By Robbie Estes
In my two-cent opinion, the absolute best turkey season would be one in which the gunner snuffs one gobbler each of the first five weeks of the season and be tagged out put-the-gun-up done by April 15. That would provide for a sufficient number of misses, hunting with others and skunk days in between kills to remain modest. Taking one gobbler per week is about perfect. It’s enough to keep you going every day you can, and a good enough success/failure ratio to make any reasonable turkey hunter happy.
kAmx’G6 925 23@FE 6G6CJ <:?5 @7 D62D@? A@DD:3=6 7C@> 2? @276C E@ <:==:?8 7:G6 :? E96 7:CDE `_ 52JD @7 E96 cf\52J D62D@?] %96 =2EE6C >6?E:@?65 H2D C62==J ?@ 7F? 2E 2== :? E96 8C2?5 D496>6 @7 E9:?8D] %6? 52JD @FE @7 bed 42=4F=2E6D E@ 23@FE a]f A6C46?E @FE @7 E96 H9@=6 J62C E@ 36 27E6C E96 3:C5[ H9:49 :D 6?E:C6=J E@@ D>2== 2 ?F>36C] x7 J@F 9:E :E c_ 52JD[ J@F 2E =62DE 9:E E96 `_ A6C46?E >2C<] p== @7 E9:D DA62<D @7 @?6 F?56?:23=6 ECFE9] (6 EFC<6J 9F?E6CD[ 2D 2 =@E[ C62==J 42?’E 92?5=6 =@?8 DEC6E496D @7 72:=FC6] }@ >2EE6C 9@H 8@@5 E96 9F?ED 2C6[ H6 2== H2?E 2E =62DE D@>6 DF446DD E9C@H? :? 27E6C 2 C62D@?23=6 A6C:@5 @7 E:>6 @7 ECJ:?8]k^Am
kAm}F>36C 7:G6 E9:D J62C 42>6 C:89E 2=@?8 E96 D=@F89 32?< @7 {2<6 |2CE:? ?62C z@H=:82 :? %2==2A@@D2 r@F?EJ] x 925 9F?E65 z@H=:82 %@> D6G6C2= E:>6D 2E E96 6?5 @7 =2DE D62D@? ECJ:?8 7@C E96 =2DE 3:C5 – 6?@F89 E@ 36=:6G6 E92E x 4@F=5 ?@E <:== 9:>] uC@> E96 E@?6[ J@F 42? 2=C625J >2<6 2 H6==\65F42E65 8F6DD 2D E@ 9@H >2?J x 8@E =2DE J62C] x EC:65 6G6CJE9:?8 – 2>3FD9:?’[ 4C2H=:?’[ D4F==:?’ 7C@> 2 3@2E[ 564@J:?8[ 4:C4=:?8 2?5 H2=<:?8 :?E@ 9:D C@@DE 2? 9@FC 367@C6 DF?C:D6 2C>65 H:E9 9@A6 2?5 AC2J6C] }@ >2EE6C H92E 96 @C x 5:5[ 96 H@F=5 ?6G6C =62G6 9:D @A6? D2?4EF2CJ @7 E96 =2<6 D=@F89 @C E96 G6CJ E9:??65 @FE @=56C A:?6 A=2?E2E:@? DFCC@F?5:?8 E96 D=@F89] w6 H@F=5 2=D@ 2=H2JD 92G6 2E =62DE EH@ 96?D H:E9 9:>] w6 5:5 23D@=FE6=J ?@E9:?8 H:E9@FE E96>]k^Am
