Turkey day hunting
October 22nd, 2005 by Administrator
Turkey day - It’s turkey time once again, and this season could be one of the best.
“Hunters can expect a great fall turkey hunting season,” DEC Commissioner Denise Sheehan said. “The fall season provides hunters with the opportunity to bring home their own Thanksgiving dinner.”
Sheehan recommends all hunters review the hunting safety guidelines contained in the DEC Hunting and Trapping Guide.
“I encourage hunters to remember the most important part of a successful season - safety.”
It is very important that turkey hunters review the guide and determine which Wildlife Management Area (WMA) they will be hunting in. Cayuga County is divided into at least five management areas. In some of these areas, two turkeys can be taken during the fall season, in others only one. During the fall season turkey of either sex can be harvested. The season also varies between these areas; the season opened Oct. 1 in some areas and opens Saturday in others. Closing dates also vary. It is very important to know the hunting location and review the hunting guide to determine the season dates and bag limit.
The outlook for this fall’s turkey season is excellent. During the fall 2004 season, hunters took an estimated 12,200 birds. This, according to DEC, is after several years of average or below average wild turkey production in New York. Wildlife staff expect hunting opportunities and harvest to increase this year because of excellent production this summer. DEC compiles data on turkey populations during August each year, and while the data has not yet been analyzed, preliminary indications are that nesting success was well above average. This was likely because weather conditions were not cold and wet during late spring which often reduce nest success or survival of young turkey.
In addition to a hunting license, a turkey permit is required to hunt wild turkey in New York. Turkey can be harvested with a bow, shotgun - using shot no larger than No. 2 or smaller than No. 8 - or a muzzle-loading shotgun; rifles and handguns cannot be used to hunt turkey.
Dogs can be used to hunt turkey in the fall, but not during the spring season. Baiting turkeys is illegal, as well as using an electronic calling or amplifying device to locate or hunt turkey.
Immediately after taking a turkey, you must fill out the appropriate carcass tag, cut out or mark the date and month of kill and secure it to the carcass. There are two carcass tags for the fall season. Use the “statewide” tag in any turkey hunting area and the “two-bird area” tag only in an area with a two-bird bag limit. Within 48 hours of taking your bird, you must report your harvest through the DECALS reporting system. Call 1-866-GAME-RPT. If you take a turkey, save one leg from each turkey you harvest. Return it in the leg envelope you will receive from DEC. The legs are used for age and sex information.
One of the common tactics used to hunt fall turkey is to find the birds, scattering them and call them back. Using the target zones to help locate birds, which are usually in a flock, the birds are scattered. This is done by running and yelling at the flock of turkey, some hunters will shoot in the air and others will use a bird dog to “bust up” the birds. Some dogs have been trained to locate and bust up the birds. Once the birds have been scattered, the hunter finds a spot to conceal him or herself and calls the birds back.
Another method is the ambush technique. The turkey hunter sets up between the turkey’s roost and feeding ground in the morning or afternoon, or between the feeding grounds and lounging areas during the day, and waits for the turkey.
Fall turkey hunting is not only a great way to enjoy the wonderful fall season in the Finger Lakes region, it is an excellent way to scout for the upcoming deer season. Turkey and deer have many of the same food preferences. If you find an area where turkeys are feeding heavily, it is a good bet that local deer are also using that food source. Look for old rub lines from the previous fall, as well as fresh rubs and scrapes that will begin to appear.
By Wayne Brewer / Special to The Citizen