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September 28, 2009
Fall Turkey Checklist - 16
Let the games begin. Gathering gear for a fall turkey hunt (and road trip) isn’t all that different than in spring, unless you hunt with a dog as I and many others do. I spent September chasing early Maine geese and scouting turkey flocks, often at the same time. My home base shotgun season for turkeys doesn’t arrive until Oct. 17 though, so I’m off to New York in early October. The season starts Thursday, Oct. 1 in the upstate area I'm hunting; I'll miss the opener but get in there not long after. Stay tuned here for a full report.
In the meantime, I’m packing for the trip. Here’s what I’ll need: CALLS: A custom paddle box, waterproof box, single- and double-reed diaphragms (for kee-keeing), several slates (for hen and gobbler yelps), and a gobbler call. GEAR: Turkey loads (3-in. #5s & 6s), two shotguns (this is a road trip fellas), several pairs of boots, many apparel changes including raingear. Other stuff: penlight, seat cushion, choke tubes, etc. License holding two fall turkey tags. Wallet-held hunting licenses for the three states I pass through. A copy of the NY State hunting regs. Knife. Facemask, gloves, extra hat, bug dope, and a soon to be disclosed lucky charm my 11-year-old daughter will give me before departure. DOG STUFF: One of my roomy turkey vests for extra gear, including leads, collars, a portable blind, a zippered camouflaged bag to conceal my canine partner, head exposed (Virginian John Byrne’s and his wife Miss Sue's invention; adapted by turkey doggers and their better halfs around the country), first-aid kit (these dogs are athletes), an extra water bottle and collapsible dog dish. Dog bed for downtime. Dog crate when afield. Of course the dog herself (our moon-white renegade English setter Luna, just 1 and some change, full of hunting desire and a love of feathery game). Memories of my late great canine hunting partners Midge March Madness and her half-sister Jenny (both buried in the last several years; Jen on August 31 at 13+ years old) will inform the hunt too. Midge's first fall turkeys came to the post-flush calls all those years ago with her at the same age as Luna(tic). Our other setter Radar, 7, will be part of the fall fun too. It's a continuum . . . MISC.: Batteries for my HD mini-camcorder, my alarm clock and my digital camera. A borrowed cell phone (wife's loaner), which won’t necessarily grab a signal where we’ll be hunting. DeLorme Atlas & Gazetteers for Maine, NH, VT and NY (always present in my truck and filled with annotated scrawling from turkey sightings written in cryptic code). Pens, a notebook, maybe a laptop (see "borrowed cell phone" for rural hunt challenges). Road trip CDs ranging from Willie Nelson to The Clash to Springsteen. (Eclectic? Heck yeah.) Cooler for soft drinks, snacks, various food items. You eat and drink the contents then ideally put your fall bird(s) in there at trip's end. What vest essentials do you guys insist on when you hit the turkey woods? |
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Comments (16)
Just talked to some of my NY contacts last night and this morning . . . one says: "I think we're gonna be all right. Saw a lot of flocks a couple weeks ago, but now they've moved into the woods, likely for all the mast that's falling," while another says he has birds "all over the upper half of one county," while yet another is down on the recent hatch, is talking gloom and doom, and is seeing it as a "glass half empty" proposition. Not really a fall turkey hunter but a good friend nonetheless. We won't hold that against him! He's a hardcore "beards in the spring; antlers in the fall" guy,and that's cool. Stay tuned here at the SZ for a full report: good, bad and ugly. BTW, what are you guys seeing out there? Thanks.
I've been out bowhunting since the 15th and have seen turkeys 2 of the last 3 times I've been out, not in range. Although I probably couldn't hit one if it was, I've shot at two does and narrowly missed both.
Sounds like you have all the bases covered have a good hunt. Look forward to your reports.
Worked on some gobblers the other day or should I say they worked me over. 3+ hours of steady gobbling and they remained no shows.
Hey Levi. Keep at it man. That's what it's all about.
Hey charlie elk. Love that fall gobbling. Worth the price of admission and all that. Fun stuff.
