Turkey hunting season opens soon

March 29, 2015

by Phil Cooper Idaho Fish and Game Panhandle Regional Conservation Educator Turkey hunting is a sport rich in tradition that began long before Europeans arrived in North America. Native Americans hunted the wild turkey for food for more than 4,000 years. When European immigrants arrived, they hunted this abundant bird for both food and sport. Populations declined with colonization and reached near extinction by the early 1900s following a century of habitat destruction and unregulated harvest. The few remaining turkeys lived in the most inaccessible habitats. By the Great Depression, only 30,000 wild turkeys remained. The regeneration of forest stands after the depression set the stage for the return of the wild turkey. Today, thanks to our nation's hunters, game agencies, and wildlife conservation organizations such as the National Wild Turkey Federation, there are more than 7 million wild turkeys roaming the continent in hunt-able populations in every state of the U.S. except Alaska. Turkeys have been transplanted into suitable habitats in states where they did not naturally occur, including those in the Pacific Northwest and Rocky Mountains. Today, turkey hunting is one of the most popular types of hunting in the U.S. with close to 2.5 million sportsman pursuing turkeys annually. In many parts of Idaho, turkeys are now so plentiful that they are hunted in both Spring and Fall seasons. A special youth turkey season for hunters aged 10-15 runs from April 8-14. The general Spring season runs from April 15-May 25. Hunters may take two Spring gobblers if they have two tags, but the daily bag limit is one. Spring turkey hunting holds a special allure for many hunters. Calling a gobbling male turkey into range can have even the most experienced hunter shaking from head to toe. If the hunter moves or blinks at the wrong moment, the turkey can spook and literally be gone in a fraction of a second. And if your shotgun or bow isn't already up and pointed in the right direction before the turkey comes into view, your chances of having a wild turkey dinner are almost zero. Due to the keen senses possessed by wild turkeys, hunters dress in complete camouflage and make turkey sounds to attract a turkey into range. While hunting is statistically a very safe pursuit, the use of complete camo clothing; and, the hunter making the call of the quarry, there are specific concerns for turkey hunting safety. Thanks to particularly cautious hunters, Idaho has experienced very few turkey hunting accidents. One hunting technique which has become increasingly popular is the use of decoys to attract turkeys into range. While decoys can be very effective, they can also trick another hunter into thinking your decoy is a real turkey. The National Wild Turkey Federation offers several guidelines on the safe use of decoys while hunting turkeys. Decoys should never be visible while being transported. Never carry an uncovered decoy any distance unless you wrap it in orange flagging or cloth before moving. Collapsible decoys can be folded and put into a backpack before moving and they can provide an added measure of safety for a turkey hunter. When thinking about turkey hunting safety, consider the fact you have taken advantage of every means of concealment you could find at the local sporting goods store. Your goal is to blend into the surroundings. Sneaking through a timbered draw that is full of new growth, while camouflaged and carrying a look-alike for a hunted species can create a potential danger. Decoys should be set 20 yards in front of a hunter in an area with a clear sight line of 100 yards. Sit down with your back to a tree wider than your shoulders. Should another hunter come into view, call out to the hunter in a clear voice to let them know you are there. Do not use a turkey call to alert the hunter to your presence, and do not wave your hands. Your hand motions, in line with a decoy, could give the other hunter the illusion that the decoy is a moving turkey. When you decide to move to another location, look around carefully to see that no other hunters are approaching before you move. You might even see a silent turkey approaching that you had not known was in the area. Never make turkey calls as you walk. Your movement, combined with the turkey sounds you are making, could be all it takes to allow another hunter to create the image of a turkey in their mind. Another safety precaution is to never wear red, white or blue clothing. These colors are prominent on the head of a wild turkey. Blue socks or a red handkerchief (in an otherwise green and brown woods) could lead another hunter into thinking a turkey is present. The National Wild Turkey Federation has a short turkey hunting safety video on YouTube that is a great reminder for anyone planning to turkey hunt. You can find additional turkey hunting safety videos on YouTube. Even experience hunters can benefit from hunting safety reminders. If I were preparing to take a new turkey hunter into the field this Spring, I would encourage them to view the video before the season opens. Turkey hunting is a great sport. With a little extra caution, it can be safer than bowling!