About the American Wild Turkey Hunting Dog Association

Contact Information:
AWTHDA W4747 W Slab City Rd, Bonduel, WI 54107 Telephone: 715/758-6557 Email: AWTHDA@turkeydog.org

The American Wild Turkey Hunting Dog Association is a nationwide volunteer group dedicated to preserving, protecting and promoting our wild turkey hunting dog heritage. We were founded by sportsmen and women seeking equality for all persons who pursue wild game with their loyal companions. Many of these dogs are family pets and companions that hunt other game as well. Our original goal was to organize everything on the web pertaining to the sport, primarily to support legislation allowing fall turkey hunting with dogs in Wisconsin. It's grown to where we are today through the contributions and collaborative efforts the members you see on this website have made.
A good part of our work involves educating hunters about the fall turkey hunting dog tradition. The traditional harvest time of all food and game is in the fall of the year. Spring hunting only originated when someone discovered that when his cigar box squawked, it got a tom to gobble. Call making, and spring turkey hunting was born. Back then, there were no game laws or seasons, when someone wanted a turkey they went and shot one. Then, during the late 1940's and 50's, our fish and game departments desperately needed money to fund the cannon nets and the personnel that were trapping and relocating the native birds. They realized the gobblers were expendable, so the spring 'gobbler only' seasons began. Today we have several generations of turkey hunters who think spring is when you're really supposed to hunt turkeys. No one would think of hunting a duck or a goose, or a grouse or woodcock when they're mating, but over the last 50 years, luring in spring toms became acceptable, and more popular than hunting in the fall (when it's a lot more work).

Turkey hunting traditionally meant the fall season, after the turkeys were fattened up all summer, and when the meat tastes good. Compare that to a bird that just came through the winter, strutting for hens for months, fighting with other toms, and worn thin from not eating. Fall turkeys are far, far more savory than spring turkeys. And half of them won't make it through winter either.

Dogs have been trained for everything from police work, to assisting the handicapped, to of course hunting wild turkey. Today, if every turkey hunter was required to have the assistance of a trained dog, we'd recover every bird accidentally wounded, and prevent any crippling losses. We use a dog to hunt every other game bird in the United States, there's no reason we shouldn't hunt turkey with a dog, spring or fall. The usual method (in the fall) is for the dog to scatter the flock, then we take advantage of the birds flocking instinct to call the birds in, while our dog sits quietly by our side. In the spring, the dog is trained to sit quietly until the gobbler is called in and shot, and only then (if necessary) does the dog assist (about 16% of the time) when a gobbler is inadvertently wounded, and the dog is needed to find the crippled bird. These dogs must be highly trained or their presence in the spring is more likely to ruin the hunt, than they are to be helpful. Only the owner will know when their dog is ready, this usually doesn't happen until the dog is at least 3 or 4 years old. When that is depends on the amount of time the owner has spent with the dog, hunting and not.
Except for sheep or goat, there's no wildlife more challenging to hunt in the fall than a mature wild turkey gobbler. There are debates about whether hunters should bag hens or jakes in the fall, because it may affect the availability of mature gobblers the following spring. We say: "Think what the fall population of mature gobblers would be if all those gobblers weren't shot the previous spring."

In the late 1940's, when game laws were first begun, only thirteen states had turkey hunting seasons, and they were all in the fall.
Some of the First Spring Gobbler Seasons: 1958 South Carolina, 1960 Kentucky, 1961 Virginia, 1963 West Virginia, 1968 Pennsylvania, 1969 North Carolina, 1973 Vermont, 1978 Minnesota, 1980 Massachusetts. 1984 Wisconsin. That's why today we have hunters from 8 to 80 who never hunted turkeys in the fall, because all they or their elders ever knew was spring hunting.

"In Virginia, the wild turkey afforded the Virginians much exertion as well as wariness to come up with it and kill it.
Blinds of pine or oak boughs were erected at different eligible spots in the woods, and here,
after scattering the flocks with trained dogs, the hunters would hide themselves, and by skilful use of the yelp,
soon call up the confused and unsuspecting birds within range of the guns." P.A. Bruce, Richmortal VA, 1907

As for whether or not fall turkey hunting with dogs should be allowed, Jim Paige says it well: "It's funny how hunters can nit-pick so much, against one another. If hunters' ranks were anywhere NEAR as together and supportive as the anti-gun crowd, we'd never have a problem with supposed "anti-gun" legislation or so-called 'animal rights' groups!"

"Hunting turkeys in the fall with dogs will not harm anything, or compete with any other type of hunting, but simply add more hunting opportunities for those few hunters who are interested. We are losing hunters (and their money and political support for conservation, wild lands and creatures), because we are losing hunting opportunities. Only a limited number of hunters will take advantage of turkey dogs, just like the few who participate in the recently-approved hunting seasons for crow and dove." Wisconsin wildlife biologist Jim Evrard 4/18/06

"A duck, crow or a turkey call in the hands of the unschooled is the nations greatest Conservation asset." Tom Turpin.
"None of our native animals is more wary than the 'educated' wild turkey."
The Wild Turkey - Its History and Domestication; A.W. Schorger p. 136

Until recently, turkey dogs were kept a big secret, and the availability and training methods were only shared among close family and friends. They didn’t want anyone else to know about turkey dogs, or compete for turkeys with them. Those who practiced the art were few. But thanks to them, a crucial part of our hunting heritage was kept alive. Today we live in a different world; turkeys are abundant, and there are less places to hunt. From young hunters just learning about fall turkey hunting, to experienced hunters renewing old friendships and teaching others the secrets of the art, we can use your support. If you're reading this, help us out by making even a small contribution today. Every purchase helps to promote turkey hunting with dogs.

We're the country's number one advocate of fall turkey hunting, and especially with a dog. If you like turkey hunting, and hunting with bird dogs, then welcome. Take out a membership and you'll be helping us to lobby fish & game departments, and state legislators on behalf of all turkey dog hunters. We represent those in States where it's currently allowed, and work on getting it allowed in those States where it's currently not. Since our founding in 2004, seven states have changed the rules to allow dogs (IA, ME, MS, MT, NH, PA, WI). We're making a difference and you can too by making a purchase. Your benefits of a membership include: Networking with researchers, scientists and practitioners. Receive meeting notice and workshop announcements. Literature reviews. Equipment and supply sources. Annual hunt invitations, and a free classified ad. Join now. If you're reading this website, but can't afford $20, sign up for the free Turkey Dog News.

We support the International Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies Teaming with Wildlife C oalition (Wisconsin ),

and the International Association of Natural Resources Crimestoppers (IANRC). Their members operate the Operation Game Thief, Turn In Poachers, Report All Poachers, and related programs operating across the United States and Canada.

Concerned your dog is over-medicated with unnecessary vaccinations? The Rabies Challenge Fund is too.
Read about them in the news: Rabies vaccine research may save some pain.