Turkey Hunting
If I was the NewGuy at Turkey Camp Part 2
This is a continuation of the thread I started in the last post. Now that I’ve done a dump on the firearm-related stuff, here is what I think about calls, clothes and the rest of the gear  The CallsIf you’re a new guy to the sport, you’re going to think calls and calling are the keys. They’re are not. You need to be able to call somewhat, but I call fairly conservatively and I do not count myself as a master caller. I get by. I also make my own calls. What you need starting out is at least … More . . .
How Still is Still for a Turkey Hunter?
I started to put this into my missive on what the NewGuy needed to know, and it became something bigger than I expected, so I am going to put it in its own post. If you are starting out turkey hunting, learn to be still. How still is still? For a turkey, it is as still as you can get. Turkeys’ eyesight is phenomenal. It has limitations, but they are really great at seeing movement. I’ve had turkeys pick me up at over 400 yards walking. I have had them pick me up turning my head at 50 yards or … More . . .
If I Was the New Guy at Turkey Camp Part I
I wrote a piece back in the early fall giving advice to the New Guy at Deer Camp. At least one fellow, Remnar found it to be good stuff, so I figured I’d try and compose one for Turkey Camp.  In this first installment, I’ll deal with the shooting system (gun, load, sight, and choke) The Gun, The Choke, and The Load Let’s get the gun out of the way. I’m going to say upfront that the gun is the least of your worries. I started with Dad’s 12 GA Winchester Model 12 trap gun, and high-brass 2 ¾ #4 … More . . .
Back in Turkey Mode
I don’t know about you guys, but by Mid-May every year, I’ve lost the feeling. In the good years, it’s because I’ve filled all my tags, and I’ve got to start thinking about practical things like mowing the lawn. In the bad years, I reach a point where the season ends, and I have to finally admit that a bird with a pea brain has bested me. Either way, I put the turkeys aside and walk away. Last season was the season that wasn’t. Andy Beshear (may his soul rot in hell) shut down non-resident tag sales the morning I … More . . .
Remnar Gets his Buck
The Buckless Youper, Remnar, got his first deer this morning. I was back at the cabin putting the finishing touches on yesterday’s story when I heard a shot coming from the back of the property. At 0715 ET Remnar radioed in he had a doe down and needed assistance at Midway. I rolled out with the truck and found he’d managed to shoot the largest button buck I’d ever seen come off the property– 92 lbs live weight. The button was 200 yards out when he lit it up with my borrowed Kar 98, the Mauser from Hell. That is … More . . .
Curtain Call
The season is over. I never got a chance to go out. The turkeys, however, were not quite done with me yet. Along about 1700, I heard a gobble. I looked out in the field in front of Faulty Towers and saw a gobbler working over some hens. The show lasted over an hour and a half. One hen had enough and flew off. The gobbler was probably one of the gentlemen I caught on a podcast earlier in April before season. I didn’t have a long enough lens, but I caught things as best as I could. Enjoy. … More . . .
Turkey 2020 Post Mortem
It’s over. Frankly, I was not paying attention last evening as the sun went down. I was home watching NetFlix. KY’s Spring Gobbler Season ended. For me, it ended before it began. It is the first time since 1986 that I have not hunted. I really wish this COVID-19 thing would go away. I have to admit that had a good time for what little time I had. For the month prior to The Opener, I was into turkeys nearly every time I went out. Three times I got gobblers into my setup at the Honey Hole. On two occasions … More . . .
Sneaking Back to the Farm
The Thunderstorms are due back after Noon. I’ll be beating it back to town shortly, having concluded a very productive trip to the farm, and one of the best days I’ve ever had. I’ll give you some highlights. As soon as we heard they were relaxing the quarantine, The Shamanic Dream Team started planning a return to Turkey Camp. We couldn’t hunt them– nonresident tags were quashed– however, we did have plenty of other things to do. For starters, I had to mow grass. In places, it was getting waist-high. I stopped in Falmouth on the way to buy a … More . . .
Missing the Opener
As I write this, I can hear Angus in the shower. He was called into work this morning. He would have missed the Opener anyway. Last night was his birthday. He also celebrated 5 years working in a sheet metal shop. I suppose it was good news that he is having to work overtime in times like these. There could be worse things. I talked to Moose the other day. He’s still waiting on his relief check. Little Mooselette has been reading the Rush Revere book I gave her. This will be the first Turkey Opener I’ve missed since ’86. … More . . .
