There are people who hunt turkey, and then there are those addicted to turkey hunting.
For some hunters, turkey is an addiction and what they dream about all year long. In a lot of ways it is really difficult not to turn into a hardcore turkey hunter. Turkeys can be so challenging to hunt from getting calls just right, fooling their laser vision, and the adrenaline rush of finally getting one.
I know I am quickly becoming a turkey addict myself. If you are not sure if you are one of those people I have compiled a list of 10 ways you know your addicted to turkey hunting.
1. You practice your turkey calls every chance you get.
I think anyone who is preparing for spring turkey does this one, especially me. I drive my wife insane practicing my mouth calls around the house. When you're by yourself in the car, no one can say a word.
2. You instinctively listen for a gobble after hearing a crow caw no matter what time of the year it is.
One time, after watching hours worth of turkey locating techniques, I walked outside and heard a crow call. My first reaction was to wait for a tom to gobble.
3. You have a tom gobbling as your ringtone or text notification.
A hen clucking followed by a gobble is my current text notification. The best part is the look on people's faces when my phone goes off while standing in line at the store. If you forget to silence your phone while hunting it can't do anything but help.
4. You listen to a CD or MP3 download of wild turkey recordings year-round to master your calls.
Like they say, there is no better way to learn to talk turkey than from a turkey. One of my favorite turkey albums is "Tree Top Turkeys." I try to mimic them while practicing my calls driving into work.
5. Your kids could operate a push-button call before they were two.
I am already training my kids to become good hunters. My son is the youngest at 18 months. He likes to wander around the house with my push-button call just yelping away.
6. You start to wonder if the chirping of your fork dragging across your plate could call in a tom.
It's that sound when your fork skips across your plate just right and makes that quick, high-pitched cluck. You have to admit this could be a legitimate way to trick a tom into thinking you are a young hen. Try this while you are eating your lunch in the field; keep your gun close just in case.
7. You have a mouth call in your pocket at all times.
You never know when you will get a small opportunity to practice some calls. Turkey addicts know this and keep a few in a call case nestled in their pockets for those moments.
8. You and your significant other planned your wedding around turkey season.
A good friend of mine and his wife, who are both avid hunters, actually did this. They even had to cancel their original date six months beforehand because they realized it was right at the beginning of spring turkey season.
9. When you hear a squeaky door opening and closing you get really still like a turkey is close.
Once you're addicted to turkey hunting, everything around you suddenly has something to do with turkey. Sometimes your mind begins playing tricks on you and you just can't help yourself.
10. Your boss already knows to mark your vacation off every year for turkey season.
At an old job I used to work at one of the high seniority guys would always get time off during turkey season. When April rolled around our boss would just look up opening day and place his name on the calendar. He just knew he wasn't going to be there regardless if he was on the calendar or not.
If you have never been turkey hunting I highly suggest you give it a try. Just know you have been warned; once you start it's hard not to want to chase gobblers year-round. I have my wild turkey download playing with a call in my mouth right now!
NEXT: AND THIS IS WHAT IT'S LIKE TO DECAPITATE A GOBBLER WITH THE JUDGE
