SPRING GOBBLERS

    

It’s turkey season! Sorry I’m running a bit behind, been scouting, fishing twice — this season is later than usual. Good thing too, we had three nights it froze. I can't think of a better, more relaxing way to spend a spring morning to escape the Coronavirus yahoo.

The trees have new, bright green. Pastel flowers have burst out, springing from the dead. Bushes looks like light watercolor throughout the woods. A light scent is in the air with spring rains that bring new life to the countryside. Winter browns are changing magically to chartreuse and yellow on Forsythia and fuschia Redbud trees. Song birds have all returned, busily gathering tiny twigs and scraps to build new nests.

The restlessness that ached in me for a tortuous national shut-down throughout winter can finally be appeased. The fields and timber without snow. No longer cooped indoors, feeling excitement with images of gobblers in that field that you call your honey-hole.  Started planning hunting scenarios in my head, watching hunting videos, TV shows, and dream of shooting toms gobbling. Maybe you didn’t unpack your calls, best left in hunting vest pockets for easy reach to stay in practice. Some calls never get put up.

     The shotgun

Mine is a Remington 870 Magnum Express, 12 gauge. It’s a given that it’s wiped down and ready to go. You newbies aren’t so familiar with the drill … examine that lil’ baby. Open the action. (I love the sound of the lock ‘n load.) Open and shut, testing for a smooth slide of the pump. Flawless. I demand no grabs, no grit, no sticking.

Unscrew the choke, replace the modified with a full.  Last, I check the screws of the shoulder strap – I use the ‘ComfortStrap’ – it stretches just a bit so it cuts down on shoulder and neck strain. No more fatigue. Good. Full choke in, safety on, raise the gun in a mock aim, then slide into the gun case. All is good. Then again, maybe you know the shotgun is good-to-go bein’s you’ve laid it across your lap in an admirable wipe down many times while watching TV. And counting shotgun shells. I am prepared.

‘time change’ at Easter

It’s obvious, spring turkey hunting means dusting off the ol’ boots, grab your camo t-shirt to change out as the sunny spring day warms up. Gather your gear in readiness to tread those fields listening for that hair-raising gobble. You unpack all your slate and mouth calls and maybe you’re like me, you rub some chalk onto the rails of that faded beautiful, wood call and scratch a few in the living room.. It’s my go-to call, early season. After a few seasons I learned to make cut calls.

I used to haul out a turkey vest full of pockets, a padded seat attached. But after afew years, it was simply too much gear. I sold it, too cumbersome. Often, I don't use a decoy either. These days, I rummage through plastic tubs packed with year-round huntin' garb. I rearrange all my calls and gloves, facemask and bug spray into my pants and an old, faded hunting vest my husband long since retired. (He's a sucker for 'trendy' gear, carries 'the kitchen sink'.)

I simplified gear, only toting bare essentials, including water, snack, and the necessary padded seat tied on the back. I keep a fake leaf fabric blind rolled up in the back pouch, tuck three turkey shells (usually #5 loads) into the zipped pocket, for a full chamber. However; on more than one hunt, I did not have enough time hearing gobbles too close to enable me to set up any sort of blind. HAD to plop myself down under a big tree within a hairs-breath of incoming toms!

      It’s all expectation …

Spring toms are in the mad rush to get a harem and breed, eat and breed some more. Breeding season is a hunter’s advantage — toms are too focused on 'sexy' hens, hell-bent to breed, to lay claim to that harem. And that’s a gobbler’s downfall, this fact gains our advantage. Spring turkey hunting has greater than fall participation and I doubt there’s a hunter so stoic, not to get excited by the sound of a gobbling big tom. And to see it up close as you sit under a tree is absolutely heart-pounding. Worth buying a tag for — a helluva experience.

Missouri women hunters, keeping the gun and themselves still, shot placement and how exciting turkey hunting can be!

 A TREAT …Don’t forget a bag to find Morels after you’re done hunting. (Missouri’s spring turkey hunting hours closes at 1 pm.) So after time's up,  we resign ourselves to walk the timber hunting mushrooms, or go fishing. Spring is Crappie season! Although it’s painful to admit that both my husband and daughter have the luck on finding those delicious ‘shrooms... me not so much.

