British Columbia Turkey Roundup

© Othmar Vohringer

British Columbia offers two turkey hunting seasons in region four and eight (check the hunting regulations which wildlife management units are open). The spring hunting season opens April 15th to May 15th and the fall season is open from October 1st to 15th. In the spring hunters can harvest one bearded wild turkey and in the fall one male or female bird.

Turkey populations in BC are constantly fluctuating. Areas that may have had great turkey numbers a year or two ago may be void of any turkeys this year. This is because, unlike other Canadian provinces and American states, British Columbia does not require a special turkey hunting license or even a tag system. As the wild turkey is considered an invasive species the government has no plans on implementing conservation procedures so all that is required is a valid hunting license and you’re good to go.

Having said that there are a few places that consistently hold good turkey populations and attract a growing number of turkey hunters. In the Okanagan (Region 8) good places to explore are Rock Creek on Hwy 33 north to Beaverdell and along the scenic Christian Valley Hwy north through the Kettle River Valley. The land around Oliver, on Hwy 3A, is the home of large wild turkey flocks and so is the area between and around Grand Forks and Christina Lake. The Kootenays (Region 8) provides good turkey hunting opportunities in the Creston Valley and out to the Nelson, Cranbrook and Jaffray areas. The reasons why turkeys thrive in these areas are the availability of rich fertile farms, orchards and river bottoms that provide the birds with plentiful nutritious food sources all year around. The hunter who manages to gain access to private land clearly has the odds in his favour of bagging a turkey. Unfortunately, gaining access to private land is not an easy endeavour. However, this is no reason to despair. While turkeys may spend a lot of time on private land, more so as the hunting season progresses, they tend to roost on public land. The savvy hunter finds the spots where the turkeys cross from public onto private property and set up near these crossing points.

Best times to hunt are right on opening day of the season as turkeys quickly grow weary of the hunting pressure. As the season progresses plan on hunting during the week, instead of weekends, as the hunting pressure lessens a bit. Since turkeys can be hunted from first to last light in British Columbia, afternoon and evening hunts ease the hunting pressure and with that increase the chances of connecting with a bird. All the described areas mentioned provide many opportunities for camping and staying overnight at the many private and provincial park campsites.

For out of province hunters and novice turkey hunters wanting to gain more experience Kettle River Outfitters and Rocky Mountain High Outfitters offer a three day guided turkey hunting service at affordable fees.

The Canadian Wild Turkey Federation – A Voice For Canada’s Wild Turkeys

© Othmar Vohringer

Two years ago Mike Holland, Terry Smith and Ken Hare, all three of them avid turkey hunters and conservationists, got together to create the Canadian Wild Turkey Federation (CWTF). The move came on the heels of an announcement by the American based National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) to dissolve their Canadian branch and chapters in an effort to spend more time and resources on emerging wild turkey conservation issues arising in their country.

As the CWTF’s two year anniversary approaches it is a time to look back at the organization’s achievements to date and to plan for its future. The main objectives in the beginning were to establish a presence and grow it forward and in this regard it has achieved considerable success. Today the CWTF has over 1,000 active members, established over a dozen chapters across Canada and attracted several corporate industry sponsors. There have also been several successful fundraising events organized and hosted by the various CWTF chapters, plus engagements in conservation and hunter recruitment programs.

The foreseeable future will see a continued effort to grow membership numbers and the creation of more chapters throughout Canada. This is important for any not-for-profit organization; financing the various programs and goals of the CWTF must come from membership fees and membership volunteer work. While efforts to expand will continue there will also be more emphasis on important issues such as hunter recruitment programs, wild turkey conservation and establishing relationships with federal and provincial government and other wildlife conservation organizations.

In just two years the CWTF has become a national organization and is well on its way to becoming bigger and stronger as the months progress. As with any true hunter-founded wildlife organization, the CWTF is about much more than just turkey hunting. It’s also about creating awareness for North America’s largest and most beautiful game bird, educating regular people and hunters alike about the historic value of the wild turkey and the conservation efforts needed to make sure that future generations will still see wild turkeys. I am proud to be a member of the CWTF because I truly believe that Canadian wildlife should be represented by a Canadian organization such as the CWTF.

The CWTF mission statement is;

1. To promote the establishment, restoration, preservation and sustainable management of wild turkeys and their habitats in Canada.
2. To develop programs and engage in projects to establish, restore, preserve and enhance wild turkey hunting practices, traditions and heritage.
3. To promote responsible wild turkey hunting practices, traditions and heritage.
4. To promote conservation, hunting, fishing, and other outdoor and wildlife oriented activities.
5. To host, sponsor and promote educational, social, exhibition and other events for members and the public.

