"how to lure in a big tom"

Henry Shields
English 101
Adam Weinstein
November 20, 2007
“How to lure in a Big Tom”

For you non-natives, a big tom is the name delegated to the almighty and elusive Eastern turkey of Alabama. Females are called “hens” and young males are called “jakes”. The eastern turkey that roams throughout Alabama and most of the southeast is one of four major species of turkeys. The other three are Merriam, Rio Grande, and the Osceola. Despite their difference in genetic makeup these different species of turkey share one thing on common: they are the most elusive and prized game to hunt from white rhinos in Africa to the common varmint here in the United States. Imagine stalking an animal that has the eyes of an eagle and hearing abilities that rival any hearing aid made by man. If this magnificent bird had the ability to smell they would be without a question; impossible to hunt. With this said, the question still remains, how do you lure in such a great master of the wilderness like the Turkey? Lucky for you, I fit the stereotype of “good ol’ boys” raised in Alabama and I can tell you everything you need to know about luring in the elusive “Tom”. It’s just up to you to put my knowledge in action. And as the old saying goes, “it’s a lot easier said than done”.
First and foremost-Hunting gear
Because of the turkey’s superb eyesight, the most essential tool needed to hunt turkeys is good hunting gear. Without this, you are better off staying home.
Camouflage. Camouflage comes in many different patterns and you want to pick the pattern that best matches the terrain you will be hunting. Mossy oak and Realtree are top retailers who make a variety of different patterns to match the color of the woods depending on what time of the year you are hunting. Since turkey season in Alabama opens in the spring, you want a greener pattern of camo, not a dark fall or winter color. When turkey hunting, you want to be covered from head to toe in camouflage. Get a camo hat, facemask, gloves, shirt, pants, and socks. I cannot stress enough the importance of having the right camouflage; without this you would stick out like a sore thumb and have no chance of killing a turkey.
Gun and Ammunition
It is illegal to hunt turkeys with a rifle in all states. This being the case, the weapon of choice is a shotgun. If you don’t own one, you do not need to go overboard when purchasing a shotgun because some can cost you upwards of two or three thousand dollars. Price is not as important as the manufacturer of the gun. I suggest a Remington or a benneli. Make sure your gun can shoot a 3 inch shell. Most common are 2 and ¾ inch shells, but a 3 inch shell is necessary to take down a turkey. You need to check the choke in your gun. The choke is a small round metal tube that screws into the end of you barrel. It controls the pattern of your shot. Shotguns shoot out a lot of small little pellets, and the size of your choke determines whether they stay tight together or spray out in a wider range when fired out of the gun. The four main chokes are as follows from tightest grouping of the bullets to largest: full, improved cylinder, modified, and skeet. You want a full choke that will keep your shot tight together to have a greater impact on the turkey because it is such a large bird. Ammunition is the tricky part. If you are a novice, shopping for right bullets can be like finding a needle in a haystack. Shotgun pellets are made of either steel or led. You want to use led for turkeys because it is more powerful. Next, you want to get the right bullet depending on the gauge of your gun. Know the gauge of your gun and ask an employee for help if you are not sure which bullet fits your gun. Firing the wrong bullet out of the wrong gun can be fatal! Next is the size of the bullet. The most common is 2 and 3/4 inches for shotgun shells, but for turkey hunting you want to shoot a 3 inch shell. The last number determines the size and number of pellets that are packed into the shell. Low numbers mean fewer, bigger pellets and vice versa with the large numbers. For shooting turkeys, you want a low number such as a two or three shot. These are the most important elements to consider when purchasing bullets, the brands vary and are completely up to the hunter.
Calling
Calling up a wild turkey is an art that must be learned and practiced to perfection. The aforementioned topics were all preparation tips; calling is the actual way to lure in the “big Tom”. A turkey makes multiple different sounds; the most common are the cluck, strut, and the gobble. The point of calling is to simulate the sound of a hen. Therefore you must concentrate on the first two sounds; the cluck and the strut. Hens cluck when they are feeding and it is more of a neutral sound. By neutral, I mean it is just a communication sound, not to call in other turkeys. On the other hand, the strut is the sound that lets toms know the hens are ready to mate. This is obviously the sound you want to simulate. Unless you are an Indian, you will need a turkey call to simulate these various noises. There are three different types of calls; the box call, the slate call, and the mouth call. The mouth call takes a long time to master so I suggest a box or a slate call for beginners. The box call is a handheld box with a top that slides over the box causing friction to simulate various sounds. The slate call is a round slate made of chalk and a small rod is used to slide over it to simulate different sounds just like the box call. These two basic calls are very similar and choosing one is the hunter’s choice. You can choose either one depending on your preference, but the most important thing is to practice, practice, and practice! I suggest purchasing an instructional video or CD to listen and learn the sound you want to simulate.
The Hunt
Now that I have informed you of all the necessary tools needed to prepare for the hunt, it is time to put it to use. Hunting turkeys is different than any other wild game because they are smart, elusive, and they do not stay in one place for more than a couple of days. First, you want to hunt a hardwood forest. Hardwoods include big oaks, not pine trees. This is because turkeys roost (sleep) in the trees and they do not like pines. Once you have found a good patch of woods, you need to locate the turkeys. The key to this is finding their roosting spot. The general idea is to go out in the evening and find where the turkeys fly up for the night. Once you have located their roost, go back the next morning and wait for them to come down. Turkeys usually come down right at sunrise, so in order to be prepared you must get up early and be in your spot before daybreak. Once in your spot do not move or make a sound because they are extremely cautious and weary of their surrounding when they first fly down. Stay well hidden, have your gun ready, and start calling. Turkeys have a mind of their own, but if you have practiced your calling and stay still you have a good chance of luring in the elusive “Tom”. The hardest part is calling the turkey in close enough to get a shot. The usual range for a shotgun is about twenty to thirty steps. Once you have the turkey in your sights, aim for his head and fire away. You want to shoot them in the head because they have thick feathers and brisket, which makes it difficult for the pellets to penetrate. If all goes to plan and you kill the elusive “Tom”, congratulations! You have joined a group of elite hunters that have done what very few men have accomplished. But remember, as the old saying goes, “It’s a lot easier said than done”.