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  • April 30, 2009

    5 Ways To Get A Gobbler-10

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    For some Strut Zoners, turkey season ’09 is winding down. For others, seasons are either just opening or just starting to get good. Five of my good hunting buddies and I have been chasing gobblers all week with pretty good success. We've taken seven birds thus far, but the tally has nothing at all to do with what we've experienced every day since the season opened on Monday. Everyone has had multiple opportunities at birds each day and virtually everyone has had to leave gobbling turkeys at the mandatory noon quitting time. Here are a few things we've learned this past week that might help you out along the way.

    1. Don't slack on roosting—Nowadays it seems as if fewer and fewer turkey hunters bother to roost birds on the night before the hunt. Don't be those guys. Our gang roosted every evening and heard birds gobble every evening. If roosting birds didn't directly lead to a successful hunt the next morning, it sure gave us a firm handle on the population of birds on the properties we were hunting.

    2. Check your spots often—Hunting hours are from dawn til noon in most places. Although our group would sometimes take a break for a cup of coffee and a breakfast sandwich (thanks for the breakfast sandwiches, Nicole!), we used every hour of the allotted hunting time. On some mornings, we'd check the same spots three or four times—and it paid off. Sometimes, a bird that you might not have heard gobble on your first stop, will be waiting on you when you arrive the second time.

    3. Sort through the henned-up gobblers—It amazes me how many turkey hunters will quit on a day's hunting just because they've worked a gobbler that had hens and assumed that all gobblers were henned up. They are not! If you keep at it all morning, you will eventually find a longbeard without hens. When you do, he's likely to come running to your calls.

    4. Call how you feel—It also amazes me when turkey hunters berate other turkey hunters because they either call too loud or too soft, too much or too little. Every hunter has his own style—don't be afraid to let it hang out. Just how many turkeys are actually spooked by poor calling is anyone's guess, but I'd say far fewer than you think. Just because a gobbler walks dead away from your calling, doesn't mean that you're a bad caller or that you called too loudly or aggressively. It's more likely that his hens led him away to get him away from you. If a gobbler you're working gobbles at cutting, then cutt at him. If he likes yelps, then yelp. If he prefers soft stuff, then give it to him. Take your bird's temperature and work him accordingly.

    5. It's a long season, so hunt it!—Spring turkey season is very different than deer season. Most deer hunters believe that if they miss opening day, they've missed their best opportunity at taking a buck. Don't fall into that trap. In fact, during some seasons, the very last day of gobbler season is every bit as good as the first day. As more and more hens go to nest to incubate their clutch of eggs, more and more gobblers roam the woods in search of breeding opportunities. These birds can be the easiest turkeys of all.

     

    Turkey Tips '09
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  • April 23, 2009

    N.Y. To Kids:"You're Too Young To Hunt"-57

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    New York State hunters do it way too early.

    At least according to Liz Krueger, New York City Democratic Senator. She's introduced legislation that would elevate the state's hunting age. Want specifics? Senate Bill 3598 increases the minimum age for obtaining a hunting license from 16 to 18 years of age, while requiring anyone under the age of 20 to be accompanied by a parent, guardian or relative.

    And if that isn't enough, the bill also raises the junior hunting license to 14-16 years old from the present 12-14 years old. It also increases the age of the mentor accompanying a junior hunter from 21 to 23. A proposition with more teeth than a shark, it also attempts to increase the junior archery license age bracket limit from 14-16 to 16-18 years old.

    I started out turkey hunting as a Pennsylvania twelve-year-old back in 1971, having taken the hunter's safety course the year before in anticipation of the spring season. Age 12 felt just about right. 

    What are your thoughts, Strut Zoners? Is Senator Krueger right on the mark, or way off target? 

     

    Too Young To Hunt
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  • April 17, 2009

    Anti At The Wheel-15

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    I handed her my long black gun case. She put it behind her driver’s seat, saying, “Sure hope that thing doesn’t fall on me! What’s in it?”

    “A hunting shotgun,” I answered, just as she, the airport shuttle bus driver, apparently saw my “Got turkey?” sticker slapped to it. I was returning to New England from my recent Texas hunt.

    “Well you better not come and hunt MY turkeys in MY backyard! They’re like children to me,” she said.

    This conversation was off to a strange start. I took the offensive.

    “Do you know how those turkeys got there?” I countered, smiling.