To learn more about the CWTF and how you can become a member visit their website (www.cwtf.ca)

Product Review: Turkey Tuque

© By Othmar Vohringer

A few weeks ago I received a new product in the mail for review. Opening the package little did I realize that I am about to look at a product that addressed several issues all turkey hunters are familiar with, and that this might very well be the solution we have been looking for.

Copyright: Turkey Tuque.com

The Turkey Tuque, like many ingenious products, is a simple solution to a problem that makes you say; “Why didn’t someone think of that earlier”. After a successful hunt and tagging the bird most hunters pick the turkey up, threw it over their shoulder and walk out of the woods. All the while the dead turkey’s limb and bleeding head sawing back and forth, the blood drips over the backside of the jacket and pants, staining clothing and equipment. Then we drop the turkey in the back of our truck sit with the bloodstained backside behind the steering wheel and drive home, where we realize that the truck seat is now blood stained too. We then spend hours cleaning the truck seat and wash the blood from our camo.

Enter the Turkey Tuque. The tuque is for the lack of a better word an oversized condom that you wrap over the head of the turkey and now you can carry the bird cleanly and without a bloody backside to your truck and transport it home.

Copyright: Turkey Tuque com.

The other important aspect of the Turkey Tuque is safety. On my turkey hunting seminars and in my articles about turkey hunting I always drive the safety aspect of hunting North-Americas most popular game bird home. One of these safety measures is not to become the target of anxious hunters mistaking you for a turkey. This means, among other things, avoiding wearing colors that resemble a gobblers head, which are; red, white and blue. By carrying your turkey over the shoulder out of the woods dressed in camouflage all other turkey hunters with tunnel vision can see is the toms head bobbing back and forth at just about the height that a life bird would be seen. In other words, you become the involuntary bulls-eye. The Turkey Tuque is colored in bright hunter orange and thus also serves as a safety device. This will save me time in future because I no longer have to tie orange survivor tape on the turkeys neck wings and feet. All I have to do is to cover the birds head with the Turkey Tuque. I might still keep my tradition of wearing my hunter orange vest, in addition to dressing the birds head with the Turkey Tuque, on the way back to my truck.

I am looking forward to try out the Turkey Tuque on my next hunt but from the responses I heard so far many turkey hunters seem impressed by the product and are happy that their backside and car seats is not blood stained anymore, plus they feel safer carrying the bird out of the woods.

For more information or purchase the Turkey Tuque visit their website.

Turkey Tuque Facebook Page

Turkey Tuque Instructional Video

Bowhunting Broadheads For Turkeys

© By Othmar Vohringer

Very few game animals are as challenging to kill with a bow and arrow as the wily wild turkey. The turkeys phenomenal eyesight and constant weariness of their surrounding makes them extremely challenging for a bowhunter. Once shot with an arrow a turkey can take off flying never to be found again, unlike deer, they leave no blood-trail to follow.

Killing a turkey and keep it on the ground depends on two important ingredients. These are; using a broadhead designed to do the job and shot placement. Having said that, I might add that I take it for granted that you can shoot a bow and have sufficiently practiced hitting the bulls-eye ten out of ten times at your maximum distance.

With more bowhunters trying their hand on turkey hunting, broadhead manufacturers came up with a vast array of special broadheads designed to kill turkeys instantly. Over the years I have found that mechanical broadheads, due to the bigger cutting diameter, worked better for me than other designs. To that end here are a few of my favorite turkey broadheads.

Arrowdynamic Solutions Guillotine Fixed-Blade Broadhead: This is then only boradhead from my selection that I have never tried out. However the reviews I read and firsthand accounts I have heard seem to agree that this is the ultimate turkey hunting broadhead. This is a fixed blade broadhead with a cutting diameter of a staggering 2.1/2 inch for the 100 grain broadhead and 4 inch for the 125 grain head. As the name suggests this broadhead is designed to lope the toms head cleanly off. Hence it is aimed directly at the turkeys head, not the body. Caution though if you want to make full body mount of the your gobbler this is not the broadhead you want to use.

NAP Spitfire Gobbler Getter: New Archery Products broadheads have long been my personal choice for all kinds of bowhunting applications. The Spitfire Gobbler Getter comes in 100 and 125 grains and a 1-3/4 inch cutting diameter. The Gobbler Getter features a shock inducing blunt point that knocks the wind out of any gobbler. The large super sharp cutting blades will cause maximum hemorrhage to ensure instant death.

NAP Bloodrunner 3: Is a uniquely designed broadhead that delivers field point accuracy out of the box with a cutting diameter of 1.1/2 inch this broadhead is potent turkey killing medicine. The Bloodrunner is a hybrid mechanical broadhead design that provides a low 1 inch profile in flight and expands upon impact on the target to the full cutting diameter that stays open all the way through the vitals.