Hey Steve,
It is now official...despite the fact that the fall 2009 hunting regulations have been published and distributed by the AGFC the fall firearms as well as archery turkey seasons have been closed. The panel passed the proposal for the closing of the season by a 4-2 vote. I am afraid that it may be a long time before Arkansas sees a fall turkey season again. I hate it for several reasons. I always liked having a wild turkey for Thanksgiving or Christmas and it is super hard to hang on to one from the spring but now there is no fall opportunity. Another reason is the fact that I took my first bird with a bow last winter and my two young sons were with me....now that has been taken from me as well. Anyway, please keep doing what you do and I will live my fall turkey hunts through the words of you and your readers....and wait for April!!!
Hey calyncokeboy,
Here's the report from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission:
LITTLE ROCK – After voicing concerns about declining spring turkey harvests, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission today voted to close all 2009 fall turkey hunting seasons in the state. The archery turkey season was scheduled to open on Oct. 1, followed by opening of the firearm turkey season on Oct. 26. The vote to close the season was 4-3 in favor of closing. Commissioners Emon Mahony, Ron Pierce, Rick Watkins and Commission Vice Chairman Craig Campbell voted in favor of the closure. Commissioners George Dunklin, Ron Duncan and Commission Chairman Brett Morgan voted against the closure.Campbell said that he’s certain there is a problem with the state’s turkey population and one way to stop its continued decline is to close the entire fall season. “I’m convinced we have a heck of a problem, but I’m convinced we’re moving in the right direction. We’re going to mess around and not have a spring turkey season if we don’t do something,” Campbell said.
Dunklin said that he felt like a decision to close the season would polarize the Commission and Arkansas’s hunters. “What concerns me is we’re dividing our user groups. We’re saying the hunter is the problem. Hunters are our partners. Without hunters, the resource goes away,” Dunklin said.
P.S. calyncokeboy,
Any chance you can pull together a road trip and make up for it somewhere else? Kansas maybe?
Definitely feel for you though. As you said, the Arkansas fall turkey season had been officially listed, and it ran well into the New Year as usual. I wonder why they didn't back off on hunting days a little (or a lot), and at least offer hardcore Arkansas guys like you a chance to do what you love.
A complete cancellation seems a bit much.
For the record, many of us here in the Northeast get by with a 5-day gun fall turkey season in NH, and a 6-day option in Maine, road tripping to NY (a generous season there; 2 fall tags), and Vermont as well (1 tag, but super turkey hunting). Many of us over the years have gotten out for the Sept. 15-Dec. 15 NH archery offering just to be in the woods with the turkeys.
I'll try to keep everyone posted on this breaking news. Hang in there man. -S.
That's too bad about Arkansas, up in Missouri, the numbers aren't fantastic, but we have the whole month of October to hunt with a gun, and you can get two birds, maybe give us a try. I drew on one tonight, I was actually sneaking through the woods to find a spot to set up for deer, near where I'd seen some deer and a turkey the night before and one walked almost right to me, it went behind a tree, I drew, when it came out the other side it would have been 20 yards away, a very doable shot, but instead it ran off. Not too surprised though. It was only one bird, definitely not a big gobbler, but I'm not sure if it was hen or jake, seemed odd to see one by itself.
Hey Steve,
Thanks for your report and input, and thanks to everyone else for all your comments. I am not sure if I will be able to put together anything this fall. The belt is a little tight after having to buy a hunting rig this fall. Sold my truck last year and managed to beg and borrow my way around until now and if I want to make it back to Kansas this spring I will have to pass on the fall option. Anyway, I agree that some type of reduction would have been much better than a total ban. I firmly believe that the 388 birds harvested last fall was probably not the total kill but I am also sure that we did not come anywhere near the almost 10,000 harvested in the spring of '09. I simply hate the fact that this problem was not addressed before we came to the point of closing a season.
