Scratchings of Turkey Dog Hunters

We're always scratching for a few kernels of wisdom. Send in your ponderings, opinions or predictions.

"I called 5 fall '06 longbeards in with a wingbone call I made from a spring '06 longbeard, and shot this one. His Radius bone had been broken & healed. 20#, 10" beard, 1" spurs." JF

old time wisconsin turkey hunting dog 1945

"I found these pictures of me with Grandpa's turkeys, from the fall of 1944 or 1945. Mom always worryied about me being out and about with the "flock", but I never had any fear. I remember helping butcher the turkeys, they were hung upside down in the barn while we plucked the feathers, and I got a quarter a day! These pictures show the old summer kitchen (now long gone), to the right of the main farmhouse, with all the apple trees in front." Mary Ann S. - Kiel WI

"The turkey's closest living relatives are the Asian pheasant and the African guinea fowl. The American turkey and the Asian pheasant are close enough genetically so that they can be mated through artificial insemination and produce offspring." The Asian pheasants; argus, golden, silver, Lady Amherst, Reeves, Impeyan, tragopan or horned (5 species), Sclater's, Koklass, Blood and Chinese pheasants inhabit the Himalayas and adjacent areas. The African guinea fowl; White-Breasted, Helmeted, Plumed, Crested, Vulturine and Black. Did you know the word 'gobble' used to describe the sound has been in the Oxford Dictionary since 1680? And like some lizards and snakes, the turkey hen has the ability to reproduce by parthenogenesis (without the gobbler). The Turkey: An American Story.

There is a woodland grouse that looks like it could be a lot closer relative to the wild turkey than pheasants or guineas. It's the Capercaillie, and lives in northern Scotland. The Capercaillie is the world's largest grouse - it became extinct in Scotland at the end of the 19th century. This is the UK's most endangered bird, and was reintroduced from Scandinavia. Now the turkey-sized grouse lives in the Scottish Highlands, and might benefit from wolves being reintroduced to control the red deer population that's overbrowsing the forest. Not related, but an interesting bird.
“At this time of year, you hunt them on skis when they’re feeding in the treetops,” he said. “It requires long-distance shooting, 200 to 250 yards with a rifle.” That prompted a chuckle from the crowd, most of whom could appreciate the accuracy of shooting a moose from 250 yards, much less a turkey. “We don’t get many of them,” Lundblom said. “On a good hunting day you get one or two.” Thomas Lundblom from Sweden, addressing the Alaska Trappers Association February 2008.

"Until dogs are allowed in the whole state we use a different method. We lead a team of plow horses at an angle right up to the turkeys, let go of the halters, stop, and let the horses keep walking. When the horses get past the hunter, the turkeys are caught flat-footed; boom! The key is making sure their kick can't reach you when the gun goes off. We call them our Turkey Horses."
David Edge - White Lake, WI

The Chief Biologist from Virginia said: 'In every state you look at, hunter effort for fall turkeys is declining.' That's the same story heard in Wisconsin, and West Virginia. And again in Virginia.
"It could be true considering the fall tradition has been nearly lost, and many hunters don't know how to use a dog. There's a misconception turkey dogs are wide ranging. But in today's urban landscape, and at my age, the close working dog suits me fine. How much interest would there be in pheasant or grouse hunting if you couldn't use a dog? Fall turkey hunting is no different. It can be done alone, but it's always more fun hunting birds with a dog. The only game more challenging to hunt than fall gobblers is sheep and goats, that's for sure. The archers who hesitate to run through the woods chasing turkeys with a quiver full of broadheads can particularly benefit from a trained dog breaking up the flock, so they can call the bir

black hills south dakota longbeard gobbler

in a controlled manner. Fall hunter participation is not down for lack of turkeys, but lack of awareness. It's too bad there's so few left who know how it's done. Maybe it's too much competition with the other fall hunting there is. Some say us fall turkey dog hunters are a dying breed, but me and my dog still do our part." Shorty Adams - Buffalo Gap, SD Photos © Monte Loomis
Surveys indicate we are a dying breed, and show a decline in both the total number of hunters and the total amount spent by hunters. Overall participation dropped 4% from 2001 to 2006, and 10% from 1996 to 2006. Who's going to fund our wildlife management and Fish & Game budgets? 2006 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation (pdf)

In the 1960's, Pennsylvania State University researchers conducted experiments to determine the minimum stimulus it takes to excite a male turkey, utilizing a model hen. When they removed parts of the model, including the tail, feet and wings, the male still continued to gobble and mate. All the male needs is a wooden turkey head on a stick for the gobbler to become aroused and mount. Next time you wonder if your calling & decoy are good enough for spring gobblers, remember the head on a stick.
"Back when turkey decoys were illegal in Alabama, the alternative was the old coke can on a stick." Ralph Scherffius

Coke head on a stick full body wild turkey decoy

"After reading about this enticing research, I decided to try a homemade stick decoy. I used a jake fan and a small red soda can and rubbed the stick in the mud to dull it up a bit. The first morning I put it out, a double bearded gobbler walked in to my tail on a stick, eyeing it the whole time, and stopping to strut occasionally, until he got close enough to my 20 gage. I know it works, picture attached." Patty N. Bonduel WI 4/08

Thanks for loaning me your decoy Patty. This grey-phased bearded hen heard our calling, then saw your homemade decoy, and walked right in. When we prepared the meat for my favorite turkey jerky, we found she was the fattest bird we had ever seen in spring! Apparently she didn't waste energy mating or nesting, so everything she ate went right into fat. Thanks again for the decoy that helped me get this unusual bird. I'll use her white-tipped tail fan for my own decoy and see how that works. Aaron F. Madison WI 5/08

Dog Breeders issue Massive Recall of '07 Turkey Dog Wannabees

Snoopy's doghouse was said to have a spiral staircase, a pool table and an Andrew Wyeth painting. Yet he still slept on top of it.

Finally made a hatband of wild turkey spurs.
JF - Oneida, WI