Using a quality broadhead is only one equation of making a killing shot on a gobbler. The other is shot placement. Turkeys have a small kill zone and in addition a strutting tom can be quite deceiving when it comes to picking a spot for a lethal shot. Thanks to the courtesy of Hoyt Archery and Gone Wild Outdoors we can show you an excellent video on the subject of shot placement. In the video you also will see some of the broadheads in action that I reviewed above.

Discuss in the comment section below what turkey hunting broadheads work well for you. If you have a story to tell about your turkey bowhunting adventure contact us.

Use A Boat To Hunt Turkeys

© By Othmar Vohringer

Click on image to enlarge.

Public land turkeys are not dumb, at least not the ones that survived two or three hunting seasons. When the hunting season opens and the first wave of hunters enter the turkey woods the big toms head for places that most hunters don’t go too. I learned that lesson a few years ago hunting in an Illinois state park. On one side the park borders run along a river that had a wide sandy beach interspersed with lush patches of grass and agricultural fields. It was from there I heard most gobbling occur in the mid-morning. The problem I faced to get to these birds was that there was no way to get to the gobblers without being detected by them.

What to do?

You've heard the saying; “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.” I had the will and I had the means. My will to get to these turkeys was by way of the river and the means to do that was my Lowe 1436 jon-boat.

Here is how you make hunting turkeys from a boat work.

Before we go any further it might be a good idea to advise you to read the hunting regulations before you use a boat to hunt turkeys. Not every U.S. State or Canadian province permits turkey hunting from a boat but in most cases you can use a boat to get into an area.

Look at a map:

I love Google maps and use them regularly for getting a birds-eye view of the area I intend to hunt. Arial maps show you the topography along the river shore and you can zoom in very close to the point where you can make out exact details in the landscape.
Look for potential strutting zones along shore line, such as strips of sand, agricultural fields and such (see image above where I outlined some possible strutting areas along the river shoreline).

On the water:

Get on the water before dawn, if you put the boat in upstream of the hunting area you can let the boat drift downstream, navigating with a paddle. If you put the boat in downstream of the hunting area use an electric trolling motor to navigate upstream. I don’t know if the noise from a gas outboard motor would spook turkeys, but I rather would not take that chance and prefer the silent approach. Stop frequently along the shoreline and use a locator call to elicit a gobble from a tom. During the mid-morning hours look for strutting gobblers along the shoreline too.

Get ready to hunt:

When you hear a tom gobble beach the boat quietly in a cove or around a river bend and sneak between the tom’s location and the mainland to block his way inland. Set up as close to the gobbler’s location as possible and start calling. If you spot turkeys on the shoreline, get ahead of them until you’re around a river bend or are otherwise be able to prevent the birds from seeing what you’re doing. Beach the boat quietly, grab your gear and loop back. Employ regular turkey hunting tactics as the situation requires.

The Evolution Of Turkey Decoys

© By Othmar Vohringer

When I started turkey hunting some 20 years ago, we had few decoy options available to use that were easy portable and realistic. Today turkey decoys are offered in a vast variety of materials and configurations to suit any hunters need and wants. Some of the decoy models are so lifelike your heart would skip a beat each time you look at it in the field. The available decoys range from the regular resting hen, attentive hen and Jake we had back then to a large variety of decoys depicting every imaginable situation, including decoys with adjustable heads to mimic just about every position a real bird could take. While the first decoys where painted in simple colors that resembled somewhat the real colors we now have decoys that are, right down to every feather, realistically painted with iridescent paint. You even can purchase decoys that are colored to mimic a specific sub-species of turkeys.

My choice of turkey decoys have to be easy to transport, meaning, they are collapsible and be stuffed into a pocket of my turkey hunting vest without taking up much space. I also look for quality materials that are not likely to crack, like some of the older models did, or had paint jobs that easily chipped off.

Here are some of the current decoys on the market that hunters can use to fool gobblers and fit my criteria of a quality decoy.

Avian-X

The Lifelike Collapsible Decoy (LCD) line of turkey decoys with incredible natural feather detailing and many true-to –life body postures it hard to tell the decoy from the real birds.

Crafted from Dura-Rubber the decoy folds tightly and springs back to its original form. A unique stake design that is 24-inch high assures that the decoy stands higher and better visible to approach birds while at the same time allows for natural decoy movement without the unnatural spinning in the wind common some other decoy models. Avian-X decoys sell at over 100 Dollars which makes them a little pricy but in my opinion are worth every bit of the price for the avid turkey hunter.

For more information visit Avian-X Turkey Decoys.

