Connecticut Turkey Hunting Opening Day 2011 – Making Adjustments

I was able to take a nice tom turkey on state land opening day. I’ve written in past posts that hunting state land (or public land) sometimes requires some different techniques than private land. On state land you always have to be concerned and aware of other hunters. This was again the case for me on this opening day.

I heard only one gobble all day. That was about 10 paces from my car in the parking lot after hitting an owl call first thing in the morning. There were gobblers roosted in a tree near the parking lot. Right after hearing the gobble I heard hen yelping. No more gobbles, but more hen yelping. Now, this could have been one of two things. It could have been a legitimate hen yelping to the roosted gobblers, or it could have been another hunter. There were no other cars in the parking lot, but this particular tract of land has a parking lot at each end. There could have been a car parked on the other side that I did not know about. Based on the urgency of the calling, I concluded that most likely it was another hunter. So, against my better judgment, I actually walked AWAY from the gobbles, and went to find a new spot. That’s an example of some of the difficulties associated with state land hunting. Regardless, I might have scared those gobblers anyway because even though the hen yelps continued, there was no more gobbling. Also, the fog was so thick at that point in the morning that the turkeys could have been right in front of me and I would not see them.

Due to the thick layer of fog limiting my visibility, I decided the best strategy would be to set up decoys in an open area, make a few calls, and wait for the fog to burn off. Maybe I would get luck and attract a flock. I set up my decoys on the top of a knoll with good visibility. The decoys could be seen in multiple directions. I think sat in some thicket and made some calls. Very soon after making some calls, I heard hen yelping returning my calls. Again, this could have been a real hen, or another hunter. I called some more. This time the mystery creature responded with about 50 loud and aggressive hen yelps. This was obviously another hunter. Even the most love-struck hen would not scream at the top of her lungs for 2 minutes straight. This was a rookie hunter that must have caught sight of my decoys and decided to get aggressive. Over calling is a common mistake for new turkey hunters, but this guy was over-the-top. He was so loud and obnoxious that he likely scared away everything in the county. I tried whistling to let him know there was another hunter there, but his calls were so strong that he could not hear me. Finally he stopped, and I let out a clear “Yo!”. There would be no way for him to mistake that this was the setup of another hunter. I thought he got the point, so shortly after I gave a few soft calls. He responded again! This guy was not getting the hint, so I totally shut up. Apparently he became frustrated and finally went to a different area. Finally there was just the noise of the natural woods, but this would not be the last I would hear from this guy. Again, another aggravation that cannot be avoided with forced to hunt state land in Connecticut.

After sitting for about 30 minutes waiting for the fog to clear, I happened to see 2 hens bring pursued by a strutting gobbler crossing a field to my right. They were come in my general direction, but not directly at my decoys. I tried to entice them over, but there was no way that tom was going to leave his two hens, and those hens were not interested. They disappeared behind the other side of the knoll. Turkeys move at their own pace. These hens were successfully feeding, so they were in no particular hurry to go in any one direction. Therefore, I waited hoping that their curiosity might get the better of them and they might come back over the knoll to check out my decoys. I waited about 30 minutes, however nothing appeared. I could not see the birds, but it did not seem like they had any interest in my location. It then occurred to me that it might be possible that these birds were still feeding in the opening just on the other side of this knoll. This was the direction they were headed, so it was a possibility. I decided to leave my set up and carefully walk to the other side of the knoll. The knoll had some bushes and pine trees for cover. I slowly made my way over the hill. Sure enough, the 3 birds were about 150 yards into the field on the other side of the slope. The hens were still feeding, and the tom was still strutting. I carefully crawled as close to the field edge as I could. I was afraid I would be detected, but I had to get into a decent position if I had any chance at attracting these birds. I gave a few calls and observed. They definitely heard me. As soon as I called the hens stretched their necks high to look for me. I waited to see if they would come any closer. They did not seem to me moving in my direction. Now I had another decision to make. I could sit and hope they would decide to come in my direction. This was a possibility. They turkeys were in a big field, and they might want to look for me. However, it seemed to me they were a little far away to entice to my position. Even though it meant again risking being spotted, I decided to get up and circle through the woods, and try to come out again on the edge of the field much closer to the group. This move had some risk, but I felt that I did not have much to lose.

