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California Turkey Hunting

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Cleveland National Forest Supervisor's Office 10845 Rancho Bernardo Rd., Suite 200, San Diego, CA - 92127. (619) 673-6180, Fax - (619) 673-6192. Email: mailroom/r5_cleveland@fs.fed.us California Relay Service, (800) 735-2929 (TTY), (800) 735-2922 (voice). Office Hours 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Monday - Friday.

San Bernardino National Forest Supervisor's Office 1824 South Commercenter Circle, San Bernardino, CA 92408-3430. (909) 383-5588. Hours: 8 am - 4:30 pm M-F.

Angeles National Forest Supervisor's Office 701 N. Santa Anita Ave., Arcadia, CA 91006. (626) 574-1613, (626) 574-5200. (562) 342-7145. FAX (626) 574-5233.

2006 California Spring Turkey Hunt

2005 SPRING TURKEY HUNT SEASON:

Shotgun -Saturday Mar. 25, 2006 to Sunday April 30, 2006

Archery -Saturday Mar. 25, 2006 to Sunday May 14, 2006

LICENSE REQUIREMENTS: Hunting License: You must possess a California hunting license in addition to the Upland Game Stamp. The cost of a hunting license is:

Annual resident $ 33.35.
Junior annual resident hunting license is $ 8.65.
Non resident annual hunting license is $ 115.75.
Two-Day Nonresident license, age 16 and over (not valid for big game) $ 33.35.
Nonresident, Special One-Day License is $16.00.
Reduced Fee, Disabled Veteran $ 5.25.
Duplicate Hunting License $ 6.85 .
Hunter Education Stamp is $3.15.

The California hunting license is good from July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2006. California resident and nonresident hunting licenses are nonrefundable and nontransferable.

Upland Game Stamp The stamp is $6.85 and is required for all adult license holders who hunt pheasant, turkey, doves, pigeons, snipe, grouse, ptarmigan, quail, partridge or chukar. Junior license holders are NOT required to purchase the Upland Game Bird Stamp, but must have a Harvest Information Survey stamp (free). Under the Game Bird Heritage Program, funds generated from the sale of this stamp have provided a dedicated source of funding for promoting and enhancing upland game hunting opportunities and access to both private and public lands in California. Additionally, Game Bird Heritage provides the funds for the materials and postage for "Wing Beat News". Upland game bird stamps are available from Department license sales offices and license agents throughout the state.

Definition of Resident. A resident is defined as any person who has resided continuously in California for six months immediately before the date of application for a license, tag or permit; persons on active duty with the armed forces of the United States or an auxiliary branch; or Job Corps enrollees.

Disabled Veteran Hunting Licenses. A $5.25 hunting license is available for qualified disabled veterans. To be eligible, applicants must submit: (1) a letter from the Veterans Administration verifying that the applicant has a 70 percent or greater service-connected disability and was honorably discharged from the United States armed forces; and (2) evidence of meeting California hunter education requirements. Applicants renewing this license may submit their disabled veteran hunting license from the previous year as proof of meeting eligibility requirements. The reduced-fee provisions do not apply to hunting tags or species stamps. Disabled Veteran Hunting Licenses are issued only through DFG Offices.

Hunter Education Special Requirement. Hunting licenses shall be issued to hunters only upon presentation of one of the following:

An annual California hunting license from a prior year or evidence of having held such a license; a California hunter education completion or equivalency certificate; a certificate of competence or completion of a California approved hunter education training course from any state or Canadian province; or a current year hunting license from any state, province, European country or South Africa. For further information, contact any DFG office or license agent. A California hunter education validation stamp must be affixed to hunter education certificates from California.

SHOOTING HOURS: The shooting hours for the spring wild turkey season shall be from one-half hour before sunrise to 4:00 p.m.

BAG LIMIT: 1 bearded turkey per day for 37 consecutive days. A bearded turkey is one having a beard visible through the breast feathers. Bearded hens are legal to shoot as long as the beard is visible.

POSSESSION LIMIT: 3 per season. You must also fill out a "Declaration for Entry" form to comply with Importation law: Section 2353 of the California Fish & Game Code if you bring any game into California from another state or country. You can get the "Declaration for Entry" form here.

WEAPONS ALLOWED: Shotguns 10 gauge or smaller using shot shells only and incapable of holding more than three shells in the magazine and chamber combined. If a plug is used to reduce the capacity of a magazine to fulfill the requirements of this section, the plug must be of one piece construction incapable of removal without disassembling the gun; (b) Shotgun shells may not be used or possessed that contain shot size larger than No. BB, except that shot size larger than No. 2 may not be used or possessed when taking wild turkey. All shot shall be loose in the shell.

(d) Falconry;

(e) Bow and arrow. For the taking of migratory game birds, resident small game, furbearers and nongame mammals and birds any arrow or crossbow bolt may be used except as prohibited by subsection (d) below. (d) No arrows or crossbow bolt with an explosive head or with any substance which would tranquilize or poison any animal may be used. No arrows or crossbow bolt without flu-flu fletching may be used for the take of pheasants and migratory game birds, except for provisions of section 507 (a). (e) No arrow or crossbow bolt may be released from a bow or crossbow upon or across any highway, road or other way open to vehicular traffic. (f) No bow or crossbow may be used which will not cast a legal hunting arrow, except flu-flu arrows, a horizontal distance of 130 yards. (g) Crossbows may not be used to take game birds and game mammals during archery seasons. (h) Archers may not possess a firearm while hunting in the field during any archery season, or while hunting during a general season under the provisions of an archery only tag. (i) No person may nock or fit the notch in the end of an arrow to a bowstring or crossbow string in a ready-to-fire position while in or on any vehicle.

(f) Air rifles firing pellets and powered by compressed air or gas (0.20 caliber minimum for taking wild turkey).

BAITING: According to the California Fish and Game Code, resident game birds and mammals may not be taken within 400 yards of any baited area. (a) Definition of Baited Area. As used in this regulation, “baited area” shall mean any area where shelled, shucked or unshucked corn, wheat or other grains, salt, or other feed whatsoever capable of luring, attracting, or enticing such birds or mammals is directly or indirectly placed, exposed, deposited, distributed, or scattered, and such area shall remain a baited area for ten days following complete removal of all such corn, wheat or other grains, salt, or other feed.

ELECTRONIC CALLING: Electronic or mechanically-operated calling or sound-reproducing devices are prohibited when attempting to take resident game birds.

LIVE DECOYS: The use of live decoys is prohibited when attempting to take resident game birds.

SHOOTING FROM VEHICLES: DFG reg. 252. No person shall pursue, drive, herd, or take any bird or mammal from any type of motor-driven air or land vehicles, motorboat, airboat, sailboat, or snowmobile, except: 1) When the motor of such motorboat, airboat, or sailboat has been shut off and/or the sails furled and its progress therefrom has ceased, and it is drifting, beached, moored, resting at anchor, or is being propelled by paddle, oar or pole. (2)if they have a Mobility Disabled Persons Motor Vehicle License.

RADIO USE WHILE HUNTING: It is legal to use and posses two way radios while hunting in California with one restriction. You CANNOT herd or pursue game with the radios. Calling in to meet for lunch or needing help dragging a animal out is okay. Calling your buddy that the buck is 100 yards to his left or coordinating drives is illegal. There is no DFG reg on this but wardens will cite you under the "Fair Chase" interpretation of the game laws.

DOGS: You can use dogs to hunt turkeys in California.

TRESPASS: If the land you hunt on is not your own, it belongs to someone else. Make sure you have a legal right to be there. Contact the owner or person who administers the property, and secure written permission to hunt. A hunting license does not entitle you to enter private property.“It is unlawful to enter any lands under cultivation or enclosed by a fence, belonging to, or occupied by, another, or to enter any uncultivated or unenclosed lands, including lands temporarily inundated by waters flowing outside the established banks of a river, stream, slough, or other waterway, where signs forbidding trespass are displayed at intervals not less than three to the mile along all exterior boundaries and at all roads and trails entering such lands, for the purpose of discharging any firearm or taking or destroying any mammal or bird, including any waterfowl, on such lands without having first obtained written permission from the owner of such lands, or his agent, or the person in lawful possession thereof. Such signs may be of any size and wording, other than the wording required for signs under Section 2017, which will fairly advise persons about to enter the land that the use to such land is so restricted.” Section 2016, Fish and Game Code.

