April 2023 - 27

Turkeys have great eyesight,
which is one of the many
reasons they are difficult to
harvest for hunters.
Using man-made calls is an effective method in luring turkeys closer to you.
IT'S NOT EASY
Turkeys have phenomenal eyesight. Wearing
the latest, greatest camouflage and standing
still you might fool a bull elk, but they are a
piece of cake compared to turkeys. Two years
ago, two long beards responded to my calls but
stalled just out of range for my 12-gauge magnum.
They locked on to me. I couldn't move.
Finally, one fanned out his tail, dropped his
wings and began displaying, which prompted
the second to mimic his partner. Pirouetting
slowly and showing all their best sides, they
gobbled over and over, each proclaiming he was
the most desirable suitor for what they both
believed was a nearby, lovesick hen. Slowly I
made a soft hen purr on my box call. Dropping
their display like a punctured balloon, they
stretched out their necks and glared at me.
Despite being fully camouflaged and wearing
a facemask, they saw movement at 35 yards.
As if a mirage, one second they were there,
the next there was nothing. Punctuating the
encounter, they gobbled insults every couple
of yards as they walked away.
Another time I was set up with my back
to a tree and called a few times with no luck.
Out of the corner of my eye I caught movement.
It was a hen checking out the competition.
Slowly she moved closer, hyper alert
and looking for the rival turkey she couldn't
see. Motionless I smiled as she cautiously
walked closer. Within mere feet she suddenly
locked onto my camouflaged form. It was the
old kid's game - stare down. Who's going
to blink first? It was me, and when I did she
recoiled backward into a run, putting loudly
as she left that strange thing that blinked.
Elk will bark, often sounding like a dog, at
danger. Turkeys putt. When you hear them
putt, the gig is up.
Wyoming Wildlife | 27

April 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of April 2023

April 2023 - 1
April 2023 - 2
April 2023 - 3
April 2023 - 4
April 2023 - 5
April 2023 - 6
April 2023 - 7
April 2023 - 8
April 2023 - 9
April 2023 - 10
April 2023 - 11
April 2023 - 12
April 2023 - 13
April 2023 - 14
April 2023 - 15
April 2023 - 16
April 2023 - 17
April 2023 - 18
April 2023 - 19
April 2023 - 20
April 2023 - 21
April 2023 - 22
April 2023 - 23
April 2023 - 24
April 2023 - 25
April 2023 - 26
April 2023 - 27
April 2023 - 28
April 2023 - 29
April 2023 - 30
April 2023 - 31
April 2023 - 32
April 2023 - 33
April 2023 - 34
April 2023 - 35
April 2023 - 36
April 2023 - 37
April 2023 - 38
April 2023 - 39
April 2023 - 40
April 2023 - 41
April 2023 - 42
April 2023 - 43
April 2023 - 44
April 2023 - 45
April 2023 - 46
April 2023 - 47
April 2023 - 48
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/february-2025
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/january-2025
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/december-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/october-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/september-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/august-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/july-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/june-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/wyoming-wildlife-may-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/april-2024-e-edition
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/march-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/february-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/january-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/december-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/october-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/september-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/august-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/july-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/june-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/may-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/april-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/march-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/february-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/january-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/december-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/october-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/september-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/august-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/july-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/june-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/may-iak-special-issue
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/april-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/march-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/february-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/january-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/dec-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/october-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/september-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/august-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/july-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/june-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/may-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/april-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/march-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/february-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/January2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/December2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/September2020
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com