I carefully walked through the woods along the edge of the field just out of sight of anything that might be in the field. I could not see the birds, so I had to try to judge where to come out. I made my way to the field edge, but still could not see the birds. Finally I spotted them. They were about 50 yards away, but very close to the edge of the field. In order for me to clearly see them, I would have to stick my head out of the brush, which would surely give away my position. However, I was now significantly closer to the birds. They were just out of gun range. If I could get them to just come a little closer to me I would likely have an opportunity at a shot. Using a large tree to cover my silhouette I got as close to the field edge as I could. I was not able to sit down, so I kneeled across the back side of the tree. This allowed me to be covered by the tree and peer through the bushes to see the birds rather than trying to pop my head out the front of the tree. I then began to imitate a feeding hen. I made mostly soft purrs, clucks, and putts. I made very few yelps, and any yelps I made were soft. I was close so there was no need to scream. Additionally, at this point I was mostly trying to attract the hens, and not the tom. Even though I was closer, the tom was still unlikely to leave his two ladies. By imitating a feeding hen, I thought I might be able to get the two hens to come towards me, and the tom would surely follow. Well, my strategy worked. The 2 hens slowly came looking for their sister.  The hens continued to come even though that same hunter that was intruding on my hunt earlier was now trying to call these same birds from the very far end of the field!  If he ruined my hunt within the last 50 yards, I may have changed strategies and went looking for him rather than another tom! The turkeys basically paid no attention of these call from the other hunter some 200+ yards away.  However, now I had a different problem. I had 2 hens searching the field edge for another turkey. The hens were getting dangerously close to me. I feared they would bust me before the tom came into range. One of the hens got to about 10 feet from me and just started straight at me for 30 seconds or so. I held perfectly still. She did not totally like what she saw, but she was not fully frightened either. She let out some quick putts, and started to casually walk away. When she did that, the other hen and the tom followed. Following the hen, the tom walked right across me, into an opening in the brush. Because of the close proximity of the hens, I was earlier not able to get my gun into shooting position. Now that the tom was in range, I had to get the gun up and shoot all in one motion. I was able to get it done, and I put the tom down with the first shot. He was maybe 15 yards away.

LESSONS LEARNED:

The biggest lesson learned here is that when the turkeys won’t come to you, sometimes you have to go to them. Moving should not be your first option. Patience is more often the key to turkey hunting success. However, there are times when taking that risk can pay off.

How to Obtain CT Sportsman License Credit in 2011

If you have not heard, the state of Connecticut likely over charged you for your 2010 fishing/hunting license if you purchased it before April 14, 2010.  Go to the link below to get information on how to obtain your rebate:

www.ct.gov/dep/sportsmensfeereduction

The first step is to determine how much the state owes you.  You can search at www.ct.gov/dep/sportsmenscredit .  I found out that I was over charged $27 in 2010.  You can use that money to pay for your 2011 hunting/fishing license, which presently costs $38.  The only rub is that you can't get the rebate online.  You have to buy your 2011 license either by mail, or in person at one of the DEP locations.  I chose to do mine by mail.  I figured out how much I was owed ($27), filled out a simple form, wrote a check for the total minus $27, and mailed it in.

One tip: Connecticut has now started charging separately for inland and salt water licenses.  If you buy the hunting/fishing combo license, the state charges the same $38 for the inland fishing/hunting combo license as they do for the all-waters fishing/hunting combo license.  Be sure to chose the all-waters option to get both inland and salt water fishing together at no extra charge. 

Tips to Cleaning A Muzzleloader

Cleaning a muzzleloader is essential to gun longevity, but also accuracy.  Black powder is more corrosive, and "dirtier" than standard smokeless powder, so regular cleaning is even more important for your muzzleloader than for your standard gun.

The process for cleaning a muzzleloader is essentially the same as it is for cleaning any other gun.  However, there are three tips I can pass on that make the job much easier. 

Tip #1 -- Consider the type of powder used:
Certain powders are specifically designed to burn cleaner.  Using these powders will make clean up easier without any loss in performance that I can see.  Winchester Triple 7 powder and primers are both designed to be cleaner burning.  I have been using this powder for a while now, and I recommend it.

Tip #2 -- Use a cleaning solvent specifically designed for black powder:
Regular cleaning oil (like Hoppes #9) will not work to dissolve black powder.  You need a solvent specifically designed for black powder.  These solvents are generally water based, and many have a citrus scent.  They work great to break down black powder.  My method is to take out the breech plug, and letting it soak in a bowl of solvent.  I then proceed to clean the bore dipping the patch in the solvent-filled bowl. 

Tip #3 -- Lubricate the breech plug before screwing it back in:
Taking the breech plug out can be a struggle if it's not lubricated.  Lubricant specifically designed for black powder is available.  I use this, but I suspect some standard type of lubricant would do. 

Lessons From Butchering Your Own Deer

I'm no expert.  In fact, this was the first time I ever attempted to cut up my own deer.  Normally, I take them to the butcher.  However, there is a certain satisfaction acquired from taking an animal from field to table 100% on your own.

It came out OK.  I was able to get it done.  I did not really consult any books.  I just sort of did what I thought was right based on previous cuts I've received from the butcher, and some general knowledge.  Below I've listed some tips to consider based on my first-time experience.

Tools
The only hand tools I used to butcher the entire deer were 2 hunting knives, a sharpening stone, and a hack saw.  This is assuming that you have an area set up to work.  My work station consisted of a piece of ply wood on 2 saw horses.  I hung the deer from a cross beam in my garage (head facing the earth) using clothes line rope strung through the hind legs.
I got several large bowls to put the meat in once it was cut.  I also used a cutting board.
It would be helpful to have water available to clean.  I had an outside hose that I was able to use to wash the meat.

Below I've listed every thing I used:

• 2 hunting knives
• 1 sharpening stone
• 2 saw horses
• 1 piece of plywood
• 1 cutting board
• 3 bowls
• 1 garbage can
• 1 hose
• 1 rope
• hack saw

There were several tools that I did not have that would have been useful.