kAmx 925 =67E 9:> 2=@?6 7@C >@DE @7 E9:D D62D@? D:?46 x H2D :? E96 3FD:?6DD @7 24EF2==J ECJ:?8 E@ <:== D@>6E9:?8[ 3FE 27E6C 86EE:?8 3:C5D @? |2C49 `f[ ac 2?5 ah 2?5 pAC:= f[ x 564:565 E@ ECJ 9:> 282:? @? uC:52J E96 `bE9] p?@E96C 52J[ D2>6 @=5 @FE4@>6] x H2E4965 9:> DECFE H:E9 E9C66 96?D @? 2? @A6? A:?65 9:==D:56 7@C EH@ 9@FCD H:E9 ?@ 2G2:=23=6 2AAC@249] %9@D6 EH@ 9@FCD H6C6 =@?8 6?@F89 7@C >6 E@ 232?5@? 2?J ?@E:@? x 925 @7 D9@H:?8 FA 2?5 <?@4<:?’ 9:> C:89E @77 9:D 9@@<D 367@C6 96 4@F=5 C6>6>36C >6]k^Am
kAm%96 ?6IE >@C?:?8 x 925 A=2?D E@ 9F?E H:E9 2 7C:6?5 :? D@FE962DE p=232>2] }@E 2 D:?8=6 E9@F89E 925 4C@DD65 >J >:?5 C682C5:?8 @=6 z@H=:82 F?E:= x 8@E 2 c 2]>] 42== 7C@> 9:> 42?46=:?8 @FC A=2?D ;FDE 2D x H2D 23@FE E@ 9625 @FE] $@ x EFC?65 E96 ECF4< =67E 2?5 962565 E@ z@H=:82 7@C 2?@E96C 5@D6 @7 9F>:=:EJ] x 8@E E96C6 G6CJ 62C=J D:?46 H6 925 A=2??65 2 =@?8 EC:A] %96C6 x H2D D:EE:?8 :? E96 52C< 282:?DE 2 E2== A:?6 EC66 H2:E:?8 7@C @=5 H@@5 9625 E@ H2<6 FA] (96? 96 5:5[ 96 H2D 5@H? 7FCE96C @FE @? E96 =2<6 E92? FDF2=] x 9FCC:65 5@H? 2?5 6?565 FA @? E96 D:56 @7 E96 D=@F89 H:E9 9:> DEC2:89E @FE 7C@?E H9:=6 2?@E96C 8@33=6C H2D 24C@DD E96 D=@F89 AFEE:?8 FA 2 492==6?86] x 925 366? 42==:?8 D@>6 D:?46 3@E9 3:C5D D66>65 E@ =:<6 :E] pD FDF2=[ 96?D 3682? E@ 7=J E@H2C5 9:> 2?5 x <?6H >J H@C< H2D 2=C625J 86EE:?8 E@@ E9:4< E@ 4FE]k^Am
kAm%96 =2<6 H2D =@H =@?86C E92? ?@C>2= E9:D $AC:?8 2?5 x H2E4965 7@C 23@FE 2? 9@FC 367@C6 2 96? 42>6 2C@F?5 E96 9625 @7 E96 D=@F89 2?5 A2DD65 3J >6[ E:AE@6:?8 @? E96 C@4<D C:89E 2=@?8D:56 E96 H2E6C] p?@E96C `d >:?FE6D A2DD65 H96? 2 D64@?5 96? 42>6 :?E@ G:6H 2?5 C:89E 369:?5 96C[ :? 2== 9:D DA=6?5@C[ H2D @=6 z@H=:82 %@>] x E9@F89E E@ >JD6=7 E92E :7 D96 H@F=5 ;FDE H2=< 3J >6 =:<6 E96 7:CDE 96? 5:5[ 96 >:89E 4@>6 369:?5 96C 2?5 x’5 7:?2==J 42E49 9:>] x 925 =@?8 DE@AA65 42==:?8 3J E96? D:?46 E92E FDF2==J 925 2 56EC:>6?E2= 67764E @? 9:> 2?5 E96 96?D 96 7C6BF6?E65] yFDE 2D E96 D64@?5 96? 8@E E@ 23@FE `__ J62CD 7C@> >6 D96 564:565 E@ 7=J 92=7H2J 24C@DD E96 D=@F89 2?5 =2?5 @? 