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Good Turkey Gear: Primos Pocket Hen Decoy

Online Editors — Thu, 17 May 2012 10:58:26 -0400

by Phil Bourjaily

Mostly, I am of the school of thought that it’s best to make a turkey come look for you rather than put out a decoy that might make him hang up or even walk away. Nevertheless, I always have decoys in my gamebag just in case I am staking out an open field, especially late in the season when hens are not interested in going to toms. This year I used the new Primos P.H.D. (pocket hen decoy, about $55). It’s an inflatable hen with a non-shiny cloth photoprinted skin that shows iridescent feather detail.

The decoy squishes down to pocket size. It weighs very little, and while Primos says it inflates with three breaths, it takes me five or six. Still it only takes a few seconds to get it blown up and ready to hunt and even less time to deflate it and stow it in your vest.

It moves easily in the wind and looks very real – at least it does until a real hen comes and stands next to it, as one did on my hunt the other day. Then it looks kind of goofy compared to a live bird. However, what I think doesn’t matter: the hen thought the P.H.D. was real, as did this gobbler, who strutted all the way across a field to it. This picture was taken in bright midday sun, yet the cloth doesn’t shine which I had wondered about when I first saw this decoy.

While I still like the basic and cheap Featherflex hen which has fooled thousands of turkeys over the years, the P.H.D. weighs just a little more and looks better.

The 35 Best Photos From Field & Stream's 2012 Spring Trail Cam Contest: Round II

Dave_Maccar — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:15:02 -0400

Who says trail cams are only fun in the fall? Set yours out this spring, then send us your best photos. You could win a new Bushnell Trophy Cam HD (MSRP $323.95).

Here's how it works. This contest will have three rounds. The first, Round I, began, March 12, and closed on April 12. Round II ran from April 12 to May 12, and Round III from May 14 to June 14. We're giving away three Bushnell Trophy Cam HDs (MSRP: $323.95) in each round, one cam each to the top three entries, as chosen by our editors.

Congrats to users luna, mod70 and Semibald, who each have won a Trophy Cam for their shots in Round II.

So go set your trail cams up already. And have fun! --The Editors

Click here for more info on the prizes.

Click here to enter ROUND III of the 2012 SPRING TRAIL CAM CONTEST

Turkey Tip: Tagging Late-Season Toms That Travel in Pairs

Sarah Smith — Wed, 09 May 2012 08:55:20 -0400

YOUR QUARRY: Dos Amigos

Psychological Profile: Neither of these buddy birds does anything without the other; they are a pair, for sure, and maybe a couple. It’s not entirely clear why they pal around. Such an alliance clearly has practical advantages, including strength of numbers in a fight (or avoiding one) and two sets of eyes and ears to detect danger. The fact that they seem to show little romantic interest in hens, however, may suggest a different kind of partnership. In any case, neither knows who is in charge from minute to minute, which makes them maddening to hunt. 

Modus Operandi: These guys will quickly respond to your hen and locator calls from sunup to sundown—but they’ll rarely take a step toward you. Weird around aggressive hens and skittish about other gobblers, they’ve got their own agenda, which seems to be about covering as much ground as possible in a day, and gobbling as they go.

The Plan: Conventional tactics won’t fool Tom or Tommy, but they’re still turkeys: They roost, eat, travel, and socialize with other birds within a fairly predictable home range. The trick is to pattern them. Listen to their frequent gobbling to learn their favorite hangouts and the routes they follow between them. Then plan an ambush. It’s not a glamorous tactic, but it’s the best way to tag a buddy bird. 

The Setup: Place two or three feeding hen decoys—no gobblers or jakes—in one of the Boyz’ favorite feeding -areas or loafing spots, or in a funnel along a travel route. Then erect a pop-up ground blind nearby, get comfortable, and settle in for a potentially long wait.

Best Calls: Don’t let your boredom lead to overcalling. Aggressive yelps or cutting can freak these birds out, and gobbling could flat ruin your hunt. Instead, take a softwood striker to a mellow slate to make contented clucks and purrs. You’re not trying to call them in so much as trying to convince them the world is O.K.

For More Late Season Turkey Tips, Click Below:

Tips for Tagging Tough Late-Season Toms: The Alpha Male

Late Season Turkey Tip: Tag The Tom That's All Show and No Fight

From the April 2012 issue of Field & Stream Magazine.