Tools I did not use, but would have liked to have had:

• gambrel
• large butcher knife
• bone saw
• sink
• meat grinder

Supplies
Before starting I went and purchased a new saw blade from the hardware store.  I bought some butcher paper from the local grocery store.  I had a difficult time finding freezer tape, so I ended up using normal all-purpose masking tape.  It seemed to work OK, but certainly not as good as freezer tape.  I had to use excessive amounts of the masking tape to ensure it would stay sealed. 

• 1 roll of freezer paper
• masking tape (although I would have preferred actual butcher freezer tape)
• 1 permanent marker for labeling the packages

Steps
These are the steps I took to butcher this deer.  Again, this was my first time, so the purpose of me writing this is not not really give you the step-by-step instructions, but rather to tell you what I did so you can make a better decision on how you want to proceed.

1. Clean the deer - This is done in the field. This article is assuming that you've already completed this crucial first step.
2. Hang the deer -- I used standard rope to hang my deer.  I cut slits in the hind leg tendon just behind the knee, and tied a rope to each leg.  I then threw the rope over a cross beam in my garage, and pulled like hell to hoist the deer.  I tied off the ropes to a camp trailer in my garage.  At that point, I let the deer hang for one full week.  You will see differing views on how long to let a deer hang.  However, if you can do it, I recommend 1 week.  Hanging the deer, even for just a few days, tenderizes the meat, and greatly increases the taste and enjoyment of the meat.  Of course, this is assuming temperatures are low enough to allow hanging.  In Connecticut and most of New England this is generally not an issue during the hunting season.  You want the meat to be at "refrigerator temperature" while it hangs.  Generally you don't have to worry about freezing, especially if the deer is hung inside and the hide is left on.
3. Skin the deer -- This is pretty simple to do, but one of the most physical parts of the process.  I started by cutting a ring around the hind legs, then following a line from the leg down to the body cavity opening.  At that point, I simply started pulling.  The skin peels off.  I would gently run my knife along the connection of the skin to the body as I pulled to loosen the skin as I went down.  I took my time and just slowly worked the hide down from both legs to the neck.  I pulled the hide as close to the head as possible.  At that point, I used my saw to remove the head.  The hide and all came off along with the head. 
4. Bisect the deer -- Using my hack saw, I carefully cut the deer in half length-wise.  I started at the tail bone, and cut down towards the neck.  I was careful to stay in the middle so as not to damage any of the valuable backstrap meat.
5. Now with the deer hanging in two pieces from my garage, I untied a half and slapped it onto my plywood work station.  First I removed the backstraps.  This is the meat strip on the back of the deer along the spine.  I ran my hunting knife along the spine, then underneath and removed the back strap in one long strip.  At that point, I cut the back strap into steaks, putting them in the bowl for later packaging. 
6. With the backstraps removed, I next went about the business of removing the 2 shoulders from the brisket.  I cut the connecting meat, then simply twisted the joint.  The legs came off.
7. I cut the rump in half making a roast including the bone.  The rest of the leg I removed from the bone and cut into steaks.  Any small pieces, I cut into stew sized chunks.  As I got lower on the legs, I got more stew, and less steaks.
8. I repeated this for the front leg, but did not make a roast.  The front leg was only steaks and stew.
9. Any other meat areas were cut off and made into stew meat.
10. I tried to remove as much silver skin and fat from the steaks as possible.  Some of the direction of cuts I made could have been done better to minimize this.  I won't really know how good a job I did until it's time to eat the steaks.
11.  Repeat for the second half of the deer.
12. Wash the meat -- Before packaging I washed all the meat to ensure no hair or bone particles was left on the meat.
13. Packaging and labeling -- I packed the backstrap steaks together.  I packed the shoulder steaks together.  I double wrapped everything, and labeled them "Backstrap", "Shoulder", "Stew", "Roast".
14. The meat is now stored in the freezer ready for consumption.

If you have the time and want to save some money, cutting them up yourself is an option.  In this case, I only shot a small deer, so I knew this would be an easier job than usual.  However, I can say that after cutting up the deer myself, for my money, the butcher is worth it.  The butcher will cut the deer up exactly as you wish, wrap it, and label it.  Unless you have a meat grinder at home, you will not get full use of the entire deer.  Even if you have a grinder, the butcher adds either beef or pork to the ground meat, which is necessary for venison.
If you want to get in touch with your inner caveman, don't be intimitated.  Butchering deer yourself is a job you can handle.  It may not come out perfect, but who's going to know?   I was glad I did this to learn, and depending on the circumstances I may try it again, but I can say that my default process in the future will be to take the deer somewhere and let the experts do a first rate butchering job. 

