. . . 26 days . . .

Always wait for a clean-kill shot. Know your gun's pattern & kill range, and wait until you know your trigger pull will quickly & humanely kill. A choice to shoot to under questionable circumstances could simply wound a bird, causing him a painful & slow death--perhaps over several days. Respect the majestic creature we all love to pursue so much, and wait for a clean-kill shot.

. . . 23 days . . .

Today's tip: Buy a Strike King striker from Max!! Whatever slate-style call you use it on, it sounds fantastic!



Thanks Dale!

. . . 19 days to go . . . we're under 20!!

"Every day is opening day during spring gobbler season. A bird might ignore you 16 straight days but then run right to you the 17th morning."

-Ernie Calandrelli (taken from an article by Brian Lovett in T&TH, April '06)

. . . 15 days to go . . .

Never call too much to a rooted gobbler. He's more likely to stay roosted longer, waiting for the hen he hears to appear under his tree. You also risk getting him really cranked up, which could attract an actual hen, or worse, another hunter.

. . . 12 days left . . .

"Throughout much of North America, turkeys are easier to pattern than white-tailed deer. By learning where they go--and where they return to later--your hunting success will skyrocket."
---Mark Kayser (3/'06 "North American Hunter")

. . . 10 days to go . . .

"A turkey that comes to the conclusion he may have made an error does not remain in place while he puzzles the matter out. He goes off into the woods a hundred yards or so to conduct his deliberations."
--Tom Kelly

PM... now you're getting to the numbers we've all been waiting for!!! Thanks!

Go PM, Go!

. . . 8 days left . . .

Two-year-old gobblers are usually in their first year of active breeding and are therefore a hunter's ideal mix of youthful eagerness & mature confidence. These guys usually account for the bulk of the season's harvest. A gobbler that survives three years or longer becomes increasingly wary & more difficult to hunt.

Go get 'em!

. . . 6 DAYS!!

Man, this week is gonna be DRAG BY!!

"Creeks and rivers are turkey highways, especially in the spring, and it's always a good idea to give them special attention."
--Eddie Salter (Virginia Game & Fish, 3/06)

. . . 5 . . .

As the season progresses, consider how the changing amount of foliage affects your strategy. Early on when the trees are still bare, visibility is very high; a turkey could spot you from 200 yards in open forest and you'd never know it. Later on, when the woods have fully leafed out, turkey sounds are closer than they appear--the foliage dampens the sound.

. . . 4 . . .

"The first week or two of a typical spring season is a time of notable transition in the wild turkey's world. Winter flocks start breaking up at this time. An unattached tom that wants to breed and hasn't yet accepted a subordinate role is ripe for your bogus hen sounds."
--John Higley

. . . 3 . . .

"Based on the 2004 recruitment data, I am expecting an increase in the spring 2006 kill for a change."
--Gary Norman (VA Game & Fish, March '06)

Man, I hope so!!

You da Man PM!