pseudonym of a man
Willowridge Custom Calls makes this very specialized and unique call that is particularly effect for making kee-kees the many other bird of year calls. The striker is tapered to point. The pot wood with a crystal surface and has a single sound hole.
In the fall of 2012 I used this call bring several turkeys to gun after my turkey dog Vic had scattered them. The proof of a fine call is in the pictures.
WI wild turkey taken during a winter snowshoe hunt
Wisconsin’s 2012 fall turkey harvest is up over 2011 as of December 12, 2012 5500 turkeys had been registered. This compares to 5433 wild turkeys registered at the end of 2011 fall season. The final 2012 fall turkey harvest numbers will be released shortly. Given the mild December weather and increase in the reported turkey population Wisconsin fall turkey harvest should increase more.
Share your experiences and observations if you hunted fall/winter turkeys.
Even though Wild turkeys can only see in two dimensions they have good eyesight, no make that excellent eyesight. Any wild turkey hunter knows this after only a few encounters with this king of birds which is why camouflage is so popular among hunters. Although there are a few die-hard traditionalist do not wear camo.
So how do you hide from a turkey’s keen sight in a snow covered landscape?
Snow camo is a big help when a hunter is out in the open or open brushy terrain. This is a typical setup I use for winter turkey hunting.
One snowshoe is used as a backrest, the other is laid flat with a cushion on top for a seat.
Add in the hunter dressed in snow camo and you can see the human lines are nicely broken up. Notice the shotgun is also taped with white first aid tape to break up its outline.
If I were to have picked any of the larger trees in this area the snow camo would have stood out against the dark trunk and the turkeys may have likely been out of range. Turkeys can see in color just like us.
In case a more traditional tree setup becomes required I wear an outfitter camo vest under my snow camo jacket and then zip open the outer jacket so my chest will blend with the tree trunk.
I have a personal tradition of hunting the last day of a season to reflect and say “good bye”. This is the sunset of the final hunting day of 2012. Vic and I had just flushed a flock of 50 turkeys, the last we saw they were flying off into the sunset; a fitting end indeed.
What a great season 2012 was and many of us are sorry to see it end. There are high numbers of game birds across the landscape especially turkeys. After an easy 2011/ 2012 winter followed by a spring with just right weather recruitment was outstanding.
I think the wild turkey in Wisconsin has not only recovered from the devastating losses suffered during winter 2010 but also significantly increased above the population level of 2009. There is no official census just my gut feeling after fall hunting turkeys over 3 months’ time in units 1, 3, and 4.
Vic became much more polished in 2012 I am very proud of his progress I lucked into a very fine turkey dog, in October he earned his turkey dog diploma with pair of unit 1 turkeys.
Vic did a text book scatter, barked to call me other to the break area where we setup. I called in the first turkey on a hen wingbone made from a turkey we killed last year. Vic laid low next to me as the turkey approached within gun range and waited for the “get turkey” command. We retrieved the first turkey and called in the second. Both times Vic lay very still next to me, waited for the shot and “get turkey” command. 
This was the first time Vic had done it all right; usually his excitement would get the best of him causing movement or noise at the wrong time whereby saving the turkeys life.
Back to the day of the last sunset we started morning hunting in unit 1 and killed a turkey at 9 in the morning after a very cold setup. Back in unit 4 we killed another turkey at 3 in the afternoon after a slightly warmer setup.
With one 2012 tag remaining we watched the sun set on 2012 hunting.
We covered the 100 yards to where the turkey had disappeared. The quivering of Vic’s legs and tail indicated the turkey was near, the electricity of excitement crackled through the air between the kids and dog. I whispered to my grandson tell Vic to “Get em up Vic; TURKEY!” his young voice quivered as he gave the command. Vic launched charging uphill, but I had seen the turkey go down towards the creek. The sudden chain cackling, putting and large wings beats certainly proved Vic knew more than me at that moment. He busted a big flock; turkeys ran by us, flew overhead and some landed in trees all around us; the kid’s eyes bulged with excitement as they gleefully giggled with delight.
Then it was quiet even the creek seemed to stop for a moment, the kid’s mouths were agape with no sounds and their wide eyes darting around to catch another glimpse of a turkey.
Breaking the silence in a trembling whisper my grandson says “what now grandpa?”
I told him to watch and listen this is what grandpa does when hunting-“kee, kee, yelp, yelp, yelp yelp”
Turkey talk exploded everywhere around us, we stayed, watched and listened for about half hour as the turkeys regrouped giving the kids a lesson in turkey flock reorganization.
My 9 year old grandson begged me to take him hunting with me this fall, he even promised to carry the turkey for me; of course I readily agreed to take them both.
