Top turkey towns
For true turkey hunting enthusiasts, the sport is not merely a hobby but an obsession. It’s not the harvest that drives them, but the overall experience. Part of the excitement and challenge comes from hunting in new, unfamiliar locations. Have you ever wondered where some of the wild turkey’s most experienced hunters prefer to hunt? The National Wildlife Turkey Federation did, and surveyed some of its officials. Their to-do list:
Rob Keck, CEO, NWTF: El Dorado, Kansas.
The El Dorado area consists of wooded creek bottoms, small patches of timber and open land that is typical in the Flint Hills – home of Rio Grande, Eastern and Rio-Eastern hybrid wild turkeys.
Keck says henned-up gobblers can be spotted from far away. “Wait until they string out, with gobblers dragging behind the line of hens,” he advises. “Walk towards the flock to send them scattering into cover and watch where the toms go. Then walk straight toward the toms, sit down, prop your shotgun on your knees and call. The results are sometimes immediate.”
James Earl Kennamer, NWTF senior vice president for conservation programs: Rapid City, S.D.
Kennamer highly recommends using a box call. “Many calls work, but a high-pitched boat paddle call is my favorite to get Merriam’s gobbling. It’s a must on a hunt for Merriam’s.”
Tom Stuckey, outdoor marketing group representative: Kirksville, Mo.
According to Stuckey, Missouri birds are large, loud and a lot of fun to hunt. “My main tactics are to utilize aggressive hen calling and yelping with a diaphragm or slate call,” Stuckey said. “They’re very vocal, and some of the gobblers get into the 25-pound range. I recommend that people try hunting public land in the Kirksville area. There’s so much good hunting to go around in Missouri, and it’s hard to go wrong.”
Brenda Valentine, TV show host and author: Buchanan, Tenn., her hometown.
Gregg Snyder, vice president/managing director, Wild Turkey Bourbon Distillery: Punta Gorda, Fla.
“The hunting scenery in Florida is unlike any other I’ve hunted, but just as beautiful as anywhere in North America, despite the mosquitoes.”
Carl Brown, NWTF chief operating officer: Edgefield, S.C
It just so happens that the NWTF is headquartered in Edgefield, but the turkey hunting in The Palmetto State is among the finest anywhere.
Brown prefers using a slate call for Edgefield gobblers. “I’d say it’s my favorite call, but each and every one has its time and place,” he says. “The last decade I have become a fan of the boat paddle call. It seems to make even the oldest, wariest long beards sing their song.”
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