"North woods Law" VS. Old Pro Turkey Hunter book

[crow]

Well every time I re-read that book I get curious if the old family secret that Tony McCleb gave to Gabe Meadows would really work.

so I'm up in Maine, where not many people know me (I live in Pa.), and I think that this would be the perfect place to try it out.

I'm hunting along a beechnut ridge and see a power line clearing ahead, as I get closer I can see a couple of toms in the clearing. I backed up a bit and worked down hill until 80 yards, got set up and called, one strutted but neither would come closer, tried a different call, still won't budge

this spot is out in the middle of nowhere (or so I thought), so taking Mr. McClebs advice I strip down and start backing towards the strutter, getting closer I sneak a peak and both are still there, so far so good. just about to take a 30yard shot and-----

then this voice coming over a megaphone says "Gamewarden, Hold it right there, and just what the heck do you think your doing?", by now I get a better look and see the strutter is one of these newfangled motorized decoys.

they then actually used those terms you hear on the show----not the "crime of the century" but very "suspicious" behavior and this is going on my "permanent record"

so I explain about the secret method in the book, they are still looking at me like I'm nuts, and start to get out the ticket book. Lucky for me one of the camera men speaks up and tells them he had read Mr. Nunnery's fine book, and this was really in it.

also lucky for me is that face masks were after Mr. McClebs time so I had kept mine on and used it to cover up as all this was going on with the wardens.

well I get off with a written warning, but they did ask me if Pa. didn't have enough birds, did I really need to ever come back to Maine-----this is my story and I'm sticking to it.

I bumped this up (to save a lot of typing) to use as my weird turkey hunting tip for the thread they have going on over in the "Tips, strategies and methods" section of the forum.

I hope it may be useful to someone who is looking for new methods for those hard hunted public land Gobblers.

I might add I have used it successfully since it was originally posted, the good news is there is no extra equipment to carry, the bad news is I am banned from hunting in 7 states and 1 Canadian Province.

[2eagles]

They say "You can't make this stuff up", so I'm thinking it really happened and you're trying to cover your butt now.

You and I are both in the strip down to get a duck club. Older and wiser now, I always keep a Lab at my side.

[greencop01]

                  What is the results of this method, when the tom realizes what he's looking at he laughs himself to death ?   And those Game Wardens, they got to lighten up, unless there's a charge, indecent exposure in front of wild turkeys ?

[Ihuntoldschool]

Thanks for bumping this up.  We all know wild turkeys exhibit an enormous amount of curiosity which makes them quite vulnerable, even the hard hunted, older public land variety that may be tough to harvest with traditional methods.  With the secret being out now, I just hope this method does not get overused to the point that it is no longer effective.

[quavers59]

I wanted to buy that book- The Old Pro Turkey Hunter. Did not see any on Jim Casadas site- but perhaps some will come in. My 3rd book just sold out this past Spring.  Jim Casada has a great site for classic books!!

[crow]

I wanted to buy that book- The Old Pro Turkey Hunter. Did not see any on Jim Casadas site- but perhaps some will come in. My 3rd book just sold out this past Spring.  Jim Casada has a great site for classic books!!

this book is definitely worth having, I reread it often
it shows up on ebay and amazon fairly often

[KYFrid]

Found a couple copies for you on Abe Books.

http://www.abebooks.com/book-search/title/the-old-pro-turkey-hunter/

[Cove]

The most enjoyable turkey hunting literature I've found.

And the McCleb secret works. . . . just "trim up" a little. Otherwise you'll be taken for a bear or boar hog.

[firedup]

Interesting.. I was told the same thing by an old, OLD turkey hunter back in the early 80's.  Sitting around a campfire in Greenbrier County, WV after a day of brook trout streams and general loafing, he leaned over, passed me a drink and said "Since I'm sort of training you, I'm gonna tell you a big turkey hunting secret".  Then he told me bout the dropping the pants thing.  He was serious as could be, never cracked a smile. This about when the book was written (which I didn't know about then) and maybe he read it.  Serious, really happened.  Hadn't thought about that in years....till now.  Definetly gonna watch for the TV show.