Montana Decoys

Montana Decoys have been a favorite of mine for many. I started with their photo-realistic deer decoys and then began to use their turkey decoys too. What I particularly like about the Montana decoys that they are photos of actual animals, in this case turkeys, which are printed life-size onto a lightweight fabric. The spring wire frame lets you fold the decoy to such a small size that it will fit into a small pocket on your parka or pants. To give the decoy more realism Montana Decoys added feather cut fabric to the decoy that provides just the right amount of movement and 3-D realism.

The Montana Miss Purr-Fect™ 3-D Hen Decoy features PERFECT POSE TECHNOLOGY™ so you can match the pose of the decoy to the situation. Choosing one of two leg pole slots will change the position of the hen decoy to a feeding pose or looker pose. The head position of the turkey decoy can also be fine-tuned as its wire construction allows hunters to change the heads pose. I like to use these decoys by themselves or in conjunctions with other decoys to set up a flock of decoys.
With a suggested price tag of just under 50 Dollars every hunter can afford to purchase several decoys without breaking the bank.

To see the variety of turkey decoys Montana Decoys has on offer visit their website.

Flambeau Decoys

One of the first folding turkey decoy set I purchased was the Flambeau Master Series™ Breeding Flock™ set and I still use these decoys to this day in my decoy arsenal. The Master Series set includes an intruder Jake, attentive hen and feeding hen. With these three decoys you can create a decoy spread that is not likely ignored by approach toms. If you use the feeding hen and the Jake decoy you can perfectly mimic a breeding scene that will get every boss gobbler fired up with rage and anger.

The body shell of the decoy is made of soft rubber foam that won’t crack or tear even after years of relentless use. The decoy heads are crafted with molds form real turkeys for realistic impact. A unique stake system will make sure that these extremely lightweight decoys don’t move too much, or spin, even in high winds. At a suggested retail price for just under 100 Dollars for the set this is a very affordable starting kit for the beginning turkey hunter.

For more information on Flambeau decoys and other turkey hunting products visit their website.

Turkey Decoy Tip:
Most turkey decoys come with plastic stakes that can be difficult, or even break, when you try to push them into compacted or rocky soil. Many decoy manufacturers offer metal stakes for their decoys and it is well worth the extra cost. If you have basic welding skills, or know someone that can weld, you can make decoy stakes from metal rods very easily yourself at a fraction of the cost.

The Best Turkey Hunting Setup For Bowhunters

© Othmar Vohringer

The biggest problem bowhunters face is drawing and shooting the bow without the approaching gobbler detecting the movement. One of the solutions to this dilemma is to use a ground blind. However, if you’re like me you too are not too keen on the time and effort it takes to set up a blind. The drawback with ground blinds is that the hunter is tied down to one spot. Mobility and unobstructed field of view is another reason why I prefer to use natural available cover such as brush and trees to hide behind. One of the best turkey bowhunting setups I found is, what I call, the triangle formation.

Here’s how it works.

In order to make this set up work you need to determine where the roosting tree is, use a locater call right at dawn and listen from what direction the gobbler answers. Find a wide tree trunk, bush or small extension of dense vegetation into an open field that provides you with good natural cover. You do all these things preferably the day before the hunt or by roosting the birds (observing where they go to roost) in the evening before the hunt.

On the day of the hunt, before dawn, stake out a hen decoy about 100 yards from the roosting tree and 20 yards to the side and ahead of you. On what side of you the decoy will be staked out is determined by the direction from which the tom approaches (See the graphic of the setup bellow). When the tom approaches his attention will directed to the decoy as he passes by you. This lets you draw and shoot the bow without being detected. As you can see from the graphic, the location of the decoy, the route the tom comes in and your shooting lane form a triangle, hence me naming this setup for lack of a better word “triangle formation”.

How to hunt the set up.

Right at dawn when the toms fly down start with soft yelps, clucks and purrs to get him interested. Don’t over call, call just enough to keep the gobblers attention. When the tom comes in and sees the decoy quit calling, pick the bow up and get ready to draw the string. If you keep calling the tom will pinpoint your position in heartbeat, and you do not want that to happen.

If the tom loses interest and walks away call him back with clucks and purrs, depending on the situation peak his attention with a short series of exited yelps to turn him around.

If the gobbler has committed and heads straight for the decoy he will walk right past your set up. As soon the head of the gobbler is obstructed by the tree trunk, bush or other cover you sit behind, draw your bow. Alternatively you can wait for the tom to spin around to face the decoy while the fan will obstruct his view behind him. This is another good reason why bowhunters should set out the decoy in such a way that it faces them directly. Toms that approach a decoy almost always will face it head on.

Turkey Hunting News

Alabama Launches Comprehensive Study as Turkey Population Declines.