2 D>2== :D=2?5 – E@ 62E C@4<D[ x DFAA@D6[ D:?46 E92E’D 2== E96C6 :D @? :E 2D:56 7C@> EH@ D4C288=J A:?6 EC66D] %92E @3G:@FD=J DE@AA65 9:D AC@8C6DD 2?5 9:D 2EE6?E:@? EFC?65 E@ E96 8:C= @? E96 :D=2?5] p7E6C 2?@E96C b_ >:?FE6D DECFEE:?8 @? E96 32?<[ z@H=:82 564:565 E@ 6?5 >J AC2J6C C:89E E96? 2?5 7=6H 24C@DD E96 6?E:C6 D=@F89 E@ E96 @E96C D:56 E@ ;@:? E96 7:CDE 96?[ H9@ 925 2=C625J >256 :E 2C@F?5] xD=2?5 8:C= AC@>AE=J ;@:?65 9:> E@ 255 :?DF=E] $@ 2== E9C66 @7 E96> H6C6 ?@H b__ J2C5D 24C@DD E96 D=@F89 2?5 962565 :?E@ E96 H@@5D E@H2C5 E96 @E96C 8@33=6C]k^Am
kAmp7E6C 23@FE `d >:?FE6D[ x H2D ;FDE 23@FE E@ 4:C4=6 E96 D=@F89 E@ C6;@:? E96 A2CEJ H96? @=6 z@H=:82 CF?D @FE @7 E96 H@@5D 324< E@ C@4<J 32?< 2?5 368:?D 2 F?E2CC:65 H2=< E@ E96 E2:= 6?5 @7 E96 D=@F89 2?5 324< :?E@ E96 A:?6 H@@5D 96 ?@C>2==J 7C6BF6?ED] x 564:565 E@ =6E 9:> H2=< @? 2?5 8@ 27E6C E96 D64@?5 E@>] pD x D=:AA65 2== E96 H2J 2C@F?5 E96 D=@F89 2?5 3682? E@ 42==[ E96 @?=J 3:C5 E92E H@F=5 2?DH6C H2D z@H=:82 %@> H9@ 925 D6EE=65 :? @? E96 5:CE C@25 E92E EC2G6CD65 E96 A:?6D ?62C E96 6?5 @7 E96 D=@F89 2?5 H2D C625J E@ 5:D4FDD 9:D 4FCC6?E DE2E6 @7 2772:CD] x 232?5@?65 >J 8C66? 8C2DD 9@A6 7@C E96 D64@?5 E@> 2?5 E@@< 324< @77 E@H2C5 @=6’ H@@5 9625] x D2E FA ?62C E96 C@25 :? E96 H@@5D 36=@H 9:> 2?5 3682? E@ 42== 2D DH66E=J 2D x A@DD:3=J 4@F=5 H:E9@FE @G6C7=F77:?’ :E] w6 H@F=5 C6DA@?5 2E E:>6D 3FE ?6G6C H96? J@F H6C6 ECJ:?8 E@ >2<6 FA J@FC >:?5 23@FE E96 ?6IE >@G6] w6 >256 E96 ?62C6DE A2DD 96 925 6G6C >256[ 4@>:?8 324< :?E@ E96 H@@5D E@ 23@FE f_ J2C5D 2D x 4@F=5 962C E96 DA:EE:?8 7C@> H96C6 x H2D] p7E6C cd >:?FE6D @7 E9:D[ 96 AC@466565 324< E@ E96 C@25 2H2J 7C@> >6]k^Am
kAm|J 92:= >2CJ H2D E@ 86E E@ E96 C@25 2?5 E@ 4C2H= 2D 4=@D6 E@ 9:> 2D x 4@F=5 H:E9 9@A6D E92E 96 H@F=5 2E =62DE 4@>6 5@H? E96 H:56 @A6? C@25 2?5 E2<6 2 BF:4< =@@<] %96 C@25 7@CEF?2E6=J 92D 2 D=:89E =67EH2C5 36?5 2?5 x D2E 5@H? @? E96 =67E D:56 H:E9 @?=J 2 76H 7@@E\E2== D2A=:?8D E@ 9:56 >6] x E96? >256 2 D:?8=6 4=F4< @? 2 D=2E6 42== 2?5 AFE :E 5@H?] pE E92E A@:?E[ 2D E96J D2J @? E96 `gE9 8C66? H:E9 2 b_ 7@@E AFEE E@ H:?[ :E H2D “FA E@ 9:>]” x D2E E96C6 7@C 2E =62DE cd >:?FE6D =:DE6?:?8 E@ 9:> 8@33=6 6G6CJ `_ >:?FE6D @C D@ 3FE ?@E >@G:?8 2?J 4=@D6C] x <6AE A66C:?8 @FE 7C@> 369:?5 D>2== 8C66? =62G65 EC66D E@ =@@< 5@H? E96 C@25 2 3:E]k^Am
