Hunting Accidents On Opening Day Of Turkey Hunting Season

© By Othmar Vohringer

It makes me cringe each time I learn of a hunting accident. Especially those that occur because of mistaken identity. Last week two “mistaken identity” accidents occurred on opening day of the spring turkey hunting season in Indiana.

In the first case 55-year old David Iron of Cicero mistook his brother, 35-year old Brian Iron of Noblesville, for a turkey. According to the investigating conservation officer, the shooter fired his shotgun at his brother. The pellets hit the victims face and chest. The accident occurred in Morgan Monroe State Forest north of Bloomington. Because of the remote area it took rescuers several hours to find the injured man and move him from the forest by hand and off-road vehicle to the waiting Life Line Helicopter that took him to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, where he been treated for life threatening injuries to his face. 

Meanwhile, in Orange County, Jesse W. Boyle, age 26, was shot at by his father-in-law, 49-year-old Gerlad D.Walton. The men had been hunting near each other when the father-in-law was heading to meet his hunting partner. He saw movement from behind a tree and discharged his shotgun, injuring Boyle in the face, neck and on the shoulder. The victim has been transported to the University of Louisville Hospital where he is been treated.

These accidents could have been avoided if the hunters would have taken their due time to make absolutely sure that what they see is indeed a turkey and not a human. I understand that at times "buck fever" or in this case "tom fever" can rattle us, but there should never ever be any reason not knowing what you’re shooting at. If in doubt it is better to loose a gobbler then to loose a human life. 

Be careful out there and before you bring  your gun up make absolutely sure you identified the target correctly. As my father used to say, “You can reverse every decision you make in your life with one exception. When you decide to pull that trigger it cannot be reversed or changed. You just played God and will have to live, for good or worse, for the rest of your life with that decision.” Think about that when you’re out in the turkey woods.

In Search Of Wild Turkey

(Originally published in the Merritt News – Othmar Vohringer The Outdoorsman)

 © By Othmar Vohringer

On Monday morning at1:00 a.m. the alarm went off and an hour later I was on my way towards Kelowna to meet up with my good friend Rick. The sparkling stars in the sky promised a beautiful sunny day. “The perfect weather for turkey hunting” I thought as I drove along highway 79 in anticipation of hunting my favourite game birds.

At 4:00 a.m. I pulled into Kelowna and shortly afterwards Rick arrived too. I loaded everything into his truck and off we went toward Beaverdell. During the drive Rick kept telling me about his past turkey hunting successes in that region, which, he said, “is loaded with turkeys”. I had no reason to doubt him. Rick is an accomplished turkey hunter. We arrived at our first hunting spot right at dawn. It’s the perfect time to locate a male turkey. This is accomplished by using a raven or crow call, a few loud “caw-caw-caw” calls makes the toms gobble. In fact any sudden loud sound makes a male turkey respond with a thunderous gobble that can be heard from a far distance away. Once a tom is heard the hunter tries to get as close as possible without alerting the bird and then by using female turkey calls to “love talk” with the hopes of luring the tom to within shooting range.

How The Wild Turkey Got Saved From Extinction

© By Othmar Vohringer

It's not often that I post a video here on Wild Turkey Fever. However, this is a great video especially for the younger generation of hunters that grew up with plenty of wild turkeys. This has not always been the case. There was a time, not so very long ago, where the American wild turkey was headed for extinction. A few concerned hunters founded the National Wild Turkey Federation which has become since the biggest turkey conservation organization in North America with branches in Canada and Mexico.

The video shows the hard work and dedication it took to restore the wild turkey populations. Today thanks to avid turkey hunters and the National Wild Turkey Federation there are more wild turkeys in America, Canada and Mexico then at any time before. Enjoy.

Judge A Turkey’s Age

© By Othmar Vohringer

Every turkey hunter can tell a tom form a young jake. But can you tell the difference from a younger 2-year-old from an older mature gobbler?

Here is how you can tell:

Young toms have a more youthful, lighter gobble. Three-year-old and older toms vocalize with much deeper, booming sound.

If you can glass the gobbler’s legs from a distance to estimate his the age. If the spurs are long, sharp and curved upward then it's a mature bird. If the spurs are short and rounded at the point and grow straight out it’s a young tom.