First Muzzleloader Deer Avoids 2010 Shut Out

I harvested a doe this past weekend to put meat in the freezer for 2010. It was my first muzzleloader deer. I was able to hit the deer in the vitals (although about 3 or 4 inches lower than ideal) using my CVA Wolf Magnum inline muzzleloader from about 120 yards. I know the muzzleloader advertisers and scope makers publish muzzleloader capabilities up to 200 yards and beyond, but in my mind, this long of a shot was quite a test of muzzleloader accuracy. The CVA Wolf passed the test. I was slowly and carefully walking up a steep hill when I spotted this deer. The shot was taken standing while leaning against a tree. I used 2 powder pellets (100 grain equivalent) with a 245 grain Powerbelt muzzleloader bullet (green in color). Most modern magnum muzzleloaders can take up to 150 grains of powder (3 pellets). I chose to use only 100 grains and it seems to be accurate up to long distances. You don’t get many 100-plus yard opportunities in the dense forests of New England. I was fortunate enough to get a clear opening.


Because of the smoke cloud that lingers after a muzzleloader shot, it can often be difficult to determine if your shot hit target or not when using a muzzleloader. This was the case for me. By the time the smoke cleared, I looked around and saw no sign of the deer. I walked over to the spot where the deer was standing. I saw absolutely no blood. I looked around intently in all directions. No sign of the deer. I decided to remain in the spot in which the deer was standing. I was hunting with a friend, and upon hearing my shot he decided to walk towards me. I was ready to declare a missed shot, when he told me that he found the deer on the ground about 40 yards from where I was standing. I was quite lucky that he happened to find that deer. There was no blood anywhere! Even with a layer of snow on the ground, there was no blood trail. That deer would have been lost if not for my friend running into it. As you can imagine, I was quite pleased that we found the deer.

My friend and my father continued hunting the rest of the day. After cleaning the deer, I dragged it back to the parking area. Since my hunting was done, I decided to sit in the car and listen to the radio until they returned. I took a short nap while sitting in the car. At one point, I opened my eyes to see two deer running right in front of my car! It was a doe being chased by a full grown buck, 6 or 8 points). He had his head down and was pursuing the doe impervious to my presence. It was a scene typically reserved for the peak of the chase phase of the rut, but this was December 11. I’ve read about the “second rut” (a second estrus cycle for does that happened to not be impregnated during the initial rut), but this was the first time I had seen it in action. This buck was definitely in rut mode. Little did I know that I could have stayed at the car, and had a shot at a better deer than anything I saw in the woods!

This deer is presently hanging in my garage. Next weekend I’m going to try butchering the deer myself. This will be the first time I’ve done this on my own. I’ll include an entry next week regarding this task.

Lessons Learned
In every trip into the woods, whether successful at harvesting game or not, I find that I learn something.

1) The distance and accuracy capabilities of modern inline muzzleloaders are not just hype. They indeed are capable of shots in the deer woods approaching rifle capabilities.
2) Not every deer shot in the vital area produces a blood trail. Be careful when you think you missed. Search the entire area because even though you see no blood, you still may have hit the deer.
3) The second rut is not all hype. It certainly does exist. This means that doe scents can be effective into mid-December.
4) When taking a long shot, take time to get yourself a good rest. I made sure I was securely resting my front hand on a tree before taking the shot. I also took the time to adjust my scope. I’m sure I would have missed if I did not take the time to do these two things.

Shutout in Deer Season, So Far

I've hunted as hard as my schedule would allow for deer, but so far I have been shut out. Some of it is my own fault; some of it is out of my control. However, after a very fruitful 2009, 2010 is turning into the year of the shutout. Maybe more correctly, I should say it's the year of the near miss. Or, to be even more severe, the year of blowing it!


I blew it during spring turkey; calling in a bird for over an hour, then losing my patience and taking a shot before it was in range. I have not hunted pheasants as much as in past years, but I have not even had a chance at a flushed bird this year. However, I did have a cock walk right past my car door as I was finishing my coffee before heading out to the field. I could not find a shell fast enough to pursue him.

When it comes to deer, so far I've been shut out in two states.

I blew it in New Hampshire. I had an 8-pointer trot past me in pursuit of 2 does. Problem was, he was moving so fast I could not even get him in my scope. I took a desperation show through some trees just before he ducked away for good, but missed. Some have suggested that I should have grunted or made some noise to freeze him. In hindsight I guess that may have worked. I wanted to track him in the scope before freezing him, but it never happened. The whole episode only lasted less than 10 seconds. There was not a lot of time for fumbling around. It's likely that nothing was going to stop that buck since he was right on the tail of the does. I remained in that spot for the entire day, and I saw 5 deer in total, but only that one buck.
In Connecticut I only have access to public land. Public land hunting requires a little different strategy from private land. Not only do you have to find the heavily pressured deer, but you have to avoid the other people. I was not overly familiar with the land I was on, so the first few days I had less than ideal spots. I finally found some good spots on the last day of the season. I spotted 3 deer, but they were too far away for a realistic shot.

My last chance at redemption in 2010 is muzzleloader season which starts December 8 in Connecticut.

So, although I did not make any kills in 2010, I still had an interesting season in which I saw a lot of game. Hopefully I can learn from my mistakes and come back with a vengeance in 2011.

