There is nothing more exciting in the woods than hearing the sound of an old tom gobbling on the roost.
Hopefully, you turkey hunters had some success in March. If not, the late days in April can be productive.
The key is having turkeys to hunt, and that means you must have habitat that attracts them.
During the spring season, fields are generally the place to find turkeys, but waist-high vegetation is too dense for the birds. So spend some time on a tractor clipping and disking up the ground.
Good nesting habitat for the hens is important, but of more importance is having good feeding areas for the poults once they hatch. Clipping strips and strip planting with millet, sunflower, sorghum and the like will provide turkeys a mix of seeds and a variety of insects, which is what the young poults need.
Hopefully, you spent some time with your shotgun and know the maximum range for an effective shot. It is far better to watch a tom walk away without any wounds than to see one run off or fly off, knowing that a few BBs had done some damage.
And as always, please report your harvest to LDWF.
Hope you have a great turkey season. You might even consider an early morning hunt, followed by a little bass fishing.
Who knows: We might see your picture on the cover with you holding a 20-pound tom and a 10-pound bass.