Mature gobblers do a lot of running around, chasing jakes off their hens, and loose weight. The biggest tom is not always the oldest bird. If you see a strutting tom chasing off other toms then that is the oldest bird in the bunch.

Make You Calling Count

© By Othmar Vohringer

Many hunters learn how to use a friction or mouth call and as soon they figure out how to make a yelp, maybe a purr and cluck too, head out in the woods and start calling turkeys. Sometimes these hunters get lucky but most of the times they re not. Quite often the unlucky hunters blame the birds for not “cooperating” or they say something like “These (enter brand here) calls are no good.”

To get the attention of a tom it is important to know the “vocabulary” of the turkeys and knowing what they are “saying” when they communicate with each other.I regard turkey calls as musical instruments. Knowing a couple of notes or chords doesn’t make me a musician. Knowing all the “words” turkeys use and what they are saying will go a long way in properly communicating with a gobbler and entice him to come in.

National Wild Turkey Federation investing $215,000 in Missouri projects

© By Othmar Vohringer

The National Wild Turkey Federation in the leading wild turkey conservation organization in North America. It is safe to say that without the efforts of the NWTF, their many US state and Canadian chapters, the many dedicated volunteers and supporters there would be no more wild turkeys left in the wild. It is to no small thanks to these dedicated people that the North American wild turkey rebounded from the brink of extinction to numbers never seen before.

The following press release has been submitted to me by the NWTF.

The Missouri State Chapter of the National Wildlife Turkey Federation (NWTF) committed $215,000 this year to conservation, education, outreach and other projects in Missouri.

The chapter works diligently to conserve the wild turkey and preserve our hunting heritage.

The largest single commitment is more than $46,000 to fund habitat-related projects including equipment purchases, cost chare projects on private land, and contracted projects on state and federal lands.

The chapter allocated $38,400 to preserve our hunting heritage through its JAKES (Juniors Acquiring Knowledge, Ethics and Sportsmanship), Wheelin' Sportsmen and Women in the Outdoors outreach programs, National Archery in the Schools program, 4-H Shooting Sports, the National FFA Organization and more.

For a detailed list of NWTF Super Fund projects in Missouri, click here.
For more information about the NWTF, call (800) THE-NWTF, visit www.nwtf.org or go to www.facebook.com/theNWTF.

Bowhunting Turkeys, Think Like A Gun Hunter

© By Othmar Vohringer

I am strongly considering getting a Merriam’s turkey with my Excalibur crossbow this spring season. Hunting turkeys with a bow is one of the toughest challenges known to hunters but I’ve never been shy to try new things or mixing different hunting tactics to make live easier. Here are some of the turkey bowhunting traditions I broke with.

Many bowhunters use ground blinds to ambush turkeys. While ground blinds have certain advantages over other turkey bowhunting tactics it is a fact that most blinds take some time to set up and additional camouflaging is necessary to make them blend into the surrounding. Ground blinds also make many hunters stay put when they should be on the move and go top where the turkey action is.

Ditch the ground blind this year and be more mobile and aggressive. This might be just the ticket you need to get a big tom this spring season. The most successful turkey hunters, be that with bow or gun, are those that are not afraid to seize every opportunity, even if that means to change plans and make smart, quick decisions. To do this you have to be mobile and fast. Hunting without a blind gives you this mobility.

"Talkin' Turkey Hunting" with Othmar Vohringer.

Grouse River Outfitters in Kelowna, BC. will be hosting Othmar Vohringer from Othmar Vohringer Outdoors with his popular "Talkin' Turkey Hunting" in-store workshops on March 24, 2012.

Othmar Vohringer, affectionately referred to as "British Columbia's Turkey Hunter", will be available in the store from 9:30 am to store closing time to answer turkey hunting related questions such as;

• Turkey Hunting Safety
• Hunting Tactics
• Basic Equipment Needs
• Calling tactics and one-to-one calling lessons...and much more!

We look forward to welcoming you to Grouse River Outfitters and talk all things turkey hunting with Othmar.

For more information visit the Grouse River Outfitters Website.

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If you wish to host my very popular "Talkin' Turkey Hunting" workshop in your store please contact me for more information. 

Detailing Your Turkey Shotgun

© By Othmar Vohringer

If you want to be ready for any turkey hunting situation, pay the same attention to detail on your shotgun as you would use on your deer rifle.