2010 Lessons Learned (so far)
1. This year was the first year I sat in one spot for an entire day. I was proud of myself to get it done. Sitting in one spot for an entire day is not an easy task, but it is possible if you come prepared. First off, you have to have confidence in your spot. There is no sense in siting in a bad spot all day. Besides, if you do not have confidence in your spot, there is no way you will be able to sit there all day anyway. Your mind will drive you crazy and force you to move. To have confidence in your spot you need to have a few things. First, you need to have good vision. You need to be able to see in a few directions. Being up in a tree helps, but I'm not a fan of tree hunting unless it's for archery. Secondly, you need to see deer sign. Preferably through your scouting you've seen deer in the spot in the past. Third, you need some comfort. A stump or a rock or some kind of chair is useful. You will not be able to sit in one spot for an entire day if you are not comfortable. Another key to being able to sit all day is being prepared, both mentally and with your gear. You need to dress warm! Even on relatively warm days, you will get cold sitting still. Dress warmer than you think you need to, and you will likely be ok. You should be dressed so warm that you over heat when walking. You may prefer to pack some layers in a backpack and put them on after you get to your spot so you don't start sweating while walking in. You also should pack some food. You will get hungry while sitting. Even if you don't, eating a lunch gives you something to do to keep your mind sharp. I usually pack a sandwich, granola bar, a piece of fruit, and something to drink. That's typically enough to keep me happy for a full day. Lastly, you might consider something to keep your mind sharp. Maybe a book or magazine is required to keep you from going stir crazy. This may be blasphemy to some hard core hunters, but whatever it takes to keep you on stand, awake, and sharp is a good tool. If you have a good spot, being able to sit all day will certainly pay off, especially during the chase phase of the rut.
2. I've mentioned this before, but a thin pair of glove liners makes a huge difference in warmth. Cabela's sells a thin silk glove liner for less than $10. The silk is so smooth and thin that you hardly can tell you have them on, but the extra warmth they provide is substantial.
3. Scouting is key on public land. Try to know the land you are hunting. This was my first year in this spot, so I did not know the land as well as I would have liked. Therefore, my parking spot was unnecessarily far from my hunting spot. I was not able to get in early enough. I should have been sitting at first light. Instead, I was still walking, and spooked the deer before getting a chance at a good shot. Additionally, I spend the first several days of the season in poor deer spots. Now that I have more knowledge of this area, I'll be a more effective hunter next year.

Replacing Pheasant Tags

The Connecticut DEP claims they sent me my pheasant tags (that I paid for 6 weeks before the start of the season), but I never received them.  I finally got my tags.  However, I had to drive to Hartford, and sign a sworn affidavit saying that I never received my original tags.  Bottom line, I got my tags.  Finally. 

Opening Day of Pheasant Season Did Not Happen

I got screwed by the Connecticut DEP. I paid for my pheasant tags on September 10, but I did not receive my tags before opening day this past Saturday. As a result, I missed out.


I called the DEP to alleviate this situation. I have to drive to a DEP office and sign an affidavit stating that I did not receive my tags. In other words, I have to take my time and money to drive to the DEP office due to their incompetence. This is a typical nanny-state run bureaucracy -- Incompetent and filled with way to many rules and regulations, run by people that don’t care.

What should happen is I should get my tags, plus a refund for the hunting day missed, and compensation for my time an effort. Of course, none of that will happen.

Your tax (and tag) money at work.

Jumping into Goose Hunting

In order to get out into the woods just a little earlier in the fall, I decided to try goose hunting this year. I’m starting from zero. I’ve never been goose hunting before. However, with the nuisance population of geese in Connecticut, I figured I might try to reduce the surplus population.


Not knowing anything in particular about goose hunting, I decided to just jump right in. I bought a cheap goose call and 12 cheap decoys. The decoys were just about the cheapest available. They are stackable and are held into the ground with plastic stakes. They seem realistic enough. A piece of burlap would serve as my blind. Everything else was stuff I already had from deer, pheasant, and turkey hunting.

Since I don’t have a retriever, I can’t hunt over water unless I plan on taking a swim myself. Therefore, I concentrated on fields. My first goose hunt was in a half-harvested cornfield. I set up the decoys in the middle of the cut field, and I went and hid in the standing corn. To my eye, the spread looked good. However, the only geese I saw were in the very early morning while I was setting up the decoys. At the time I did not figure that these would be the only geese to fly over, but even if I was at the ready for them, the fog was so think at that hour that I could barely make them out.

By my second attempt at goose hunting, the deer archery season had started. The cornfield I planned on trying already had 3 trucks parked in the lot when I got there. In order to not disturb the deer hunters, I decided to move on. I went to another location that consisted of grassy fields and several small ponds. I had seen geese in this location before. I set up my decoys and sat. Several sets of geese flew over my set up, but none showed too much interest. They simply passed over. One couple came low enough for me to attempt a shot into the stratosphere, but they were truly out of range. At least on this day, I did see honkers throughout most of the day. Three ducks landed on the pond next to me, so that game me confidence that I was communicating danger to the birds flying overhead.

The season ends this week, so my foray into goose hunting will end unsuccessfully this year. To the non-hunting observer, it seems it would be easy to harvest a bird that is so plentiful in public parks and semi-urban areas all over the state. Finding birds at the city park is different than trying to get them to land in the middle of a field a rural area where shooting is allowed.

