There is no way I could ever forget my introduction to hunting wild turkeys. I had actually tagged along years ago behind Blue Parkman, a veteran turkey hunter from Ruston who had several years of chasing gobblers under his belt.
Back then, turkeys were scarce only being found in isolated areas such as the Jackson-Bienville wildlife management area where I followed Parkman. The hunt ended without success although I got to hear a turkey gobble for the first time. It was years later, , that my addiction to turkey hunting began when I accepted the invitation to hunt turkeys in Alabama.
I was reluctant at first because I had never turkey hunted and the date of the invitation coincided with bream bedding season here at home. I rather reluctantly accepted the invitation, shot my very first gobbler and I was instantly hooked. Some 20 years later before age and infirmities halted my ability to chase gobblers, I was able to bring down 41 gobblers from around the country, collecting my coveted Grand Slam in the process.
I would love to still be able to hurry across the woods to be sitting within yards of a roosted gobbler before it flew down. For the past several years, things have not been quite so rosy as they have been in earlier times. Another reason is an environmental one. For the past couple of years, we have had better weather during the nesting and brooding season.
Cedatol noted that there were reports of a good population of juvenile males jakes last year which means those that carried over will be adult gobblers this season.