Sure, you can shoot a turkey with just about any shotgun. But to optimize your guns performance, and ultimately your hunting success, you need to pay attention to detail and customize your shotgun. Just like a waterfowler or upland bird hunter relies on a specialized gun for ultimate performance under special conditions so should a turkey hunter.

In an article recently published in the Western Sportsman Magazine I describe in detail how to turn any shotgun into a tack diving turkey gun. The short version of all the essentials can be read on Western Sportsman Magazine Website. The original and detailed version can be read here.

Are Wild Turkeys Impacting East Kootenay Agriculture Producers?

New Study Reveals the Facts

Article by Mark Hall, EKWTA Field Program Coordinator

Private farmland in the East Kootenays provides seasonal and year-round habitat for many wildlife species. Some of the region’s wild turkey flocks are considered to be “farmstead” flocks – sustained by the habitat and food sources available on private farmland. Since the East Kootenay region has a history of wildlife-agriculture conflicts, the East Kootenay Wild Turkey Association (EKWTA), in partnership with the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF), completed a study this past spring that assessed the effect of Merriam’s wild turkey on the region’s commercial agriculture producers.

The study dispels some rumours and myths that, historically, have tended to perpetuate stereotypes in the hunting and agriculture communities. By providing factual information, the study should help hunters develop a better appreciation of the challenges faced by local agriculture producers. In addition to those benefits, the study also provides wildlife managers and policy makers with factual information on the effects of wild turkey on agriculture as well as the overall attitudes of agriculture producers towards wild turkeys. Conversely, the study also provides agriculture operators with a better understanding of wild turkey biology and the interest that the EKWTA and NWTF have in pro-actively addressing concerns created by wild turkeys.

Some of the study’s key findings include:

1. Wild turkeys are not causing significant wide-spread losses to commercial agriculture producers in the East Kootenays.
2. Rumours and stories that all commercial agriculture producers hate wild turkeys are unfounded.
3. Nearly half of the producers indicate wild turkeys provide some type of beneficial service.
4. Losses and damages caused by wild turkeys are not significantly affecting the producer’s bottom line.
5. Wild turkeys do not pose a risk of disease transfer to domestic livestock.
6. There is a general interest and tolerance among agriculture producers regarding wild turkeys as long as damages do not exceed current levels.
7. 75% of producers reported that allowing hunting on their private land is the main action taken to reduce negative effects caused by wild turkeys.

The EKWTA is based in Cranbrook, BC. It is a non-profit society representing 200+ local members whose interests include wild turkey conservation, general wildlife habitat management and the preservation of our hunting heritage. The EKWTA is currently the only regional chapter of the NWTF in the province. The NWTF is a leader in upland wildlife habitat conservation in North America and is dedicated to conserving the wild turkey, preserving the hunting heritage and introducing people to the outdoors through its outreach programs. In BC, the Merriam’s wild turkey is classed as an alien (introduced) species under the Wildlife Act; however, the EKWTA is working towards the integration of the Merriam’s wild turkey into wildlife management in the East Kootenays by addressing social, ecological and political concerns regarding its presence in the province.

The EKWTA has hosted the annual Hunting Heritage Super Fund fundraiser banquet for the last 11 years and, for the last 9 years, has hosted a youth outdoor fun day, called “JAKES Day”. Since 1985, approximately $31,000 of the NWTF’s BC wild turkey super fund has been invested back into wildlife conservation in this province.
For more information contact:

• Barnabas Koka , NWTF Regional Director. Email: bkoka@nwtf.net for information on the NWTF in BC.
• Rob Bishop, EKWTA President. Email: wrbishop1@shaw.ca for information on the East Kootenay Wild Turkey Association (EKWTA).
• Mark Hall, EKWTA Field Program Coordinator. Email: markhall@xplornet.ca for information on the agriculture-wild turkey study and biological/ecological details of Merriam’s wild turkey.

Fall Turkey Hunting Myths Debunked

© By Othmar Vohringer

Part 3

Myth:
“Why flush turkeys when I can just shoot one?”

Fact:
Of course you can just shoot a turkey. But to do that you first have to walk undetected into shotgun shooting range of the flock. With several pairs of turkey eyes looking constantly out for trouble on the horizon walking up on a turkey is almost next to impossible.