SAFETY: It is always unlawful to: Place on, or carry or possess a loaded rifle or shotgun in a vehicle or conveyance or its attachments on any public road or other way open to the public: Hunt while intoxicated; Shoot at any game bird from a powerboat, sailboat, motor vehicle, or aircraft while under power or still moving from use of sail or motor. (See Section 251) Shoot any firearm from or upon a public road or highway.

DISCHARGING FIREARMS OR OTHER DEADLY WEAPONS SAFETY ZONE: It is unlawful for any person, other than the owner, person in possession of the premises, or a person having the express permission of the owner or person in possession of the premises, to hunt or to discharge while hunting, any firearm or other deadly weapon within 150 yards of any occupied dwelling house, residence, or other building or any barn or other outbuilding used in connection therewith. The 150-yard area is a “safety zone.”

CALIFORNIA DFG WEBPAGE is at http://www.dfg.ca.gov

2005 California Fall Turkey Hunt

2005 CALIFORNIA FALL TURKEY HUNT SEASON: is November 8 2005 to November 23, 2005.

DAILY BAG LIMIT: The daily bag limit is 1 turkey, either sex.

POSSESSION LIMITS: the possession limit is 1 turkey, either sex per season. You must also fill out a "Declaration for Entry" form to comply with Importation law: Section 2353 of the California Fish & Game Code if you bring any game into California from another state or country. You can get the "Declaration for Entry" form here.

SHOOTING HOURS: are from 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset.

LICENSE REQUIREMENTS: Hunting License: You must possess a California hunting license in addition to the Upland Game Stamp. The cost of a hunting license is:

The California hunting license is good from July 1, 2004 through June 30, 2005. California resident and nonresident hunting licenses are nonrefundable and nontransferable.

Hunter Education Special Requirement. Hunting licenses shall be issued to hunters only upon presentation of one of the following:

(d) Falconry;

(f) Air rifles firing pellets and powered by compressed air or gas (0.20 caliber minimum for taking wild turkey).

BAITING: According to the California Fish and Game Code, resident game birds and mammals may not be taken within 400 yards of any baited area. (a) Definition of Baited Area. As used in this regulation, “baited area” shall mean any area where shelled, shucked or unshucked corn, wheat or other grains, salt, or other feed whatsoever capable of luring, attracting, or enticing such birds or mammals is directly or indirectly placed, exposed, deposited, distributed, or scattered, and such area shall remain a baited area for ten days following complete removal of all such corn, wheat or other grains, salt, or other feed.

ELECTRONIC CALLING: Electronic or mechanically-operated calling or sound-reproducing devices are prohibited when attempting to take resident game birds.

LIVE DECOYS: The use of live decoys is prohibited when attempting to take resident game birds

DOGS: You can use dogs to hunt turkeys in California.

CALIFORNIA DFG WEBPAGE: http://www.dfg.ca.gov

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Calling Contests & Turkey Shoots

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JHO HUNTS

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DFG Special Turkey Hunts

Daugherty Hill Wildlife Area T2. Yuba County. Turkey hunt days are March 29, 30, 2003, April 2, 5, 6 2003. Info at Ph# (916) 358-2877.

Hunting by permit will occur on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays from March 29- April 6, 2003. Only legal hunters with a Daugherty Hill Wildlife Area Special No-fee Permit may hunt on the area during the permit period. Other uses will not be restricted. Turkey hunting without a permit will be allowed daily from April 8 - May 5, 2003. Sixteen permits will be issued for each of the five shoot days during the March 29- April 6 permit period. Hunters wishing to participate in the drawing for a permit must submit a standard (4x6), U.S. Postal Service post card to the Department of Fish and Game with their full name, address, telephone number, and hunting license number legibly printed thereon. They must also list, in order of preference, the dates they wish to hunt. Applications without current valid hunting license numbers will be rejected. Please print clearly. All unreadable applications will be disqualified. Up to two hunters may apply per post card as a party if both hunters' names and hunting license numbers are included. An individual's name may only appear on one card, whether as an individual or as a member of a party.

Multiple applications for a single wildlife area will disqualify the applicant. Once a name is drawn, it will be removed from the drawing. Applications for the drawing for permits must be received at the Department of Fish and Game, Region 2 office, 1701 Nimbus Road, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670 by 5:00 p.m., Wednesday, March 5, 2003. Hunters will be chosen by a random computerized drawing. Only successful applicants will be notified. Each successful applicant will receive a permit, map and instructions. A list of those applicants drawn will be posted at the Region 2 office. During the permit period, hunters may park at the parking lot on Dolan Harding Road. Shooting hours are 1/2 hour before sunrise to 4:00 p.m. Permits cannot be transferred. Hunters without permits will not be allowed on the area. All regulations for the statewide turkey season will apply. Please see the 2001 CALIFORNIA HUNTING REGULATIONS FOR RESIDENT AND MIGRATORY UPLAND GAME BIRDS. All regulations for the Daugherty Hill Wildlife Area will apply. Please see the 2001 CALIFORNIA REGULATIONS FOR HUNTING AND OTHER PUBLIC USES ON STATE AND FEDERAL AREAS.

Oroville Wildlife Area T3. Butte County. Hunt dates are: March 29, 30, 2003. April 12,13,26,27, 2003. Info at Ph# (916) 358-2877.

Only legal hunters with an Oroville Wildlife Area Special No-fee Permit may hunt on the area. Other public recreation will not be restricted. Hunt period dates are as follows: Hunt Period #1 March 29 & 30, 2003. Hunt Period #2 April 12& 13, 2003. Hunt Period #3 April 26& 27, 2003. Fifteen permits will be issued for each of the three hunt periods. Hunters wishing to participate in the drawing for a permit must submit a standard (4x6) U.S. Postal Service post card to the Department of Fish and Game with their full name, address, telephone number, and hunting license number legibly printed thereon. They must also list, in order of preference, the hunt periods they wish to hunt. Applications without current valid hunting license numbers will be rejected. Please print clearly. All unreadable applications will be disqualified. Up to two hunters may apply per post card as a party if both hunters' names and hunting license numbers are included. An individual's name may only appear on one card, whether as an individual or as a member of a party.

Multiple applications for the same wildlife area will disqualify the applicant. Once a name is drawn, it will be removed from the drawing. Applications for the drawing must be received at the Department of Fish and Game, Region 2 office, 1701 Nimbus Road, Rancho Cordova, CA, 95670 by 5:00 p.m., Wednesday, March 5, 2003. Hunters will be chosen by a random computerized drawing. Only successful applicants will be notified. Each successful applicant will receive a permit, map and instructions. A list of those applicants drawn will be posted at the Region 2 office. Hunters must check in at the Oroville Wildlife Area office located at 945 Oro Dam Blvd. West, Oroville before entering the area to hunt on the first day of the permit period. No check in is required for the second day. All hunters must deposit their permits at the area office no later than 24 hours after the end of the hunt period. Permits cannot be transferred. Hunters without permits will not be allowed on the area. All regulations for the statewide turkey season will apply. Please see the 2001CALIFORNIA HUNTING REGULATIONS FOR RESIDENT AND MIGRATORY UPLAND GAME BIRDS. All regulations for the Oroville Wildlife Area will apply. Please see the 2001CALIFORNIA REGULATIONS FOR HUNTING AND OTHER PUBLIC USES ON STATE AND FEDERAL AREAS.

Map of Oroville WA - Butte Co.

Spenceville Wildlife Area T4. Nevada & Yuba Counties. Turkey hunt dates are March 29, 30, 2003, April 2, 5, 6, 2003. Info at Ph# (916) 358-2877.

Hunting by permit will occur on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays from March 29- April 6, 2003. Only legal hunters with a Spenceville Wildlife Area Special No-fee Permit may hunt on the area during the permit period. Other uses will not be restricted. Turkey hunting without a permit will be allowed daily from April 8- May 5, 2003. Forty permits will be issued for each of the five shoot days during the March 29- April 6 2003 permit period. Hunters wishing to participate in the drawing for a permit must submit a standard (4x6), U.S. Postal Service post card to the Department of Fish and Game with their full name, address, telephone number, and hunting license number legibly printed thereon. They must also list, in order of preference, the dates they wish to hunt. Applications without current valid hunting license numbers will be rejected. Please print clearly. All unreadable applications will be disqualified. Up to two hunters may apply per post card as a party if both hunters' names and hunting license numbers are included. An individual's name may only appear on one card, whether as an individual or as a member of a party.