Turkey Tip: Tagging Late-Season Toms That Travel in Pairs

Sarah Smith — Wed, 09 May 2012 08:55:20 -0400

For More Late Season Turkey Tips, Click Below:

Tips for Tagging Tough Late-Season Toms: The Alpha Male

Late Season Turkey Tip: Tag The Tom That's All Show and No Fight

From the April 2012 issue of Field & Stream Magazine.

Wild Chef's Best: Fish and Turkey Recipes

Online Editors — Wed, 02 May 2012 15:16:11 -0400

The 50 Best Field & Stream Reader Photos from April 2012

Dave_Maccar — Wed, 02 May 2012 09:25:49 -0400

Each month, Field & Stream editors review the hundreds of photos submitted by readers to our Trophy Room. If your photo is chosen to be printed in the Game Faces section of the magazine, you’ll win a Rapala Fish ‘N Fillet knife!

Submit your photos here!

Here are the other best reader photo collections from this year:

January 2012

February 2012

March 2012

Turkey Tip: How to Tag Late-Season Toms That Don't Want to Fight

Sarah Smith — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:28:19 -0400

YOUR QUARRY: Tommy the Weasel

Aliases: Limb Talker, Pee Wee

Psychological Profile: In any group, certain individuals will be weaker than others. In Tommy the Weasel’s flock, he is the weakest adult male—a fact that has been exploited by other gobblers at every opportunity, reinforcing his submissiveness. Whenever Tommy has taken a step toward a hen yelp while in sight of other toms, he’s gotten his clock cleaned. So he doesn’t do it anymore. He has learned, above all else, to avoid a fight. He sneaks around. He meets hens on the sly. He gets by on guile. And that makes him one tough bird to tag.

Modus Operandi: Tommy gobbles like mad from the roost (where no one can hurt him), but he shuts up the second his toes hit the dirt. He only occasionally answers a hen call, and when he does, you can bet he isn’t going to come running. Far more often, he hangs up out of gun range and then slowly fades away from your setup.

The Plan: A tom that won’t answer a challenge and rarely comes to a call may seem nearly impossible to kill, but there’s a chink in Tommy’s armor: all that gobbling he does on the limb. He’ll start yodeling as soon as he flies up in the evening. Be there to put him to bed and pinpoint his roost. Then return early the next morning to convince him he can nab a hen before any other gobblers are wise to him.

The Setup: Well before dawn, wiggle in as tight to his roost as you can, and set up one hen decoy. Use an owl or crow call to pull an early gobble from Tommy. If you’re within 100 yards, great. If not, slip closer and quietly set up again.

Best Calls: Let Tommy talk his head off from the limb. If you don’t hear any other turkeys nearby, give him a few soft tree yelps just to let him know where you are. Otherwise, stay quiet until Tommy’s feet hit the ground. Then start sweet-talking him with contented clucks and purrs. Tommy is going to sneak in silently. So sit still, keep your eyes peeled, and be ready to shoot.

Turkey Tip: How to Tag Late-Season Toms That Don't Want to Fight

Sarah Smith — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:28:19 -0400

Field & Streamville: Finding the Soul of Turkey Hunting in Bolivar, MO: Part II

Sarah Smith — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:50:06 -0400

Yowser, it’s hard enough to keep your knees from knocking when one fired up gobbler shows up in front of your shotgun bead. But check out first-time turkey hunter Mark Ester when no less than four tom turkeys come roaring in.

This is the second in our two-part little ditty we’re calling Field & Streamville. Part Dirty Jobs, part Planet Earth, part Man vs. Wild, we’re thinking this might be a very cool way to feature small towns across America where hunting and fishing are a vital part of their very identity. We’d all like to live in a hunting-crazy town like Bolivar, Missouri. Think you folks would like to see even more?

Field & Streamville: Finding the Soul of Turkey Hunting in Bolivar, MO: Part II

Sarah Smith — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:50:06 -0400

How the Public Sees Hunters

Dave_Maccar — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 10:43:16 -0400

by Phil Bourjaily

There is a small percentage of the U.S. population that hunts, and a small percentage that hates hunting. While many of us believe the general public looks on at hunters with disapproval, the truth is, most of them rarely think about hunting at all.

When they do think about it, the non-hunters I encounter believe two things:

- We are crazy for keeping the hours we do and going out in the cold.

- Hunting is okay if you eat what you shoot.

More often than not the reaction I get from the non-hunters I encounter is polite curiosity. For instance, after I shot my turkey the other day I stopped to treat myself to more caffeine at a coffee place in a strip mall on the edge of town. The shop was full of housewives, professionals, college students and people working on their novels.