Often, when you see a flock of fall turkeys they are on the edge of your effective shooting range. What do you do then? That’s when you might need to flush them. This strategy is based on the simple fact that turkeys are gregarious and the hope that the flock will want to regroup.

There’s a difference between a good and bad flock flush, as all veteran fall hunters know. In a lousy break, smaller groups of birds stay together. This puts you at a tactical disadvantage. In a flush done right, turkeys fly off or run in all directions. They’ll want to regroup.

You can set up at that site and try to call one into range. Also, some might suggest this approach is more sporting than simply shooting one that is in range by luck and circumstance.

Myth:
“Spring hunting is just better.”

Fact:
Sure spring gobbler hunting is better in many aspects but what if you don’t get a spring gobbler. That’s right, you try again in the fall. To me, the spring gobbler hunt offers a range of tactics and pleasures ranging from hearing turkeys on the roost to strutters spitting and drumming as they work toward you.
But by the end of summer, and months of sitting in camp I’m ready to find some fall turkey flocks. How about you? My old adage, “You can’t kill a turkey if you stay home.” applies not only to turkey hunting but any other form of hunting. Meaning, if you’re an avid turkey hunter then you might just as well take opportunity of the fall season too. It’s that simple.

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Talk about this and other hunting topics on the Othmar Vohringer Outdoors Forum

Fall Turkey Hunting Myths Debunked

© By Othmar Vohringer

Part 2

Myth:
“Scattered gobblers won’t regroup for days.”

Fact:
True big gobblers can fly quite far when flushed. Sometimes they take their sweet time regrouping, but in other instances prove otherwise. I’ve seen some flushed fall gobblers attempt to regroup with clucks and raspy three-note gobbler yelps within the hour, often even sooner. And yes, I’ve called them in. It’s not uncommon to hear these birds gobble as they regroup. Aggressive purring also can draw their attention as it suggests a pecking order dispute. I’ve scattered fall gobblers many times. On some occasions I had to bide my time waiting for them to assemble. On other occasion it took only 20 minutes of gobbler yelping until a loud gobble ripped back at me from a nearby woodlot. In one instance I barely hat time to get settled down and ready to hunt before I heard the toms calling. Sure, locating and flushing fall turkeys is one thing. Shooting one is yet another thing.

Myth:
“Fall gobblers don’t strut or gobble.”

Fact:
Are you willing to put a wager on that statement? Before you answer it’s only fair for me to tell you, you would loose. Sure, it’s not nearly as consistent as in the spring, but it’s not uncommon either.

As for strutting, I’ve seen it in the fall with both sexes. You heard right. Fall gobblers strut. Period. After breaking a turkey flock during a fall hunt in Illinois, I’ve called in a strutting adult hen and on another hunt in Kansas a huge gobbler came to the gun in full strut. Each fall I’ll often find a group somewhere that includes several strutting full-fan gobblers, and a nearby group of adult hens and/or a family flock.

Stay tuned for next week installment of fall turkey hunting myths debunked.
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Talk about this and other hunting topics on the Othmar Vohringer Outdoors Forum

Fall Turkey Hunting Myths Debunked

© By Othmar Vohringer

This is a series of short posts where I will look at some of the most commonly held fall turkey hunting myth and dispel them. Opinions and beliefs about autumn turkey hunting are wide and varied. Some have merit and others are, well, just myth. By the time this series ends the fall turkey hunting season will upon us and I hope some of the information provided here will help to kill a fall gobbler.

Part 1

Myth:
“You can’t call a fall gobbler.”

Fact:
If you change your calling tactics it can be the ticket to bring a fall gobbler in front of your gun or bow. In the spring toms seek out hens to breed them. Our calling then focuses around making clucks and hen yelps to lure gobblers in. In the fall, male turkeys live in gobbler groups. In the fall male turkeys are geared toward survival, primarily roosting and feeding, and establishing pecking order rule their movements. To call a fall tom to the gun or bow you have to adapt your calling. Clucking, gobbler yelping and gobbling can do that for you.

Myth:
“Fall turkeys are easy to kill.”