Alabama's wild turkey population is in steady decline since 2010. Earlier this month the Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division (WFF) announced that it will be launching the most comprehensive long-term wild turkey study in the state’s history, alongside Auburn University. The five-year project is aimed at analyzing the reproduction, survival, and harvest rates of the species in Alabama, which is seeing a significant decline of wild turkeys over the past five years.

Read more about it here here.

Lymphoproliferative disease virus causing tumors on turkey are now in 17 U.S. Sates

A potentially deadly virus once only found in European domestic turkeys has found its way to North America, and according to a recent study by researchers at the University of Georgia, is much more widespread than previously thought.

Scientists with the Southeast Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study said that wild turkeys in 17 states from Maine to Colorado have tested positive for lymphoproliferative disease virus (LPDV), which can cause tumors and wart-like growths on the heard and neck area. However, researchers also stated that they had determined the virus was much less dangerous than it was originally believed to be.

Read more about it here.

Best Public Land Places for Southern Turkey Hunting.

Hunting turkeys on public land can be very though, not only have you to deal with great numbers of other hunters but also hunter educated birds.
The list in this link will provide you with information about the best public land places to hunt turkeys in the southern part of the USA.

Read more about it here.

News items have been provided by Outdoor Hub

A Voice For Canada’s Wild Turkey

© Othmar Vohringer

(Originally published in the Merritt Herald)

It is no secret that organizations like Ducks Unlimited, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Wild Sheep Society of British Columbia and a long list of similar organizations right down to the many local Fish & Game Clubs across Canada pour millions of dollars and countless volunteer hours into wildlife conservation. Some of these organizations concentrate on a single species and its conservation needs. One of these is the Canadian Wild Turkey Federation; it is the new kid on the block of Canadian operated wildlife conservation organizations and was founded, like most, by concerned hunters.

Until last year the conservation efforts for the growing Canadian wild turkey population has been represented by the American based NWTF (National Wild Turkey Federation). When the NWTF closed its Canada branch in the spring of 2014 to concentrate on turkey conservation issues occurring in the U.S. the vacancy was taken up by the founding of the Canadian Wild Turkey Federation (CWTF). This new, not-for-profit organization’s mission statement is to promote the establishment, restoration, preservation and sustainable management of wild turkeys and their habitats across Canada. As well, to develop conservation and research programs and engage in projects to preserve and enhance wild turkey hunting practices, traditions and heritage. It is also to focused on working with governments, other organizations and stakeholders to develop programs and engage in projects to protect wild turkeys and their habitat though education and youth conservation programs. The CWTF, with head office in Ontario, has many chapters across Canada and is hoping to set chapters up in British Columbia too. CWTF chapters are concerned with fundraising events, public education and other programs to aid the conservation needs and CWTF mission on a provincial level.

Canada has a thriving turkey population with the main population residing in the province of Ontario, however, here in British Columbia turkey populations also exist. The presence of these birds has been ongoing for probably a century or more; turkeys have been migrating from the south and entering Canada in a fairly recent natural expansion of their range.
Unlike in other provinces, British Columbia has yet to establish a conservation program for wild turkeys and in fact, regards the birds as an alien species. Yet, there are records going back to 1910 of wild turkey sightings in BC. Other records state that in the 1960’s flocks of turkeys migrating from America established themselves in the East Kootenay range.

When I emigrated from Switzerland to America and encountered wild turkeys I was instantly mesmerized by these fascinating animals and joined the National Wild Turkey Federation in an attempt to learn more about this remarkable bird and do my bit to aid in their conservation. Turkeys soon became my favourite bird species to hunt and to study. When news broke last year that a group of Canadian hunters founded the Canadian Wild Turkey Federation I signed up as a member of the new organization here in my own home country. It is my hope that in the near future the CWTF can set up several chapters in BC. Education is important since there are still many misconceptions about wild turkeys. Two of the most persistent myths are that wild turkeys have a devastating effect on agriculture and to other upland birds, such as the Ruffed Grouse and Pheasants. However, locally based studies conducted in the mid 1990 have addressed these issues with the conclusion being that turkeys do not inflict more damage on agriculture than any other wildlife and they do not cause any threatening effect on other upland bird populations.

The Canadian Wild Turkey Federation hopes to work closely together with provincial and federal governments to ensure a secure and prosperous future for the Canadian wild turkey. To achieve this goal the CWTF relies on memberships and support from the conservation and hunting community. To learn more about the CWTF and how you can help visit their website www.cwtf.ca

Revisiting Turkey Shotgun Choke Tubes

© By Othmar Vohringer

It is around this time of year when I get a fair amount of queries about recommending a choke tube for a turkey shotgun, or emails that go something like this. “I purchased an extra full turkey choke tube but my shot pattern is all over the place.” It never fails, every year some hunters buy a chock tube labelled “turkey special” or “super full” and think they have the magic solution for a tight shot pattern. Little do these folks know that they have fallen victim to hype and are handicapped before they head to the turkey woods.