I was in full camo, headnet still pulled down around my neck, with the bloody turkey head stain you get on the seat of your pants when you carry a gobbler over your shoulder. I felt conspicuous, but no one screamed “murderer!” or shielded their children’s eyes from the sight of me. Instead, the 20-something barrista kid poured my coffee, then we had the following conversation. It was far from scintillating but it sums up the many people’s understanding of, and attitude toward, hunting:

Him: “Been hunting?”

Me: “Yes, for turkeys.”

Him: “Did you get any?”

Me: “Yes, I got one.”

Him: “How many can you get?”

Me: “Two.”

Him: “A day?”

Me: “No, a year.”

Him: “Cool. Congratulations.”

I put a dollar in the tip jar to help win his heart and mind all the way over to our side and went home.

Red-Hot Turkey Hunting This Spring

Online Editors — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 15:42:51 -0400

by Scott Bestul

I’ve been hunting turkeys for about 30 years now, and have experienced just about every type of spring imaginable. This year (actually, our season is about 10 days old now) has some of the best hunting I’ve seen in a while, and I attribute it to strong numbers of two-year-old gobblers. Just as a healthy batch of whitetail bucks makes for an intense rut, competition between toms makes for ramped-up turkey breeding. And hunters are the main beneficiaries any time males duke it out to get to a female.

Though I haven’t pulled a trigger or loosed an arrow yet, I’ve watched four gobblers die within the last six days of hunting. The first, pictured above, fell to my friend Gabe Mierau, 12. Gabe’s dad, Dean, was called up to active military duty this winter, and before Dean left, he asked if I’d take Gabe turkey hunting in the spring. I was more than happy to oblige, and was particularly thrilled when three longbeards marched to our decoys opening morning. Gabe performed like a veteran hunter, waiting until the trio of birds separated enough to take (and make) a 10-yard shot.

Just two days ago, I joined my father and uncle for our annual spring safari. After a slow opening day, we went to a new farm to start the second morning. At 8:00 a.m., Uncle Al (on the right in this photo) dropped this big-framed two-year-old as it poked its head into a corner of the field where I was running my calls. We celebrated briefly, and then headed toward the opposite end of the property to blind call for a while. It was easy to pass an hour on the pretty, hardwood ridge — even better when a distant pair of gobblers greeted a series of yelps. Dad completed the day’s double play when a pair of gobblers strutted in 10 minutes later. The duo covered 600 yards; crossing a field, a barbed wire fence, and a steep ditch to reach us.

Like I said before, competition among birds makes for happy hunters. As a side note, my father is 82 and my uncle is 80. I hope I’m still at it when I’m their age!

So how’s the turkey hunting in your neck of the woods this spring?

Phil Bourjaily's 10 Best Cheap Shotguns for Turkeys

Online Editors — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 09:32:18 -0400

Turkey Hunting: Sometimes It's Better To Be Lucky Than Good

Sarah Smith — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:52:33 -0400

by Phil Bourjaily

I have written a lot of how-to turkey stories over the years, but I generally ignore my own advice. Instead my personal approach to hunting boils down to: sleep late, get lucky. This morning I actually woke up at 4:30 a.m., thought about getting out of bed, then decided against it. It’s not that I don’t like getting up in the early morning, it’s that I hate feeling wiped out later in the day when I do.

So I left the house at the crack of 6:30 a.m. As an afterthought, on my way out the door, I grabbed a new mouth call from the box where I store the calls sent to me by manufacturers to try. I had noticed yesterday the ones in my vest were starting to fall apart and thought I should add a new one.

There were two trucks parked at the spot I had planned to hunt so I drove on to another part of the wildlife area. I got out of the Jeep, found the new call in my pocket and looked at it for the first time. I was a little dismayed to find I had picked a single reed call, which ordinarily I don’t care for in the spring (they are best for whistling up fall birds). I figured I should see what it sounded like before I took it hunting, so I tore open the package, put it in my mouth and yelped experimentally from the parking lot.

To my surprise a turkey gobbled right back. Evidently the H.S. Strut Single D “Infinity Latex” really is a World Champion Call, just like it says on the package.

I got my gear together, walked about 200 yards, sat down and called some more, trying to make the bird gobble again so I could go to him. Instead, he gobbled once and came to me. I shot* the tom at 25 steps 10 minutes after I sat down. He was a big fat 24-½-pound bird with long spurs and a beard to match.

On my way back to the parking lot with the turkey over my shoulder, I found a quarter. Seriously.

They say it’s better to be lucky than to be good. I would much rather be good, but I’ll take lucky until I get good.

And, I have added a new rule: always call from the parking lot.