I’ll probably give goose hunting another try next year. If nothing else, I got a chance to get some good reading done while enjoying an early fall sunrise. On to bigger and hopefully better hunting seasons!

Turkey Acting Like Pheasant

Recently, while turkey hunting, I observed a turkey behavior I have never seen before. I was walking around a hedgerow between two fields. I had been calling for some time on the other side of the hedgerow, and had heard only a few very soft gobbles. I suspected there might be turkey on the other side, but no toms. As I came around the corner, I spooked a hen feeding in the grass. In all the previous times I have spooked a turkey, it either quickly ran or flew away. This turkey did neither. Instead of fleeing, this bird hunkered down in the grass. It curled its back and ducked down. It hid more like you typically see from pheasant rather than turkey. The whole bird was fully out of sight, including the head and neck. Based on the way the turkey used its wings, it reminded me of a turtle in the grass. This grass was not very tall. It was maybe 6 or 8 inches in height. Even still, that turkey disappeared in that grass. If I had not seen it, I would have walked right past it. Even if I got relatively close, I would have been likely to think it was a rock. I just stood and waited. Eventually the bird flushed and flew to safety of a tree.


I was not aware that turkey hid like this in the middle of fields. I thought this was interesting behavior that I had never seen before. I guess every day in the field is an opportunity to learn something.

Turkey Hunting Tip #8: Locator Calls – Owl vs. Crow Calls

When turkey hunting, it’s preferable to locate turkeys with a call other than a hen call if possible. For this purpose, the two most popular calls are the owl call and the crow call. Both are typically available at stores that sell turkey calls.  I've heard different theories regarding why turkeys gobble to a crow or owl call.  I won't get into the reasons why they respond with a gobble, but just trust me that they do respond to these locator calls.


I’ve read some articles in popular hunting magazines discussing the superiority of one over the other. From experience, I can tell you that in Connecticut, turkeys will gobble a response to both an owl and crow locator call. I have successfully used both calls to locate turkeys in Connecticut.

If I had to pick only one, I would go with the crow call. The crow call is louder. Additionally, real crows are actively calling throughout the day. I’ve been told that an owl call can also be used all day long, but real owls shut up during daylight. I like my calling techniques to mimic nature as much as possible. My method is to use the owl call first thing in the morning. Crows are usually quite during the early morning hours. Once I hear the first real crow call, I switch from owl to crow locator. However, throughout the day I may switch back and forth between the two if I’m not having good luck with my crow call as the day goes on. With that in mind, I’ve used a crow call before sun up and an owl call in the heat of the day to locate turkeys. Regardless, the above method has been the most successful more of the time for me.

Turkey Hunting Tip #7: Patience

Saying that hunting requires patience is certainly not some great new revelation. Every one who has ever spent any significant time hunting any game animal knows that patience is a key requirement for a successful hunter. It’s perhaps a seemingly obvious statement to say that hunting requires patience. However, it’s so fundamental to successful hunting that it is worth repeating.

Before the game at a professional sporting event what do you see? You see some of the most skilled players in the world working on their fundamentals. You see them practicing some of the same drills that are done by young kids just starting out in sports. Even though these people are the best in the world at what they do, and they play nearly every day, they still work on their fundamentals. Additionally, when you see a mistake or error, more often than not it’s due to breakdown in some of the basic fundamental skills rather than some high-level skill. If you watch baseball games regularly, you will eventually see an infielder misplay an otherwise routine ground ball. Often the reason for this misplay is that the infielder does not square his body to the ball and get in front of it. He might get a little lackadaisical and try to play it to the side, or maybe take his eye off the ball for a split second. These are lessons that this Major League infielder learned as a 5-year old in little league baseball. Yet, these are still areas that have room for improvement. This is how developing the skill of patience is to a hunter. Every experienced hunter knows they need to be patient, but it’s a skill that is never totally mastered, and must be worked on constantly.

I would not consider myself an old-timer, but I have significant experience in the woods. Even still, when the excitement of the hunt is underway, I struggle to maintain my patience. On one recent turkey hunt I displayed great patience, and over eagerness all at the same time. I spend 2 ½ hours calling a tom across a large field. That 2 ½ hours included about 45 minutes in which the tom was behind some grasses and bushes where I could not see him, and since he was not gobbling I could not hear him either. I displayed great patience to sit with the turkey close by, but having no confirmation either visually or audibly of his presence. Of course, during those 45 minutes I was questioning myself. I was questioning whether sitting tight was the right move (or non-move in this case). I was questioning whether the tom was still there, or had he ducked into the woods. I was questioning whether he had moved to an adjacent field, and by waiting I was missing my chance. All these things went through my mind, but I knew that by sitting tight, regardless of how difficult that might be under those circumstances, I had the best chance to land the bird. Yes, he may have ducked into the woods, but if that was the case there was nothing moving from my location would have done. However, if he did happen to still be there, moving would have certainly given away my position and that turkey would have ran off like the road runner in the cartoons. Turns out, I sat tight, and eventually that turkey made his way towards the middle of the field where I was able to see him. Turkeys have a different sense of time than humans. He was on turkey time, taking his sweet time, not human time. Now, that was my example of patience. In that same hunt I was also over eager. When the turkey got close to my position, I started getting nervous that he would duck into the woods, and I fired earlier than I should have. I underestimated my distance and the turkey was out of range. I should have held my position and waited for him to get closer. Yes, he may have ducked into the woods, but by waiting I would have given myself some chance to better my position. As it turned out, I fired and put myself in a situation in which I had no chance of getting the bird. If I had waited, perhaps I had a 50% chance of him ducking into the woods, and a 50% chance of him coming closer within range. Even though it was a coin flip, it was still significantly better than the 0% move I made by firing too early. The fact that I was so patient earlier in the hunt, made it that much more infuriating that I was not patient later in the hunt. Many swear words were spoken to myself after blowing it with that bird.