Multiple applications for a single wildlife area will disqualify the applicant. Once a name is drawn, it will be removed from the drawing. Applications for the drawing for permits must be received at the Department of Fish and Game, Region 2 office, 1701 Nimbus Road, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670 by 5:00 p.m., Wednesday, March 5, 2003. Hunters will be chosen by a random computerized drawing. Only successful applicants will be notified. Each successful applicant will receive a permit, map and instructions . A list of those applicants drawn will be posted at the Region 2 office. During the permit period, hunters must check in and out at a check station located at the intersection of Spenceville Road and Long Ravine Road. The check station will open 1 1/2 hours before shoot time. Permits cannot be transferred. Hunters without permits will not be allowed on the area. All regulations for the statewide turkey season will apply. Please see the 2001 CALIFORNIA HUNTING REGULATIONS FOR RESIDENT AND MIGRATORY UPLAND GAME BIRDS. All regulations for the Spenceville Wildlife Area will apply. Please see the 2001 CALIFORNIA REGULATIONS FOR HUNTING AND OTHER PUBLIC USES ON STATE AND FEDERAL AREAS.

University of California Field Station, Browns Valley Juniors Only Hunt T5. Yuba County. Hunt days are April 12, 13, 26, 27, 2003. Info at Ph# (530) 743-5068.

Lake Mendocino T6.

The Army Corps is not allowing turkey hunting at Lake Mendocino this year.

Lake Sonoma T7. Sonoma County. Turkey hunt days are March 29, 30, 2003. Info at Ph# (707) 944-5537.

Map of Lake Sonoma Wildlife Area - Sonoma Co.

Lake Sonoma Juniors only T7. Sonoma County. Turkey hunt days are April 5, 6, 2003. Info at Ph# (707) 944-5537.

Map of Lake Sonoma Wildlife Area - Sonoma Co.

Millerton Lake State Recreation Area Archery Only Turkey Hunt T8. Fresno County. Turkey hunt dates are Mar 29- May 4, 2003. Info at PH# (559) 243-4005, ext. 132 or 133.

The Millerton Lake State Recreation Area Hunt is located on the Fresno County side of Millerton Lake. This hunt is not recommended for the novice or inexperienced hunter. Hunting wild turkeys with archery equipment is considered extremely difficult, even by experienced archery turkey hunters. There are six archery only hunts. The first hunt is scheduled for opening weekend, March 29 -30, 2003, and is a two-day hunt only. Hunters drawn for this hunt will be allowed to scout one week prior (March 22-28, 2003). The remaining hunts are one-week long and are scheduled for March 31 - April 6, April 7 - 13, April 14 - 20, April 21 - 27, and April 28 - May 4, 2003). Hunters under 18 years of age must be accompanied by an adult (18 years or older). All hunters selected for this hunt will be required to attend a mandatory safety and orientation meeting on March 23, 2003, at 1:00 p.m., at the Millerton Lake District Office. A special limit of one bearded turkey per hunter will be in effect during this special hunt. The hunting area has both walk–in and boat–in access. Hunters will be required to pay a $3.00 State Parks and Recreation Area entrance fee per day (waived in lieu of a $35.00 annual State Parks pass).

How to Apply. Hunters will be selected for both hunts by a random computerized drawing and allowed to bring one guest to participate in these special hunts. You can print out an online application here, On Line Application. When applying for the hunts, provide the following information for yourself and your guest: name, address, daytime and evening telephone numbers, 2002-2003 hunting license number and hunt location (i.e., Tejon), and date in order of preference. Hunters may apply only once for each hunt area and date. Applying for the same hunt more than once will disqualify you from the drawing. Applications must be mailed to: Game Bird Heritage Program Turkey Hunts Department of Fish and Game 1234 East Shaw Avenue Fresno, California 93710 Applications must be received by Friday, March 7, 2003, at 5:00 p.m. to be eligible for the drawing. Only successful applicants will be notified.

Millerton Lake State Recreation Area Webpage

Tejon Ranch Turkey Hunt T9. Kern County. Turkey hunt dates are April 16, 23, 2003. Info at Ph# (559) 243-4005 ext. 132 or 133.

Tejon Ranch is located south of Bakersfield in the Tehachapi Mountains. Hunters must be 18 years of age or older to apply or participate as a guest in this special hunt. This is a guided hunt. The Department released the Merriam’s subspecies of wild turkey on the Tejon Ranch in 1989. They have adapted well to the habitat, and large flocks now populate the ranch. Tejon Ranch also provides surplus birds for stocking on public lands to provide for increased hunting opportunities.

Tejon Ranch Junior Only Turkey Hunt T9. Kern County. Turkey hunt dates are April 12, 19, 26, 2003. Info at Ph# (559) 243-4005 ext. 132 or 133.

Hunters must be junior hunters to apply or participate as a guest in this special hunt. This is a guided hunt. Tejon Ranch is located south of Bakersfield in the Tehachapi Mountains. The Department released the Merriam’s subspecies of wild turkey on the Tejon Ranch in 1989. They have adapted well to the habitat, and large flocks now populate the ranch. Tejon Ranch also provides surplus birds for stocking on public lands to provide for increased hunting opportunities.

DFG Announces Special Spring Wild Turkey Hunts at Cache Creek

Contact: Allan Buckmann (707) 944-5531.

No info yet on 2003 hunts. 2002 info below.

YOUNTVILLE – Permits are required for the opening weekend of the spring wild turkey season at Cache Creek Wildlife Area (DFG) and Cache Creek Management Area (Bureau of Land Management) on March 30 March 31 2002. This special opening weekend drawing was implemented due to high public use and safety issues. The two-day wild turkey hunt permits will be issued by a special drawing. Forty permits will be issued for the hunt.

Drawing: Applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 7, 2002, to be included in the drawing on March 8, 2002.

Applications: Only one application per hunter. Two hunters may apply on one application. Submit a standard Postal Service size postcard (one or two hunters per card), with name & mailing address, telephone number, and hunting license number. Applications not following these guidelines will be disqualified from the drawing.

Mail to: DFG, Cache Creek Spring Turkey Hunt, Post Office Box 47, Yountville, California 94599. Successful applicants will be issued a permit by mail. Additional information and a map of the hunt area will be included.

Areas: The Cache Creek Wildlife Area and Cache Creek Management Area is about 80,000 acres, located in Lake and Colusa Counties, generally south of Highway 20 and west of Highway 16. The Cache Creek Area has about 20,000 acres of turkey habitat and maintains good populations of wild turkey.

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California State Turkey Hunting History

The modern turkey is not native to the Golden State, but does have ties back to prehistoric times. The extinct California Turkey (Meliagris californica) is the second most common species of bird found in the asphalt deposits of Rancho La Brea. Remains of more than 700 individuals have been recovered, including the remains of very young birds. The California Turkeys probably nested locally and may have provided a source of food for many of the carnivorous animals inhabiting Rancho La Brea. However, they went extinct during the last ice age, following climatic changes that resulted in dramatic changes in their habitats. The vast deserts that formed to the east in Nevada and Arizona probably prevented the reestablishment of the modern wild turkey in California.

Turkeys were initially introduced to California in 1877, when about 40 birds imported from Mexico were released onto Santa Cruz Island. From then through the early part of the 20th century several attempts were made to establish wild turkeys in California, but none of these were deemed a success. In 1928, the Department of Fish and Game began releasing game farm stock and continued this program through 1951. Several hundred releases were attempted in 23 counties statewide, but this program was only successful in establishing marginal wild populations, primarily along the central coast.

The majority of the game farm era releases were unsuccessful largely because game farm birds had not learned the skills they needed to survive and successfully reproduce in the wild. In 1959, the Department began an experiment with 59 wild trapped Rio Grande turkeys from Texas. These birds were immediately successful in establishing wild populations, and the Department adopted a program using wild-trapped turkeys to expand populations statewide. In 1970, an estimated 5,000 wild turkeys could be found in California, and today about 100,000 turkeys roost in 57 of California's 58 counties. Only urban San Francisco County is void entirely of wild turkeys.

The first hunting season in California was in 1968, with a one-day fall hunt in San Luis Obispo County. By 1978, seasons had opened statewide, and approximately 7,600 hunters bagged 2,800 turkeys. In the 1990s, wild turkey hunting became more popular than ever, with about 20,000 hunters bagging about 16,000 turkeys annually. Spring is the more popular season with 16,000 hunters in 1997, 28 percent higher than in 1996. Fall hunting is almost as popular, and has remained steady this decade with about 10,000 hunters per year.

