Figure 1 “Photo” WJ Pro Staff (Connecticut) Moises Torrent with his beautiful 2015 Spring Turkey harvested in Florida.
South Florida never disappoints! This bird is my personal best. His spurs measure (1 5/16″) and beard (10 7/8″) but he weighed in unusually light at 14lbs! He must’ve been”rutted out”. We called in the entire flock after a morning of chasing them all over the property.
At 10am, a tom was spotted while sneaking around a large field. He barely saw us, and must have thought we were turkeys. So we immediately found a palmetto and blended ourselves into the landscape while making some feeding purrs and soft yelps. It turned out to be a Jake, and he brought in his 3 other immature brothers.
We had no decoys, and these 4 jakes came within 10 yards looking for the “hens”. Their constant gobbling caught the attention of the flock of 5 strutters we had been chasing all morning. After 10 minutes, here come the strutters and one little hen.
This guy seemed to be the boss, as he was the only one strutting while they approached, and he came in last. We could also see his giant spurs! It was a tough 32yard shot through some brush, but the 3 1/2″ magnum did its job. Now it’s on to Connecticut’s Turkey season!
Figure 2 “Photo” Some fine Spurs on this Florida Spring gobbler, Congratulations Moises.
Top 10 Spring Turkey Hunting Items For 2015
By Greg Traynor (WJ Pro Staff Pennsylvania)
10. ThermaCELL – There is nothing more annoying than being in a ground blind or sitting on the ground with your back against a giant tree infested with flying insects. Swatting the air causes movement that may just cost you a long beard of a lifetime. On that first morning, start up your Thermacell, put your blind up and get comfortable, you will be glad you did. Click HERE to view another Gear Review article on ThermaCELL: And click HERE to purchase in Europe.
9. Comfortable chair for your ground blind/Waterproof pad to sit on the ground – When you are comfortable and dry, you will sit with less movement, attract less attention to your position and certainly be more able to wait for that big bird to come along.
8. Good quality mini binoculars set – It will fit easily into your shirt pocket and allow you to judge whether you’re looking at a Jake, bearded hen or longbeard.
7. Comfortable headlamp – When you have your hands full and are going in well before daylight, a good quality headlamp with multiple settings/lenses can make your set up much easier.
6. Push button turkey call – I know it’s not the most glamorous call in your turkey pack. But, believe me this simple call produces clucks, yelps and purrs only using one hand.
5. Tried-and-true box call – Some of us have been using a box call since our first season in the woods and it would not be turkey season without that one box call.
4. Locater call – (crow, barn owl, or red tail hawk) whichever is your favorite to get old Tom turkey to answer you from 200 yards away.
3. Good camo – From head to toe including a face mask and gloves. Make sure your camouflage pattern helps you blend into your local hunting spot. If local regulations require you to wear Hunter orange, please make sure you do so!
2. Decoys – Whether you find one in the garage, borrow it from a friend, or can afford an expensive one, nothing brings in old Tom turkey like him seeing Sally hen on the edge of a field, dirt road or cut out.
1. Favorite weapon – Make sure you are familiar with and have your weapon sighted in. Be well practiced with your favorite shotgun, bow or cross bow, before taking it out hunting. Know your personal shooting range limitations and your effective killing range with that particular shotgun, bow or crossbow. We owe it to the game we pursue.
Check out the WILD Jaeger European SALES webstore for many of these products (ROCKY camouflage clothing, MOSSY OAK HUNTING ACCESSORIES ground seats, THERMACELL and BUSHNELL binoculars and laser rangefinders): http://wildjaeger-shop.de/
