2005,2006,2007 Florida State Turkey Calling Champion

2004, 2007 Florida State Gobbling Champion

Quaker Boy Game Calls Pro Staff

One of the most asked questions about hunting the wild turkey is “when do I call and how often?” I feel that there is an art to calling turkeys. It’s all based on feeling him out and knowing what he wants to hear. How do you know this? Well I think it will come to you the more you work gobblers in different scenarios. Right off the roost, mid morning with hens, with out hens, public land bird, private land bird. In my opinion, whether calling a hot to trot two year old or a four year old hard hunted public bird, it’s a matter of getting his attention and keeping his interest just enough to get him to investigate. If you over call him, he will stand his ground and wait for this hot hen to meet him for their rendezvous. If you under call him, he will move off to the next hot item.

Take into consideration what part of the season it is and the possibility the bird your working has been called to before. Early season, less pressured birds are generally going to be more workable than birds later in the season that have heard every call in the book. I feel the toms come to the realization that every hen sound they hear is not an actual hen, making them much more difficult to call. That’s not to say that a late season gobbler can’t be called, especially when all of his harem has been bred and is nesting, leaving him all alone most of the day.

My first advice in the process of learning when to call and how often is to practice, practice, practice and become proficient in more than one type of call – box, pot style and air(mouth and tube calls). Learn every vocalization a turkey makes and be able to reproduce these calls. The more calls you have in your repertoire the better chance you’ll have to coax him in. Obtain recordings of wild birds and listen to rhythm and not necessarily tone.(for sounds of the wild turkey go to NWTF.ORG) Remember every wild turkey has a different voice. Record your calling, outside preferably. Gain confidence in your calling, know that you can purr when needed, cut when needed, yelp when needed etc. Nothing is worse than a hunter that is afraid to talk with a gobbler because his calling lacks confidence.

Now for the two types of birds I’ll be discussing. One is your basic call-shy gobbler and two is the workable bird that will come in with just the right amount of coaxing. I don’t mean the two year old that will fall over himself getting to you at the first sound that resembles a hen. I mean a workable gobbler.

When first engaging this tom, just feel him out and see how responsive he is. Start him with a little yelping and back off. If he starts in, then stop!! Over calling is probably the number one reason hunters don’t bag toms. Let me state that again. Over calling is probably the number one reason hunters don’t bag toms!!!

Give him enough to get his attention and start him coming. As your bird is closing I would recommend , what I call, checking him. Just a soft yelp or cluck to find his position and verify he’s still closing the distance. If his gobbles are farther away then its time to get more aggressive with him. Regain his attention with some cutting and excited yelping.

If this works and he starts moving toward you again, then let him work, let him come. I personally like to throw a series of purrs and clucks at him just to seal the deal. A good rule of thumb, less is almost always better, but like I stated previously, don’t loose his attention. Just don’t call every breath to hear him gobble. I love to hear a tom gobble as much as the next guy but don’t get caught up in the moment.

As for Mr. Call Shy, this is the gobbler that will really put your skills and patience to the test. This is the bird that will make you the proudest if you outsmart and bag him or humble you just the same if he evades you. This bird is going to be influenced by very soft subtle hen talk – purring and really soft clucking along with soft short yelps, very similar to tree yelps. Also, throw in a little whine or two. Use a series of the calls mentioned every 15 or 20 minutes.

Make your set up as realistic as possible. Not just with audible turkey talk, but with turkey noises, such as the age old trick of scratching in the leaves while simulating the above mentioned calls.

While hunting the third weekend of the central Florida season, I bagged a great bird on public land using those very tactics. He had gobbled on his own one time and I never answered him directly. I did exactly what I mentioned above, purring and clucking, whining and soft yelping on my Quaker Boy World Champ mouth call and about 40 minutes later the bird slipped in ever so cautiously, never strutting, never gobbling. He weighed 17 pounds, had an 11” beard and 1 1/2” spurs.

When working a bird off the roost, you may want to try a fly down with just wing beats, not the cackle. Use a hat beating on your leg or use a wing off a turkey to simulate a hen flying down. Also knowing where this bird is going after fly down can be valuable to your success.

Setting up where he’s going along with this light calling can prove to be successful. More times than not this bird is going to come in quiet and will not alert you of his presence. If you know this bird is using the area and know he isn’t vocal, just set up, soft call and wait. You are basically fooling this tom into believing you’re a lonely hen feeding. Keep in mind this type of scenario is really not engaging the bird in conversation as mentioned with the first type of gobbler.

