As we approach the halfway point in the spring gobbler season here in Pennsylvania and New York, a lot has changed. The leaves are out. Gobblers are pressured. Many gobblers have moved from the places they hung out at the beginning of the season. Their tendency to run to a call is gone. Do these changes reduce your chances of tagging old three-toes?
Statistically, it probably does. I don't have any figures at hand, but I'll bet fewer gobblers are killed in the last half of the season than during the first. But that might only be a function of the fact that fewer turkey hunters are in the woods. And it only means the committed turkey hunter must understand the changes and hunt accordingly. Check out my newest newspaper column, "Mid-Season Is No Time for Turkey Hunters to Quit." (The gobbler pictured here was killed a few years ago on May 27.) And check out my Northern Scratchbox turkey call. Here's the text of an email I just received on a couple of calls I mailed to a hunter in Maryland last week: " Thank you very much for the awesome calls." Supplies are getting short. Order yours today!