Fact:
Some are easy to kill, other aren’t. Fall gobblers can be easy to hunt once you find them, but locating a flock in the fall isn’t always that easy. As food sources deplete turkeys spread far and wide in October and November. As a result, groups of birds can roam widely. This is especially true for turkeys in mountainous regions. You may find sign in the form of scratchings, tracks, droppings, and dusting areas, but never see a live bird. When you do though, yes, it can be easier, but not always.

Stay tuned for next week installment of fall turkey hunting myths debunked.
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Turkey Hunting Using a Compound Bow

(Guest column)
© By John Olson

Nothing can compare to taking a wild turkey with a bow. They are very cagey creatures and can be a challenge to harvest using a shotgun, but bagging a turkey with a compound bow is a challenge on a completely different level of difficulty. The first time you shoot a turkey with a bow the excitement is unparalleled as you will have achieved an accomplishment that not many hunters have ever accomplished. This article will highlight several of details that you must pay attention to if you are going to be successful bow hunting wild turkeys.

Location
Like all forms of hunting, scouting and choosing a good site trumps all other activities if you are going to be successful hunting turkeys. Quite simply you cannot shoot a bird if none are in the area. However, when bowhunting turkeys it is a little more complex than hunting in an area where turkeys are present. You must make sure your shooting location is elevated and backs up to a fairly dense and dark set of woods. You need to be slightly elevated so that you can get a good view of the turkey breast when drawing your bow. The kill zone on turkeys is relatively small and with a bow the only true kill zone is the breast area of the bird. If you are not elevated the grass and other pieces of habitat will make it very hard to get a clean shot. The beautiful thing about taking a turkey with a bow is that a broadhead slices through the breast and will not create concussion damage to the breast. You will not have to discard any meat when preparing the bird for your dinner.

In addition, you must also have a fairly dark cover behind you since you will have more motion that when you shoot a gun. Turkeys have an unbelievable ability to see movement and color. The more your camouflage blends in the easier it will be to draw your bow without being seen. A hunter’s nightmare is to finally get a bird in close only to have them flee in panic because of excess movement. I love to find sites that are between the roost and the morning feeding grounds or watering hole.

Use a Reed Call
Mastering a reed call can greatly accelerate a bow hunter’s success rate calling in birds and still be able to get a good clean shot. When bow hunting for turkeys it is nearly impossible to use a box call or scratch call and still be able to pick up a bow, notch an arrow and get a clean kill shot. A reed call eliminates this concern. If you have not used a reed call before expect to take some time to master emulating a turkey. Since a reed call fits in your mouth it allows the hunter to make calls up until the time you release your arrow. In addition, the reed call will allow you to make wider range of calls simply by altering your vocalization through the reed. The reality is that you will need to be able to draw the turkey into a range of 15 – 20 yards to be consistently successful.

Practice
This would seem inherently obvious, but most bow hunters are deer hunters and shoot from tree stands or ground blinds at their targets. When turkey hunting you are usually sitting on the ground and making a very precise shot at a small target. I like to practice with small paper plates at 15-20 yards. You should be able to consistently hit a target at this range to be successful turkey hunting. Most hunters shoot high the first time at ground level because of the angle of attack. Make sure to adjust your peep sights for a close target so that you are not surprised when you go into the field. If you are lucky enough to get a shot make it count. Now go dust off that bowhunting equipment and get out and harvest your first turkey.

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About the Author
John Olson is an avid bow hunter and outdoorsman who lives in Minnesota. His passions are deer hunting, turkey hunting and fishing for anything that bites. He currently has launched a website www.bowhunterguides.com to educate bow hunters and provide reviews of new equipment.

Considering Turkey Shooting Distance – Think Like A Bowhunter

© By Othmar Vohringer

The essence of turkey hunting is up close and personal. A turkey hunting buddy of mine had to experience that just last week. One of the most common reasons for hit turkeys escaping or been missed altogether is caused by miss judging the distance and the urge to shoot to far.

With turkey hunters constantly seeking to gain longer shooting distances, to make up for the lack of calling skills or simply because they don’t want to work harder to get the bird closer, an increasing number of hunters will do anything to beef their gun up to obtain an extra few yards in shooting distance. Hence the use of 3 ½ -inch super magnum loads stuffed into 12-gauge and even 10-gauge guns equipped with super tight chocks, all in an effort to be able to “reach out there and touch ‘em”.