Turkey Hunters Blues

[Sir-diealot]

Two of my favorite days of the year.... opening day of turkey season and the day it goes out. We have a long spring season in Georgia and by the time it's over, I am pretty much used up. Our season lasts almost two months. Season comes in the first Saturday after March 20 and stays in until May 15, so that's more than 50 days. By May it's hot, the mosquitoes are bad and the snakes are crawling and even worse than that is my wife has had enough of being woken up at five A.M. every morning and is about ready to shoot me by then. I finally stop feeling guilty if I sleep in a morning, or about the work I am missing when season is over. During season it's crazy how a 54 year old man that's hunted over 30 seasons can still get just as excited when a gobblers coming in as he did when he just starting out turkey hunting. I fill the next 310 or so days reading about turkeys, playing calls, making calls, studying maps and scouting for next season. I have found that the best time to check out public land is right after turkey season is over. I can spend days scouting new areas and never see another soul. Most people that turkey hunt will forget all about it until about two weeks before season comes in, but not me. Turkey season is pretty much in at my house 365 days a year, I just don't have to get up as early, or get to carry a gun, but I think about calls or hunting every single day of the year. I know, I'm sick, can't help it and don't apologize for it. Turkeys are my thing, plain and simple. Can't wait till next March when I go out and hear the first gobble of the season, then it's on again

I wish ours was that long, it starts May first and ends May thirty-first and we can only hunt till noon. Yea I think about it all year myself and still get excited about it for sure. I have to lay off buying calls after the next 3 I have ordered, have to get a car van before winter then have to buy CHRISTmas stuff for the nephews but then I will buy myself another for my birthday in January. I have a few turkey books to read and will try to get a few more as well as other books I am reading. I can't wait to go after them again in May as you say......Good Lord willing.

[Sir-diealot]

I miss it bad, but part of why I love turkey hunting is the anticipation every spring.  I try to stay as active outside during the winter as possible, but every year you eventually get a mild case of cabin fever.  Day dreaming about spring and all that comes with it is what gets me through those tough days.  I'd hunt turkeys every day if I could, but until then you just gotta grind it out and find other things to keep your mind happy.  Shed hunting, bow hunting, and artifact hunting keep me sane while I pass time until spring.

Not much for shed hunting, but want to do more with picture taking for sure.