    “Well, no I don’t. I just moved here from California a few years ago. They’ve always been in my backyard as far as I know.”

    I launched into a short history of trap-and-transfer wild turkey management, and how hunter dollars paid for much of the restoration, and that in a way she had us to thank for that.

    “Well, do you eat those turkeys?” she asked, curious. After hearing my positive response, she said, still driving slowly, “Is there one in THERE?” meaning my overweight checked bag on the floor in front of me. I said there was. She cringed. Furthermore, I said, we were likely having it for dinner soon, as I love to cook wild game.

    She thought hard about all this, going silent.

    “Well you seem like a nice person,” she said, “I just don’t know how you could shoot these beautiful creatures.”

    I told her how many of us are fascinated with the wild game we hunt. We study them to hunt them better. They amaze us. And yes, we shoot them, ideally utilizing fair chase standards set forth by the tradition. I’m a proud hunter, and apologize to no one for loving it. Like you guys do, no doubt.

    By the end of it, I’m not sure what had been accomplished. She’d met a real live wild turkey hunter, and I’d survived an encounter with an anti-hunter at the wheel of an airport transportation bus.

    “Well it’s been nice harassing you,” she cheerily offered as I unloaded my gun case, big travel bag, laptop carry, and backpack onto the asphalt of the long-term parking area.

    “You take care of our turkeys now,” I responded.

    What would you guys have said or done?

    Anti-Wheel
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  • April 14, 2009

    New England Gobblers-18

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    In the aftermath of that monster December ice storm, we lost power for days, weeks in some cases. Winter put us through 12 Rounds, but we went the distance. So did the tough birds we Strut Zoners love to hunt, none other than the wild turkey.

    New Hampshire's turkey hunters can expect a productive spring gobbler season, according to New Hampshire Fish and Game Department turkey biologist Ted Walski. The spring season opens Sunday, May 3, and runs through May 31 statewide. The N.H. Youth Hunt Weekend precedes the season, taking place on April 25-26 (Saturday and Sunday). 

    "Hopefully, turkey hunters were out sometime during March checking on the whereabouts of turkey flocks before snow cover disappeared and the flocks began to break out of their wintering sites and disperse across the landscape," said Walski. 

    Walski recapped the past winter's impact on the state's turkey population: "Turkeys did well this past winter in most of the state. The ice storm during the middle of December and the thawing days in late December created some crust, allowing turkeys to walk more easily on the snow. While January was cold, the month of February had many 'thawing days,' which created bare ground sites on south and southwest slopes. Turkeys fed on acorns during early and late winter, and made good use of dried crabapples and apples on trees from last fall's bumper apple crop. An Internet Wild Turkey Winter Flock Survey in New Hampshire this year produced 1,400 flock reports! The majority of these flocks visited bird feeders for sunflower seeds and cracked corn during the deep snow periods."

    Turkeys have been displaying and gobbling this year since early February, Walski reported. Even some grouse were seen displaying in mid-February. By February 20, turkey flocks and deer groups were venturing from their winter ranges for "walk-abouts." Some turkey breeding was observed by the middle of March, which means there may be some early hatching during the second half of May.

    During the spring 2008 gobbler season, N.H. hunters harvested 4,107 turkeys. "I would 'guesstimate' the spring 2009 harvest will be in the same range, if not better," said Walski. "My travels through the fall and winter months seemed to indicate good numbers of adult toms with long beards. Last year's season harvest and this winter flock survey results suggest that turkey populations in the eastern half of the state are increasing, and I predict an increase in the May 2009 harvest from eastern wildlife management units."

    Since the end of March, turkeys have begun gobbling early in the mornings between 6:00 and 6:15 a.m. "If you can make the time, do some early morning gobbling routes," recommends Walski. "Start approximately one-half hour before daybreak. Stop at one-half to one mile intervals along a 5- to 10-mile route in the region you intend to hunt; get out of the vehicle and listen for gobbling turkeys and drumming grouse for four minutes at each stop." N.H. Fish and Game Department regional biologists each survey several 10-mile routes each spring between April 15 and May 10 to listen for turkey and grouse.

    What are the rest of you seeing along the northern region in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts and New York State? Regular Strut Zoner James Patch, a hardcore scouter and in-season hunter in both Maine and New Hampshire, sent along these recent scouting photos. Enjoy.