Just remember when you’re working a vocal gobbler, call him just enough to keep him coming. Keep his interest piqued enough to make him look for you but no more! As he works his way in, check him a time or two to make sure he’s still closing the distance then shut down your calling and be looking for that neon red, white and blue head. If you’re working a non vocal, call shy bird or just hunting a tom you know is in the area but isn’t giving away his location, simulate a call shy hen – one that is looking for company but isn’t going to gather attention while trying to gain companionship. Soft hen talk mixed with feeding noises is a safe bet.

In addition, if you know anyone that has been successful hunting and taking turkeys, pick their brain for knowledge. Take to the field with them and see what makes them successful. You can learn more from one hunting trip with a good turkey hunter than
many seasons afield by yourself.

Scott Ellis

Camouflage is much talked about and used, but rarely understood. Part of our misunderstanding of camouflage is the result of watching too many action type movies. In the movies our hero generally has a specially designed camouflage uniform, as well as a very detailed and uniquely designed face pattern. While all of that adds to the excitement of the movie, it is hardly suggested for most hunters or military members. So, what is camouflage, why is it used, and how can you use it properly?Camouflage is the art of blending into your natural surroundings, thus giving you the ability to remain unnoticed. Sounds easy, but it is not that simple to maintain good camouflage. Your first consideration is determining what you want to remain concealed from. If it is an animal, determine first if it is colorblind. It is easier to camouflage from an animal that is colorblind and you can actually use international orange, red, and other bright colors without any lose of concealment. This may be an important safety factor if you wish to use camouflage patterns, and yet remain seen by other hunters. But, what if you are camouflaging against animals or humans that are not colorblind?

Your concern at that point is making sure your camouflage matches your surroundings and you remain unnoticed. It would, for instance, not be to your advantage to use desert camo in a woodlands environment (unless your game is colorblind). Also, if you attach plants or bushes to yourself for camo, make sure they match the area you may be in. Nothing would grab the eye more than the wrong color, or type of plant, in the wrong place, unless it would be when that wrong object is moving. Your goal with camouflage is to blend in and become one with your surroundings. This is done effectively by breaking up the human form.

Additionally, take a look around you as you move with your camouflage (situational awareness the military calls it). If you have bushes attached to you and you are moving over a field, you will be noticed. Additionally, any plant life you use as part of your concealment should fit the area. By that I mean, if the area has only pine trees and you are wearing oak or long grasses as part of your camouflage, you will stand out. Many military members will stop when they enter a new area and apply fresh camo to match the area. Keep in mind also, your greenery will die after a short period and start to droop. You may have to cut and attach fresh camouflage at that point. You want to look natural, not like you have been ill.

One area that many people, including the military overlook is the proper use of camouflage paint, or makeup. We often smear a few streaks of paint on our face and call it done. This mistake is common, but isn’t effective use of camouflage. No, I am suggesting you spent hours putting on your “makeup”, rather I am saying it should be applied properly. Poorly applied camo may draw attention to you and actually hurt your concealment efforts.

As you apply the camouflage makeup, make sure the high features of your face (nose, forehead, cheeks and chin) are covered well. It is usually a good idea to apply a light layer of baby oil or a lotion to your skin prior to applying the camouflage makeup. This tip will make it much easier to remove the camo when you need to take it off. Also, you can use a blotch or line-pattern design of camouflage as you put it on. I prefer to cover high points of my face in black or dark brown. Additionally, if may be a good idea to cover your eyelids as well. I have seen a perfectly concealed individual with his eyes closed located easily at night through the use of a high-powered light. His eyelids actually shined when the light hit them. Don’t forget to cover your ears, both front and back, as well as your neck.

Another area we frequently forget to camouflage is our hands and fingers. Your skin color will stand out on your hands, if the rest of you is well camouflaged. Take the time to cover your hands well, including the skin between your fingers (the webbed area). If you are wearing a short-sleeved shirt, do not forget to cover the arms as well. Have another hunter or member of your team check you closely for exposed skin once you have applied your camo.

Keep in mind that camouflage does not make you invisible. It just makes you harder to see. In other words, it breaks up the natural form of the human body. If you must move while wearing camo, make your movements very slowly and do not skyline (be seen against a sky background) yourself. Usually, it is a good idea to stay to low lying areas and to move in the shadows. This type of movement will make you much harder to see. If you are hunting game, move only when the animal is feeding (and has its head down) or when it is looking away from you. Be prepared to freeze at any second. If you freeze, at times even when in clear view, you may not be spotted. Movement is what attracts the most attention when you are attempting to remain unseen. Move only when you must and then slowly.

Other considerations with camouflage, is making sure you have nothing exposed that can flash sunlight or shine at night. Remember that eyeglasses, necklaces, bracelets, and watches can shine and give your position away. Even at night, a light shined on you may result in a shine from one of these items.