Through expeditious wildlife management conducted by state and federal wildlife agencies and by the National Wild Turkey Federation, populations were restored in 43 states, and quickly expanded to 2 million turkeys in the country by 1980.

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Turkey Hunting Seminars

Department of Fish and Game
NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 04:008 January 22, 2003

Contact: Susan Herrgesell, DFG Program Coordinator, (916) 653-7448

Wild Turkey Expo set for Feb. 28, 2004 at Fair Oaks

The California Department of Fish and Game (DFG), in cooperation with Wilderness Unlimited (WU) and the National Wild Turkey Federation will sponsor the seventh annual Wild Turkey Expo. The turkey-hunting seminar will be on Saturday, Feb. 28, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Fair Oaks Presbyterian Church, 11427 Fair Oaks Blvd., Fair Oaks, CA.

The free event, which has drawn capacity crowds, will provide comprehensive information on wild turkey biology and hunting, with a strong focus on hunting turkeys on public land. Topics include locating the birds, where to hunt turkeys on public land, calling, turkey habits, camouflage, the use of shotguns and archery equipment, cooking that bird, and equipment demonstrations. Kittles Outdoors and Sports Co. will be on hand to demonstrate the latest equipment, clothing and everything needed for turkey hunting. Other like-minded organizations will share information about other hunting opportunities.

Outdoors writer and veteran turkey hunter Terry Knight will be a featured speaker at the event and will instruct how to use turkey calls, decoys, archery and shotgun hunting techniques, and camouflage methods. Knight has served as the president of the California State Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation and operated a successful turkey guiding business for more than 11 years. He annually conducts several training seminars on hunting wild turkeys throughout Northern
California.

Other highlights at the Expo include:

Dan Stahlman, an expert turkey hunter and gunsmith will discuss shotgun selection, patterning, and the proper loads to use.

Back by popular demand, Ron Sneed will conduct a seminar on archery hunting for turkeys. In addition, champion turkey caller Bruce Wurth, owner of the turkey call manufacturer American Friction, will be on hand to demonstrate his award-winning calls. A question and answer period will follow.

DFG's wild turkey biologist Scott Gardner will offer insight on the habitat of wild turkeys. In addition to Gardner, other DFG personnel will be available to answer questions.

The seminar is free and open to the public. A $5 donation covers the cost for lunch. For more information, contact Susan Herrgesell, DFG Program Coordinator, (916) 653-7448 or sherrges@dfg.ca.gov. Contact Terry Knight at (707) 263-1699 or at tlknight@pacific.net.

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CURRENT DISTRIBUTION

The geographical location and the type of habitat being used by the wild turkey is an important clue in determining the subspecies. In California, the Rio Grande turkeys are found in blue oak and gray pine covered foothills, primarily in the valley-foothill hardwood and valley-riparian habitats. They range from sea level in the Central Valley to above 1,600 ft. in the northern Sacramento Valley, and 2,400 ft. to 3,300 ft. in San Diego County. Merriam's turkeys, first established in Alpine County, inhabit high, forested and rugged mountain areas. They are seldom found below the 3,500 ft. elevation. California hybrids are found in the Coast Range from 660 ft. to 6,600 ft. elevation, and in the Sierra Nevada from 2,600 ft. to 5,200 ft. elevation.

They use open stands of oak interspersed with grassy openings. The eastern subspecies has a broad geographical range. They traditionally occupy deciduous hardwood forests, and have been planted in San Diego, Mendocino, Alpine, Glenn, and Trinity counties. Wild turkeys are now present in 57 of 58 counties, with the highest numbers occurring in Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado, Mendocino, Nevada, San Luis Obispo, Shasta, Tehama, and Yuba counties. Many populations range on private land, but populations can be found on property owned or controlled by California Department of Fish and Game, the U.S. Forest Service, timber companies, the Bureau of Land Management, and public utilities such as Pacific Gas and Electric.

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Hunting and Scouting Tips

BASIC TECHNIQUES

Although turkeys have certain patterns of behavior, turkey hunting is challenging because wild turkeys are extremely wary and are not totally predictable. Your success will depend on your selection of an area with good turkey numbers, your abilities to use your equipment, your willingness to adapt your hunting techniques to changing situations, your persistence, and a little bit of luck. Mr. Murphy plays a small role too sometimes.

SCOUTING

turkey track The first step in turkey hunting is to scout the woods before the season opens. You can start the scouting at home with topo maps and by using the phone to query state biologists on what areas to key in on. If you would like info on aerial photos, computer topo map programs and how to download free topo maps off the Internet I have this on my webpage here: aerial photos or topo maps. Turkeys favor certain areas and will use them year after year if the habitat does not change. A good time to scout in the spring is a week or two before the season, especially if the weather has turned warm which can trigger winter flock break-up and calling by gobblers. Your objective in scouting should be to identify those areas that turkeys frequent. These areas include roosting sites, feeding sites, dusting and strutting areas. Look for turkeys and turkey sign such as tracks, feathers, scratchings, dustings, and droppings. Look for dusting areas with tracks in them or roost trees with droppings and feathers under them. In dry areas, search around water sources for turkey tracks.

If you spend enough time scouting, you will become very familiar with the area and you may be able to determine regular movement patterns of the flock. The best times to look or listen for turkeys include the early morning hours from one-half hour before sunrise until mid-morning, and late in the evening as the turkeys go to roost. Resist the urge to call turkeys while scouting, you'll just educate the birds to your calls. You can shock call to get toms to gobble, but if you yelp up a tom, he'll remember the danger and probably not come to your call again.

tom turkey scat Turkey tracks that have a middle toe longer than 4 inches were made by an adult gobbler. Droppings of a Tom are usually long and J shaped, hen droppings are shorter. But, droppings from either can be soft without any definite shape. If leaves are turned over and the ground is moist, birds are using the area. Leaves will be piled directly behind a scratching turkey in a V shape, indicating the direction of travel. Look for turned over cow pies too, as the turkeys love to eat the beetles that congregate underneath the cow pies. Roost droppings look like someone shook a paintbrush of white paint out on the leaves. Dusting areas will have small bowls, or indentations, in the dust where the turkeys squat down to dust themselves. You may find some feathers in a dusting area because the birds like to preen themselves while dusting.

Although gobblers may roost or strut in different areas, you will learn the locations they use most often. If you do not hear gobblers calling, try a crow call, owl call, shock call or predator call in early morning or just before dark. Gobblers will often respond, giving away their location. This is an effective way to locate roosting sites for spring turkey hunting. While scouting, pay close attention to large trees that you may want to sit next to while hunting. Use this time to roughly measure distances for shooting zones. Also note the location of fences, ravines, dense brush or streams that may keep a gobbler from coming to your call during the season. If possible visit the area you will hunt a day or two prior to hunting. This will familiarize you with the land, and you can determine whether turkeys are still using the areas where you saw them earlier.

PLANNING

For fall or spring turkey hunting trips, use the information gathered during scouting trips to plan your hunting strategy before entering the field. Having a well-planned trip can mean the difference between an enjoyable and successful hunt or a disaster. A good safety precaution is to leave your hunting plan, including your location and estimated time of return, with someone at home. You can use a cellphone to call in your GPS coordinates if you have this toys available. If you have put a gobbler to roost the night before, you will know exactly where to set up in the morning.

CALLING TURKEYS

Researchers have identified at least 28 distinct calls in the wild turkey vocabulary. The most effective way to get within shotgun distance of a spring gobbler is to call him by reproducing the sounds a hen makes. These hen sounds can be made with your voice or with some type of turkey calling device. Commercially available turkeys calls fall into two broad categories: friction calls, which produce sound by rubbing two surfaces together; and mouth calls, through which air is inhaled or exhaled.

One other type of call, a shaker, produces gobbles when you shake it in a rapid motion. The easiest calls to master are the friction calls (for example, box, peg and slate, peg and glass, or push button). The major disadvantage is that you cannot hold a shotgun and work them at the same time. This is important because you may spook your wild bird when you put the call down and raise the shotgun. A second disadvantage is that most calls do not always work well if they get wet. Placing the friction calls in a loose plastic bag will allow you to operate them during wet conditions. Diaphragm mouth calls are popular among hunters. They are the most versatile calls but require much practice. They are unaffected by wet weather, allow the hunter to use both hands freely, and can be used without making any discernible movement.

