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Do You Travel to Turkey Hunt?
Steve Hickoff gives his tips for taking an out-of-state turkey trip on a budget.
Turkey hunting out of state is on your mind, but the cost is keeping you grounded.
You’ve hunted in your home turkey state, but you still have gas in the tank. Yep, this is a flat-out addiction. How can you do more and afford it, too? How much cash will you need to do it? Got a thousand bucks to burn? Good. You might not even need four figures. You have the gear already, so only your travel and hunt expenses need to be covered.
Let’s try to pull this plan together.
You have to study up before you make an out-of-state move. Cost: Your internet provider’s rate.
OK, you’ve done your homework. Now how do you get access?
There’s more than one way to get on the land holding out-of-state gobblers. Cost: Free - $1,000.
You have to scout fast, so focus on finding these areas:
You can sleep in the back of your truck, the least costly lodging of all. Is it legal on public lands or near highways? Not always. Check your regulations.
Low-budget motels in turkey country might welcome your in-season business during their “off-season” time. Since many see income jump between Memorial Day and Labor Day, you might be able to work a deal to get the owners to open up early for you. They might offer a discounted rate, especially if you and a number of buddies are hunting out of their place.
Got an old college roommate who doesn’t hunt or a distant relative in the area? Maybe they’ll let you crash on their basement man cave couch for a couple of days.
For our low-budget purposes, we’ll briefly cover four stateside subspecies here. South of the border, Mexican, once-in-a-lifetime dream hunts for Gould’s and Ocellated turkeys often exceed $1,000. Gould’s management is expanding to southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico. Keep an eye on this option in future years.
“I saw you drive by a bunch of times,” the Vermont farmer smirked, “so I figured you wanted something.” I did want something: A chance at the flock of turkeys behind his keep-out posters.
“Ran a guy off this morning,” he said, “but since you asked, I’ll let you.”
I parked where he said to, walked past his cattle in the dark. By mid-morning the flock had returned: A strutter, several subordinate gobblers, and some hens. I whacked the dominant turkey, then I swung and killed one of the other gobblers, too (legal in the Green Mountain State). I’ve hunted other states on the road and killed turkeys this way, as well.
It’s not always as easy, of course. On the road once in New York, I knocked on a farmhouse door after eyeing a distant turkey flock and the absence of posters. “Just because I don’t post on my land doesn’t mean you can hunt it,” the guy said with no apology.
I forced a smile, thanked him for his time and drove down the road to knock on another door, then another, with success. The next day I filled a tag. Priceless.
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[This retro article was first published on March 5, 2012.]
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