Levi that would have been great to get that bird - with a bow while on the move....that is why they call it hunting and not grocery shopping.
calyncokeboy, you have my sympathies, that is really dirty pulling the rug out from under you guys at the last minute.
Hey guys,
I've heard from at least one more hardcore Arkansas hunter today, and he believes officials will have a difficult time enforcing the last-minute change since the turkey season was officially on the books and listed in the fall-winter hunting regulations prior to this unexpected closing.
Hey all, Steve forgot one thing on his list....his book-Fall & Winter Turkey Hunter's Handbook. It's a great read full of great info and tips. I used to be one of those Beards in the Spring-Antlers in the Fall kind of guy until I read it. Now I Fall turkey hunt in two states.
Steve-good luck in NY!
Good luck to all you other turkey chasers!
James
Yea James - Steve's book did the same thing to me. One would think he knows his book inside and out. We can all only hope he is doing field study for the sequel.
Actually Charlie his new book is out-Turkey Calls & Calling. I just ordered two from Amazon...one for my Uncle.
Should be good stuff!
Hope Steve's head isn't swelling too much. He'll need a new head net! lol! :)
Thanks guys. Mutual admiration society as they say. You're both hardcore turkey hunters, the real deals, and brothers in this big bird obsession as far as I'm concerned. -S.
I don't know james he sounded pretty humble.
Thanks for the tip off - I just ordered his new book, according to Amazon it came out in August. You would think a guy selling books would let us know when he has a new book out?
:)
Later,
charlie
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Just talked to some of my NY contacts last night and this morning . . . one says: "I think we're gonna be all right. Saw a lot of flocks a couple weeks ago, but now they've moved into the woods, likely for all the mast that's falling," while another says he has birds "all over the upper half of one county," while yet another is down on the recent hatch, is talking gloom and doom, and is seeing it as a "glass half empty" proposition. Not really a fall turkey hunter but a good friend nonetheless. We won't hold that against him! He's a hardcore "beards in the spring; antlers in the fall" guy,and that's cool. Stay tuned here at the SZ for a full report: good, bad and ugly. BTW, what are you guys seeing out there? Thanks.
I've been out bowhunting since the 15th and have seen turkeys 2 of the last 3 times I've been out, not in range. Although I probably couldn't hit one if it was, I've shot at two does and narrowly missed both.
Hey calyncokeboy,
Here's the report from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission:
LITTLE ROCK – After voicing concerns about declining spring turkey harvests, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission today voted to close all 2009 fall turkey hunting seasons in the state. The archery turkey season was scheduled to open on Oct. 1, followed by opening of the firearm turkey season on Oct. 26. The vote to close the season was 4-3 in favor of closing. Commissioners Emon Mahony, Ron Pierce, Rick Watkins and Commission Vice Chairman Craig Campbell voted in favor of the closure. Commissioners George Dunklin, Ron Duncan and Commission Chairman Brett Morgan voted against the closure.Campbell said that he’s certain there is a problem with the state’s turkey population and one way to stop its continued decline is to close the entire fall season. “I’m convinced we have a heck of a problem, but I’m convinced we’re moving in the right direction. We’re going to mess around and not have a spring turkey season if we don’t do something,” Campbell said.
Dunklin said that he felt like a decision to close the season would polarize the Commission and Arkansas’s hunters. “What concerns me is we’re dividing our user groups. We’re saying the hunter is the problem. Hunters are our partners. Without hunters, the resource goes away,” Dunklin said.
P.S. calyncokeboy,
Any chance you can pull together a road trip and make up for it somewhere else? Kansas maybe?
Definitely feel for you though. As you said, the Arkansas fall turkey season had been officially listed, and it ran well into the New Year as usual. I wonder why they didn't back off on hunting days a little (or a lot), and at least offer hardcore Arkansas guys like you a chance to do what you love.
A complete cancellation seems a bit much.
For the record, many of us here in the Northeast get by with a 5-day gun fall turkey season in NH, and a 6-day option in Maine, road tripping to NY (a generous season there; 2 fall tags), and Vermont as well (1 tag, but super turkey hunting). Many of us over the years have gotten out for the Sept. 15-Dec. 15 NH archery offering just to be in the woods with the turkeys.