*since this blog is supposed to be about guns: Remington 870 Super Mag, iron sights, Rob Roberts .665 choke and trigger job, 3-inch Federal Heavyweight 7s.

Field Test: What's The Most Effective Turkey Call?

Sarah Smith — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 10:53:42 -0400

Pots are perfect for subtle clucks and purrs. Box calls belt out yelps and cackles. You wouldn’t give a mouth call to a new hunter, but you’d use one when you need both hands to aim. In short, different calls serve different purposes.

So we asked four turkey guides to spend the entire 2011 season using four distinctly different calls now on store shelves. They rated each on its own merits to determine which performs its go-to function best.

For more info on the guides who tested the calls, scroll to the bottom of the article.

Hunter's Specialties Rasp Pack
5 stars
$15
hunterspec.com
THE LOWDOWN The testers loved the sound they got out of these mouth calls. “Very realistic,” said Sabati. “Turkeys responded well all season long.” They also raved about the value. The three-call package offers versatility, added Sabati, because “each has its own unique sound.” Everyone felt these were beginner friendly, as mouth calls go: “With very little practice, proper sounds can be achieved,” said Schmid.Three out of the four were able to use the calls right out of the pack without any trimming, and all thought the Infinity Latex would last a long time.
Hits: “Three-note yelps were no problem.” —Duncan
Misses: “They’re all the same color.” —Sabati

Knight & Hale Sweet Lil' Liar
4.5 stars
$26
knightandhale.com
THE LOWDOWN The small size of this box call was not a problem for three testers, but Schmid found that it made the call more difficult to locate in his vest pocket. All four agreed that the waterproof coating was a big plus and worked well in wet weather. Sabati noted that the call required no chalking or other preparation and would be easy for a beginner to use. Duncan thought the call was well made but that its pitch was a bit too high, creating “soprano notes instead of the rasp I prefer.” Cornwall liked the different pitches he got from each side.
Hits: “Lightweight but durable.” —Cornwall
Misses: “Does not provide a full-box sound.” —Duncan

Primos Jackpot
4.5 stars
$25
primos.com
THE LOWDOWN Everybody commented favorably on the construction and durability of this glass pot call, which they felt could serve a beginner well with a little practice. “The sounds and tones were flawless,” Schmid said, so much so that he tossed out some other pot calls he’d been carrying. Sabati was also a fan; he got consistently realistic sounds, and the call responded well to varied striker pressures, delivering inviting soft calls and demanding loud ones. Duncan agreed that the call “had a very good sound,” but he complained that the placement of the lanyard hole created a bump in the frame that interfered with his admittedly large hand.
Hits: “Performed flawlessly in all conditions.” —Schmid
Misses: “Cost is a bit high for a factory run.” —Duncan

Quaker Boy H20 Easy Yelper
3.5 stars
$25
quakerboy.com
THE LOWDOWN All agreed that a raw novice could call in a tom in any weather with this waterproof push-button call. “I had an 8-year-old using it effectively,” said Schmid. However, Cornwall and Duncan had problems with the wire spring falling out of place. Cornwall added that the call “lacked the ability to modulate the pitch during a yelp.” Sabati, on the other hand, said the call was able “to produce a wide variety of calls both loud and soft.”
Hits: “Must-have beginner call.” —Sabati
Misses: “Comes apart easily.” —Schmid

From the April 2012 issue of Field & Stream magazine.

Field Test: What's The Most Effective Turkey Call?

Sarah Smith — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 10:53:42 -0400

For more info on the guides who tested the calls, scroll to the bottom of the article.

From the April 2012 issue of Field & Stream magazine.

Field & Streamville: Finding the Soul of Turkey Hunting in Bolivar, MO

Dave_Maccar — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 13:29:36 -0400

Folks in Bolivar, Missouri, don’t mess around when they talk about bringing their kids up to love hunting. On a single April Saturday, a National Wild Turkey Federation chapter puts close to 200 young turkey hunters in the woods. Each gets a guide, a big celebration in the local school gym, and a patch of Missouri hardwoods where they tangle with ol’ tom. Check out this first video of our visit there.

We’re calling this concept Field & Streamville, and we’ve been kicking it around for a while now. The idea is that there are places in America where hunting and fishing is the heart and soul of small rural communities. Places where opening day for pheasant season or deer season or, heck, even squirrel season, ranks just barely behind Christmas. We’re convinced there are lots of towns and rural crossroads out there where the town spirit looks pretty much like a page out of Field & Stream. And we’re wondering if something like Field & Streamville might be a super way to tell their stories. What do you think?

