Have you looked at the calendar lately? It’s almost turkey time, and I’m not talking about the Thanksgiving Pilgrim version. Youth turkey seasons have kicked off in some areas of the country and traditional seasons will begin in the blink of an eye across the Southern U.S. Are you ready?
To get ready for the turkey hunting trot you should peruse your gear and make notes of equipment that needs an update, replacement or maybe you should consider new additions to your arsenal of deceitful tactics.
1. Check your mouth diaphragm calls. Unlike wine that ages with time, the latex and molded frame of your mouth calls can deteriorate. Heat, moisture and mildew can break them down and, quite frankly, make them disgusting to put back in your mouth. Consider dropping $10 for a refreshing sound.
2. Update your flock. Have you looked at turkey decoys lately? They're as realistic as the Lady Gaga wax statue at Madame Tussauds in New York. If you want more realism, consider a taxidermy-quality mounted hen for guaranteed results! And don’t stop with just one. Add several hens and a jake to your setup to drive toms nuts.
3. Consider a trail camera. If you’ve resisted the trail camera trend for deer hunting, consider it as a dual-purpose tool for turkey hunting. Put it up to monitor strut zones and then use the time stamps to plan your turkey assault without wasting a minute of your precious time.
4. Hunt in comfort. Why sit in the hot sun or the dripping rain when you can sit in a cozy chair concealed in a ground blind. Not only do ground blinds shield you from Mother Nature, they hide your antsy movements, especially when you’re squirming for an early morning Pop-Tart break.
5. Be aggressive. Hunters are increasingly using simple turkey fans to move in close to reluctant gobblers. When a tom sees a pivoting fan it sparks curiosity and dominance. You can use your own tail from a past trophy or purchase one like the Mojo Tail Chaser.
Mark your calendars. Stuff fresh toilet paper into the pocket of your turkey hunting vest. Pattern your shotgun. Turkey season is just around the corner.
Prepare for turkey season now and up your odds of gobbler glory.