SPRING INTO TURKEY HUNTING

VITAL GEAR AND TOOLS TO SUCCESSFULLY HARVEST TOMS

BY: DENA VICK

As the days become longer and the air begins to warm, hunters’ minds turn to one of the first hunting seasons to open—spring turkey season.

Spring turkey hunting differs from the fall season primarily because the birds are participating in mating behaviors. Big bearded, active Toms are often alone and on the search for hens. Once they catch sight of one, you’ll find them strutting, fanning, and gobbling. Jakes, young male birds donning short beards, tend to travel in groups, resembling a teenage gang from West Side Story. These packs of three to seven birds march through the woods and fields, strutting their stuff, trying to score—often for the first time—while trying to avoid a dominant Tom. Hens can be seen feeding or fanning in patches of dirt or sand as they remove mites from their bodies. These females dominate the actions of the male birds. During this time, turkeys are unpredictable, with live action all around. Watching the frenzied activities is so exciting you might forget to shoot!

THE HUNT

Turkey hunting, while rewarding, can be quite challenging. Turkeys are clever birds that are very skittish around humans. Unlike deer, they lack a sense of smell. However, they have excellent eyesight. Even the slightest movement can set off alarms and end your hunt in that area for the day. Conversely, when you successfully outsmart a turkey, you’re one step closer to enjoying tasty turkey poppers (find the recipe at the end of this story)! To do this, you’ll need the proper equipment, including camouflage clothing, blinds, decoys, and calls.

Whether you are “running and gunning” or hunting in a blind, you should be camouflaged from head to toe, including gloves and a face mask to prevent being seen by the birds.

If hunting in a cut corn, bean, or wheat field, select a camouflaged ground blind, placing it along the edge of the woodline. Often hens will travel through the forest eating bugs and berries or drinking from ponds and into the fields to feed and fan. Place your decoys 20 to 40 yards from your blind. The distance varies depending on whether you are using a bow or shotgun and at what range you are comfortable taking a shot. A  Hawke LRF 400 rangefinder will help to determine the correct distance.

HAWKE LRF 400

I usually set out a couple of hen decoys plus a Tom or Jake decoy a couple of feet away from the hens. Why a Jake decoy or a Tom decoy? Toms are very territorial and don’t want to lose out to a young Jake or another Tom. They are trying to secure their gene pool and mate with as many hens as possible. They will move in on a Jake to run him off or sometimes even kill him to get him away from the hens. I’ve seen a Tom try to destroy a Jake decoy more times than I can count—giving me the perfect shot. On the same note, a dominant Tom will run off a weaker Tom. Montana Decoys, Miss Purrfect XD, Jake Purrfect XD, and the Wiley Tom 3D are nice because they are lightweight, packable, three- dimensional, and easy to deploy. You can add feathers to  The Wiley Tom 3D to make it look even more realistic. Because they are lightweight and packable, they work great whether running and gunning or sitting in a blind.

WILEY TOM 3D

Calling the birds towards the decoys is often the only way to lure them close enough to get a shot. There are several types of calls to choose between diaphragm mouth calls and box calls. I prefer box calls. The  Cherry 4-Play Box Call by Cutting Edge Game Calls is my favorite. It not only produces a variety of authentic sounds but is a work of art. The company sells a holster for the call, so you can keep it close by at all times.

CHERRY 4-PLAY BOX CALL

When you successfully call in a Tom or Jake, aim for the head or the neck just below the head. A red dot scope will help you land an accurate shot. The Hawke  VANTAGE IR 1-4X20 Turkey Scope provides true reflex shooting at 1x and offers magnification up to 4 power when the birds won’t come in close and you need to shoot at longer distances.This scope offers both red and green illumination.

HAWKE VINTAGE IR 1-4X20 TURKEY SCOPE

AFTER THE HUNT

After a successful hunt, you’ll have the final task of cleaning your harvested bird. When it's time to breast and prepare your turkey, you’ll want all the must-have tools, including knives, sharpeners, and field dressing tools, ready.

EDGESPORT BAIT AND GAME SHEARS (51247)

Smith's Bait and Game Heavy Duty Shears are made from high-grade stainless steel that is rust and corrosion-resistant. The two-piece design allows for easy disassembly for cleaning with dishwasher-safe handles. The bone notch is excellent for turkey trips and dresses out any bird

4-INCH FLEX FOLDING FILLET KNIFE (51387)

Smith's  RegalRiver 4" Flex Folding Fillet Knife has a non-slip TPE soft grip ergonomic handle. It Features a razor-sharp 400 series stainless steel lock blade. The 4" compact folding fillet is perfect for breasting a turkey out. It fits great in your bag or clips directly to your vest for easy access with the built-in carabiner and bottle opener.

EDGE SPORT 6-INCH BONING/FILLET KNIFE (51062)

Smith's 6" EdgeSport Boning / Curved Fillet Knife has a non-slip TPE soft grip ergonomic handle, and a breathable protective sheath. Features razor-sharp corrosion-resistant coated 400 series stainless steel blade. This Edgesport Boning Knife is ideal for slicing the turkey meat to prepare for cooking.

10-SECOND KNIFE AND SCISSORS SHARPENER

Smith's 10-Second Knife & Scissors Sharpener features a "V" shaped knife sharpening slot with two crossed carbide blades. The carbide blades allow you to put a quick edge on your knife with just three or four strokes and are preset at a fixed sharpening angle for guaranteed results every time. Just three or four strokes through the sharpener... to put the edge back on your household scissors. The patented scissors sharpener (built into the handle) features a specially designed "floating" round ceramic rod. This floating rod conforms to the exact angle of your scissors during use and works on both left and right- handed scissors.

Perfect planning and preparation in every step, from hunt to harvest, is critical to a successful spring turkey hunt.

WILD TURKEY POPPERS

INGREDIENTS:

• Two wild turkey breast
• 2 cups of buttermilk
• 1 lb. bacon
• 12 sliced and cleaned jalapenos
• Dales Liquid Steak Seasoning
• Kinders Blend of Salt Pepper Garlic
• Toothpicks

1. After field dressing turkey breast, soak turkey meat in buttermilkand store in the refrigerator for 6 to 12 hours.
2. Remove meat from buttermilk and rinse.
3. Using the Smith’s 4-inch folding filet knife or Bait and GameSheers, cut meat into 2-inch cubes.
4. Wrap each cube with bacon and secure it with a toothpick.
5. *For spicy poppers, add a sliced jalapeno to the meat and wrapbacon around both.
6. Place poppers into a large bowl or Ziplock bag.
7. Sprinkle with Kinders Blend of Salt Pepper Garlic seasoning.
8. Pour Dales Liquid Steak Seasoning over poppers.
9. Store in refrigerator for approximately 2 hours.
10. Cook on a wood or gas grill until done, or bake in a 350-degreeoven for 10 minutes.
11. Enjoy!

MEDIA CONTACT:

Dena Vick
dena@kingeiderpr.com
501-749-4575