I am actually thinking about going out this year. There are so many dang turkeys here in Vermont it should be easy I hope. Been awhile since I have hunted the little rasclas.
Deer and Elk in Oregon and Idaho, Deer in Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, Nebraska, Iowa, Florida and Georgia, and lots of birds, rabbits, and other small debris in lots of places....
BUT, I have never hunted Turkey. Just last week, while going out to feed the horses, I saw a female turkey trying to get through my net fence...she finally turned and ran behind my place to the 80 acre ranch that butts up. I told the wife I was going to check on License and tags, to see what they costs, as I might become a turkey hunter!!! Dumb question, but do the wild ones ya shoot taste as good as the ones we eat each November???
You'll never want another ButterBall again. The wife and kids will learn to hunt just so you can have more tags to fill the freezer.
Don't worry about going this year unless you have a guide or friend that can call. Buy a few near the end of the season when they are on sale and spend this next year learning to use a mouth call. The rest of the calls take some practice but you'll get busted by the sharp eye, learn to use the mouth call.
Aside from antelope, turkey have the sharpest eyesight of any animal I've hunted. I've never got one yet but had several close alls....just couldn't seal the deal. Maybe this year. Our season in Maryland opens April 18th (Friday). I'm taking off that day just to hunt.
For first time hunters, many states require a hunter safety course prior to buying a hunting license. It's hard to find a hunters safety course this time of year. If you find one, jump on it early because they can fill up fast and you'll get locked out.
Turkey hunting is one of the most dangerouse of all hunts as many novices shot into bushes that have callers in full camo(hunters) in them. If you do bag a tom the first thing you will notice is all the dark meat and the strong turkey flavor of the bird. Turkeys have made an incredible comeback in the Boston area since they were introduce into the berkshires 20 or more years ago. There have now been reports of turkeys struting thier stuff on Beacon Hill and thats no political joke.
I never worried about the Hunter Safety course because I have been hunting all my life, been around guns, I basically knew it all. Plus I am old enough to be "grandfathered" where I was hunting. When my 12 year old son got ready to go deer hunting, I sat him through the course, but I did not participate. Then I got ready to hunt Elk in Colorado, and guess what? Unless you are over 65, (I think?), they require you to have a Hunter Safety Course completion certificate. So I took my youngest daughter and we both sat through the course. Guess what? Turns out my Dad was right, I don't know it all!!!!!!!!!!! Very good course, I enjoyed taking it with my daughter, and we both learned ALOT. I highly recommend it to EVERYBODY, even if you are never going to kill anything larger than a roach, and you hate guns and everybody that owns one, you could gain valuable safety lessons and little known firearms facts that could save your life one day. Example: I never knew that a 1oz slug fired from a shotgun could travel over a mile!!!!! Or a round from your 30-30 could travel over two miles!
Outside of that, I will take your advice on the calls. Any brand better than another on the mouth calls?
Originally posted by 1F: I never worried about the Hunter Safety course because I have been hunting all my life, been around guns, I basically knew it all. Plus I am old enough to be "grandfathered" where I was hunting. When my 12 year old son got ready to go deer hunting, I sat him through the course, but I did not participate. Then I got ready to hunt Elk in Colorado, and guess what? Unless you are over 65, (I think?), they require you to have a Hunter Safety Course completion certificate. So I took my youngest daughter and we both sat through the course. Guess what? Turns out my Dad was right, I don't know it all!!!!!!!!!!! Very good course, I enjoyed taking it with my daughter, and we both learned ALOT. I highly recommend it to EVERYBODY, even if you are never going to kill anything larger than a roach, and you hate guns and everybody that owns one, you could gain valuable safety lessons and little known firearms facts that could save your life one day. Example: I never knew that a 1oz slug fired from a shotgun could travel over a mile!!!!! Or a round from your 30-30 could travel over two miles!
Outside of that, I will take your advice on the calls. Any brand better than another on the mouth calls?
I should have elaborated more about the western states. I might as well throw in the Bow Hunters Safety course "heads up" too! More states are requiring that too! I took both a couple years back here in MD.
Funny you bring up bow-hunting...my daughter wants to do that, and I don't know squat about them. 'Bout as much as I know about turkeys. Except if you bow-hunt, you get twice as long a deer season!!
Originally posted by 1F: TVCJohn- I just read your bio..and I think I know ya, from Mobile. Do you remember JD Lawrence???
Yup, he is (or was) a recruiter out in Las Vegas. I don't think he retired yet. I was in Mobile from 84 to 87. I'm trying to place you, when was you there? Your name kinda rings a bell.
If you want to check out a couple of good archery sites....
Heard a flock of turkeys calling each other together for the evening roost while running the battle road with my daughter late yesterday. They were creating quite a ruckus and I stopped running as I thought they were coming towards me out of the swamp and alders. They continued making loads of noise but didn't show themselves to me. If I was to guess I would say there were 12-20 hens making the racket. If you do go bow after turkeys I have seen a lot moving sigle file under my tree stands during deer seasons in past years. I guess like deer, they don't look up very often untill given a reason.
I've been looking for turkey activity around here. I haven't seen much yet. I have my trail cam out right now hoping to get some pics by my blind. If I get any I'll post them up on a new 2008 Hunting Pics thread.
Originally posted by TVCJohn: I've been looking for turkey activity around here. I haven't seen much yet. I have my trail cam out right now hoping to get some pics by my blind. If I get any I'll post them up on a new 2008 Hunting Pics thread.
I have pretty decent bunch up here with at least one large gobbler. I have seen them flying off when I head back in the woods on several occasions. Judging from the tracks in the snow, looks like a good group of about 10.
