Belly-crawling turkeys has never been so popular. Fanning. Stalking. Repositioning. Reaping. Ambushing. Whatever you want to call it, turkey hunters are getting down in the dirt and grass and slinking like snakes to draw closer to strutting gobblers. And killing birds. And missing turkeys. And changing the tradition in the...
Our group was enjoying a midday break in Osceola hunting camp when a couple locals rolled in and struck up a conversation with the camp owner, barely within earshot. I paid little attention until I heard a name, then spun around and asked, “Marvin? Marvin Hartley?” At the same time...
Jeremy McCarty refuses to call what we’re doing turkey hunting. According to him, we are “turkey reaping,” and, unlike turkey hunting, where concealment is key, when turkey reaping, you want the gobblers to see you -- or at least see the decoys you’re using to close the distance. I’ve turkey...
When it comes to hunting turkeys that have been pressured and educated, Nate Hosie, host of HeadHunters TV and a Realtree pro staffer, has one overriding strategy: Realism. Born and raised in the mountains of Pennsylvania, Hosie started hunting with his father and grandfather. That love of hunting led to...
They call 'em turkey calls for a reason. Ask any of my turkey buds, and they’ll say I call a lot. Aggressively even. Other times a dose of silence is my best vocalization. As with other forms of game calling, the right mix of yelping and staying quiet is the...
Legs shake. Hands tremble. Your mind races wild. And it’s not even because of the chick in psychology class. No, it’s that longbeard gobbling every breath, no more than 60 yards away and just out of sight. He’s ripping your nervous system to shreds – particularly because you know that...
Some springtime longbeards take their marching orders from the boss hen. At times, the only way to get him in range is to call her in. How do you sell yourself to the lady turkey in charge in order to pull that dawdling strutter into range? Read on. Payback Okay,...
There are tried-and-true ways to assure you’ll come home empty-handed from the turkey woods. They’re easy. Just follow these steps as laid out by champion turkey caller and Realtree pro staffer Anthony Virga, who has seen them in action and learned some of them first-hand. Mistake 1. Be Impatient. “Everybody...
Use these 10 tactics to save your turkey hunt. 1. Buddy System for Birds When hunting alone, it's sometimes tough to use locator calls and listen at the same time. To locate spring gobblers better, hunt with a buddy. Have your partner stand away from you while you're making your...
Not every spring day is clear, calm and warm. In fact, those days are the exceptions. But never fear. Here's your guide to turkey hunting in any weather. Even in the worst weather conditions, turkeys are out there somewhere. But finding them requires thinking like those birds. Paying close attention...
This feature article first appeared back in 2001 as “All About the Wild Turkey,” a chapter in the Team Realtree Turkey Hunting Fieldbook . Written by the late Aaron Pass, and as the title suggests, excerpts from the article follow, and offer some facts on America's greatest gamebird you may...
The morning broke still, clear and crisp. It promised to be a good gobbling day. My partner and I were positioned on a ridge where we could hear turkeys in any direction. The first gobble came early, a good sign. We did not move. Ten minutes later, six gobblers were...
Editor's note: This article was first published March 28, 2016. The tips in it are as timeless as turkey hunting itself, with a few modern-day twists. Be sure to read the text and listen to the audio links for each call as well. — Steve Hickoff When a hunter wants...
Okay, folks, this is meant to be fun . . . Are women- and men-only turkey camps different? Even though I’ve often been the only woman in camp, I can’t truly understand what it’s like to be in a men’s-only camp because my sheer presence changes the dynamic of the...
If you're a fisherman or waterfowler, keep those chest waders handy. I’ve seen it all around turkey country. Maybe you have too. Spring gobblers favor roost trees over water — not always, surely, but trying to locate spring birds near these spots often proves favorable. At times, all the wild...
Some folks have private honey holes. Filling spring gobbler tags without too much outside hunting pressure is pretty much assured. And then there's the rest of us. The guys who hunt public land turkeys with everyone else. It’s busy. It’s crowded. Some strategies are in order. So let's get to...
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