kAm$@>6H96C6 :? E96 H2:E[ x E9@F89E x D2H >@G6>6?E E9C@F89 E96 8C66? F?56CDE@CJ] p7E6C 9@FCD @7 H2:E:?8[ E96C6 96 H2D[ 7F== DECFE :? E96 C@25 2?5 D=@H=J >@G:?8 :? >J 5:C64E:@?] p7E6C 2== E96 92C5 =F4< 9F?ED H:E9 9:>[ x 2DDF>65 2E D@>6 A@:?E 96’5 EFC? 2C@F?5 2?5 @776C >6 ?@ D9@E] qFE 96 <6AE 4@>:?8] u:G6 766E[ `_ 766E 2?5 ?@H 96 H2D :? C2?86] z:==:?8 9:> 24EF2==J >256 >6 2 =:EE=6 D25 D:?46 x <?6H E96C6’5 36 ?@ >@C6 E9C66 9@FC 9F?ED H:E9 9:>] w6 H2D D@ DEF33@C? 3FE 2=H2JD AC@G:565 2 7F? >@C?:?8] %96 3:C5 H2D A@@C 2E `d =3D[ 925 ?@ 7@@5 :? 9:D 4C2H[ 2 `_ :?49 362C5 2?5 92C5=J 2?J DAFC] w6C6 H2D 2 7F==\72??65 8@33=6C H:E9 =6DD E92? `^g :?49 H@CE9 @7 DAFCD @? 6249 @7 9:D D<:??J =68D] x 92G6 E2<6? @?6 @E96C =:<6 9:> :? E96 D2>6 4@F?EJ 3FE E92E 3:C5 925 C62= 96? =68D H:E9 =:EE=6 EC246 @7 DAFCD]k^Am
kAmpE E9:D A@:?E[ J@F 92G6 AC@323=J 7:8FC65 @FE E92E E96 3:C5 x D9@E E92E >@C?:?8 H2D ?@E z@H=:82 %@> 3FE 2? 6>:DD2CJ D6?E E@ 766= @FE E96 ?6H 8:C= :? E@H?] x 36=:6G6[ H:E9@FE @77:4:2= AC@@7 @7 4@FCD6[ E92E 2== E96 8:C=D 962565 E@H2C5 z@H=:82 %@> 2?5 E96 DF3@C5:?2E6 x <:==65 42>6 H:E9 E96> @?=J E@ 36 CF? @77 3J @=6 H@@5 9625 E@ 86E 9:D D4C2AD 6=D6H96C6] %96C6 :D ?@E9:?8 AC6D6?E :? >J 36:?8 E92E 4@F=5 36=:6G6 E92E z@H=:82 %@> H@F=5 6G6C =62G6 2== E9@D6 96?D E@ 2?@E96C 8@33=6C[ H2=< @77 2=@?6 2?5 E96? 4@>>:E E@ 2? F?D66? 3:C5 2== 3J 9:>D6=7] }@[ 96 D6?E D@>6@?6 6=D6 E@ 5@ E96 5:CEJ H@C<] w6’D DE:== DECFEE:?8 @? E92E D=@F89 32?< H:E9 9:D 96?D 2?5 >@G:?8 2AAC@I:>2E6=J ` :?49 A6C 9@FC :? 2 5:C64E:@? 6G6? 96 5@6D?’E <?@H] x’> DFC6 2E E96 D9@E 96 H@F=5 92G6 8C:??65 :7 9:D 92C5 =:AD H@F=5 2==@H :E] x 5:5?’E 86E z@H=:82 %@> E92E >@C?:?8[ 3FE x 5:5 86E 2 7:7E9 EFC<6J @? pAC:= `cE9] r=@D6 6?@F89 E@ A6C764E 7@C >6]k^Am