In the past I’ve written on these pages about the proper chock tube choice for a turkey shotgun. I also have written a feature length article in one of Canada’s leading hunting magazines about detailing a turkey shotgun.

With that said, for all you that haven’t read the previous articles on the subject let me rehash the important steps in finding the perfect marriage between chock tube and gun load that will yield the consistent pattern needed to make a clean kill shot on any turkey from point blank out to 30 yards and beyond.

With everything being equal the choice of the perfect choke tube is one of the most important decisions you can have to make in order to achieve a reliable pattern. The process of choosing a choke tube begins long before the turkey hunting season begins. It begins with choosing the brand of ammunition you want to shoot. Purchase several boxes of loads with shot sizes considered effective for turkey hunting (No 4, 5, and 6), and of each pellet size get boxes containing 3 inch shells and 3.5 inch shells (provided you gun is chambered to hold 3.5 inch shells).

Try a few shoots of each load combination at distances between 15 to 35 yards with one choke tube. I usually start with a moderate choke tube and then move up to a full choke. If I do not get the desired result. Only if none of the regular available choke tubes performs to my satisfaction do I move on to  specialty turkey type choke tubes. The performance of the load-choke combination also depends on the length of the shotgun barrel. For example my Mossberg 535 has a 28 inch barrel and performs perfectly with a regular full choke and Federal Premium Mag-Shok High Velocity, whereas my Mossberg 535 Turkey Special with a 22 inch barrel requires an extra full turkey choke tube with the same ammunition to give me the same performance as the Mossberg with the longer barrel .

The bottom line is this. To achieve the best pattern for your gun-load-choke combination you must experiment until you get a satisfactory result. To kill a turkey instantly you need at least 6 pellets in  the vital area (brain and spinal cord) of the bird. The general rule of thumb is 100 pellets in a ten inch circle. However rather than relying to the 100 in ten rule I prefer to shoot at life-sized turkey targets with the vial zone highlighted and then just count the pellets that hit the kill zone.

When you pattern the shotgun you also want to pay close attention to pattern holes. My preference for a tight pattern has less than 3 inch holes, any larger and you may miss the vital area of a turkey completely. If you encounter one load with large holes in the pattern despite changing choke tubes move on the next lower pellet size, smaller pellets often provide a more even spread that larger pellets.

Don’t ignore the choke tube at the business end of your shotgun barrel this season as it can spell the difference of holding a turkey in your hand or seeing it running from you.

To find out how to create the ultimate turkey shotgun read my article “Detailing Your Turkey Shotgun”.

Hunting Turkeys In High Elevations

© By Othmar Vohringer

Hunting alpine turkeys is different from hunting lowland turkeys. The first thing you will notice in the alpines is that birds are much more scattered throughout the landscape than you would encounter in the lowlands. Flocks of alpine turkeys are much smaller too. While it is common in some lowland areas to encounter turkey flocks of up to 60 birds their alpine cousins prefer to live in small flocks that number seldom more than ten.

High-country turkeys can be amazingly adaptable. There are records of turkey sightings as high up as10,000 ft. above sea level traversing steep mountain slopes and traveling many miles between feeding and roosting sites. If you ever feel the urge to pursue Merriam’s wild turkeys in the alpines here are a few tips to keep in mind.

Funnels:
In the mountains turkeys use canyons, saddles, gentle slopes and other features in the terrain that permit them relative ease of travel. Key in on these features and look there for turkey sign.

On the sunny side:
In the spring nights still can be frosty and days are cool. High-country turkeys don’t like frost and cold, therefore they prefer to travel on the sunlit side of a canyon and that is the side you want to set up when calling. In the morning the sunny side of the canyons and other depressions are on the northern side.

Be mindful of the wind:
In the mountains it is almost always windy. In the morning the winds are uphill as cold air rises and in the afternoon, as the air cools off the winds blow downhill. Keep the prevailing winds in mind when you call or use locater calls. Turkeys will hear your calls much better if you call with the prevailing wind then against it.

Use optics:
In the wide open country of the alpines and mountains you can save a lot of walking time with a set of quality binoculars or spotting scopes. I like to get high up in the morning and glass the landscape below me for traveling turkeys.

Call the tom uphill:
In my experience and from what I heard from other mountain turkey hunters, it seems that toms are much more responsive to calls if they can approach uphill, rather than having to come downhill to the calls. Of course there are exceptions to this, but still many hunters seem to have better luck coaxing a bird uphill than downhill, something to keep in mind when you set up on a gobbler.