PODCAST: Yute Hunt 2020
This should have been a triumphant announcement. Mooselette had shot her first gobbler. However, a worldwide pandemic interfered. It was just not to be. Okay, I can live with that. I went out alone this AM with the umbrella mic, ready to record some more stuff– hopefully enough for another podcast. For the second week in a row, a gobbler keyed on the mic and came running up. This time, a gobbler on his way to meet a hen calling off the property, came right by my set-up at the Honey Hole. You can hear him spitting and drumming right … More . . .
My Season is Over
I came in this morning from recording material for a podcast, and I had this surprise waiting for me on the KDFWR website​​: Non-Resident Spring Turkey Permit Sales Suspended Effective immediately, standard nonresident spring turkey permits for 2020 will no longer be sold in order to conform to Gov. Andy Beshear’s executive order and current CDC guidelines to minimize the spread of the COVID-19 Coronavirus. Only non-resident hunters who have already purchased 2020 spring turkey permits, and can comply with the Governor’s Executive Order No. 2020-266 should consider hunting in Kentucky during the spring season. The order requires all non-residents … More . . .
KY Afield Show Q&A on Turkeys
Here’s a link to the 3/28 KY Afield show. It’s a Q&A about the upcoming turkey season. The good news is that nobody is anticipating a closure due to Coronavirus. This post has already been read 701 times!Views: 2 Related posts: Strong Harvest Expected Know Thy Game, Know Thyself What Happened to the Turkeys? From the KDFWR: Outstanding outlook for the hunt The Role of Personal Ethics in Hunting If I was the NewGuy at Turkey Camp Part 2 Personal Ethics in Turkey Hunting Are long distance shots a good thing?
More . . .PODCAST: The Mistaken Gobbler
We had a hard rain and thunder on Friday night. However, it was still in the low Sixties when I got up. I had to wear a short-sleeved shirt out to the Honey Hole and still managed to work up a decent sweat. I rounded the last curve in the track– had the gate to the field in sight. “Gobble!” There was a gobbler that seemed perhaps 60 yards away, perhaps only 40 yards away from the Honey Hole itself. I was shielded by a large cedar. I decided to set up the umbrella mic in the middle of the … More . . .
T-Minus 4 Weeks and Counting
The Shamanic Dream Team converged on Turkey Camp yesterday as the clock ticked towards one month before the opening of KY Spring Gobbler Season. We had a lot of ground to cover. First off, we had to officially inaugurate the Kip LeBlond Memorial Grill. Kip and I were best hunting buddies back in the 80’s and 90’s. We had a lot of good times together before we went our separate ways. Kip died a while back while duck hunting in Arkansas. His widow donated Kip’s monster Charbroil Commercial Grill to us. Moose and Angus brought it down to the farm. … More . . .
PODCAST: The Kitchen Sink at the Honey Hole
I was not expecting all that much this morning. I just wanted to get out with my recording equipment and make sure everything was ready for the upcoming season. I really enjoy recording the turkeys and if I could walk away with some sound, any sound, it would be fine. I went out to the Honey Hole. I had not been that far out at the farm since the first week in December. I heard a couple of gobbles on the way, but nothing like I was going to hear once I got settled in. Yikes! What you will hear … More . . .
It’s Out! KDFWR Releases Spring 2020 Rules
The new rule book for the Spring Seasons is out. There is no big news for hunters in the Trans-Bluegrass– it’s same old/same old. The only statewide change of note is that the Land Between the Lakes will not have a quota hunt this year. Bluegrass Depot is closed to hunting. I tell everyone that hunts with the Shamanic Dream Team: Read the book cover to cover every year. This post has already been read 699 times!Views: 4 Related posts: The Role of Personal Ethics in Hunting Know Thy Game, Know Thyself From the KDFWR: Outstanding outlook for the hunt … More . . .
Turkey Calls — The Shamanic Brain Dump
What is the best turkey call? I am not going to be pretentious enough to tell a veteran turkey hunter what to take with him out in the field. However, if you’re still at the point where you are not sure what to use to call in a turkey, this may be your huckleberry. I had a suitcase full of calls before I really stopped to think about this question. In about 2002, I found that I was getting myself weighed down by everything I was trying to shove in my vest. I decided to do without the vest and … More . . .
