HUNTING REPORT

TURKEY TIME: Season opens March 27, here's how to get ready! BY BILL KARR/WON Staff WriterPublished: Mar 10, 2010

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NORTHERN CAL WATERFOWL SEASON PLACERVILLE—The long-anticipated spring turkey season opens March 27 for the general season, and a bit earlier--March 20 and 21-- for junior licensed hunters, but whenever you take to the field you'll want to be prepared. The first step towards a successful turkey hunt is, of course, finding turkeys. Even if you know where they've been in the past, you may not find them in the same area, so it's always best to scout your chosen area ahead of time. Scouting entails finding property you are allowed to hunt on, either private with permission, or public where hunting is allowed, and then finding areas within those lands that are likely to hold turkeys. The perfect habitat for turkeys can vary, but generally, you're looking for oak-studded hillsides with mostly grassy areas, punctuated by the occasional digger pine as a roosting tree. Water will usually be nearby, and as we all know, wild turkeys love to hang out around ranches, farms and habitations. Once your hunting area has been located, it's time to see if any turkeys are there. This can best be done first by vehicle, driving to areas where you have a good view, and glassing. If road access is limited, it's time to get out of the vehicle, throw on a daypack, and head out into the country, glassing from all good promontories. Locating turkeys can also be done with calls. Before daylight, turkeys on the roost usually respond to a loud, raucous call of most any type, but hunters generally use a crow call. A loud crow call will usually elicit a responding gobble from roosting toms, and their location can be identified. After daylight, hen calls will sometimes bring forth a gobble, but that depends a lot on whether the toms are "hot"—or actively searching for a hen. Once located, a flock of turkeys will usually stay in the same general area unless heavily pressured, or predators move into the area. Most turkey hunters opt for a shotgun for hunting turkeys, and any of a vast array of shells are made for the occasion, from mixed loads of various size shot within the same shell, to straight loads of 4s or 6s. The objective is to hit the turkey in the head with the center of your pattern. Body shooting is not recommended, as the heavily-feathered birds can hold a lot of shot and still make a getaway, only to die later on. Skilled archers like the challenge of using archery gear for turkey hunting. Top: GEARING UP for turkey hunting can be simple or complex, but some of the very basics include a turkey decoy, locator calls, turkey calls, full camouflage and facemask, a camo carry bag and your gun and ammo. A seat is just one more thing to carry, and one more thing for a turkey to see, but it can be convenient. This writer is using the new scoped Walther Talon Magnum .22 caliber pellet rifle this season. WON PHOTO BY BILL KARR Middle: HOT GOBBLERS will come a'running if you're hidden well and imitating the call of a hen turkey, but they are still very wary and the slightest movement can blow your cover and spook the birds. WON PHOTO BY BILL KARR Bottom: THIS .22 caliber break-barrel air rile is the Walther Talon Magnum in .22 caliber pellet, with a muzzle velocity of 1000 feet per second, plenty enough wallop to take down a big tom. WON PHOTO BY BILL KARR Recently, California authorized the use of pellet guns in .22 caliber for turkey hunting, and this year, that's the path I've chosen. Not having any idea what advancements pellet rifles had made over the past few decades, my search began for a .22 caliber pellet gun that would pack enough wallop for a turkey, and be accurate enough for a pinpoint head shot on a big tom. In my search, I came across the Walther series of spring operated break-barrel air rifles, and chose the Walther Talon Magnum as the one to try out this season. It came equipped with a 3x9 power Optima scope, and what a piece of equipment the gun and scope is! These are serious air rifles, pushing a .22 caliber pellet at 1000 fps, plenty of knockdown power for a turkey. Next on my list is the target range for sighting in the rifle, and seeing what range it has, and how consistent it is in pellet placement. Then, I'll be in the field for the true test. Stay tuned for results. Hunting turkeys requires the ultimate in stealth, camouflage and patience. An exposed piece of skin, the flash from a pair of glasses, the movement of any part of your body can send a wary tom out of range and miles away in no time. A successful hunt proves that you're a woodsman, and capable of the type of skills required for even the most wary of big game. Try it out, and you'll be hooked for life. For archery hunters and junior licensed hunters, the season is extended by two weeks from the general closing date. For all you'll ever need to know about turkey hunting, go to the National Wild Turkey Federation website at www.nwtf.org/for_hunters/hunting_tactics.html. Turkey hunting gear The following is a checkoff list provided by the National Wild Turkey Federation. While not all these items are necessary for successful turkey hunt, there are situations where all of these items might be needed: Equipment: Shotgun Turkey loads Turkey choke tube Patterning targets Camo blind — where legal Seat, cushioned stool Shotgun sling Turkey decoys Camera Lo Boy Lite Chair Monopod gun rest ThermaCELL Compass Maps Knife Ratchet cutters Insect repellent Flashlight Trail ribbon Binoculars Camo tape Cooler Water bottle First aid kit Clothes: Camo gloves Camo facenet Camo paint Camo make-up Camo shirt Camo pants Camo jacket Camo turkey vest or pack Camo cap Camo socks Camo undershirts Waterproof/snakeproof boots Rain suit Calls: Box call Diaphragm calls Slate or glass pot & peg call Glass call Gobble call Tube call Push-pin call Turpin/wingbone call Crow/locator call Owl hooter call Other locator calls Call Accessories: Box call chalk Sandpaper Call lanyard Box call holster Archery gear: Bow (camouflaged) Broadheads 3-D Camo clothes 3-D targets To Do: Get license/turkey tags Pattern shotgun Scout territory Get landowner permission Pick landowner gift Practice calling Watch instructional videos, read books