Early in the spring season, when turkey flocks are still in winter formation, your one or two decoys may not be enough to attract a gobbler. So create a flock.
OL reviews eight of the top electronic collar systems from four leading manufacturers. Find out which one is right for your gun dog.
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Long before hunting wild turkeys became the second-most-popular form of hunting, calling a spring gobbler to the gun was a pursuit understood by very few. This only added to the mystique surrounding the men who patiently roamed big woods looking for the rare chance to engage a wild turkey and the even rarer opportunity to walk out of the woods with one slung over his shoulder.
While much has changed in the world of turkey hunting since those early days, some of the tactics the old masters used to bag gobblers back then are still among the very best tactics to use today. That’s why we sought out three of the best who were willing to share their wisdom—tricks that work when nothing else will. [ Read Full Post ]
If you’re like me, shooting a shotgun before turkey season is a necessity. You want to be ready for that moment of truth when a wary gobbler minces steps into range. You have got to know that firearm will close the deal and put the bird down.
Sure you can draw a turkey target on the back of white junk mail with a black marker and red pen for the gobbler head and neck. You can use those old-school paper shooting targets you have at camp or the gun club too. Or, if you really want to mix it up, check out Champion's visicolor zombie turkey target (see more visicolor targets here). [ Read Full Post ]
Discussing the best breed of hunting dog for various game is kind of like arguing whether a Chevy or Ford is better. But, we’re going to take a crack at putting some definition to the hunting dogs discussion. [ Read Full Post ]
Zink Calls turkey product manager Josh Grossenbacher had a big Kentucky field flock on his radar one spring. His five-decoy set included two Avian-X hen feeders, two hen lookouts and one mounted strutter decoy.
A similar setup worked for us a handful of years ago on a big Bluegrass State flock in the same field. Two longbeards came running to the spread—following a call-curious hen at first then running past her, away from other live hens. Those gobblers challenged the strutter decoy with the Avian-X hen. One longbeard flew away. [ Read Full Post ]
I sort of cruised through the stop sign. That’s when the cop hit his lights in the dark. I hadn’t seen him lying in wait. It was pre-dawn and spring turkey season. “License and registration, please?” he said. I’d never seen this guy before in my life.
Not a good way to start out a spring gobbler season morning. My shotgun was cased; my jacket nothing special—I’d yet to dress for turkey hunting. Hunting bumper stickers on the back of my old pickup told the story though.
Come on, man, I thought silently as he checked my driving record in his cruiser. [ Read Full Post ]
Man's best friend for tens-of-thousands of years, the domestic dog has filled specific niches as a hunter, guard and beast of burden. Just how long we’ve manipulated the genetic code of dogs and bred them to fill those roles has been debated. However, new DNA evidence from a canine-like animal in central Asia has begun to put the debate to rest. [ Read Full Post ]
This newly ordained longbeard has arrived on the scene and is ready for some action. After being bullied out of the breeding loop as a jake, he wants to play the game and seems to know he can. He’s the bird many of us end up killing in the spring. He’s not always easy. Some different tactics might be needed. [ Read Full Post ]
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