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Recipe For Tags |
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2002 Season Prediction |
Fall Turkey Hunting Radio Click here to go to our |
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Nathan Hubbard, 17 of Kirksville Missouri with his
first turkey ever. 17 pounds with an 8 inch beard taken just outside
of Green Top, Mo. on Monday the first day of the 2002 fall season.
Nathan is posing here on the left with his cousin AJ Hubbard who was bow
hunting that evening. Nathan got in and out of the woods pretty fast
that evening. The hunt only lasted about 5 minutes.
Congratulations Nathan on your first of many, hopefully. |
| Depending on the direction of the turkey you are trying to hit a tennis
ball size area at the base of the neck where the feathers begin on the
back. You are going for a spine shot.Not
a head shot like spring or fall shotgun season. Of course the back shot
is the number on shot. It gives you a direct hit at the spine and keeps
the eyes off of you. Facing a jake decoy towards you should give you a shot facing away. When the math teacher told you that this would be information you need
to remember. You should have listened. Counting the birds before they get
to you and staying still and count as they pass and pull on the last bird
by also helps beat the odds. |
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Also remember you are going to have to be able to call without using
your hands.Using a mouth call or
being able to call naturally will give you those last few steps or call
the whole group within range.
Also do not leave any details out like your eyes or hands when you go
to camoflauge. The eyes of the wild turkey are its greatest defense. Could
make all the difference when it comes time to pull back.
Unlike deer hunting when the wind is blowing I have found to be the
best time to hunt turkeys. You movement does not show up as much and if
you try to stalk it will cover up some of your noise in fall leaves.
| Just thing if a turkey with its hearing, and eyesight would have a
deer’s smell they would live forever. Don’t be surprised when you hit a bird it flops or just lays flat wand
few seconds goes by and then it gets up and fly’s away or watch your arrow
fletching sticking out of the turkey as it fly’s away. Also be careful when trying to grab a flopping turkey that broadhead
is now the turkey’s weapon. Shooting a whitetail deer with a bow is a great challenge and when you
add more deer to the picture even a greater challenge. |
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If you don’t think it is hard. Just try to find a hunting video
or watch on TV the professionals shooting turkeys with a bow or find a friend
that has shot one. It is almost impossible to find many people that have tag
one of these birds. If it were easy for everyone would be doing it.
The reality of it is that you need a good recipe for the unused
tags you will have every year. But when you do get your bird it is quite the
thrill.
Hope to see you in the woods. horntagger
| Recipe for Tags
by Allen Morris profile |
In an effort to help all our upstart outdoor writers, we encourage you to write our writers to let them know how you liked their article. They are also available to answer any questions you may have about this article. |
With the air cool and crisp and the color of leaves changing to brilliant reds, oranges and yellows, autumn is a great time to be outdoors. But just like spring, safety is always a top priority when hunting. The fall season demands a few special precautions.
Don’t let the fact that hens and gobblers are typically both legal for harvest in the fall cloud your judgement when it comes time to pull the trigger. Always, always be sure of your target and make sure it is a wild turkey and not a fellow hunter or other animal.
Scattering the birds by running toward them and yelling is a common fall tactic. But never run with a loaded gun. If you want to bust a flock by firing your gun, sneak as close as possible and shoot into the air.
Just like in spring, never wear the colors red, white or blue where they can be seen. Use total camouflage and sit against a large tree or rock wide enough and tall enough to shield you from hunters approaching from behind.
If another hunter approaches your setup, call out in a loud, clear voice. Never wave to alert another hunter of your presence.
Missouri Hunters Fall into a Mess
of Turkeys
| Another year of normal nesting success means plenty of
birds for fall turkey hunters.
JEFFERSON CITY - Wildlife Research Biologist Mike Hubbard loves to talk about the future. He enjoys delivering good news when people ask him about prospects for Missouri's fall turkey hunting season. He says hunters' chances of contributing a wild bird to a Thanksgiving feast this year are excellent - as usual. Hubbard is responsible for the Missouri Department of Conservation's turkey management program, a job he has held for nearly three years. Ever since he took over, the news has been good. Last spring, Missouri hunters bagged a record 57,034 wild turkeys. Missouri's fall firearms turkey season opens Oct. 14 and runs through Oct. 27. The season is open in all counties except Dunklin, McDonald, Mississippi, New Madrid, Newton, Pemiscot and Scott. Last year, about 30,000 licensed hunters bagged 13,554 turkeys during the fall firearms hunting season. Hubbard said with favorable weather he expects this year's harvest to be close to that figure. |
 Average reproduction in each of the past three nesting seasons has kept Missouri's wild turkey population high enough to support an excellent fall hunt. The season begins Oct. 14 and runs through Oct. 27. (Missouri Dept. of Conservation photo) |
"We had some heavy rain from early to mid-May," said Hubbard. "That probably cut into nesting success. But the birds proved once again how tough they are and came out of it remarkably well. This year's reproduction pretty much guarantees good hunting for the next couple of years."
The bag limit during the fall firearms turkey season is two turkeys of either sex. Hunters can take only one turkey during the first week of the season. After that, they may take only one turkey a day, up to the season limit of two. Youths hunting on a Youth Deer and Turkey hunting permit can only take one turkey during the fall season.
- Jim Low -
 Before you take off be sure and bookmark this website. Missouri is the No.1 Wild Turkey State. Photo: By Allen "horntagger" Morris |
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