When to start scouting Turkeys
For the better part of the past 20 years, we’ve been coming back to Turkey Camp given the following criteria: 1) It’s after the Super Bowl 2) It’s not pouring down rain. It isn’t snowing, and there is no ice. 3) The predicted HI for Saturday is at minimum 50F I pack a bag and watch the forecast. Some years, that happens in late February. In some years it isn’t until the last weekend of March. The reasons for this are manifold. The biggest of these are safety and comfort. When Cincinnati gets snow, Camp will get ice. When the … More . . .
What (Still) Makes a Great Turkey Gun
First off, I’d like to draw your attention to: What Makes a Great Turkey Gun? What Makes a Great Turkey Gun? March 18, 2011. It’s been the better part of a decade since I wrote that. I see everyone talking about their new turkey rigs. I decided to go back and look at what I said, and see if it still held up. Do I still believe it? Yes. But Shaman! What about all those nice 20 gauges? What about all those fancy heavier than lead turkey loads? My answer to that is, what about all the turkeys? They have … More . . .
Which is harder: Deer or Turkey?
Which is harder: hunting deer or hunting turkey? This is just one man’s perspective. I know this is going to have a lot of different opinions. However, I’ve been at both for nearly 40 years, so maybe I can at least lend a valid opinion. Twenty years ago, I would have said they were both hard to do. Why they were hard had nothing to do with the animals themselves. It all had to do with my lifestyle and my hunting opportunities. No animals to hunt This is first and foremost. It sounds silly, but make sure there is enough … More . . .
Ambushers and Old Schoolers
It was well over a decade ago when I witnessed an online war on the Turkey & Turkey Hunting Forum between a faction of self-styled “Old Schoolers” and the rest of the turkey hunters online. One of the biggest issues was that of ambushing. By the Old Schoolers’ way of reading things, turkey hunting should be done “by calling alone.” There was even a section in several states’ rules that mentioned this. Pennsylvania was one of them. At the time, I voiced the opinions that: 1) Fair Chase demanded that one obey the rules of the state. Since Kentucky did … More . . .
It’s Beginning.
Some years, the switch from deer hunting to turkey hunting just happens automatically. In a way it already has. I just don’t feel it yet. Back in the day, it was about this time of year that I would have to consult the rule book and see when my check had to be in so that I’d be included in the Turkey lottery. Thankfully, those days are long gone. Nowadays, it’s more of a look at the calendar. You realize it is 15 weeks to the Opener. On New Year’s Day, I finished putting up the last of the deer … More . . .
What Happened to the Turkeys?
I hunt in SW Bracken County, within sight of the Pendleton County line. As a result, I always try to compare harvest numbers between that county and as part of the NorthEast Region as a whole. I started hunting there in 2002, so my knowledge is limited to that time range. For about the first decade I was worried. Bracken had always been a powerhouse in the NE, due to its proximity to the Bluegrass region. It was always near the top of the standings in the NE. Pendleton has always been one of the top counties in the state–much … More . . .
It’s Over, 2019
Yesterday, the On-this-date widget that compiles all the posts for the current date stated Nothing has ever happened on this day. <em>Ever.</em> Turkey Hunting went out with a whimper on our Ridge. Things kept piling up and it finally left me coming home in the rain yesterday afternoon. For a start, it was going to be rainy on Saturday, so Moose decided to wait until the afternoon to run Mooselette down. I ended up hunting Saturday morning all by myself. It was just as well, because my allergies kicked up in the middle of the night, and I went out … More . . .
Mooselette Goes Turkey Hunting
#1 Granddaughter, AKA Mooselette, came down to Turkey Camp last night and went out hunting with her grandfather. It was drizzling, so we started off undercover at Midway. There was not much action on our side of the farm, so we headed in at 9, stopping for a while to visit the Honey Hole. Meanwhile, Daddy Moose and Angus went out to the Blackberry patch and rustled up a flock of 7. Angus managed to get himself in a pickle when he happened upon a hen that wouldn’t let him move for ten minutes. There was one gobbler that flew … More . . .
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