Earlier this week, I was turkey hunting with my wife in Montana when something unusual happened. After I called in a Merriam's gobbler and shot it, a coyote ran in and tried to steal the bird. Here's a video of the attempted heist in progress.
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...
I’m an official scorer for the Boone & Crockett Club. And although we track scores for nearly every game animal on the planet, we don’t keep records for gobblers—we leave that to the National Wild Turkey Federation. They keep records for every state, county, and subspecies of turkey. Here's how to measure and register your bird.
The wingbone turkey call is a classic tool that’s as old as turkey hunting itself. These are a blast to make, fun to use, and most importantly, can help you kill a gobbler. Now that doesn’t mean I’ll be tossing out my Phelps Jake Brake or box call anytime soon. Using a crafted wingbone is like shooting traditional archery—there are far better options, but it still has its time and place. I prefer to use the wingbone to supplement my diaphragm. A...