Hunters use crow calls to draw shock gobbles from silent spring gobblers, revealing their locations. Owl hooters, when used on a hunt, do as well. Check out the new line of offerings from Strut Commander.
For the spring turkey hunter, a year can be compressed into roughly three months of time well spent, with the remainder wasted – or at the very least compromised – by acts of necessity. Traveling along a linear path, time is wholly independent and egalitarian for all in its path...
As turkey hunters, we’re known for nicknaming gobblers, especially the Houdini-like, nearly unkillable ones that taunt hunting skills and haunt dreams. From late-February through mid-May, I enter the wild turkey’s world regularly. Patience, a thick bun cushion and the good Lord have rewarded me with opportunities to capture several nameworthy...
Editor's note: After reading Michael Pendley's introduction on building a box call, please work through the steps below to make your own. – Steve Hickoff If you’ve ever priced a custom box call, you know they can get expensive. Competition calls in the $500 plus range aren’t uncommon. And, as...
Like many of you, we visit the NWTF Convention each year to see old friends and make new ones. It's a family reunion. Turkey hunting is a lifestyle for many of us. In addition to stopping by the brand booths on the show floor, and checking out the calling and...
The hunter had a strange look on his face. He seemed to be looking at something and staring into space at the same time. I wanted to ask him about it but couldn’t. He had a bullet wound in his lower back and had been dead for over 24 hours...
In the past two years, Federal has completely overhauled its lineup of high-performance turkey loads in three different, distinct product families. In 2018, the company revamped its turkey shotshell lineup with a long list of new products that offer performance benefits beyond any hunter had ever seen. That meant all...
We checked out the new Remington V3 Turkey Pro in Realtree Timber at the 2019 NWTF Convention. Interested in a new turkey-hunting shotgun for the 2019 spring season? You came to the right place. I've hunted wild turkeys around the country with all manner of Remington shotguns, from the iconic...
February 25, 2019 | Turkey Blog with Steve Hickoff
One of the first physical details you size up when a gobbler walks into view is the beard. Beards are often a matter of shooting a legal bird in the spring, as "bearded bird" state regulations also include bearded hens ; other states are "gobblers only" and one, no jakes...
The 2019 NWTF Convention was recently held at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee. The show floor provided something for about every one of the estimated 50,000-plus people in attendance. There were new products, like Realtree’s Timber pattern used in turkey vests and clothing. Attendees saw...
February 22, 2019 | Turkey Blog with Steve Hickoff
To many of us, Rio Grande turkey hunting means Texas, Oklahoma and that part of the country. You'll also find them roosting above the lush California vineyards north of Los Angeles and even across the Pacific Ocean in Hawaii. And many other states west of the Mississippi River. Check out...
February 22, 2019 | Turkey Blog with Steve Hickoff
Osceolas are a hard-gobbling, sharp-spurred, swamp-loving subspecies of wild turkey found only in Florida. There are also Easterns and hybrids along the northern intergrade line. That said, I love Osceolas and I'll hunt them this spring. For many hardcore turkey hunters, it's the first stop at the beginning of another...
The NWTF Convention is a celebration of the wild turkey, with friends and family attending the big show each February. As spring seasons approach, many had their eyes on new gear this past week and weekend in Nashville, Tennessee. Check out these new and proven turkey-hunting vests in Realtree camo...
February 19, 2019 | Turkey Blog with Steve Hickoff
By the late 1800s, Charles L. Jordan (1841-1909) began publishing how-to articles on turkey hunting, and making calls from wingbone and cane. Sources indicate he may have crafted them for decades before. After Jordan’s murder by a poacher, his writing on wild turkey hunting was compiled by Edward A. McIlhenny...
The NWTF Convention kicks off the official start of spring turkey pre-season. Please scroll down this longform gallery to see the new Ol' Tom turkey hunting gear in Realtree Timber camo .
Spring breeding season for wild turkeys is a stressful time, especially for dominant gobblers. Most of a gobbler’s energy is focused on displaying, gathering hens, breeding and battling rivals. As the season wears on, hens enter the egg-laying period. Gobblers are left to spend a portion of the midday hours...
There are many intricacies involved in a successful turkey hunt. Calling, camouflage, the right gun and ammunition all contribute to putting a gobbler on your shoulder for the walk back to the truck. One thing that is often overlooked is how you sit to a turkey. By sit to a...