Two other types of calls, the turpin call and the tube call, produce realistic calls, but require hand movement to operate. Shaker calls are the only ones specifically designed to produce realistic-sounding gobbles. No practice is necessary; the sound is the same each time you shake them. They produce only the gobble sound and are not usually considered a requirement for successful turkey hunting. The type of call used is less important than how well the hunter masters calling techniques. The best ways to learn turkey calling are to listen to live turkeys, an instructional tape, and/or an experienced turkey hunter. Turkeys have more than two dozen different calls, but the hunter will rarely notice more than about 10. There are 10 basic sounds the hunter should be able to recognize. Listed below are these sounds and how to use them.

Tree yelp. This is the first turkey sound heard in the morning. It is a slow, soft, nasal sound, consisting of three or four yelps made only at daybreak from the roost. It is made when turkeys are just becoming visible in trees It is a greeting call to make sure that all is well after a dark night of not seeing or hearing one another. This call can only be heard on still mornings in a roosting area. Tree yelps should be the first call made by a turkey hunter who has set up near a roosted turkey. This is where scouting really pays off. Click here to hear a tree yelp.
Plain yelp. The plain yelp is the one sound most people associate with turkeys. Turkeys use this sound to communicate with distant birds. The yelp is made by all turkeys in the fall, winter and spring. A yelp from a gobbler is lower pitched, more coarse, and less musical than from a hen. Click here to hear a tom yelp. The plain yelp is best used routinely throughout the morning while hunting. Plain yelps are usually done in a series of two to five in a row and always have a very even rhythm. Plain yelps will evoke a response from a spring gobbler and call him in if he is of a mind to come. It is the standard call when working a spring gobbler. Some hunters use it successfully with an occasional cluck. Click here to hear a hen yelp.
Cluck. The cluck has several meanings. The sound is a short, soft, single-syllable, non-musical tone. It is used to gain another turkey's attention. If used too loudly it will alarm turkeys. It can be used in the following manner: "cluck (pause briefly), cluck, cluck (pause), cluck (pause), cluck (pause), cluck, cluck." Its major use is to evoke an answering cluck from any nearby turkey. It works well because turkeys are curious about any other turkey sound. Some successful hunters use an occasional cluck with the plain yelp in this manner: "cluck (pause), yelp, yelp (pause), cluck, cluck (pause), yelp, yelp, yelp." Click here to hear a cluck.
Purr. There are 2 purrs used by hen and tom turkeys. The first purr is a soft fluttering call used by turkeys when communicating to each other, usually when they are content and relaxed. The second purr call is the fighting purr used when turkeys are posturing for a fight or agitated at something. Hunters often use purrs with clucks when gobblers are in close but not quite close enough. Click here to hear some purring.
Putt. This is a short, sharp, loud cluck. It sounds very similar to the cluck, only the cluck is softer and less distinct. It will not call in turkeys, but you should know the call when you hear it, because it is the worst sound a calling hunter can make. It is the alarm call of the turkey, and generally will be the last call you hear before a turkey departs.
Cackle. A cackle is an excited call of a hen and is often emitted when flying down from a roost. It is usually a series of 12 or more yelps which rise abruptly in pitch and cadence and then gradually decline in pitch and cadence. The fly-down cackle of the hen has been called the true mating call. Often the yelps are very short and staccato. Turkeys will also cackle when they fly over open water, fields or when jumping down off a deadfall or rock ledge. Another cackle is the assemble cackle made in the fall when the hen calls in the young poults. It's just a slowed-down version of the regular cackle. Click here to hear a fly down cackle.
Cut. A cut is a short, staccato yelp and is usually emitted by the hen in a series varying in length and cadence. It is often used by an aggravated hen as she defends her nesting territory from other hens, but it will often excite a gobbler. Sometimes used by lost or lonely hens who are searching for other turkeys. They are usually loud and aggressive and about 15 seconds in duration. Click here to hear some cutting.
Kee Kee Run. This is a call made by a lost young turkey trying to reassemble with its fall flock. It is a high-pitched "kee kee, kee" followed by a short, raspy yelp or two. Click here to hear a kee kee run call.
Hen Assembly. This call is made by an adult hen to gather her flock. It is a long series of yelps rising in volume and pitch and then declining. The series may be as long as 15-20 yelps.
Lost Call. The lost call is used by an adult of either sex who is looking for company. It will be a series of plaintive yelps and you'd better be ready, because they might just run in on you.
Gobble. The gobble has limited use and affects turkeys in two ways: hens hear a potential mate and gobblers hear a potential rival. Gobblers may investigate other gobbling in their vicinity and may fight uninvited gobblers. The gobble call will sometimes help you locate a gobbler but may not bring him into shotgun range. Extreme caution should be used when using a gobble call as it may attract other hunters into your calling territory, and you may find yourself being hunted by another turkey hunter. For that reason gobbles are not recommended while hunting but can be effective to locate roosting birds in the evening. Click here to hear a tom gobble.
Whine. The whine is a soft, high-pitched, drawn-out call of the hen, usually used in combination with putts and clucks. Click here to hear the whine call,
Spittin' and Drumming.This call is done by toms to attract hens for mating. The call is 2 notes, the first is the spittin' sound, "pffffft", followed by the vroom sound. Some hunters say the vroom sounds like an idling car muffler.

Beginners should keep several points in mind. It is better to call too softly than too loudly, to call too rarely than too frequently, and to perfect one or two calls rather than attempt some sound not yet mastered. Timing, or rhythm, can be more important than the actual quality of sound. Finally, remember that no two turkeys sound alike and what works on one gobbler might send the next one in another direction. If a gobbler will not respond to your call, change or vary your current calling technique.

Spittin Feathers Turkey Call Tapes and CDs, Vol. I -III. Mike Battey's most excellent audio cassette tapes and CDs. If you want to hear turkeys in the woods recorded in digital stereo, these are the recordings you want.

CAMOUFLAGE

A wild turkey's eyesight is estimated to be about 10 times better than a human's. In addition, turkeys can distinguish color to some degree and are quick to spot unnatural colors in their environment. For this reason, turkey hunters should avoid clothing that will draw attention to them. The best camouflage clothing is both protective and comfortable. Many hunters make the mistake of camouflaging everything except their face and hands. This is a serious mistake because the face and hands reflect light, and they are the body parts a hunter is most likely to move. Face masks, gloves and camouflage make-up are most frequently used to camouflage the face and hands.

Face masks can obscure vision, cause glasses to fog, and lead to overheating. Facial greases tend to run if you get hot. Some new models of face masks have provisions for fitting around the frames of glasses, and are less likely to cause glasses to fog. Every hunter is different, and like most equipment, trial and error is the only means of determining the best combination. Gun camouflage is also important because the gun barrel reflects light. Camouflage tape and camouflage spray paint work well to mask the gun's shiny appearance. There are camouflage paints available for guns that can be removed after the turkey season is over.

FIREARMS AND PATTERNING

Shotguns. There is considerable difference of opinion on shotgun ammunition for turkey hunting. But there is no argument that the wild turkey is hard to bring down, and hunters have a responsibility to use loads powerful enough for quick and humane kills. Most experienced turkey hunters agree that the best turkey loads are 12 gauge 2 3/4 inch, 3 inch or 3 1/2 inch magnums of No. 4, 5 or 6 shot. The 12 gauge 3 1/2 inch and 10 gauge 3 1/2 magnums are increasing in popularity, because they can provide a few extra yards of range. But with these bigger magnums you get more recoil. You can add a Pachmayr "Decelerator" recoil pad to tame the nasty kick. The Remington 870 SPS-T™ Super Magnum and Mossberg 835 Ulti-Mag 12 gauge pump shotguns are favorites among many turkey hunters. The Remington 870 comes with a 23" barrel, camo, 2 beads, swivel studs and 2 turkey chokes. The Mossberg comes with a 24" backbored barrel, the receivers drilled and tapped for scope mounts, camo finish, 1 turkey choke, ambidextrous safety and have the fiber optic sights already installed.

Chokes and getting better patterns. Because of the small target, dense patterns which deliver most of the shot into the head and neck region are preferred. For this reason, full-choke barrels are used in most turkey guns. Also, installing a longer forcing cone and having your shotgun barrel "backbored" will help in tighter patterns. A fine gunsmith to have this gunsmithing work done is Gun Docc. There is also a good explanation of what "backboring" and longer forcing cones are on Gun Docc's webpage too.

