Posted: Thursday, April 13, 2023
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Winter in the Southeast always leaves us wanting more, one more duck hunt in that flooded corn field or timber bottom, one more chase in the field where geese feed, one more day at duck camp with friends and family. Snow goose season still lingers, while quail season is over, and the weather is warming. We all start to think about hitting the water again for bass, stripers, and bream while thinking about the smell of fried catfish and shrimp po’boys. Summer Mahi tacos are still a way off, and we miss winter. We have put the winter gear away to wait until the next waterfowl season. As those memories are fresh, there is some consolation in the coming warming weather. You go to where your vest is adorned with your favorite calls, your gun choke is changed, and the few necessary decoys are gathered. It is finally turkey season, a noble chase that fed the founders of this country, and you hear that first gobbler sound off from his roost in the darkness. Trying not to be startled, you mutter and smile, “Thunder Chicken”… best be statue still as he may already see you.
As I write this, I hope to be at the end of False Spring here in the Southeast, as the nighttime temperatures have, yet again, slipped below freezing. This is when you avoid planting until you are sure the cold spells are over. Then it will turn hot, and we will embrace the last cool mornings. The trees and plants are coming alive, and if it were not for the pollen, it would be perfect. It is the last season before the summer break. You note what you need to prepare for the next duck season as they migrate back north. You check deer stands and plots, take time for a bit of bush hogging for the turkeys and the next planting for doves and deer, and think about what needs to be done to chase whitetails in the fall in a never-ending cycle of the work you love on the land.
For many in the Southeast and all over the country, Spring represents one of the most intimate chases for the game. No matter which turkey species you are chasing, hearing their big gobbles ring out from the trees in the morning dawn, as leaves around you are still wet with dew, and you hear big heavy wings bring a wary bird to the ground, you feel it in your soul. As your heart is pacing, and your decoys are out, you wonder if he can see you yet. As soon as the turkey gets close enough, you know it is time for you and him to have a conversation.
There are many tactics to hunt turkey; from sitting and waiting in a traffic area to locating a bird the day before and setting up near the roost (but not too near to spook it out of the tree) to the run and gun tactic. No matter how you go about it, in the end, it comes down to you and him. Then comes the beautiful, delicious, free-range, organic turkey with so many recipes to choose from. HERE is an easy favorite.
There is no better thrill than working a turkey, he gobbles, and you talk back, he comes closer, or maybe you follow. It is a tradition of our grandfathers and those before them. The joy of seeing a young person burst with excitement and newfound knowledge of this time in the field and harvesting their first bird. Managing your property for turkeys tends to be easier than other birds, especially if you are already managing your property for other wildlife and outdoor activities. The National Wild Turkey Federation celebrates 50 years of Conservation this year and is a great resource.
“Approximately 60% of the United States is privately owned, and that percentage is higher east of the Mississippi. Conservation and management of wild turkeys continues to hinge on what is occurring on private lands…But turkey management is as variable as the places where wild turkeys live, from Arizona’s sky islands to southern pine forests and midwestern agricultural regions.”
https://www.nwtf.org/content-hub/a-science-to-private-land-management
As the seasons change, we change with them in our own annual cycle. It is about the outdoors, the land, creeks and rivers, and the intimate relationship with nature that nurtures our soul. It took me longer than I wish in my lifetime to find my rhythm here, to find balance in the lifestyle that feeds our values. Find your rhythm, place, and your retreat. Conservation is key and spreads across many walks of life. Finding like-minded people in this space is easy, and the perfect property to pursue your dreams is never too far out of reach.
