Spring Turkey Hunting

Spring is the opening of hunting season here in Wisconsin. It starts with the Spring Turkey Hunt. Avid hunters gather their gear and begin scouting an area of interest. Beginners "flock" to the fields in droves; trying to call in their first kills. How exciting to witness all the commotion surrounding the Thanksgiving symbol. In order to elevate your chances at filling the tag you now possess, one needs to alleviate as many variables as possible and be willing to spend some time practicing.

The Right Gear...or Comfortable Items?

You can spend hours wandering blindly around the "man's store" looking for the top of the line gear, or you can utilize other resources in half the time. If you are new to hunting turkeys, ask those who are experienced what they use and why. It is also better to learn, before opening day, how to hunt the quarry you are seeking; so do some reading. Research the products you will need to be more successful and then try them out. Investing hundreds of dollars on a single product that doesn't "feel" comfortable is a waste of money. When you are in nature's home, comfort is a necessity. You will notice a significant difference in your energy, accuracy, and confidence levels when comfort surrounds you. For those of you who are less green to the entire hunting process, educate yourself on the latest equipment using a sport shop's knowledge. Pro shops offer priceless incite on everything from broad-heads to turkey calls. The lessons learned from these resources will be invaluable.

Now You are Ready to Practice, Practice, Practice.

Rather you are gun or bow hunting; practicing is key. No shots should ever be taken unless they are guaranteed kill shots. A clean kill is part of the level of success you achieve while playing in the outdoors. In other words, if a bad shot is taken--you succeeded in wounding an animal, not achieving a good hunt. Preparing for the actual hunt is roughly 85% of your vested time, only 15% is the hunt itself. Keeping this in mind, practicing should easily take up 40% of your preparation time. Don't just grab a weapon of choice and go crazy. Choose your killing machine carefully then spend hours aiming at different targets in different weather conditions. Insure you can make accurate elevated shots and super crazy angle shots too. Practice until you are consistently hitting your targets and then practice some more. There is no such thing as too much preparation. One of the biggest mistakes hunters make; shooting on target then stopping till field day arrives. We wouldn't prep for a surgery, skip the anesthesia, and go straight under the knife; right? We need to follow through on all the steps we face; not just the easy ones.

Grab your Calls and Show me How its Done.

The brisk morning air awakens your senses as you step out of the vehicle. Anticipation flows through your veins and warms your extremities. While putting your boots on, double check your flashlight's battery power. Good, now you can grab your field bag and the turkey killer. Put the binoculars and range finder around your neck for easy access. Pack the turkey call and bug spray in a safe spot. Ready? Excellent. Once set-up in a blind or by the base of a large tree, begin listening to nature's songs. Find her rhythm and use her wind to accelerate your success and control those variables. Always know what your shooting at and beyond. Respect Mother Nature and keep her clean; leave it as if you were never an intrusion. Good luck and have a great hunt.