling techniques. Shooting ports provide the hunter’s shooting lane that’s why every hunter must remember to double check the arrow trajectory in order to avoid nicking a window edge and deflecting the arrow.

The blackness inside a regular blind that disguises you can make seeing sight pins rather difficult, good fiber optic or a lighted sight solves this dilemma in most cases. Although regular pop-up does weight a little bit more than the wing of a fairy and require a few additional minutes, most hunters find these nuisances easily justified by the point-blank shots.

Decoys provide a visual cue that helps pulling a responding gobbler closer and position the bird for an efficient shot. When hunting without blinds, the decoy provides a point of focus which allows the hunter to draw its bow while the gobbler’s attention is focused at the turkey decoy. The positioning of the decoy depends on the hunting situation; when in a blind the hunter must set the decoys outside the front wall ( about five yards ). If the bird decides to strut right up to your decoy, you have an excellent opportunity for a deadly shot. If the bird hangs, you still have a good chance for an efficient shot. When you bow hunt turkeys without using a blind, you should place the decoys in order to draw attention away from the hunter’s position by setting up inside the hunter’s effective range. In most cases, gobblers will try to establish an eye contact with the decoy by swinging around to face the fake.

The mechanical broadheads used by turkey hunters are custom-made particularly for this type of hunting. There isn’t a better way to get such remarkable cutting diameters and accurate flight. As most of you know, a turkey has very small vital areas and that is why pin-point shooting is required in order to catch these birds thus making mechanical heads a must. If a hunter misses the mark just a little bit, the wide cutting diameters will give the hunter a slight advantage by cutting something vital or at least creating a devastating hole that assures a quick kill.

Choosing the most suitable hunting gear for bow hunting is a crucial aspect but without proper training the equipment is useless. The hunter must concentrate on 20-30 yard pin-point shots and surely he will catch many of these birds. It is advisable to practice shooting while sitting flat on your rear if you don’t have a blind, but if you do it is advisable to practice shooting from your knees.

The hunter that is shooting from inside a blind will encounter some shooting problems that in a normal shooting situation don’t appear that is why practicing well ahead of the turkey season using a lighted or good quality fiber optic sight is recommended. On a facing shot, the hunter must aim for the base of the turkey’s neck and on going away he must aim for the anus in order to make sure he finds the lungs and heart.

All things considered, bow hunting turkey is more complicated in comparison with the other hunting methods but with the proper equipment, serious training and lots of patience when calling, you can catch many of these birds.

Fall Turkey Hunting: During the fall season, the turkeys are gathered together into flocks which are usually made up of several hens with their broods from the current year hatch. These mixed up family flocks can number between dozen birds to several dozens and in a good habitat, flocks of 100 turkeys aren’t a strange thing. Many hunters encounter small bachelor flocks of gobblers, in most cases consisting of birds from the current year.

In order to find turkey a hunter must locate its food sources, one of the most reliable places would be the grassy fields. Glassing fields with binoculars and driving back roads will give the hunter a good start of finding turkey. Hiking into remote forest openings, right-of-way strips created by gas pipelines and transmission lines, grown-over logging roads is a good opportunity to find turkeys as well.

Mature turkeys and their growing young feed heavily on acorns, beechnuts, wild grapes, cherries, blackberries so if you know areas in which one of the above mentioned can be found, this would be a good place to start. These animals prefer roosting in large trees with rather thick limbs and they also like to stay out of the wind during the night so look for root sites in protected hollows rather than looking on the tops of ridges. During extreme cold periods and in inclement weather, a hunter must head for stands of conifers like pines and hemlocks that provide shelter from the nature’s aggression.

The moment you have found turkeys, the next thing to do is to bump into a flock. In order to do so you must keep in mind that the goal is to get as close as possible in order to scatter the flock to the four winds. After doing this you must place yourself at the break-up point and start calling to the reassembling birds. One of the best time to locate these animals, if not the best, is right at daybreak. A flock of turkeys that hasn’t seen much pressure when they wake up in the morning will make a hell of a racket and you will hear their whistles and whine from long distances; you won’t forget this sound very quick.

If you have the possibility to reach a flock like this before it gets too light you should flush the turkeys from the trees. During the poor light of the pre-dawn period you can get turkeys that fly off separately to all points of the compass. This will create a very good break and a good chance to call one back and take a shot. You also have the alternative to wait until the birds fly down and gather around on the ground and after that rush in and break them up.

Another excellent period for finding these birds is during the night. The turkeys don’t enjoy roosting by themselves and the ones that were separated from their group are in many cases desperate to find company before the fly-up time arrives so if you split up a flock just before dark you shouldn’t expect them to come back right away.

As far as hunting strategies are concerned, still-hunting requires strong knowledge of the hunting areas as well as knowledge regarding where the turkeys can be found otherwise you will waste your time calling in areas where turkeys can’t be found. When this strategy works you will have a great chance for shooting big flocks, singles, small groups and in some fortunate cases a boss gobbler. Fall gobblers can be found in some cases in small bachelor groups/pairs/trios. These fall gobblers take their time reassembling and it might take a day or even more for them to return to the break-up point.

All things considered, fall turkey hunting can be a very adventurous activity and with a little bit of luck and basic turkey hunting knowledge you might get lucky and kill a few of these birds.

Spring Turkey Hunting: Spring turkey hunting, as part of the wild turkey hunting genre, resembles the other turkey varieties in a great degree but also brings new elements in the game, elements that distinguish it and make it stand out. This sport is so popular that, in many states, the licenses offered are not enough for the hundreds of passionate hunters that require them at each start of the spring season.