There is no doubt fall turkeys, turkey dogs and kids go together.
During my almost half century of hunting, I have always made a point of hunting the last day of the season assuming I have an unused tag still available in my pocket. It is my way to say a respectful goodbye to the season and usher in the season next year with good karma; maybe a little superstition or perhaps my excuse to hunt one more time.
Wisconsin fall turkey season closes Dec 31st each year providing, in my humble opinion, the perfect way to celebrate the coming New Year with all the high expectations of hunts yet to come.
December 31, 2011, found Vic, my 1-year-old Vizsla and myself hunting for the last wild turkey of 2011.
The turkeys had been hard to locate the last couple of weeks. Perhaps due to unusually mild temperatures the turkeys were still in small flocks or being loners wandering the woods and fields enjoying the readily available buffet of seeds and fruits littering the bare ground.
Due to my attention being distracted for a moment I lost track of Vic a rather typical occurrence with a wide-ranging turkey dog. I’m beginning to listen intently for telltale signs of him, suddenly an abrupt cackle followed by a chain of loud cackling and wings must be my turkey dog causing all that noise. The flock rose up as a tower out of the brush above the logging road I was standing on. Thinking these birds were all heading across the valley to a far ridge I was surprised when they rotated their wings for a decent downward splitting in half landing on the road on either side of me. Realizing their mistake the turkeys took off running in different directions, a good break indeed. The silence returned as I blew the whistle signaling for Vic’s to come.
Vic was so spun up I had a hard time tethering him during our wrestling match. Usually he is allowed to run around to continue flushing any straggler birds but this time, the turkeys were scattered close by making a fast set up necessary.
The electricity of excitement burning in Vic could be felt right out to the tips of his hair. What little fur he has. While we continued wrestling into set up position a nearby cluck carried through the air. I answered with a demanding assembly call that was answered back with a pleading kee-kee cluck. Vic froze on a sitting point towards the opposite direction from where I thought the sound originated. After a season of hunting with Vic, I have learned to trust his senses over mine, so I turned shifting the old model 1100 to my right side just in time. A bluish turkey head materialized just beyond the bead- boom – Vic relishing the intoxicating smell of freshly killed turkey. A glance at my watch- 4:15 as I punched my last 2011 tag marking the end of Vic’s first season.
I told Vic this was the last turkey of the year as I took his picture. His face says it all.
End of the season!? What is this? I thought seasoning was used to cook turkeys.
Turkey Dog Success
Sounds of the fall hunting season; Vic’s paw falls in fallen leaves, alarm putts, large wings clawing for air causing thunderous wing beats as two toms soar over my head from the ridge above. I stop and listen hoping; yes another putt and wings moving in the opposite direction, show time for the caller- that would be me.
Vic trots into sight panting hard. For a 9-month-old pup, he sure puts his heart into the hunt. The ridge is mostly park-like, with acorns strewn about and squirrels scurrying to put up the winter stores. Quite a distraction for my pup but his training focused on turkeys all summer so when he found the toms the squirrels won their reprieve.
We set up against an inviting oak with Vic tired and for the moment content to drink some water and lay on my left side. He barely stirs when I let out the first series of course yelps followed by purrs and angry clucks. The last call from my slate is cut off by the lost tom who is answering with excited yelps and booming gobbles. Game on! My wingbone answers with the bonk sound similar to that of a steel barrel or bucket makes with change in temperature. Don’t ask me why gobblers come to this sound no one has explained it to me why nor have I figured it out, it just works and this tom is no exception, he is on his way coming in quick. Vic goes into his rigid vizsla point directly at the incoming turkey while lying beside me. This is his first real setup I hope he holds long enough for the shot. His leash begins to pull under my rear; my hand touches his collar to reassure him all is well. His excitement travels up my arm like electric bugs. The turkey is 20 yards juking its head to the beat of some music only he knows. The pressure is on, don’t whiff the shot its Vic’s first.
There is comic style of movement at the base of this oak. The leash is sliding free, the shotgun is in motion my left hand has gripped the forearm. One eye is on Vic as he rises for a closer view the experienced turkey realizes his mistake as he hits full escape stride, Vic’s leash is free of me as he coils for the spring, I see he is in the safe zone in my peripheral as the bead appears under the beak, my finger compresses the trigger rolling the turkey into a ball of feathers. Vic at half way stops abruptly snapping his head at me and back at the now still turkey it is as if his eyes are saying “what the heck! That never happened in practice” and then he is on the bird relishing the pungent smell of fresh turkey.
Vic admiring his first wild turkey and it is a nice gobbler
