Successful Turkey Hunting

Every spring, millions of hunters take to the fields and forests in search of wild turkeys. While some hunters are successful in bagging their bird, many come home empty-handed. This book was written to help hunters locate and harvest mature gobblers. In these pages, author Gary Clancy explains the proven tips and techniques of the best wild turkey hunters in the country. The list of contributors for this book reads like a "who's who" in the turkey world: Mark Drury, David Hale, Harold Knight, and Walter Parrot to name a few. These experts share their secrets for hunting gobblers on public land, in open spaces, during rainy and windy weather, and other special situations that often cause problems for turkey hunters. This book also shows the hunter how to best handle the meat and feathers from a trophy bird after a successful hunt.'

As anyone who ever set his sights on a turkey can confirm, hunting this bird is one of the most technically challenging sports there is. Because turkey hunters know that their concentration, skill, and performance need to be high, they're are always on the lookout for insights and advice—so they can bag their limit of gobblers every season. Registered Maine guide Bob Humphrey distills twenty-five years of turkey hunting know-how, sharing the insider tips and techniques he gives his clients, like how to: Know the quarry Anticipate its moves Excel at calling Prepare for the season Look inside, there's never been a turkey hunting book like this. Discover how to build a successful season from the ground up by refining your techniques and learning creative new ways of calling, using decoys, and bagging the maximum.

During his life, Gene Nunnery was recognized as a master turkey hunter and an artisan who crafted unique, almost irresistible turkey calls. In The Old Pro Turkey Hunter, the vaunted sportsman shares over fifty years of personal experience in Mississippi and surrounding states, along with the decades-old wisdom of the huntsmen who taught him. Throughout the book, his stories make clear that turkey hunting is more than just killing the bird--it is about matching wits with a wild and savvy adversary. As Nunnery explains, "To me that's what it's all about: finding a wise old gobbler who will test your skill as a turkey hunter." Through his stories, Nunnery reveals that the true reward for successful turkey hunting lies in winning the contest, not necessarily exterminating the foe. Real sportsmen know that every now and then the turkey should and will elude the hunter. As Nunnery looks back on his extensive career, he analyzes vast differences in practice, old and new. The shift, he decides, came during his last twenty years on the hunt, and that difference has only increased in the decades since this book was originally published. Michael O. Giles, Bass Pro staff team member, master turkey hunter, and award-winning outdoors writer and author of Passion of the Wild, writes a new foreword that brings the practice of turkey hunting into the present day. Filled with a tested mixture of common sense and specific examples of how master turkey hunters honor their harvest and heritage, The Old Pro Turkey Hunter is the perfect companion for the novice or the adept.

Successful Turkey Hunting is based on five years of columns written for the publications of the National Wild Turkey Federation, with a few stories from other publications tossed in the mix. Authors John Higley and J.J. Reich have expanded and updated the articles to fit the format of this book. Included are such subjects as what drives turkey behavior, the importance of calling, how anyone can learn to call, and the part woodsmanship plays. Also included are thoughts on basic equipment and how to deal with a wide range of scenarios encountered while hunting wild turkeys. Featured in many of the columns are such recognized professional turkey hunters as Paul Butski, Ray Eye, Matt Morrett, Alex Rutledge, Eddie Salter, Preston Pittman, Chris Parrish and Mossy Oak’s Ronnie “Cuz” Strictland. In articles, seminars, and this book, Higley and Reich have tried to really get into what turkey hunting is all about. It is their hope that these chapters will lead hunters to a better understanding of all phases of turkey hunting, and ultimately result in more successful hunts in spring and fall. Skyhorse Publishing is proud to publish a broad range of books for hunters and firearms enthusiasts. We publish books about shotguns, rifles, handguns, target shooting, gun collecting, self-defense, archery, ammunition, knives, gunsmithing, gun repair, and wilderness survival. We publish books on deer hunting, big game hunting, small game hunting, wing shooting, turkey hunting, deer stands, duck blinds, bowhunting, wing shooting, hunting dogs, and more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

Tactics and strategies from America's leading expert.

Turkey hunters will learn essential strategies for bagging the wily longbeard, including techniques for all major turkey subspecies. Provides checklists for important gear, including clothes, accessories, shotguns, calls, and decoys. The author also identifies popular turkey hunting regions across the U.S.

TURKEY HUNTING TACTICS will introduce you to all aspects of turkey biology and behavior, and explain in great detail what calls, decoys and other equipment you need to harvest this great bird. You'll learn how to select the right turkey load, and how to test and pattern the gun to ensure a clean kill. This book will teach you how to deal with problem birds, such as call-shy toms and gobblers with hens. And after you've had a successful hunt, you'll learn several methods for preserving your trophy. There's an amazing amount of expert instruction and insight into hunting turkeys. Gary Clancy has included everything, from the age-old traditions to the newest innovations that will help you with a successful hunt. Nearly every page of this book includes photographs, charts, or illustrations. You'll find step-by-step details on how to make your own calls, how to preserve your birds, how to prepare a blind, and more. In addition, there are fantastic charts documenting different techniques, such as how your strategy should change when hunting with a partner or how what type of terrain you'll find more birds in. From cover to cover, you'll find this to be an amazing resource to count on for information and tips, year after year.

Turkey hunting is becoming more popular each year, a pastime that offers hunters exercise and exposure to nature, a chance to hone tracking and firearm skills, and good eating when successful. This volume provides hunters with relevant, tried and true information about firearms and archery safety, the behavior and habits of the turkey, and how to prepare for a hunt. Ethics, hunting laws, and methods to conserve wildlife and wild areas are also highlighted in order to provide hunters with all they need to know to succeed at a time-honored tradition.