Get a rest:
In the alpines and mountains is not always possible to rest your gun on your knees to steady the gun for a good killing shot. A gun rest comes in very heady in these situations. I use wooden cross-sticks that I made myself, they also serve as a very sturdy hiking stick in steep country.

Preparing For Opening Day

© By Othmar Vohringer

As turkey hunting season approaches avid turkey hunters are raring to get out in the woods. The following these tips will help you to get the season off on the right foot.

Shoot Straight:

It’s always a good idea to spend time shooting your shotgun at the range before the hunting season opens to stay in good shooting shape. If you purchased a new gun make sure you spend the appropriate amount on the shooting range to pattern the gun, you don’t want to do that a day before the season opens. Here is one of my articles on how to properly detail a turkey shotgun.

Calling:

Calling turkeys is like speaking a different language. If you do not know what to say and when to say it nobody will understand you. It is no different when you call to turkeys. Every sound these birds make has some kind of meaning. To understand what turkeys talk about it is imperative to learn their language and learn how to replicate the sounds on the call of your choice. If you are a beginning turkey caller listen to natural sounds of the birds and then try to produce them on your call. When I started turkey hunting I spent hours and days sitting near filed edges listening to turkeys communicating and deciphering the meaning of the sounds. You will notice that turkeys not only have special “words” they use but also change cadence and rhythm of the calls. Practice your calling cadences and rhythms until you sound like a real turkey and not just almost like one.

Scouting:

The most important aspect of hunting success is scouting. Let’s face it you can be the best shot and the best caller in the world, but it all will be for nothing if you do not know the birds daily routine, where their roosting trees, strutting zones and feeding areas are. For me scouting begins at least a month before the season opens. I walk the woods and fields looking for turkey sign and from a distance observe the bids daily routines. Come opening day of the season I know where the birds roost, what route they take from the roost to the feeding area in the morning and the route back to the roosting three in the afternoon.

Check your Gear:

A few days before the hunting season check all the gear you intend using and getting it ready. The morning of opening season is a bad time to look for your decoys or your lucky hunting hat. The day before the hunt my turkey hunting vest is loaded with all the gear I need, the gun, ammunition, camouflage clothing and boots are ready too right next to the vest.
Here is a pack list of things I use on any given turkey hunt.

Keep these tips in mind and you should be well on your way to fill your turkey tag this coming season.

Afternoon Turkey Hunting Tactics

© By Othmar Vohringer

The prime time to hunt turkeys are from dawn to midday. However, hunting can be just as good in the afternoon. It needs to be said though that it is illegal in some areas to hunt turkeys in the afternoon because that is the time when the hens that are already laying eggs return to their nests. Having an afternoon hunting ban in place provides these birds with some measure of security from hunters roaming around in their territory. With that said. Before you plan on hunting turkeys in the afternoon make sure to read the hunting regulations pertaining to the area you hunt to see if it legal or not.

To be perfectly truthful, sometimes afternoon hunts can be more productive than morning hunts. For two reasons. Firstly, most hunters go home around lunchtime which means you have the woods to yourself. With fewer hunters there is less hunting pressure which in turn makes for less spooky toms. Secondly, as the season progresses more hens sit on the eggs in the afternoon and toms search frantically for the remaining hens and become susceptible to calling.

How you hunt turkeys in the afternoon? Morning tactics work well, with the only difference that you don’t have to be so aggressive to bring a tom in to your set. Instead of a full flock of decoys you do very well with only a jake and hen to arouse a tom’s full attention. Throw in a few soft calls and he will come running. In the afternoon toms react in general faster than in the morning because there are fewer hens around to distract him.

Start with hunting typical strutting areas, like you would in the morning, close to roosting areas. Be careful in your approach to your setup. At this time of day the birds are out and about, slowly working their way back to the roosting trees, unlike in the early morning when they are still all in the trees. It is good advice to stop frequently and call a bit to “detect” birds that you can’t see but are close by. This way a gobbler will often respond before you reached your planned set up. In this case set up quickly on the most appropriate spot available and keep calling, the tom might be on his way in.

If nothing is happening get up and continue. In the afternoon I like to walk a lot, or as I call it, the run-and-gun method. Stopping every 50 to 60 yards to call and hope to get a response. Sometimes toms respond right away and other times they sneak quietly in. Always be prepared for a tom to appear out nowhere. When you walk keep as much as possible just inside the edge of woodland to disguise your movement, remember turkeys have eagle like eyesight. When you stop to call look first for a setup such as a small clearing or fields with adequate trees nearby to sit against. If you have time you can set out a decoy or two fine, if not just sit tight and wait.

As mentioned earlier the calling should be light. Content clucks, purrs and soft yelps with the occasional cluck to two thrown in to mimic a feeding hen often provide the desired result in bringing a wandering tom within shooting range. A true run-and-gun tactic is to observe turkeys from a distance. Observe what direction they are heading and then try to get undetected ahead of them, set up and wait for the birds to parade by you. In this case it pays to know where the birds roost as they slowly work their way back to the roosting trees.

