I had the privilege this past February to talk with the nations best turkey hunters and callers at the National Wild Turkey Federation Convention. Here is what they had to say.

Fred Lutger (L) Steve Stoltz (R)

Steve Stoltz is a familiar name to most hunters. Steve has been featured on several Drury Brothers outdoor videos. Steve was 3rd runner-up this year in the senior division. He has been competing since 1982. Madd and Loman Game calls and Mossy Oak Camouflage sponsor Steve. I ask Steve to give me his best tip to pass on to turkey hunters to make them more successful. Steve replied," Study the vocabulary of the wild turkey. Learn those sounds. The better you know these calls, the better turkey hunter you'll become." 

Dick Kirby, founder of Quaker Boy Game Calls, is a man I respect for not only what he has accomplished as a turkey hunter and call manufacturer but even more for how he lives his life. I met Dick several years ago at the National Celebrity Turkey hunt in Warsaw, MO. If you spend time around Dick you'll see his enthusiasm for life, his love of God and country and his joy for the great outdoors and his fellow man. I ask Dick his best tip for successful turkey hunting. This was his reply. "You must learn to sit still. If you don't you eliminate 50 to 90% chance of getting a turkey. Take to heart how to sit still, how to be comfortable while sitting. Don't put your body in an awkward position. Make sure you can see any approaching bird without moving. Get your calls ready and laid out. Don't try and locate calls once you start your hunt. Keep movement to change calls to a minimum." To More of the Dick Kirby Interview.

What a load of information was gathered at the Hunter's Specialties booth. I talked with several HS staff members and here are their tips:

Rick White, Lance Tangen and Shawn Grant

Rick White, "Be patient. The biggest mistake a hunter can make is getting up to move when you should sit still. When you are ready to get up to move, look at your watch and sit 1/2 hour longer."

Lance Tangen, "Scout! Prior to season, check out the land you will hunt. Find the fences, streams and other barriers and obstacles that guide turkey movement.

Shawn Grant, "Patience, hunt every day. If you don't have luck, if you don't see anything, go again anyway. Never give up.

Alex Rutledge, Jim Parker, Matt Morrett

Alex Rutledge,  "Safety is more important than any other aspect of the hunt. Practice good safe hunting." Alex also added, "Don't be afraid to try many different calls. Learn from your mistakes."

Jim Parker, "You don't have to be a competition caller to bag a turkey. Turkeys make many sounds. Do your best and go with what works." Jim should know. He's been turkey hunting since 1980. 

Matt Morrett, "Pay special attention to hens. Reproduce what you hear."

Steve Cobb, "Early morning let it get light enough for hens to be on the ground before you call. Gobblers are smart enough to know a hen isn't down there in the dark."

Eddie Salter: Many of you know Eddie had his own successful call company for many years. Eddie has now been with Hunter's Specialties for 7 years. H.S. truly made a wise move adding Eddie Salter to the team. Eddies' duties include, but are not limited to seminars, product design, sales and development and video productions. Eddies' best tip, "Get and learn to use multiple calls. Have a choice of calls to fall back on. When a bird won't come in, give him a different sound. Don't be afraid to call."

Thanks again to Hunter's Specialties H.S. Strutt Pro Staff. What a pleasure to talk with these fine hunters.

Walter Parrott, a name know to all turkey hunters, is as personable in person as he is on the many TV shows he stars in each week. See Walter in Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World TV Show and Co-Hosting Knight and Hales' Ultimate Hunting show. Walter also gets time behind the camera. "This helps me relate to the hunters' needs while being filmed." Walters best tip, "Be patient. Stay in the woods when other hunters are leaving. Many gobblers are taken mid-morning and later by patient hunters." 

Harold Knight is one half of the famous duo, Knight and Hale. Harold is from Cadiz, Ky. He started the Knight and Hale Game Call Co. in 1972. The company was sold to Pradco 6 years ago. His TV show, Knight and Hale Ultimate Hunting is one of the best- filmed and produced outdoor shows on television. Those are my words, not Harold's'. Harold had this to say. "Watching the Outdoor Channel is a sight better than some of the other crap on TV." I couldn't have said that better. I asked Harold for his best tip. "Learn as much about a wild turkey as you can. Why does he roost over water? What makes the hen sit on her nest for 28 days? What is in a turkeys' diet?"
 Harold stated he hunts turkey about 55 days a year. I ask him which he prefers, spring or fall turkey hunting. "Spring hunting by all means! One-thousand-to-one over fall hunting. Spring is Gods awakening of this great earth.  What a great time to be in the woods. It's the mating time for turkeys. They're struttin-n-gobblin, flowers are blooming, and buds are opening! Gods' creation is jumping right at you!" This will be Harold's' 48th year turkey hunting. 

Doug Crabtree from Brook Park, OH was featured on Bowhunting .net in 2002 doing a day-by-day grand slam turkey hunt. Doug completed his mission in 7 days of actual hunting. Doug will be joined this year by bowhunting.net Webmaster Robert Hoague. Together Doug and Robert will hunt four states for their 2003 Grand Slam quest. I'm sure Robert will be the student, learning call techniques from 9 times Ohio State Call Champion, Doug. Doug's best turkey hunting tip, "Find a call you're proficient with that sounds like a real hen." Doug also added, "Patients is the best key when hunting wild turkey. Sit still when the bird is coming to you."

Harry Blodgett: Harry's dynamic personality is matched only by his enthusiasm for turkey hunting and call making. Harry is CEO of Blodgett Calls located in Corning, NY. Harry started his call business in 1989. Blodgett Calls is the reigning Grand National Turkey Calling Champion. This is the 2nd year running that Blodgett Calls took the title. Jim Pollard of Corning took the championship with his favorite diaphragm calls, the Blodgett Pro Series. Jim designs and builds all the custom diaphragms for Blodgett. His favorite calls include the Destroyer, Tommy Girl and Awesome. Harry's best turkey hunting tip, "Be very versatile in your calling. Don't stick with one type of calling style. Be aggressive and be soft." 

Since Jim Pollard is the reigning NWTF Wild Turkey Burban Grand Nationals Champion for 2003 I thought it befitting to ask Jim for two turkey hunting tips. These are Jim Pollard's two favorite tips. "Learn the cluck and the purr. Soft calls will kill more turkeys than load calls." Jim's second tip, "Proper set up. Set up above or on the same level of the bird you are working. Don't try and call the birds down hill." These were so good I couldn't stop with two so I ask for one more. "Listen to live turkey recordings. Start duplicating those calls."

Robert Hoague: I saved Robert for last. Robert gave me the tip that he lives buy. This man spends more days hunting than most archery clubs.  Roberts tip, " Listen to everyone but find out for yourself what works for you. Spend the time in the woods." What great parting words.

Good turkey hunting this spring,

Fred Lutger