    New England Turkeys
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  • April 10, 2009

    The Turkey Report-13

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    Here at the Strut Zone, we're hearing from a lot of turkey chasing buddies around the country, even as we travel ourselves in pursuit of gobblers. A guy who's no stranger to Outdoor Life readers, photographer John Hafner, just checked in. Here's what he had to say about his recent hunt this week:

    "Just got back from a great hunt/photo shoot in Kansas with McMillan Outfitting. Killed a bird the first afternoon of the hunt. The birds were responsive, but henned up badly." How did he close the deal?

    "Covered lots of ground, saw several strutters and worked a lot of different birds throughout the day ... only to be outdone by aggressive, vocal hens. I was finally able to pull a two year-old away from the flock around 5:30 p.m. as the birds crossed a field. Watched 30+ birds – hens, jakes and longbeards – feed, fight and frolic for nearly two hours hour at 75 yards. Finally, after a few soft yelps, I was able to coax a gobbler from 60 yards to 40. My bird might be a Rio-Eastern hybrid [see Hafner's photo], as his tail feathers are darker than what you typically see on a Rio. Great hunt. Great company. Will definitely hunt Kansas again next year."

    It pays to think like a turkey gobbler, even if he's running with a bunch of hens. How are you guys handling henned-up situations around the country? Got any cool tactics to beat the challenge?

    Hafner
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  • April 8, 2009

    Texas Turkeys II-10

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    PUTNAM, TEXAS—Before our Lone Star State hunt this past week, Goldsmith Ranch owner fifty-something Steve Goldsmith, our instantly likable host with the energy of a guy half his age, filled me on his Rio Grande turkeys. “Birds are all henned up. They could be tough.”

    I listened as we enjoyed a massive steak at the nearby Beehive Saloon (Albany), a baked potato (“loaded,” as in split wide and stuffed with sour cream, cheddar cheese, and bacon bits), and a soft drink as big as a lunch bucket. I love Texas for many reasons, and tend to spring turkey hunt it annually. The next day, I pulled the trigger on a Rio Grande gobbler right after fly-down on the opener. (Check out my previous SZ post.) We’d gotten on the board.

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    On Day Two of the hunt and our third in camp, we located some gobblers on the roost, birds that kept running with the hens as predicted by Mr. Goldsmith. After some major repositioning and maybe a half-mile hike, we had a tom come to 80 yards or so, with my buddy Van Holmes set up as the gunner. No go. 

    We were paying some dues now . . .

    Legal in Texas but not Maine where I make my home base, that afternoon we hunted a gorgeous spot guide Jeremy Baxter knew well. We called in a hen, got close to other turkeys. At our guide’s solid suggestion, we set up in a gorgeous hillside bottom, that later saw a coyote drift into range of our yelping. 

    The afternoon wound down. We called some more. Then suddenly, as the brisk wind that had plagued us all day dropped, and the air cooled a little, a gobbler answered up the little rise. We called. He gobbled closer, hunting us down. Stepping out of cover, that bird looked eight feet tall. He strode down to the little flat, looked once at the hen decoy, and drifted toward the roost. 

    “Shoot, shoot, shoot, shoot, shoot,” I hiss-whispered as the brief opportunity was about to pass. Holmes made good. The shot was all of 35 yards if not a solid 40 (Remington’s Wingmaster HD), and through a small opening in brushy cover about the size of that big steak I’d enjoyed the day we arrived. The bird dropped, flopped. I got up and sprinted toward it.

    Holmes, who had some experience bird and big-game hunting, had sealed the deal on his first wild turkey. His smile lighted up the waning afternoon. Fist bumps all around as we relived what had just happened . . .

    Texas turkey camp was going out with a bang. By the end of it, five guys had tagged a total of three birds. Tough sledding, but we’ll take it. We also hunted wild hogs with dogs. Coyotes. Drove our Yamaha Grizzly wheels around the rugged country (www.yamahaoutdoors.com). Averaged four hours of sleep each night . . .

    I can’t wait to get back next year. 

     

    Jeremy Baxter
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  • April 5, 2009

    Texas Turkeys-7

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    The setup looked perfect. Turned out it was.

    Gobblers sounded off to the front of us, answering our tree calling, around a 100+ yards off our position, roosted near an open field, and above a creek. Would they cross the water to our side? Would they fly down to the other side? Real hens softly called, adding to our anticipation. Sunrise arrived, warming the comfortable spring chill in the air, and adding to that game-on energy only an opening day in spring turkey country can offer.