When you must move and remain unseen, as I said earlier, use shadows, but remember the sun is constantly moving so the shadows will be changing as well. Be aware of your natural surrounding and use rock formations, trees, and brush to assist in your concealment efforts. Move as little as possible, or as I stated earlier, move slowly when you do move. Remember to break up the “V” of all crotch areas, between the legs and your arms. Make any observations you may have to do in the prone position. Once again, remember, if you are seen, freeze. Most of the time you will not be seen.

One last area of camouflage we often forget is scent. Humans, as well as most game, will smell us way before they ever see us. Make sure you do not use perfumed soaps, shampoos, shaving creams or shaving lotions (and we are a smell good society). Also, gum, candy, or the use of tobacco may give your position away. One aspect of scents we rarely think of is smoke (both from cigarettes and campfires). I once knew a hunter that would purposefully stand in the smoke of a campfire prior to going hunting. He claimed it masked his odor. He also claimed it was an old trick he had learned from a Native American. Well, he was correct in with this view, it would cover his odor, but he failed to realize any critter in the woods would smell the smoke way before it ever saw him. And, animals, just like humans, associate the scent of smoke with man. Use caution when around smoke from your campfire or when around smokers to avoid absorbing the smell. Oh, by the way, I never knew that man to ever bag any large game.

In the military they taught us the acronym BLISS when considering camouflage. BLISS stands for, Blend, (keep a) Low silhouette, (keep a) Irregular shape, (stay) Small, and keep to Secluded areas. Essentially, BLISS along with good camouflage makeup, situational awareness, and scent control, will do the job of assisting you in your concealment efforts.

Camouflage, now I see you, now I don’t, is simple to use but few of us use it properly. By remembering what I have suggested in this short article you too can blend into the background. Camouflage is BLISS.

Take care and stay safe in the woods.

By Gary L. Benton

Untreated cast iron rusts, especially around water. To prevent metal from oxidizing in the presence of moisture, cast iron requires a process called “seasoning”. Seasoning is simply the procedure of baking oil into the oven’s pores, and on top of the iron pores. This baked on coating will darken and eventually turn black with age. Darkening is the sign of a well kept oven, and of it’s use. This coating forms a barrier between moisture in the air and the surface of the metal. It also provides a non-stick coating on the inside of the oven that is easy to clean.

Here are some tips when it comes time to season your oven.

Scrub lid and oven in hot water with a mild soap to take off the coating the manufacture puts on the oven before shipping. Use a stiff brush, 3M scrub pad, or plastic scrubbing pad to scrub the waxy coating off of your new Dutch oven, and rinse in clear, hot water. Dry your oven by putting it in the kitchen oven at 150 to 200 degrees for 15 or 20 minutes.

While it is warm, coat the inner and outer surfaces with a thin layer of cooking oil. Use a good grade of olive or vegetable oil. Peanut oil is a choice of many, and tallow or lard can also be used, but they tend to break down over time and become rancid if the oven is not used often enough.

Place the oven and lid in a conventional oven, or a gas BBQ grill, with the pot upside down and the lid on the Dutch oven legs. Heat oven at 450 to 500 degrees and bake for 30 to 40 minutes until the oil turns very dark, nearly black. This process bakes a grease coating into the pot and virtually gives it a no scrub surface.

Remove the oven and apply another light coat of oil, and. bake at 450 to 500 degrees for another 30 minutes. By using high temperatures, the oil will bake harder and darker, leaving your oven shinier. You should oil and bake at least once, I like to go through this process two, or even three times to get a beautiful dark color, and rock hard finish.

Turn off the heat and let the Dutch oven sit until cool. If the surface is sticky, bake an additional 30 to 40 minutes. When seasoning your oven it will create a smell that may be unpleasant. For this reason some like to season their ovens in a BBQ outside, however I have done all mine indoors with the doors and windows open.

The first thing you cook in your oven after seasoning should be things like roasts, potatoes or chicken. Stay away from tomatoes and tomato products with high acid content, or a lot of sugar such as cobblers. Acids and sugars can break down the protective covering before it seasons or hardens properly.

A well seasoned oven produces a unique flavor unequaled by any other cooking utensil. This is the Magic of Dutch Oven cooking.

Biography of the Author:

Glea and Dennis Reno are the owners of www.dutchovenmagic.com. They are based at Billings, Montana and have taught Youth Groups, Scout Troops, Church Organisation and friends what they have learned about Dutch Oven Cooking over years. They also do cooking demonstration at various retail outlets. They can be contacted at help@dutchovenmagic.com.