A Guide to Hunting Wild Turkey

Wild turkeys are the big game of the small game world. Weighing upwards of 25 pounds, a mature bird is capable of supplying multiple meals for even a large family. While many states have fall turkey hunting seasons, hunting for these birds is generally regarded as a spring activity. April or May brings on their breeding season. This is the time of year when males fill the woods with the sounds of their raucous and unmistakable gobbles, which...

Wild Turkey Attacks: Horror in the Suburbs

Here at MeatEater, we’ve provided plenty of recent coverage of hunters mauled by grizzlies and kids bitten by mountain lions, but haven’t given near enough attention to turkey attacks on humans. As we head out to chase gobblers this spring, there’s hope that reporting on all the times folks have taken an “L” against turkeys will do us some good in the karma department. The idea of a tom pecking at the shin of a guy mowing his lawn is damn funny...

America’s 5 Wild Turkey Subspecies

The wild turkey is one of the most widely distributed game animals in North America, with huntable numbers in every state except Alaska. Estimates put the country’s total population at about 7 million, made up of five different wild turkey subspecies. Each subspecies looks, sounds, and acts a bit differently, which should influence how you hunt them. Eastern Turkey Subspecies Eastern turkeys are the most populous in the country with a flock size...