The Latest Craze In Turkey Hunting - Gobbler Fanning

© By Othmar Vohringer

For those of you that haven’t heard about this “new” turkey hunting tactic. Let me explain what gobbler fanning is. The tactic entails using a gobbler fan that you hold in front of you and crawl up to the birds. Since you’re hidden behind the fan the gobbler thinks you’re another bird looking for a fight. I’ve seen videos of this tactic and it is truly amazing how close the hunter can get to turkeys, almost to within touching distance. From what I have seen there are two types of gobbler fan decoys on the market. One style attaches to the gun barrel and the other is a handheld version that comes with a stand to use like a blind. (See Mojo turkey decoys for examples.)

This new decoy marketing hype is not as new as some would have you believe. Historical evidence shows that Native Americans have used that type of hunting tactic often as a deception to get close to game animals. However, back in the “good old days” there were a lot less hunters out and about, not unlike these days were we see often more hunters than turkeys. I think that this “new tactic” is contrary to everything we teach new hunters in hunter education courses.

My concerns with gobbler fanning are that it requires a hunter to belly crawl through the landscape while holding up a gobbler fan decoy. In other words, he could easily be mistaken by other hunters as a turkey and be shot at. In my long turkey fever years I’ve seen and heard about hunters that have been sneaked up to by others hunters, shot at simply because they called turkeys and were mistaken for the real thing by those that shoot at sound rather than sight. I still get chills running up my spine when I think a few years back when a hunter sneaked up on my decoy and shot at it without warning from about 50 yards away. I was lucky that day because my decoys were set up at a 45 degree angle from my position and not direct in front of me.

My thinking is that for as long that there are hunters that shoot at decoys and sound, and there always will be such hunters, it really is not safe to employ the gobbler fanning tactic, especially on public land. Even on private land that you share with other hunters, unless each hunter knows where the other is and what he is doing.

Rather than looking for more gimmicks and gadgets that promise success, no matter how questionable from a safety and fair chase point of view they are, I would encourage hunters to work harder to get their bird. For me part of what makes turkey hunting fun, or all game for that matter, is to learn and figure out the animals habits and behaviours. Learn how to call and what the different sounds turkeys make mean - speaking and understanding turkey language in combination with diligent scouting and choosing stand locations accordingly. That to me this is the true art of turkey hunting.

Now I am not one to point fingers, because I too think of ways how to make it easier on myself. I’ve no objections, other than the safety concerns I voiced above, with any hunter using the gobbler fanning tactic. Sometimes moving in on a hung-up gobbler seems like the only option left. But often times that is not possible, especially when the gobbler hangs up in an open field. There have been more times than I care to remember when a hung-up gobbler drove me crazy when after an hour calling he would not advance a single step toward me. But is gobbler fanning the answer to this dilemma?

What is your opinion on gobbler fanning? Do you think it something worth to try out, provided it can be done in a safe manner? Or do you think that good calling and decoy set ups are the true art of turkey hunting? I am looking forward to read your comments below in the comment section.

What Is A Turkey Slam?

© By Othmar Vohringer

I’ve been asked a few times, “What is a turkey slam?” A turkey slam is when a hunter shoots one tom from several turkey subspecies, what subspecies are required for a slam is determined by the type of slam the hunter is aiming for. The National Wild Turkey Federation recognizes six different turkey slams. These are: Grand, Royal, World, Canadian, U.S. Super and Mexican. The completion of a slam does not require completing the feat in a single calendar year.
Below is the outline of each slam and what subspecies it requires to be officially recognized.


Grand Slam consists of:
Eastern Wild Turkey, Rio Grande Wild Turkey, Merriam’s Wild Turkey and Osceola Wild Turkey.

Royal Slam consists of:
The same subspecies as the Grand Slam in addition to the Gould,s Wild Turkey.

World Slam consists of:
The same five subspecies listed above in addition to the Ocellated Wild Turkey.

Mexican Slam consists of:
Rio Grande Turkey, Gould’s Turkey and Ocellated Wild Turkey. All three subspecies must be taken in Mexico.

Canadian Slam consists of:
Eastern Wild Turkey and Merriam’s Turkey. In order to be recognized as “Canadian Slam” the birds must be taken in the following provinces; Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, Alberta or British Columbia.

U.S. Super Slam consists of:
One turkey of every state except Alaska. This is without question the most challenging wild turkey slam to complete. James, Wilhelm of VA is the latest of three turkey hunters to ever achieve this incredible feat.

For more information about the National Wild Turkey Federation visit their website.