With the spring turkey season (May 1-31) rapidly approaching, now is the time to start getting all your gobblers in a row, so to speak. Unlike most other hunting activities, aside from waterfowling and maybe bowhunting, spring gobbler hunters are heavily gear oriented. Whether it’s the assorted calls, decoys, camo gear and clothing they use, the inventory of a spring gobbler hunter makes most other forms of hunting pale by comparison.
Probably much of that gear hasn’t been used or inspected since last spring, and its ability to perform adequately after a year of down time should never be taken for granted. And when a big tom lets loose with a close-by gobble is no time to discover some piece of gear isn’t up to snuff.
Calls are the heart and soul of spring gobbler hunting, and they are the first gear item I turn my attention to. If they don’t sound the way they should, they get replaced. Latex diaphragm mouth calls are usually the ones that fail first, but even friction-type calls don’t last indefinitely. Humidity and wear and tear of use can cause them to deteriorate in both sound quality and volume. If, after cleaning and maintenance, you’re still not satisfied with how they sound, replace them. Good friction calls can last for many years, given proper care, but even they all will eventually wear out.
How’s your old camo clothing look? If you have something newer, compare its appearance with your older stuff. If the pattern has faded too much, a sharp-eyed gobbler might spot you just about the time you’re almost ready to drop him.
Got a batch of old turkey loads left over from previous years’ hunting? Better fire a couple off at a paper target to see if they still pattern the same as they did that first couple of years you used them successfully. Because we generally only fire at game one or two times when spring gobbler hunting, it often takes several years to use up our turkey hunting shotshell inventory. I try to replace mine every other year and use the older loads for small game hunting. And always pattern new shells in your favorite turkey gun before actually hunting with them.
There are basically two different approaches to spring gobbler hunting. One involves moving and periodically calling to try locating a receptive tom. The other is more stationary, where the hunter sets up in a known gobbler haunt, calls sparingly, and waits for a tom to respond and come in. Some hunters may opt to use both methods on any given morning, depending on gobbler activity and how much vocalizing (gobbling) they’re doing.
In recent years, blinds and decoys have become increasingly popular. The use of a ground blind allows the hunter better cover and the ability to make modest movements without worrying about a closing gobbler spotting him. Decoys can help put a gobbler at ease and help entice reluctant toms to approach closer.
Even though many of today’s blinds are very lightweight, portable, and set up quickly, their best use is in areas where toms like to frequent, such as green fields and strutting areas. Used in conjunction to decoys, blinds can be very effective for hunters who prefer to stay in a prime gobbler area all morning long.
There are a couple of items that should go along with hunting from a blind. One is a lightweight folding stool to sit on. It should be high enough to allow the hunter to readily look out of the blind windows and also high enough so when the shotgun is shouldered, the hunter will be able to quickly get on target of any nearby tom that might appear. A popular popup camo blind with turkey hunters is the Ameristep Outhouse (http://www.ameristep.com/blinds/index.html) which is very lightweight, sets up and takes down quickly, and is roomy enough for a lone hunter. For those who require a larger blind capable of hosting two hunters, there’s the Ameristep Doghouse.
Another neat little piece of gear I found very useful is an adjustable shooting stick, where I can rest my shotgun on while waiting the sometimes long minutes for an approaching gobbler to wander into range. Hunter’s Specialties offers one that’s perfect for this, the HS Strutt Shooters Stik (http://www.hunterspec.com/Updateable/update_display.cfm?pageID=419&categoryID=33) which is a portable rest that adjusts in seconds from 17 to 36 inches in length, and is perfect for turkey hunting or for anyone hunting from the ground.
Last but not least, once the season opens, don’t forget the head net and insect repellant. Plus, always positively identify your target and beyond. Assume any turkey you hear calling may actually be another hunter. Back off, set up well away from the location and wait. And never try to sneak in on what you believe is a live bird calling.

It’s Primetime For Big Stream Browns
Late April and early May are primetime for catching those larger native or carryover stocked brown trout in our larger streams. Big browns normally like meat, so your choice of bait, lures or flies should be chosen accordingly. Whether you fish the large streams such as the Otselic, Bowman, Wharton, Butternut, lower Canasawacta, or the upper portions of the Chenango or Unadilla rivers, rest assured there are some dandy brown trout lurking in many of those pools. The best time to be fishing for these larger trout is the low light period just after dawn and just prior to sunset.