Beads, scopes, and sights. A scope, open, fiber optic sight or front and rear beads are additions to your shotgun which might improve your aim. I've been using a Leupold 1 X 4 scope on my Rem 870 12 ga. for about 7 years now. Works great! It's really helped me look for a beard since they plant stockers out here in California and you can't shoot them the first year, they have to have a beard and F & G trims them off when they release them. And yes, I manage to call in at least one no shoot tom every year *L*. Some guys say they have trouble looking for the turkey's head, but if you keep both eyes open you still see everything. I've even shot geese with the scope on. The scope also helps judging distance with the heavy duplex reticule. The only drawback is when it rains, it can be a pain to keep the lens clear. Click here for more info and pics on mounting a scope to a shotgun.

Another plus is when the birds are in brush, you can pick out the longbeard and know when he's about to step out instead of having to make the decision as he runs across the opening. I carry the allen wrench to take the scope and mount off just in case and can go to 2 beads in a pinch. Never had a problem with Leupold scopes through the years, but ya never know. I leave it on 1 or 2 power and have had no problems with sun flaring it. I use the anti-glare honeycomb lens filters from Butler Creek and have never spooked a bird with scope flash,,,,,, yet. *L* It's kinda spendy to dish out $225.00 for a scope like this, but I use it on yotes and bobcats too.

A scope is also helpful in that it keeps your head down on the shot. A lot of turkey hunters miss because they lift their heads too soon to see the turkey. Other hunters like the "Tasco Red Dot" scopes which uses a red dot for the crosshairs. You can adjust the intensity of the red dot, but 1 drawback is these scopes run off a battery which can go dead at the worst moment. Another scope that is popular is the Simmons "Pro Diamond" which has a range diamond so you know when the turkey is in range. I use the B-Square scope mount on my 870, which straddles the shotgun receiver but can be rough on your hands while you carry it. I recommend using the Remington vent rib mount to mount your scope, which attaches to the vent rib with set screws and does not protrude around the receiver.

Tru_Glo makes fiber optic sights you can mount on your vent rib shotgun. Simple snap-on or magnetic installation, no screws required. These are some pretty slick sights, one of the best for low light shooting.

Target patterning. A new turkey hunter, or an old turkey hunter with a new shotgun, should spend some preseason time patterning his/her gun with various size shot to pick the best load for the gun. There are two important factors related to the way your shotgun shoots. What is the effective killing range of your gun and how many pellets will strike the vital neck and head region at various ranges. You should test your gun with both standard and magnum loads. Some shotguns shoot better patterns with standard loads than they do with magnums. Turkey shells usually come in 10 to box, so it can get expensive to buy a bunch to pattern. You can get 2 or 3 of your buddies to help out and buy a bunch of different shells since you will only need 3 or 4 to find your best results.

A person can make their own targets or purchase life-sized turkey targets. Place these targets at 20, 30 and 40 yards and shoot each size shell at each target. The objective to check your aiming point first and secondly to check your pattern on the target. You should do all your shooting from a sitting position as if you were turkey hunting. This will give you practice in judging actual turkey size at the various range and improve your aiming skills that will guarantee a quick, clean kill. One last tip that has cost many hunters a turkey is to practice shooting from both sides. Turkeys are not the most cooperative birds, and if the bird walks in on your off shoulder, it's almost impossible to swing all the way around to shoot them without spooking the bird. It will feel very awkward at first, but with practice you can become proficient enough to take what may be your only shot of the year.

SPRING HUNTING TECHNIQUES

One successful technique that can greatly improve a turkey hunter's chance of locating a bird is "putting a gobbler to bed." During the early evening on the day before you are going to hunt, position yourself on a ridge or at the mouth of a canyon. Take out a crow call, owl call, gobbler box, or a predator call and give a call. If a gobbler answers, try to pinpoint his location, noting prominent features where the gobble seemed to come from. If time allows, move to another location and repeat this procedure. Get up early the following morning, well before sunrise, and sneak to within 100-150 yards of the gobbler's roost tree at about the same elevation. You should be in place at least one hour before sunrise. If you were unable to locate a roosted gobbler the night before, try again early the morning of your hunt. Listen for a gobbler when it gets light enough for song birds to begin singing, which is well before sunrise. If there are no gobblers calling try to shock one into gobbling with a loud owl hoot or crow call.

It is not advisable to use turkey sounds until you are concealed and ready. If you do not hear a gobbler, you should move to another area, watching for strutting gobblers, listening for gobbles, and trying shock calls to locate a gobbler. Do not sit all morning at one spot unless you are confident that gobblers frequent the area. Determining the exact location of a gobbler can be difficult. The distance the gobble can be heard and direction from which the sound seems to come are influenced by topography, wind direction and velocity, the direction in which the gobbler is facing, and the extent to which the new green foliage is out. Heavy foliage can act as a sound barrier. In most of the blue oak/grasslands and black oak/conifer habitats, turkeys roost in oaks below the ridge lines and out of the prevailing winds. If you hear a turkey gobbling from a roost site, remember that it is easier to call a gobbler up a hill than down one. In addition, if you try calling from too far away he might not respond, especially if he has a hen nearby. After locating a roosting bird, try to get within 100-150 yards in a suitable location to begin calling. Choose a calling site very carefully, as this will probably be the most important decision of the day's hunt.

Try to pick a spot that a turkey will most likely go, such as west of the roost where the gobbler can approach the site with the sun at his back. Keep in mind that gobblers like to show off to their hens, so a clearing that catches rays of the rising sun is a good bet for early morning calling. Also, make it easy for the gobbler to get to your calling location. Do not expect him to wade through thick brush or cross a fence or creek. Choose a site such as a large tree or rock where you have good visibility in all directions. It is critical to set up so that you are able to see the gobbler, identify your target, and have a clear shot. Start calling softly after legal shooting hours begin. A good first call is the "tree-yelp." This tells the gobbler that a hen is roosting nearby. When the gobbler hears it, he will often gobble back. When this happens, stop calling and get in position. Generally, within the next 10-15 minutes, you will either see or hear him.

You may be able to hear him fly down, and his gobbles usually sound farther away once he is on the ground. If he is within sight do not call or he might see you. If you give him time, chances are he will work right up to you. If you have positioned yourself up against a big tree or rock, wait until he is well within 40 yards before you shoot. If after about 10 minutes the gobbler does not answer your "tree-yelp," try a series of plain yelps and clucks. It may be that the gobbler you "put to bed" last night has already assembled with a group of hens. In this case, listen for gobbles and yelps. Remember that if a gobbler is already with some hens he may not gobble much and may not be interested in your calls. Aggressive calling to the hens can sometimes bring both the hens and the gobbler to you. If the birds are far away, move as quickly and quietly as possible to a place where the bird can be called. Once in place try clucking and purring. Sometimes the gobbler will come right away, other times he will wait, expecting the hen to come to him. If he does not come after 5 minutes and you know he is still in the area, try a few soft yelps, clucks and/or purrs. If your gobbler is still in the area but has not come to your call, try other calls such as a "cut" or "cackle" or any type of call that excites him to try to bring him into range.

Sometimes aggressive calling will work, other times soft, infrequent calling works better. Experiment with your own techniques. Many hunters use a decoy to entice a gobbler into gun range and draw his attention away from them. Hunters who use decoys will experience a variety of results. Some gobblers will fight with or try to mount decoys. Others will strut for hours around a fake hen. Yet, other turkeys will run in the other direction or hesitate when they first spot a decoy. If you can tell that a gobbler is moving away, one option is to try to get to where he is headed. If the gobbler is moving back and forth along a ridge or a fence, you may be able to move to a site along his track while he is at the farthest point from you. But, if you move too often, sooner or later you will find that the gobbler is where you just moved from. It often pays to stay in one location for at least 45 minutes to an hour. When a gobbler does come toward you, have your gun ready before he comes into view. You may want to rest your elbows on your knees while holding your gun.

You can lift your gun when a turkey walks behind a large tree, but watch for other turkeys with the gobbler that may see you move. Once a gobbler is in an open area in front of you, movement of your gun will send him flying or running, leaving you without a shot. Wait to see if the gobbler turns away while strutting, causing his tail to block his view of you. This is the time to move. Do not shoot while a gobbler is in full strut. A good opportunity is when he gobbles and his head and neck are held up away from his body If you are ready to shoot, a cluck on a mouth call will often bring the gobbler out of a strut. Shoot immediately when the gobbler's head is raised. When using a shotgun, as opposed to a bow, the head and neck are the only killing shots you have on a turkey, so make sure you have a clear shot at them before you squeeze the trigger. When you shoot a turkey, immediately move toward the downed bird.

