Contributed photo / Larry Case
Wild turkeys move through a yard in Zelienople, Pa., this past October. Spring turkey hunting season opens this month in Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee, and hunters should spend some time before then making sure they're ready, writes outdoors columnist Larry Case.
A wild turkey stands on top of a target shooting backstop mound this past October in Zelienople, Pa. Spending some time with your weapon at the range with paper targets before the season is vital to being ready to fire at live birds during the season, writes outdoors columnist Larry Case.OK, boys and girls, once again the time is upon us. We have survived most of the winter with rabbit and squirrel hunting, and you have been kind enough to put up with my ramblings on such things. Somehow another year has come and gone, and we are moving into the time for a higher calling, a time of year when we will test our limits and our hunting skills, physical capabilities and endurance - as well as our domestic bliss at home.
Yes, I am referring to the season so many of you love and hate equally: spring gobbler season.
Like any major endeavor in life, turkey season requires a lot of planning, strategy, training and just plain old getting ready. Since I have more years than I care to admit to in this realm, I am happy to share my vast knowledge on turkeys, hunting them and all the wonderful things that go with it. Some of the things I share with you may actually be helpful, and like anything that comes from a longtime turkey hunter, some of them may actually be true.
Let's get ready.
Check that gear. How about we do something a little different this year. Let's try not waiting till the night before opening day to pull out our turkey gear. Go find your turkey vest right now. Empty out all the pockets and throw away all the Little Debbie cake wrappers, empty water bottles and expired mouth calls. Find your face mask and gloves, crow call and box call, then neatly arrange these items (along with all your other junk) so you may actually be able to find something opening morning when a turkey starts to gobble.
Give your hunting boots and camouflage clothing a once-over. Is it time to invest in something new? (Veterans to these pages know the answer to this one. Of course it is. Camo shirts and pants are just like shotguns: You can never have enough.) If you need new diaphragm mouth calls, order them now. Don't be like me and wait till two days before the season begins and try to get them shipped overnight.
For heaven's sake, pattern that shotgun. I know we have been over this many times. For some strange reason, many of you have never put your shotgun on paper. Dedicate a half-day to going to the range to see where your gun actually puts a pattern at different distances. Do it right and shoot from a bench as in sighting in a rifle. Have plenty of paper and targets available, and start by shooting some low-powered field loads to see where the pattern is going before moving on to the turkey loads you will use while hunting. If you've never put your shotgun on paper or are trying a new gun, you may be amazed where the pellets actually go. All shotguns do not come out of the box the same, and most shoot differently with different chokes and shells. A shotgun that shoots drastically off your point of aim can be corrected by a qualified gunsmith. It involves some banging on the barrel, though, and you may not want to be there when he does it. Another way to fix this problem is to install an optic on the shotgun such as a good red dot-type scope. By doing this you can sight in the shotgun to hit where you want. Either way, don't wait till that big gobbler steps into range to find out where your scatter gun is hitting.
Take a walk in the woods. Scouting is part of hunting. If you hunt the same area year after year, you probably know where turkeys will be found and how to approach them. Still, a trip or two to your favorite spots will make you better prepared when the big day comes. If you're going to a completely new hunting area, you definitely have some investigating to do. Don't wait until your first hunting trip to get the lay of the land. Walk as much of the area as you can; stop, look and listen. Look for turkey scratching in the leaves, tracks in muddy or sandy spots and dusting places where turkeys have scratched up dry soil to get the dust into their feathers and rid themselves of parasites. Oh, yeah - look for turkeys, too.
Check with landowners and do your homework. At 5:30 in the morning on opening day is not the time to be asking for permission to hunt. Now is the time to be meeting with the landowner of that place you have wanted to hunt. It should go without saying that a courteous and respectful approach is called for here. You have to show the landowner you are a safe hunter who will respect his land. If you are considering hunting unfamiliar public land, start familiarizing yourself with the area and check it out before the season opens. U.S. National Forest land and some state wildlife management areas can be huge, so get your maps, call some U.S. Forest Service offices, state department of natural resources biologists and game wardens and get the scoop on the area that interests you.
As usual, I have to end this little sermon because the editors will not give me enough room to go on as I would like, even though there are many more preparation items to consider. Do you have your current hunting license? Is your truck ready for the rigors of turkey season? Does it need a checkup, oil change or maybe new tires? How about you? Coming out of winter, a brisk walk every day would have us all better prepared for turkey season.
I'm going to do the brisk walk and will be a better man for it.
Don't ask me if I am going to cut back on the Little Debbie cakes.
"The Trail Less Traveled" is written by Larry Case, who lives in Fayette County, W.Va. You can write to him at larryocase3@gmail.com.