YOUR GUN

A FULL choke is suggested for turkeys.  Otherwise you may have to shoot twice for it to get dead.

Obviously your shotgun is your personal choice of .410 bore, 10, 12, and 20 gauge guns.

CALLS-- The mouth call “chirerps” may provoke a reply, in the least answer to “where-the-heck-are-y’all?” There are YouTube’s for every kind of call.

My handmade wingbone call fits easily in my hip pocket so I keep practicing a high pitched ‘come hither’ into the timber.. I figure I’ll sound like a hen one of these days! I’m better at calling when not in front of the camera but me and my daughter just had some fun this hunt.

My husband made. It has a high-pitch. Normally, I use a 30 year old, Lynch's 'locater' box call that is loud as hell. An average of eight to ten count yelps. A call need not mimic a turkey’s vocals precisely, but I adapt the pitch and sounds for cuts as I sit under the tree. Of course, many men don’t like that it takes both hands. I figure if I have a tom coming into shot range, I’m done calling.

YOUR SETUP

This is not for the impatient, who tries to grab an opportunity to kill a bird then rush home to watch TV and grab some Taco Bell. Once you know where they are, stay hidden out of sight, you can set up nearby to ambush them as they sashay past you thrashing leaves about with their feet to get at those tiny bugs they love. Hopefully they’re focused on food  you’ll have time to plop your butt under a big oak and gather some of the leaves around you. So you sit under that tree, wait, call lightly, nothing happens... birds get “call shy”. Sitting under a big tree and using a ground blind is an easy set up to hide from those keen eyes. 

Male Cardinal

Often, a hunter needs to just sit with peace and nature, take in the sounds and smell the greenery of the woods... and calmly picture your next move.  Yes, the optimum goal is you want to shoot a turkey, but being so comfortably snuggled under the tree watching squirrels gather food, an eagle may fly over, songbirds calmly light on the branches within inches of you, a cooing Cardinal overhead, is the most sure sign the turkeys will soon infiltrate that area very soon as well. Little do they know. And your patient hunting mode will pay off soon enough … so often squirrels and other birds will alert you of incoming turkeys.

   
Bluejays squawk and squirrels do a very shrill ‘chechee’, all in competition for food and tree space, kinda the same thing y’know. Don’t leave your patience in the truck; turkey hunting is a waiting game and all those birds have is time.  And an appetite. When you also take the time, you’ll get it done.

NET BLIND

the netting blind

I used tattered camo netting with sticks to anchor the net in case of wind, wrap onto bushes with bungee cords. Or toss over the legs, just in case there’s not time to secure it to bushes. Keep mosquitoes off with a face mask that hides human skin too. (Just try to stay in statue mode with them little buggers attacking you.) Many thick bushes made excellent hiding and tall grass I could see through, not visible in this photo. This blind was in autumn. There is bright green camo netting for springtime.

FACE TO FACE

Locator box call in hand, you heard a gobble. Your patience under control, you decide to sit it out for that gobbler or maybe a couple of toms, wait ‘n see that big fan as he comes struttin’ in. Ambush them. 50-50 chance they’ll come in. Easier than sneaking up on them … Slap on your gloves and face-mask or kerchief to hide your face. You need to git their attention so they don’t go off elsewhere in their perpetual, meandering search for a ladyfriend. Then you go into statue mode and begin calling contented purrs and cuts, switching it up so as to lure in that big ‘boy.

This is when using a mouth call is preferred over a slate call. A practical option, one I can’t do well. !@#! gag reflex. The mouth call frees up your hands for the gun, ready to stare down that tom as your finger itches on the trigger and you flip the gun safety “off”.  It’ll likely be within sight by the time you’re anchored under that large tree, with no human silhouette, shotgun ready. Your heart’s poundin’! The gobbler struts, tail feathers fanned out, steps into range, then extends that long red neck, warily trying to find that hen and BOOM!! He flip-flops up, feathers scatter. You just killed dinner. Such is the best plan. 

Good luck y’all!!

links for chokes and  shotguns for newbies.

note: the video links are for enhancement purpose of this content and a reader’s enjoyment. I don’t promote or advocate any products or website of these videos.