Patience is sometimes difficult to execute in the field when your heart is thumping. It’s a hunting skill that’s developed over time. Using patience will help you play the percentages, and make you a better hunter.

Turkey Hunting Tip #6: Use Decoys to Estimate Distance

I missed a turkey this spring because I underestimated how far he was from my position. Unfortunately for me, since this bird was in an open field I did not have the luxury of setting up decoys, or pacing off some landmarks to help estimate distance. However, if possible, it’s a good idea to pace off some landmarks from your set up spot to help you estimate distance when that tom comes strutting in. Even with turkey loads, it’s my recommendation that you want your bird to be within 40 yards before taking a shot. If no easy landmarks are available, use your decoys to help estimate distance. After setting up your decoys, be sure to count the paces back to where you are sitting. I like to have my decoys about 20 yards from my position, but depending on circumstances I may have them from 15 to 25 yards away. Knowing the distance from your decoys can be useful to help you estimate your distance before taking that shot. Good luck.

Early Turkey Season Observation: Less Gobbling

I spent 3 days in the woods during the first week of the 2010 Connecticut spring turkey season. One observation I made is that there is less gobbling than normal so far in 2010. I don’t mean that the turkeys are not there. What I mean is that turkeys that are there are tending to keep quiet. I have heard some gobbles. I heard one respond to an owl call at first light. I also had one reluctantly respond to some blind calling I was doing. However, in general, gobbling seems to be down. This makes it more difficult to locate turkeys.


Consider this example:

One recent morning, I spotted a gobbler in a field. He was following a hen moving down the field, so I set up some 500 yards or so down field and made some soft calls. I called to this gobbler for 2 ½ hours as he slowly made his way down to my area. During this time he strutted, flapped his wings, bobbed his head, and did everything short of a ballroom dance, but at no time did he gobble. We spent 2 ½ hours calling and strutting and not one gobble. I ended up not bagging this gobbler, but when I got up to collect my decoys, I say another tom that was just out of my sight over the other side of a small hill. He was also coming to my stand without a single gobble.

I’m not sure why I’m observing less gobbling. Perhaps it’s due to the fact that the season started one week earlier than in past years. Perhaps the weather patterns have something to do with it. Regardless of the reason, this has added another level of challenge to my turkey hunting in 2010.  Keep your eyes open.

Turkey Hunting Tip #5: Emergency Decoy

When I first started turkey hunting, I started out with foam decoys. They were light, easy to carry, and most importantly – they were cheap. They did the job fine, but eventually wore out. Since they were only foam, tears developed, and I eventually had to scrap them. I upgraded to a nicer plastic set. They are still foldable, so easy to stuff into a vest, but they look better and are sturdier than the cheaper foam decoys. I usually use two decoys. I set up one hen and one jake. I believe this is a good all-around decoy set up. Having the hen attracts gobblers, but the jake also gets them fired up. Also, the jake is less threatening to other hens. I’ve used this two-decoy set up to bring in several birds.


However, there is still some use for the foam decoys. Consider keeping a foam hen decoy as an “emergency decoy”. Although my normal set up consists of two birds, I like to keep a third foam hen decoy rolled up in the bottom of my vest. Usually, it will not be used. Since it is foam, it is light and does not take up much space. The purpose of this emergency decoy is for the times when you can’t approach your standard set up for fear of being seen. Consider this situation: You have your standard decoys set up in an open field. You see a bird, but he’s down field and not moving towards your decoys. You want to set up closer to this bird, but you fear you will be seen if you try to retrieve your decoys. This is the circumstance in which you would use your emergency decoy. Leave the two decoys you already have set up where they are, move to a down field position, and use your emergency decoy.

As stated earlier, most of the time this third decoy will just remain rolled up on the bottom of your vest. However, there are circumstances where you might want to consider carrying this emergency decoy.

Turkey Hunting Tip #4: Binoculars

Generally, less is more when it comes to hunting gear.  Each piece of equipment is another thing to lug through the woods.  Retailers market binoculars as an essential piece of hunting equipment.  In the New England deer woods binoculars are often dead weight, with the forest too thick for them to be of much use.  However, binoculars may be a piece of equipment to consider for turkey hunting in Connecticut.