Field & Streamville: Finding the Soul of Turkey Hunting in Bolivar, MO

Dave_Maccar — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 13:29:36 -0400

Turkey Hunting Tip: Sleep In and Still Tag a Gobbler

Online Editors — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 10:08:47 -0400

by Mark Hicks

Serious turkey hunters are in the woods at first light with the intention of calling in a gobbler hot off the roost. But a gobbler isn’t likely to come to your calling while hens are standing in line for his services. That’s when disgruntled hunters often mumble the words “henned up” after they return empty-handed. In this instance, a midmorning hunt has a much greater chance for success. By then, the hens have left the gobblers, and those toms are still in the mood for love. Here are two approaches:

Plan A: Stay Put
If you set up decoys in a field and play the waiting game, stay put and call frequently so any gobbler that wanders within earshot hears your calls.

Plan B: Get Moving
If you hunt large wooded areas, typical of public land, you’re better off covering ground. (Wear fluorescent orange when moving if required.) Sneak along for 60 yards between calling stops. A series of yelps from a mouth call usually does the job, but sometimes cutting, cackling, or even a crow call will yield a better response. You can overrun toms if you move too fast. A tom might not respond to the first three or four calls it hears as you move closer, only to sound off when you’re practically in shotgun range. When that happens, plop down against the nearest tree, because the gobbler often comes on the run. With any luck you’ll be out of the woods in time for a late breakfast, or early lunch.

From the April 2012 issue of Field & Stream magazine.

Turkey Hunting Tip: Sleep In and Still Tag a Gobbler

Online Editors — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 10:08:47 -0400

by Mark Hicks

Plan A: Stay Put
If you set up decoys in a field and play the waiting game, stay put and call frequently so any gobbler that wanders within earshot hears your calls.

From the April 2012 issue of Field & Stream magazine.

Gear List: 13 Essentials for Turkey Hunting

Dave_Maccar — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 15:15:33 -0400

by M.D. Johnson

The turkey hunter’s mantra, and the reason behind the creation of the turkey vest, is simple: It’s better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. Given that there are approximately 1,001 items of gear available to hunters, it can be daunting  to figure out exactly what’s necessary for a trip into the woods. Here’s what I carry. Oh yeah,  I also bring my shotgun and some shells.

1. Cellphone My iPhone is always fully charged and ready for emergencies…and for when I need help passing the time between in-the-field naps. It also takes great photos.

2. Decoys and Stakes I have two Avian-X LCD decoys, with an extra stake, as I’m prone to losing things.

3. Pot & Peg Call I have two pots: a crystal over glass surrounded by purpleheart wood from the now-defunct Backwoods Game Calls and a crystal pot from Freddie Zink. Both play in any weather, sound fantastic, and offer great versatility. I keep two Woodhaven Custom Calls Purple Heart strikers at hand, and a full acrylic striker from Hunter’s Specialties for those rainy mornings.

4. Camo Headnet Mesh is cooler, so that’s what I wear. I like to keep an extra in my vest in case I lose one.

5. Camo Gloves I prefer fingerless or split-finger gloves because I like my bare skin to touch the calls and the gun. As with the headnets, I always carry an extra set.

6. ThermaCell This is the absolute best invention for keeping biting bugs at bay when you’re in the turkey woods all day. The camo holster for the unit includes an extra butane cartridge and three additional repellent pads (thermacell.com).

7. Locator Calls I carry a crow call  and a Palmer Hoot Tube from Hunter’s Specialties.

8. Catchall Bag I always bring a zip-seal bag with the following: safety pins, tweezers, dental floss, Q-tips, Visine, bandages, 24 inches of parachute cord, aspirin, Rolaids, a pencil, wet wipes, Carmex, and a small pair of nail clippers.

9. Pocketknife or Multitool I usually have both. I keep a folding blade in one of the shell loops and a sheathed Gerber Suspension Multi-Plier (gerbergear.com) in an inside pocket.

10. Pot Call Conditioners A conditioning stone from Hunter’s Specialties makes touching up the crystal easy. I also like to carry a small square of Scotch-Brite pad, which I use to keep my striker tips clean.

11. Water A 16-ounce bottle of water, because turkey hunting’s thirsty work.

12. Toilet Paper I store the better part of a roll in a zip-seal bag; finding suitable leaves in the dark can be tough.

13. Diaphragm  Call The only diaphragm I use is a Primos A-frame Triple Bat Cut. The call is versatile and, despite being a triple-reed, easy to use

Click here for Phil Bourjaily's list of the 25 Best Turkey Guns Ever Made