     

    Soon, the big birds flew down, black blobs that drifted toward us. We clucked, yelped. I ran a mouth call and slate, making like a bunch of turkeys. Jeremy Baxter, who'd scouted these Rios and had a solid sense of what they might do once they winged to the ground, worked a slate behind me. My buddy, Van Holmes, sat locked in to my right, facing the field, and a gate opening we hoped the turkeys might move through to our position.

    Wishful thinking is a good part of turkey hunting, all hunting really, and we were no different. Soon a wad of black birds ran away from the main group (many hens, a jake and longbearded strutter), and stopped, under 100 yards out, but at a different angle now. Two full-fan strutters. A handful of others milling around (jakes). Fighting purrs. Some gobbling on the ground. Wings flapping. Attempts at spurring each other. They were sorting out the pecking order, a daily deal for male turkeys, especially this time of the year. Would they drift past us and away in the other direction? It seemed like that might happen. We needed to stop that bad thought with some amped-up calling. 

    That's when the seven turkeys looked our way, then RAN. 

    Toward us. Wing to wing, jostling, going into semi-strut, they couldn't get to our position fast enough. Maybe too fast. The line of turkeys streaked toward Holmes who was locked in and waiting. Now I was trying to slow them down, spread them out for a solid shot, even stop them. I was first thinking double, then of just getting my buddy Van a bird since he faced that footrace in the making.

    Cluck, from me.

    The line of gobblers shifted into third gear. Call or shut up?

    Cluck, cluck-cluck, yelp, yelp, yelp. 

    The gang was about to run us down. Too tight for a clear shot at a single bird, Van held off. They ran past him, slowed slightly, looking around. I watched it all on my side of the tree, my eyes flowing with the action. The first bird passed by, a good gobbler, with the biggest beard of the bunch. He sprinted past way too fast for a close-range shot. The next five birds were all jakes. The last bird, a longbeard too, stepped by, and in front of my shotgun. The other six were well past now.

    Now or never time had arrived. 

    Safety off, I clucked, HARD. Up periscope went his red, white and blue head. The last gobbler stopped, turned my way. I saluted him with a 3-inch load of Wingmaster HD 6s. Distance: four yards. No typo! At that, some of the birds flushed. Three lingered not far away, including the other longbeard, but the angle was tough for my pal Holmes to capitalize on for a buddy double. The turkeys drifted off. 

    We were on the board in Texas. The bird, a gobbler now fully grown from that super hatch two years ago, had started things off right for us.

    As I write this, it's early afternoon of Day Two following a windy morning of running-and-gunning, crossing creekbeds, snaking around on game trails, trying to get into position on mobile henned-up turkeys following the arrival of a cold front last night. We managed to call a vocal gobbler to 80 yards or so in the woods, a hung-up bird that wanted to see what was making the turkey talk from our position. It didn't, drifted off. Plenty of hunting to go  this afternoon, and tomorrow. Stay tuned for a full report on the rest of my Texas hunt Strut Zoners. Keep us posted on how you're doing around turkey country too . . .

    Rio
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  • April 2, 2009

    Love At First Shot-16

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    The Remington 870 shotgun has been a solid choice for turkey hunters since I was a teenager meaning we’ve both been around awhile. I’ve owned many, and have field-tested others on hunts around the country. Lucky guy? Heck yeah.

    In addition to using the standard pump options over the years, solidly tricked out with both American walnut woodwork and synthetic stocks, I’ve been trying out the newfangled 870s too. This includes both the thumbhole and pistol-grip designs, all of which have helped me kill spring gobblers in faraway places like Florida, Texas, South Dakota and back here in the Northeast, slammin’ my way around turkey country.

    You need a reliable firearm to do that, and I’ve been happy with the Remington options. Enter the ShurShot design, which helped me take an Osceola gobbler on the recent opening weekend in central Florida. What’s it offer? Both right- and left-handed shooters can enjoy ambidextrous mobility. It’s maneuverable as advertised. The SuperCell recoil pad has made camp patterning sessions, and game-time hunts comfortable. And what you really want to know: All my first shots have killed turkeys laundry-load dead. Period.

    Check out the Model 870 SPS SureShot Synthetic Turkey, and other “Big Green” turkey gun options at www.remington.com/

    Got a favorite turkey gun Strut Zoners? Send us the good word on your trusty firearm and a photo.

    Love at First Shot
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