Time to gear up for gobblers May 1 youth day opens turkey hunting season

Maine’s much-awaited spring wild turkey season is finally at hand. A week from today, youngsters between 10 and 16 years of age who were awarded permits during the lottery, or were given a permit from someone who was drawn, have the full Saturday to themselves for a youth day hunt. Parents or guardians accompanying their child don’t need a license, but anyone else attending a junior sportsman must possess a valid license or have completed a hunter safety course. This is the first youth day for wild turkey and should be a great benefit to the neophyte outdoorsman’s success.

Adult turkey permit holders, many just as excited as the kids, begin their five-week season on Monday, May 3. Half of the hunters hold Season A permits, allowing them to hunt May 3-8 and May 24-29. Season B includes May 10-15 and May 17-22, during which the other 7,800 gunners get the chance to bag a big tom turkey. Week five, May 31-June 5, all unsuccessful permit holders to that point get one last week to fill their tag.

Preparation time is growing short, especially for first-season shooters, and despite clearing the biggest hurdle by winning a permit, being well equipped and prepared is crucial to a comfortable and successful hunt. Some outdoorsmen began locating gear at home, purchasing new equipment and even practicing their turkey-calling prowess as soon as their name appeared on the permit list.

Guns and loads

As with any type of hunting, gun selection is a very personal and individually oriented chore, and quickly and humanely downing a quarry depends on making just the right choice. Plenty of turkeys are downed each season with 20-gauge shotguns and 3-inch shells, but 10- and 12-gauge scatterguns are far more popular and productive. Youngsters and small-framed lady hunters need a shotgun that fits well, is light enough to handle and keep shouldered for several minutes as a keen eyed bird approaches, and also has fairly light recoil. Several youth model 20-gauge guns fit this profile, and two or three 16- and 12-gauge, 23/4-inch shotguns are also compact enough with mild kick.

If shotgun length, weight and recoil aren’t factors, then most guides and experienced hunters recommend the most powerful shotgun available. Ten- and 12-gauge guns that chamber 31/2-inch shells are favored, and widely used by most shooters. Some sportsmen use their waterfowling or upland bird shotgun as a matter of convenience, but many buy a special 31/2-inch turkey gun or borrow one from family or a friend if available. Most turkeys tagged are one-shot kills, but given the choice, most shooters prefer a semi- auto, just in case, followed in popularity by a pump gun, with double-barrels coming in a distant third.

Selecting the best turkey load is the next important step. Once again, big is better, but recoils remains a governing factor. Many shell manufacturers have created special loads specifically compounded to give dense patterns at fairly long range. Calling a big gobbler within 20 feet is a scenario we all hope for and daydream about, but when that trophy Tom hangs up at 45 yards, your gun and load have got to be up to the task.

I experimented with more than a dozen 23/4-, 3-, and 31/2-inch shells loaded with three shot sizes from four manufacturers to select the shell that accounted for the gobblers I’ve grounded. My proven choice was Winchester Supreme high-velocity turkey loads in 31/2-inch shells loaded with two ounces of No. 5 lead pellets. With the recent advent of several new bismuth and Hevi-shot loads on the market, I plan to do some more patterning and penetration tests this year. Sportsmen who hand-load their own shells can also achieve some very impressive loads, surpassing any commercial offerings, and should consider this option. Every shotgun and load combination performs differently, so target tests are a must to reach the best final shell selection.

Just as important as shotgun and shell choice is using the right choke to produce the deadliest pattern, not just at optimal yardage, but beyond. Most modern shotguns have interchangeable choke tubes to accommodate various types of shooting, as well as steel, lead or nontoxic shot alternatives. In most cases a full choke is the tightest patterning unit provided with the shotgun, although occasionally a company will provide an extra full choke.

For many veteran turkey hunters who fully understand the need of a tremendously dense pattern, they bypass factory provided chokes and invest in specially tooled turkey chokes. Such chokes are threaded to fit specific makes of shotguns and often are so long they extend beyond the barrel an inch or two. Average cost runs from $25 to $100, depending on brand name, but the consistently concentrated pellet pattern is worth every penny. I use an Undertaker super full turkey choke by H.S. Strut and available from Hunter’s Specialists, and am still amazed at its shot densities on targets and turkeys.

