Gobblers by the river

Scientifically known as “Meleagris gallopavo”. United States consists 5 sub-species that are native to North America; Eastern, Osceola, Rio Grande, Merriam, and Gould wild turkeys. Their eye sight is 3 times that of a person with perfect vision. That is a 20/20 vision times 3… Not including their 270 degree field of view. I’ve passed by other hunters wearing orange hats & vests. When hunting turkeys it is paramount that you wear camo head to toe. Hell I wear camouflaged gloves to cover my bare hands and wedding ring. During fall season, both female and male can be hunted. Come Spring, only the males can be taken and certain states require a beard and spur length. Calling turkeys can be one of the most exhilarating parts of the hunt.

Turkey calling is an artform that takes dedication to master. There are three general ways to call; Diaphragm calls, Slate calls, and Box calls. Diaphragm calls consist of a small custom shaped call that fits right into your mouth. The user then holds it up to the roof of his mouth with his tongue and does a cat like hiss to create turkey calls. The slate call consists of a small disc and a striker which is made of either wood, carbon, or aluminum. The user drags the striker at a 45 degree angle against the disc. This creates a high pitch turkey noise. I personally own diaphragm and slate calls from PRIMOS Link:

https://www.primos.com/hunting-calls/

Shock Gobbling

A shock gobble happens when a rafter (group of turkey) hear a noise that alerts them. Hell, I have been in an truck with old brakes that screeched every time my buddy pressed down on the pedal, the noise would cause the birds to do a shock call every time they heard the brakes. Others use crow calls, Owl calls, and coyote calls to best locate birds. Before sunrise is when you’ll most hear shock gobbles. More then likely the birds will be either in their roosts or just getting on the ground to feed. Understanding the terrain is a necessity. Not only will your calls reach a further distance, your odds of hearing calls back raise significantly. Stay towards ridgelines, hills, or the corner of a field when throwing out calls.

When in the field, I’ll throw calls towards the top of a hill so the noise echoes into the area. I’m out in the field two hours before sunrise. You can throw calls in the dark to best locate where you want to set up.

It’s hard to explain the excitement when Gobblers start to communicate back with your calls.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

Rules & laws differ from Fall and Spring season. Understand the difference between a Gobbler, a Hen, and a Jake.

Gobbler: An older male turkey, you can tell the difference from a Jake because of their size, beards, & spurs.

Jakes: A younger male, smaller size compared to a Gobbler.

Hen: A female turkey. Legal during fall hunting season.