April 25 is the date of this year’s Youth Hunt for spring gobblers, and the regular season opens on May 2. So, my question to you is, “Is Your Vest Ready?” With the arrival of spring-like weather, it is easy to get caught up in all those outdoor chores that have been put off by the cold and snow. Yard work and getting ready for spring planting will take up much of our time over the next few weeks. Before you realize it, Youth Day and Opening Day will sneak up on us. Take time now to make sure your vest is loaded and ready for the upcoming season. Here are a few thoughts on what you need to be carrying.
The more time you spend in the turkey woods, the more you will realize that turkeys frequently sound different from one another. While there are standard calls, such as yelps, purrs, clucks, and gobbles, individual birds have sounds that vary in pitch, tone, and volume. To duplicate this variable, it is advisable to carry more than one kind of turkey call, and also to carry more than one of each type.
The standard box call is a must, and can produce any turkey sound you wish to make. But, additionally, for a slight variation, consider adding to your vest a “long box.” Generally, 2 or 3 inches longer than the standard box call, it will produce a pitch and tone that varies from the standard call. It can also crank out a sound that carries farther than the standard call, making it useful on windy days or for locating a bird at a greater distance.
Slate calls or pot calls are one of the easiest to master, and a pot call with a slate surface, as well as one with a glass surface, is an important call to carry if you are going to offer a variation in sound to nearby turkeys. On a rainy day, the slate call will be rendered useless by any raindrops that land on its surface, but the glass-surfaced pot call will be unaffected and thus a welcome addition to your vest when rain comes your way. Include several strikers for each pot call — each one will yield a slightly different pitch or tone, and you can never be sure which one will turn on a nearby gobbler. Offering a variety of pitches and tones is an important key to getting a gobbler to come your way.
Finally, the mouth call is also a must. They come in seemingly endless shapes and sizes, while they are the most difficult to master, they will become the “go to” call that most turkey hunters will use — especially effective when you are trying to simulate multiple turkey sounds and using it simultaneously with a box or pot call to sound like numerous turkeys at once. Once a gobbler is coming your way and reaches a distance where he can be seen, the mouth call is essential, as you can now continue to produce turkey sounds without moving your hands, which is critical since turkeys have extremely keen eyesight. Any movement at all, and that approaching old Tom will disappear! Carry several mouth calls so you can offer a variety of sounds to interested birds.
Pruning shears or hand-held cutters are essential. They are a great tool for clearing limbs and brush to create a clear shooting lane or to remove unwanted brush where you will be sitting.
Individually slip each of your box or pot calls, strikers, and other items into Ziploc bags to keep them clean and protected from rain. Stick a few extra of these bags in one of the vest pockets — they will come in handy for many uses. You will wish you had them if you come across some wild ramps, fern fiddleheads, or morel mushrooms!
Waterproof matches and a whistle for signaling don’t take up any room or add any appreciable weight to a vest. None of us likes to think something negative will happen while we are enjoying the outdoors, but it is important to have a few items like these “just in case.”
Time is running out to verify that all your equipment is ready for opening day, and with current delays across various supply chains, you might need to act quickly to replace or repair any items you plan to carry.
“Good Luck” this season as you spend quality time in the turkey woods. Remember to “Always Identify Your Target, and Beyond!”