Blending in

Of its many protective attributes, a wild turkey’s acute eyesight which can pick up an out-of-place form or slightest movement, proves the undoing of many a supposedly well-hidden hunter. Head-to-toe camo clothing is a must to reduce detection, and even then motion must be curtailed. Depend on your eyes to keep track of an approaching bird, and if you must turn your head or move a hand, do so in extreme slow motion and even then when the turkey is looking away.

A mesh facemask and gloves in woods camo pattern are essential, and the gloves must be thin enough to allow safe, comfortable gun handling. Camouflage two-piece outfits called boonie or gillie suits are the newest rage in 3-D invisibility. Using camo coloring and hundreds of loosely attached pieces of cloth to mask the human form, these outfits actually make the hunter part of the background.

Some boonie suits come with attached hood and facemask, and are composed of lightweight, airy mesh linings to be sturdy but cool, and to easily slide on and off over layered hunting clothing. Some of the newer versions not only provide concealment, but offer a fine mesh lining that keeps irritating insects and dangerous ticks on the outside, and has a scent control barrier that keeps human odor confined.

Other hunting clothing that should be available includes waterproof, comfortable boots high enough to tuck pants cuffs into, and a long sleeved shirt to help keep insects at bay. Rain gear may well become necessary too, and of course camo coloring is the best option and Gore Tex keeps you dry and cool. A final item of outerwear that is very beneficial is a multipocketed camouflage vest specifically designed for turkey hunters. Calls of various shapes and sizes, extra gloves and facemasks, shells, chokes, flashlight or headlamp, GPS, compass and plenty of other miscellaneous accessories can be transported quietly and securely, yet quickly accessed in a well-made turkey vest. Top of the line vests have a large back pouch for rain gear or inflatable decoys as well as a drop-down seat cushion for comfort on stand.

Calls and decoys

Calling turkeys is almost a musical art form. Much like calling ducks and geese, it’s combining the right sweet talking sounds to coax the birds those last few yards. Even novice callers will enjoy success early in the season, but as more birds are shot at and missed, spooked by hunter slip-ups or hened up, calling must be expertly executed to attract toms. In order of easiest to use to most difficult to master, the most common calls are push-pin friction or mechanical calls, box calls, slate and striker calls and diaphragm mouth calls. The sheer number of shapes, sizes and styles of each call is mind-boggling. On top of that, owl and crow calls are used to locate turkeys.

For those neophyte turkey hunters who haven’t had a chance to practice calling, go with one of the foolproof mechanical push-pin calls or spend the next week working with an instructional tape and box call. From personal experience I’ve found the best advice on calling turkeys is to take along a friend who’s an experienced caller or let the guide do the calling, at least until you perfect your own calling.

Even so-so calling can be helped by the use of decoys. Hearing good calling brings a gobbler looking, but once he spots the decoys his interest climbs and defenses drop just a bit. Using a hen decoy is a must, and if you combine a young male decoy, called a jake, it’s even more realistic. Turkey decoys are lightweight, realistically colored and come in dozens of positions, and they compress to fit easily and be carried in a large game pocket. Some decoys even come with special stakes that allow realistic movement.

Don’t forget

Although not essential to success, a few items will make your turkey hunt more comfortable and memorable. Don’t forget a bottle or tube of fly dope, and be sure it has DEET, as this will also defend against ticks. A foam cushion sure adds comfort when the ground is full of rocks and roots or wet from dew or rain, and some even have backrests. Go a step further and carry a lightweight, short-legged seat that comfortably supports you 4-6 inches off the hard, wet ground.

Veteran turkey hunters know getting the shotgun shouldered and ready is essential, but it can also mean supporting the heavy gun for several minutes, tiring the arms and affecting aim. Using a monopod, shooting sticks or even an attached bipod cures the problem of prolonged aiming and offers a steady rest for improved accuracy. Be sure to pack a camera, film, digital or video, to commemorate the event. After all, you can’t carry the trophy turkey to show all your friends, but a good photo will make them just as envious.

The month of May is turkey time, so it’s time to begin preparations if you haven’t already started. Hunt carefully, be comfortable, know your target and aim for the neck. There’s usually only one shot, so make it a good one.

Outdoor feature writer Bill Graves can be reached via e-mail at bgravesoutdoors@ainop.com

May is turkey time, so it’s time to begin preparations if you haven’t already started