I'll try to keep everyone posted on this breaking news. Hang in there man. -S.
That's too bad about Arkansas, up in Missouri, the numbers aren't fantastic, but we have the whole month of October to hunt with a gun, and you can get two birds, maybe give us a try. I drew on one tonight, I was actually sneaking through the woods to find a spot to set up for deer, near where I'd seen some deer and a turkey the night before and one walked almost right to me, it went behind a tree, I drew, when it came out the other side it would have been 20 yards away, a very doable shot, but instead it ran off. Not too surprised though. It was only one bird, definitely not a big gobbler, but I'm not sure if it was hen or jake, seemed odd to see one by itself.
Hey Steve,
Thanks for your report and input, and thanks to everyone else for all your comments. I am not sure if I will be able to put together anything this fall. The belt is a little tight after having to buy a hunting rig this fall. Sold my truck last year and managed to beg and borrow my way around until now and if I want to make it back to Kansas this spring I will have to pass on the fall option. Anyway, I agree that some type of reduction would have been much better than a total ban. I firmly believe that the 388 birds harvested last fall was probably not the total kill but I am also sure that we did not come anywhere near the almost 10,000 harvested in the spring of '09. I simply hate the fact that this problem was not addressed before we came to the point of closing a season.
Levi that would have been great to get that bird - with a bow while on the move....that is why they call it hunting and not grocery shopping.
calyncokeboy, you have my sympathies, that is really dirty pulling the rug out from under you guys at the last minute.
Hey all, Steve forgot one thing on his list....his book-Fall & Winter Turkey Hunter's Handbook. It's a great read full of great info and tips. I used to be one of those Beards in the Spring-Antlers in the Fall kind of guy until I read it. Now I Fall turkey hunt in two states.
Steve-good luck in NY!
Good luck to all you other turkey chasers!
James
Yea James - Steve's book did the same thing to me. One would think he knows his book inside and out. We can all only hope he is doing field study for the sequel.
Actually Charlie his new book is out-Turkey Calls & Calling. I just ordered two from Amazon...one for my Uncle.
Should be good stuff!
Hope Steve's head isn't swelling too much. He'll need a new head net! lol! :)
Thanks guys. Mutual admiration society as they say. You're both hardcore turkey hunters, the real deals, and brothers in this big bird obsession as far as I'm concerned. -S.
I don't know james he sounded pretty humble.
Thanks for the tip off - I just ordered his new book, according to Amazon it came out in August. You would think a guy selling books would let us know when he has a new book out?
:)
Later,
charlie
Sounds like you have all the bases covered have a good hunt. Look forward to your reports.
Worked on some gobblers the other day or should I say they worked me over. 3+ hours of steady gobbling and they remained no shows.
Hey Levi. Keep at it man. That's what it's all about.
Hey charlie elk. Love that fall gobbling. Worth the price of admission and all that. Fun stuff.
Hey Steve,
It is now official...despite the fact that the fall 2009 hunting regulations have been published and distributed by the AGFC the fall firearms as well as archery turkey seasons have been closed. The panel passed the proposal for the closing of the season by a 4-2 vote. I am afraid that it may be a long time before Arkansas sees a fall turkey season again. I hate it for several reasons. I always liked having a wild turkey for Thanksgiving or Christmas and it is super hard to hang on to one from the spring but now there is no fall opportunity. Another reason is the fact that I took my first bird with a bow last winter and my two young sons were with me....now that has been taken from me as well. Anyway, please keep doing what you do and I will live my fall turkey hunts through the words of you and your readers....and wait for April!!!
Hey guys,
I've heard from at least one more hardcore Arkansas hunter today, and he believes officials will have a difficult time enforcing the last-minute change since the turkey season was officially on the books and listed in the fall-winter hunting regulations prior to this unexpected closing.
Post a Comment (200 characters or less)