Many times a turkey will only be stunned and will regain his senses and try to escape. By moving toward the bird you can cut the distance for a second shot if needed, or physically subdue the bird. Placing a knee on top of the bird and breaking its neck is a good technique. Use caution if you grab for the legs, because the spurs of the gobbler have injured many hunters. If your hunt does not go as expected, you are not alone. That is the challenge of turkey hunting. Keep trying. Persistent, patient hunters are the most successful. Turkey hunting is one of the finest woodland sports. The attraction is not based primarily on harvesting a wild turkey, but rather on the manner in which it is taken. Whether you carry a gun, a bow or a camera, few types of hunting in California require as much knowledge of animal behavior as locating a gobbler and then successfully calling him, to you. For those who have experienced it, the spring turkey hunt is often their favorite.

FALL HUNTING TECHNIQUES

There has been a fall wild turkey hunting season in California since 1968. The fall turkey hunt is for either sex, and hunting techniques are quite different from a spring gobbler hunt. One of the more successful techniques is to locate and break up a fall brood flock, and position yourself where they were and call them back. Locating a brood flock often requires a great deal of time. However, local hunters and Department of Fish and Game personnel can assist hunters with information on flock locations. Large brood flocks, which are made up of hens and their young of the year, leave sign similar to that of spring turkeys, but on a larger scale. Look for tracks, droppings and the telltale feeding areas with oak leaves scratched in lines. Fall brood flocks are quite vocal, so listen for turkey talk as you scout for the flock. Once a flock is located, a good break-up of the flock is mandatory for a successful hunt with this technique. Many hunters rush the flock, shouting and waving their arms to startle the flock into scattering. Remember, do not run with a loaded gun in your hands. In many turkey ranges in California, the rocky terrain makes it dangerous to run at the flocks.

A well-trained dog can be used to break up the flock, but must be hidden in a blind during the hunt or removed from the hunt area. After you have broken up the flock, locate a calling site near the point of the break up. Wait about one-half hour or until you hear birds calling before you start to call them. The most frequently used call in the fall is the "kee kee run" or lost bird call. It is a high pitched "kee kee kee" in a series, usually followed by a yelp or two. Young birds will "kee kee" frantically and try to locate each other a short time after you have broken up the flock. By responding to this sound you can get them to approach within shooting range. Another call to try if the "kee kee run" is unsuccessful is a hen assembly call. This is the call of an adult hen gathering her flock. It is a long series of yelps raising slightly in volume and pitch and then declining in volume and pitch.

Hens will often use a series of 15 to 20 yelps for a gathering call. This will often lure a young bird within shooting range. A technique for locating fall flocks is to locate a roost by listening for soft yelps and birds flying into trees the evening before your hunt. If you can locate a roost, this flock can usually be scattered at day break. It is also possible to scatter roosting birds after shooting hours the night before in the same way you would during the day. This will separate the flock during the night, and reassembly will take place the next morning. Hunters have also had success calling gobblers and hens by locating their flock and reproducing the calls they are making. Young birds usually will return within an hour while an old gobbler may take 3 to 4 hours. Hens and their young tend to vocalize a lot as they return. Old gobblers tend to return silently. Often a gobbler flock will approach a coarse gobbler yelp to investigate the intruder. Another technique worth trying if you are working adults without young is to reproduce their call exactly and add more aggressive calls after each series. Successful fall gobbler hunting is difficult and requires a great deal of patience and knowledge.

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Safety for Turkey Hunting

Surprisingly, most hunters involved in hunting accidents have many years of hunting experience. When interviewed, they cannot believe that it happened to them. It can happen to you. By being sure of your target and using the defensive measures outlined below, you can help ensure that you have a safe, quality hunt. All California hunters who have not held a California hunting license in a prior year must successfully pass a hunter safety course before purchasing a hunting license. Some prior license holders have taken the course as a refresher, often with their children. Turkey hunting safety depends on most of the principles taught in these courses, but there are many unique aspects of turkey hunting safety that all turkey hunters should also be aware of.

The National Rifle Association offers a turkey hunter safety education course and publishes the hunter's educational series which includes a book on wild turkey hunting. Contact the NRA for more information. Most hunting accidents can be prevented. Accidents happen when people disregard firearms safety fundamentals. Prevention involves knowing and obeying basic safety rules. If the three basic rules for handling firearms are followed most firearm-related tragedies could be prevented.

1. Treat every firearm as if it were loaded. Always check to make sure the gun is empty; never take anyone's word that the gun is unloaded. Check for yourself, open the action, look, then leave it open. "I didn't know it was loaded" is no excuse.
2. Always point the muzzle in a safe direction. Experienced hunters always handle a gun safely. They never let the muzzle point at anybody, including themselves. They also insist that everyone follow the same rules.
3. Be sure of your target and beyond. Responsible hunters are certain of the target before firing. They never shoot at a sound. They never shoot at a patch of color. They never shoot at anything except what they are hunting, and only after they have made a positive identification. They will pass up a great trophy gobbler rather than make a mistake and cause an accident.

You must always be alert when handling firearms and while hunting. However, there are certain times when you must show extra caution:

1) When carrying a firearm in rough terrain or obstacles. Be sure of your footing and always keep your firearm pointed in a safe direction.
2) When you are tired after a day's hunt. Reserve enough energy to complete a safe hunt.
3) When you first spot or think you have spotted a turkey. Do not rush into a careless shot.
4) When hunting companions forget or ignore the safety rules. Immediately bring it to their attention.
5) When carrying a turkey out of the field, use a field pack, a hunter-orange mesh bag or a hunter-orange ribbon to mark the bird. Do not carry the bird over your shoulder.

CAMOUFLAGE SAFETY

Hunter camouflage is an important part of hunting the wild turkey, but it may present a problem. The better you are camouflaged and concealed, the less likely another hunter will be able to see you. The proper way to notify an approaching hunter is to calmly and clearly speak to him. DO NOT move or wave. DO NOT use a turkey call to alert the hunter. If the other hunter does not respond to your first call, repeat louder to announce that you are near. Not everyone has good hearing, it is paramount in this situation to remain still until recognized by the approaching hunter To dress for success and safety follow these tips from the National Wild Turkey Federation:

Never wear clothing that contains the colors red, white, or blue because they can be mistaken for colors found on wild turkeys.
Be sure that the accessories you carry that are red, white, or blue (e.g. diaphragm calls, box calls, box call chalk, candy wrappers, apples, etc.,) are not visible to other hunters.
Camouflage your gun. If not, at least cover up white diamonds or other red or white markings.
Always keep your hands and head camouflaged when calling.
Wear dark-colored socks and pants that are long enough to keep your bare skin from being exposed.
Do not "over-camouflage" by sitting in vegetation so thick that it obscures your vision.
If you use a man-made blind of camouflage netting, maintain a clear field of view.

Other safety measures you may wish to consider include:

placing a blaze orange band around the tree you sit next to
placing a blaze orange sign "Camouflage Hunter in Area-Be Careful" in your vehicle window
wearing some blaze orange while moving from one spot to another
showing blaze orange on your decoy and decoy bag while transporting.

CALLING SITE LOCATION

Calling site selection is very important for both turkey hunting success and safety. You cannot shoot a turkey you cannot see. Moreover, gobblers do not like dense, brushy areas where they cannot see potential trouble from natural predators. Use calling sites where you can see for 75-100 yards. Do not sit near the edge of a hill that you cannot see over; you may be surprised by a hunter. Sit against a tree, stump or rock wider than your shoulders. Turkey hunting involves making turkey sounds with various devices. Some require movement on the part of the hunter When shaking a gobbler tube call it may resemble the motion of a gobbling turkey, and in combination with the gobble sound may be misinterpreted by an overanxious turkey hunter. By choosing a large tree, stump or rock, slight movements will be shielded from view of hunters coming from behind who you may not detect.