Since much of turkey hunting is done in open fields, binoculars can be useful.  They are useful to be able to identify if a turkey a long distance away is a hen, jake, or that gobbler you're after.  Sometimes they are even useful to tell if that lump in the field is a rock or a turkey.  On public land, binoculars are useful to determine whether that turkey you see in the field is a decoy from another hunter, or a real bird.  I've wasted time creeping up on turkey set ups, only to get a little closer and realize they are decoys from another hunter.  In addition to a time waster, this is also a safety issue, as you don't want to be getting to close to another hunter.

You can get away without them, but if you have some extra room in your vest, binoculars can be a useful turkey hunting tool.

Start of the Connecticut 2010 Spring Turkey Season Shows A Display of New England Extremes

Spring Turkey season opened this Wednesday in Connecticut.  In just these first four days of the season, hunters have seen all the weather variation New England has to offer.

On opening day (Wednesday) it was bitter cold for late April.  Snow fell as I drove into the turkey woods.  The wind blew strong and steady.  I did not hear a single gobble, nor see a bird under these tough conditions.

Thursday was just a bit warmer.  The morning was calmer.  One bird was heard and spotted, but by mid-morning the wind was blowing so hard that it was nearly impossible to hunt.

By Friday, conditions had improved considerably.  The birds were moving, but still not gobbling a lot.  However, I was able to see several birds.

Saturday featured nearly mid-summer heat with highs in the mid to upper 80s F.

So, conditions went from snow on Wednesday to near record heat on Saturday.  This is the nature of hunting in New England, and it presents unique challenges in the woods.  Turkey hunter needs to prepare themselves for the different conditions and adapt their tactics accordingly.

My recommendation is to always dress in layers while turkey hunting.  It's better to be too warm because one can always remove a layer.  This is even more easier with turkey hunting than other forms of hunting because unwanted clothing can easily be stored in your turkey vest.

I have no scientific data, but it's been my experience that turkeys tend to stay more in the woods during cold and windy conditions.  As temperatures warm and wind dies down, you will see them move in to fields more easily during the day.  Windy and rainy conditions are the most difficult in which to hunt because your calls, as well as the response calls of the gobblers, can not easily be heard.  The heat is OK for turkey hunting, but presents difficulty for the hunter with just plain hotness and the bugs.  The heat brings the bugs out.  A small bottle of bug spray is a good item to keep in a turkey vest.  Remember, turkey do not use their sense of smell, so feel free to cover yourself with the spray.  It's also a good idea to use the spray to keep ticks away as the season wears on.

Future columns this month will continue with turkey hunting tips, as well as a recap of some recent hunts.

Turkey Hunting Tip #1: Dress in layers.  Remove unwanted layers and store them in your turkey vest as the temperature rises.

Turkey Hunting Tip #2: If you only have one day to hunt, and you have a choice, consider wind and rain conditions first.  Turkey hunting is difficult in windy and wet conditions.

Turkey Hunting Tip #3: Carry a small bottle of bug repellent in your turkey vest.

More to come later.

Good luck.  

2010 CT Turkey Season Opens April 28

The state of Connecticut has changed the regulations for turkey tags for 2010. Previously, a hunter was only allowed to get tags for either state land or private land. Now, both are available. A hunter can get 2 bearded birds on state land, and up to 3 bearded birds on private land. The season opens April 28th and ends May 29th.


I just bought my tags today. I waited because if I bought my license and all tags all at once I would be in the poor house. Now I buy the tags as I need them using the new online system. I paid $19 per tag for a total of $38 for the state and private land tags.

The new online system is convenient. It is better than having to rely on mail, or to drive to the DEP office in Hartford to buy tags. However, I don’t like the new prices. I was one of the unfortunate ones to buy my hunting/fishing license early in the year, so I paid the full price, and will not get any refund now that the state lowered the price. It does not look like the prices of tags are going to go down, so it’s probably safe to buy now. Tags are available on the CT DEP website.

2-Piece Self Climbing Tree Stand for Sale

I'm selling my old tree stand.  I used it last year for hunting, but I don't really need it any more since the spot I hunt has permanent stands.

If you're interested, the link is below.  I'll give you a good deal.  Name your price and come pick it up.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Tree-Stand-2-piece-self-climbing_W0QQitemZ190387616194QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item2c53fc79c2

Primos Sonic Dome Triple Turkey Call Review

It’s a sure sign of spring fever when you buy a new turkey call in the middle of a winter storm. However, that’s just what I did this past week. I had a $10 gift card, and I used it to buy a new turkey mouth call. I guess I’m not the only one already looking forward to the spring turkey season because the sporting goods store has their full array of turkey hunting equipment on display.


I ended up buying picking out a Primos call called the Sonic Dome Triple. This is a triple reed call with a plastic dome on the top surface. The plastic dome helps the call to consistently fit in the roof of the mouth.

If you’ve ever tried a turkey mouth call before, you know that the triple reed design can be more difficult to use than other configurations. The trade off is that the triple reed is able to create a larger variety of sounds. The Primos Sonic Dome Triple is one of the easiest-to-use triple reed calls I’ve tried. The plastic feature works as advertised. It positions the call in your mouth, and is quite comfortable. With the call consistently positioned, it becomes easier to master the triple reed call.

The Primos Sonic Dome Triple can be purchased for under $10.