Scouting is indispensable to success, as wide open spaces can make finding turkeys very demanding. Scouting beforehand can also offer the chance to have a discussion with landowners and find out about the behavior of gobblers in the area and the places they frequent. Once you’ve located and effectively determined where they settle you must persuade them into rifle range. A method that has proved successful for many hunters has been hunting alongside a partner. Hunting as a team may give your partner the chance of getting into the woods, but also give you a valuable aid.

Two-man hunting not only permits sharing the excitement hunting but also boosts the chances of success. Coordinated calling can make it trickier for the birds to pin down your exact location. It is good to know that each turkey reacts in a different way to calling and every one will draw near differently. Being ready for any kind of approach is crucial to success. If you’re hunting with a buddy it’s important to build up a calling plan for diverse situations. You have to be prepared for forceful birds that run straight at you once you’ve called or the quiet gobblers that aim to sneak up on you. Therefore, your hunting buddy can facilitate making sure that turkeys don’t catch you off guard.

The most broadly used technique of hunting for spring wild turkeys is locating a gobble on the settle before sunrise; setup close by and make use of decoys or calls to get him to come within range. Even though gobbling commotion drops after sunshine, gobbles which aren’t with any hen may carry gobbling all through the morning, which means that they could reply to your calls. Providing you do not take a gobble in early morning hours, you can gradually make way through the forest or close to feeding and hanging out spots, calling sporadically as you walk. At what time you hear a gobbler, get as near as possible without frightening it earlier than setting up to call.

Toms repeatedly feed and gulp late into the morning, subsequent to the hens having gone to the nests. If you’ve completed your fieldwork observing and blueprinting the birds, you might know where exactly these feeding/strutting places are. You can take a book as well as a lunch with you, calling every couple of minutes and waiting for the birds to show up. Remarkably, this same technique is used by a lot of deer hunters who stand for hours on deer stands; therefore it is not only efficient in wild turkey hunting. The important thing you have to remember is that you must be patient and have lots of determination and the results will be plentiful.

Turkey Calling

We offer you a few turkey calling tips you might take into consideration on your next turkey hunting adventure:

• When you start hunting in a new location you should start with a soft series of clucks or yelps and if you don’t get a response right away you should increase the volume and the aggressiveness. In some cases, the gobbler might be right next to you and if you start off too loud you will most likely scare him away.

• In order to keep your mouth calls in perfect shape we recommend storing them in a cool and dark place, the perfect example would be a refrigerator. Sticking a flat toothpick or a paper clip between the reeds in order to keep them separated while they are in storage will maintain them in a good shape.

• Many amateur hunters ask lots of questions regarding what would be the most efficient type of turkey call to use. If you too are looking for an answer to this question, you must know that the best call would be the one you feel the most comfortable with. Learning to use a wide variety of calls is a great advantage. By mixing up your calling you’ll sound like more than a single hen which, in most cases, is all it takes to attract a curious turkey.

• When a gobbler is with hens and won’t come in, one of the most efficient strategies hunters use is trying to call the hens in. The very first thing a hunter must do is to imitate the sounds hens are making. If a hen yelps seven times, the hunter must reply with also seven yelps. In many cases this will anger the hen and will force her to come in looking for a fight. If this doesn’t happen, the hunter must get even more aggressive in his call by throwing in some excited yelps.

• In order to add more realism to the early morning calling, the hunter should use an old hen turkey wing to help call in gobblers. Flap or brush the wing against the tree you are sitting up against. By doing so, it will sound like a turkey moving around in the tree to a certain gobbler and in many cases is efficient in the early hours of the morning before the birds fly down from the roost.

• When the turkeys fly down, you must beat the wing on your leg or the ground in order to imitate a hen turkey that is flying down. The wise mature gobblers can in some cases be called using only the sound of the wing.

• When you hunt a call shy tom, it often helps to use your hands to scratch the leaves because this will imitate the sounds made by a hen when she is feeding and in many cases will bring a shy and old bird in your line of sight.

All things considered, turkey calling isn’t a very difficult thing to do if you take your time and follow our tips. We wish you best of luck on your next hunting adventure.

Turkey Hunting Techniques: When you are setting up for wild turkey hunts before the daylight you shouldn’t get too close to a roost. Regarding the distance that hunters should keep it varies from hunter to hunter but as a general rule, you should try and get within a range of 100 up to 150 yards if you can. With other words, you need to get as close as possible to the roost without scaring it off. The closer you will get, the fewer the obstacles that the bird will have to come around to get to you.

Many of the wild turkey hunters have experienced a tom that hangs up which basically means he stops out of range at about 60 yards or even more, is still gobbling and refuses to come close enough for a deadly shot. He may be hung up for some reasons, one of these reasons might be that he could be behind some obstacles like a creek or a fence or he could be in his favorite strutting area or another possibility would be that he has some hens with him. The stubbornness of the bird is also a possibility, for example you call the turkey a long period of time but the bird will just simply stay there, waiting for the “hen” to approach him.

When this situation occurs, you should try using very soft “purrs” and “clucks” to entice the bird that last 20 yards. Another way would be to lightly scratch the leaves with your own hand, imitating the sounds made by a turkey that is scratching the ground. If none of these methods work, we recommend that you stop calling and wait for the turkey. As most of you know, wild turkeys have their own sense of time and it is nothing unusual for a gobbler to stand and strut for approximately 60 minutes in the exact same spot before they finally become curious and walk the remaining distance.

If the turkey is still at a big distance or he is hidden enough so that you can move around just a little bit, we recom