DECOY-RELATED SAFETY

Decoys can be effective for bringing turkeys in close and taking their attention away from you, but caution should be used to avoid dangerous situations. Hunters may stalk your calls, see your decoy, and shoot at the decoy. If you are in line with the decoy you could be in danger. Follow these defensive hunting tips from the National Wild Turkey Federation:

1. A decoy should never be visible while being transported. Never carry an uncovered (identifiable) decoy.
2. Whenever possible, set up by a tree that is greater in diameter than the width of your shoulders.
3. From your seated position, identify the clearest line of vision in front of you. Establish a "sight line" that allows you 100 yards visibility, Then set your decoy approximately 20 yards from your position on the line.
4. Should you see another hunter, call out to them in a loud clear voice. Their presence has already compromised your location and an unintelligible response from you may only confuse them, rather than alerting them to your presence.
5. If you are calling over decoys and then elect to move to a new location, check carefully to ensure that no one is stalking your decoys. Check before leaving your calling site location. Should you see someone in the area, rule 4 applies. You may also consider using one of the decoys that incorporate some blaze orange color into the wing and tail feathers.

CONTROLLING YOUR REACTIONS

Always be aware that the mind can sometimes cause a person to "see" what that person wants to see. Hunters may sometimes "see" wildlife where there is none. This ability of the hunter's mind to "create" a wild animal can be attributed partly to the strong desire to locate and bag game. The moment of high excitement is triggered as soon as a buck, bear, turkey or other game is seen, and it is in that moment of greatest excitement accidents can and do occur Peer pressure and overconfidence has been shown to play a part in your mental attitude, so reconsider each "opportunity" for a brief second and make sure of your target. Restrain your reflexes so you do not shoot without thinking. Here are some basic rules:

1 - Never shoot at sounds or movements. Assume every sound you hear and movement you see is another human being until proven otherwise.
2. Never shoot at a patch of color. Positively identify your target as a legal turkey first.
3. Always positively identify any target before raising your gun, be certain it is legal game.
4. Double check before you shoot. Consider placing a National Wild Turkey Federation "Hunt Safely" sticker on your gun's receiver to remind you to make absolutely sure.

International Hunter Education Association

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Field Dressing a Turkey

Field dressing your bird allows the body to cool down as fast as possible. However, if you wish to document the weight, you should have your turkey weighed on a certified scale before you dress it. In any situation, it is important that you cool down the bird as fast as possible. Careless handling of wild game can result in spoilage. Turkeys that are not going to be mounted should be field dressed like any other upland game bird. This is done by cutting just above the vent to the brisket and removing the entrails. The heart, liver and gizzard should be separated from the entrails. Cut open the gizzard and remove the inner lining while it is warm. If you want to save these three organs, they should be placed in a ziplock plastic bag and cooled immediately.

You can clean turkeys much like you do ducks, geese, grouse and pheasants. The advantage to plucking is that you leave the skin on which keeps the bird from drying out while being cooked. Plucking turkeys in the field after field dressing is easier when the carcass is warm, and all wing and tail feathers can be removed by hand. When the carcass is cold, dipping the bird in scalding water helps feather removal. Skinning a turkey is cleaner and faster, but the meat may dry out when cooked. To keep the turkey from drying, cook it in foil or in a baking bag. Covering the bird's breast with strips of bacon during cooking will also reduce drying.

THE FEATHER DISTRIBUTION PROJECT

The Feather Distribution Project provides wild turkey feathers to the Pueblo Indians of New Mexico and Arizona for use in religious ceremonies. The Pueblos have used these feathers for over 1,000 years. I do not buy or sell feathers; all are given free as a gift to the Pueblos. However, I am happy to reimburse postage costs. The Project began in 1982 in response to requests from Pueblo men for feathers. To date we have distributed more than 2,500,000 wild turkey feathers free-of-charge to the Pueblos. Most have been donated by NWTF members, including more than a dozen on the Bowsite. Please send feathers to: Dr. Jonathan E. Reyman Illinois State Museum - Research & Collections Center 1011 East Ash Street Springfield, IL 62703-3535. We prefer plucked feathers. If you send whole tails, wings, or caped, please make sure that they are dried thoroughly before shipping. I suggest removing as much meat as possible and then drying them using borax for at least 30-45 days. Otherwise they tend to decompose and are wasted.

7/20/99 - I just thought I say thanks to those of you who sent feathers, wings, tails, beards, etc. We have received more than 400,000 feathers and have distributed most of them. We have about 50,000 still awaiting delivery. This is a vast increase over the 2,000-3,000 we distributed in 1982, our first year. One hunter sent 2 dozen fans accumulated over a decade or so; others sent as many as a dozen, and we also received more than 50 pairs of wings. The Pueblo Indians are delighted to have them and wish you all a successful fall hunt. The Feather Distribution Project is nearing the 5,000,000 mark in feathers distributed in 18 years of operation. You've made it possible. Thanks again, and good hunting. Dr. Jonathan E. Reyman

Field Dressing a Wild Turkey .... Article form bowhunting.net on how to clean your wild turkey.

How to Prepare Your Wild Turkey For The Taxidermist .... Great article by Larry Reese on how to prepare your wild turkey for a mount.

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Scoring a Turkey

Any turkey is a magnificent bird and is considered to be a trophy However, some hunters like to compare their gobblers with others taken within their state or other states. The National Wild Turkey Federation developed a turkey trophy scoring system that would allow all gobblers to be compared against each other equitably. The scoring system is based upon three measurements - weight, beard length(s) and spur lengths. The formula for overall score is: weight (lbs. and oz.), plus 10 times spur lengths (right & left), plus 2 times the beard length. All measurements are recorded in sixteenths of an inch. Weight must be measured to the nearest ounce (for example, 22lbs. 3oz. = 22 3/16 points). Spurs must be measured along the outside center, from the point at which the spur protrudes from the scaled leg skin to the tip of the spur (for example, left spur 1 inch plus right spur 1 1/16 inches times 10 = 20 10/16 points).

Beard length is measured from the center point of the protrusion from the skin to the end of the longest bristle (for example, 12 2 /16 inches times 2 = 24 4 /16 points). Turkeys with multiple beards must have each beard measured and recorded separately. The total score for the turkey in the example would be 22 3/16 + 20 10/16 + 24 4/ 16 = 67 1/16. Weights must be from certified scales with a current seal from the Division of Weights and Measures, State Department of Agriculture. Pictures are required for the measurements of the spurs and the beard. In addition, the scores must be witnessed. To register your turkey, write Entry Rules & Application, National Wild Turkey Federation, P.O. Box 530, Edgefield, SC, 29824-0530 or telephone (803) 637-3106.

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Turkey Hunting Gear List

You'll need Acrobat Reader to read and print this .pdf file gear checklist, you can get Acrobat at

http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

Please click the link below for a gear checklist you can print out.

http://www.jesseshunting.com/hunting-gear-list.pdf

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Trespass Permission Slips For Private Land Use & Emergency Alert Sheets

You'll need Acrobat Reader to read and print these .pdf files, you can get Acrobat at

http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

Click the link below to get the trespass permission slip you can print.

http://www.jesseshunting.com/permission-slip-1.pdf

Click the link below for an Emergency Alert sheet you can print out and leave on your vehicle, with your family or friends.

http://www.jesseshunting.com/emergency-alert-notice.pdf

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Maps of Shooting Areas

Guess what I found after cleaning up all the piles of paper in my office. My lost San Bernardino Co. shooting map. These maps show where it is legal to hunt with a rifle, bow, shotgun and at night for varmints in San Bernardino County. I scanned it up and you can download the maps for future reference if you want since S.B no longer sells this map. From what I know, this map is still current but you can check with the local sheriff office to make sure. I've drawn in some crude boundaries for the National Parks and military land but you should use a topo map or GPS to be sure where you are. Each little grid square on these maps is a section on your topo map and all the sections are marked with Township, Range and Section info.

These maps files are big, about 200k to 300k so they may take time to load if you're on a dial up modem. If the map doesn't load all the way, hit the refresh button on your browser.

To save the maps to your computer using Internet Explorer, right click on the map after it downloads, and click save "Save pic as" and then pick a folder or location to save the map on your puter.

Lake Arrowhead and Crestline Area

Devore and Lytle Creek Area

Big Bear and Running Springs Area

Southwest S.B. County Overview

Southeast S.B. County Overview

Northwest S.B. County Overview

Northeast S.B. County Overview

Click here for Los Angeles County Shooting Zone map. This map shows where you can use archery, shotgun and rifle to hunt. The map is big (426k), so be patient for it to load. It should take about 2 minutes to load. The map is published by the Los Angeles County Fish and Game Commission and the issue date is 1994.

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