♪ ♪ >> THIS WEEK ON KENTUCKY AFIELD... WE WENT LIVE ON FACEBOOK TO ANSWER ALL OF YOUR SPRING TURKEY HUNTING QUESTIONS AND WE ARE BRINGING YOU THOSE ANSWERS RIGHT NOW.

>> WE ARE TRYING TO TIME THE SEASON ACCORDING TO THE BIOLOGY AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT.

>> IT'S ALL NEXT ON KENTUCKY AFIELD... >> THAT'S A PRETTY FISH.

>> BEAUTIFUL.

>> THIS POND IS PLUM FLOATED WITH FROGS.

>> THEY'RE EVERYWHERE IN HERE.

(GUNSHOT) >> THIS IS A GOOD FISH RIGHT HERE.

A REALLY GOOD FISH.

>> COME HERE, GIRL.

>> THAT'S A BIG RABBIT.

>> NICE JOB.

>> YES!

MY FIRST MUSKY.

>> LEO!

♪ WE GOT A KEEPER!

>> THERE GOES.

BOOM!

>> WOW, THAT HAPPENED FAST.

>> HELLO, WELCOME TO KENTUCKY AFIELD.

I'M YOUR HOST CHAD MILES.

JOIN US AS WE JOURNEY THE TONIGHT YOU HAVE JOINED US LIVE AT THE SALADO WIFE EDUCATION CENTER TO TALK ABOUT TURKEYS.

THE TEMPERATURE IS GETTING RIGHT, THE BIRDS ARE STARTING TO GOBBLE.

IT'S TIME TO GET READY FOR TURKEY SEASON, ISN'T IT?

>> IT IS, CHAD.

>> I'VE GOT THREE GUESTS WITH ME.

ZACH DANKS, THE TURKEY PROGRAM COORDINATOR.

HOW ARE YOU DOING?

>> DOING GREAT, CHAD.

>> ANOTHER FAMILIAR FACE, ALTHOUGH I JUST HEARD THIS IS HIS FIRST TIME TO THE SHOW HERE IN THE CALL-IN SHOW, JOE LACEFIELD, A BIOLOGIST FOR THE DEPARTMENT FOR QUITE SOMETIME.

YOU ALSO ARE AN AVID TURKEY HUNTER, ARE YOU NOT?

>> THAT'S CORRECT.

>> I'M GOING TO ASK YOU QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO TO GET TURKEYS AROUND OUR OWN PIECES OF PROPERTY LATER IN THE SHOW.

>> GREAT.

>> AND ANOTHER FIRST TIME GUEST, SERGEANT GLEN SMITH OUT OF THE 9th DISTRICT.

HOW ARE YOU DOING TODAY?

>> DOING WELL.

>> A WHOLE LOT OF CHANGES IN TURKEY HUNTING.

PEOPLE ARE WANTING TO CHANGE SHOTGUNS AND AMMUNITION AND THERE IS GOING TO BE A LOT OF QUESTIONS LEGALLY.

SO HOPE YOU'RE READY.

WHAT DOES THE HATCH LOOK LIKE, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO BE EXPECTING IN TERMS OF TURKEYS?

>> THIS YEAR'S GOBBLER CROP WAS PRODUCED BY AND LARGE IN 2019.

WE HAD A RELATIVELY GOOD HATCH.

2018, 2019, WE SAW A DECENT HATCH ACROSS THE STATE.

2020 WAS A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT DOWN, BUT STILL DECENT COMPARED TO WHERE WE HAVE BEEN IN RECENT YEARS.

SO THIS SPRING, I THINK, THERE OUGHT TO BE SOME TWO YEAR OLDS GOBBLING.

>> THAT SOUNDS GREAT.

WE ARE GETTING QUESTIONS COMING IN RIGHT NOW SO WE ARE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GET TO IT.

FIRST QUESTION WAS ABOUT THE TURKEY HATCH AND THE POPULATION.

WE GOT THAT SQUARED AWAY.

THE NEXT ONE IS IN JIMMY STANDARD.

IN THE FALL AND WINTER, I SEE LARGE GROUPS OF TURKEYS OUT ON THE FARM BUT THIS TIME OF YEAR, THEY SEEM TO BE VERY SCATTERED.

WHAT IS THE REASON THAT MAY BE TAKING PLACE?

>> THAT'S WHAT THEY TWO DO AS BREEDING APPROACHES.

THEY'RE FLOCKED UP.

THEY START AFTER THE HATCH AND THE BROOD IS START GETTING TOGETHER IN THE LATE SUMMER, FALL.

THOSE WINTER FLOCKS WILL REMAIN UNTIL, YOU KNOW, SOME YEARS IT'S GOING TO VARY A LITTLE BIT.

BUT GENERALLY, AS THE DAYS GET LONGER THAT URGE TO BREED STARTS HITTING, THEY'LL SPLINTER OFF.

HENS WILL GET IN SMALLER GROUPS AND EVENTUALLY WHEN THEY GET BRED, THEY'RE GOING TO GO OFF AND START LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO LAY EGGS AND THEN GOBBLERS ARE STILL BAD ON EACH OTHER BUT IT'S LOOSE GROUPS OR INDIVIDUAL BURDZ.

>> THANK GOODNESS THEY DO THAT.

WHEN THEY GET INTO BIG MASSIVE GROUPS, IT'S HARD TO SNEAK UP ON A BIRD AND SECONDLY, IT'S FEAST OR FAMINE.

IF YOU HAVE 400 BIRDS IN A COUPLE HUNDRED ACRES AND THEY'RE ALL TOGETHER, ONE PERSON MAY SEE TURKEYS BUT NOBODY ELSE WILL SEE THEM.

SIGHTS A PERFECT TIME OF YEAR TO HUNT THEM.

>> I'M SURE JOE GETS THE QUESTION A LOT.

PEOPLE SAY WHERE ARE MY TURKEYS?

THEY'RE IN THE GOING TO SAY, NECESSARILY ON YOUR PLACE YEAR ROUND, YOU KNOW.

>> THAT'S A FACT.

THEY CAN BE ONE PLACE TODAY AND FIVE MILES AWAY TOMORROW.

THEY'RE NOT GOING TO STAY ON YOUR 100-ACRE TRACK.

>> NO MATTER WHAT TIME OR WORK YOU PUT IN, THERE ARE A LOT OF REASONS TURKEYS MOVE ABOUT AND DIFFERENT FOOD SOURCES BECOME POPULAR AT DIFFERENT TIMES OF THE YEAR.

RIGHT NOW WHAT WOULD YOU THINK IS A NUMBER ONE FOOD SOURCE FOR TURKEYS THIS TIME OF YEAR EARLY APRIL?

>> THEY'RE CLUEING IN ON ANYTHING GREEN AND UP.

THEY'RE PROBABLY STILL SCRATCHING FOR ANY LEFTOVER ACORNS THAT MIGHT BE OUT THERE IN THE WOODS BUT THEY'RE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF A LOT OF THINGS.

SNAILS, WORMS, WHATEVER THERE IS, YOU KNOW.

JOE AND I WERE WORKING ON SOME RESEARCH WE ARE DOING AND JOE SAID I BET THE BIRDS ARE DOWN AT THE BOTTOM GETTING THE EARTH WORM.

>> WHEN THE LIVER WENT DOWN, THEY FLIP THAT STUFF OVER AND GET WORMS UNDER IT VERY EASILY HIGH PROCEED PROTEIN, HENS STARTING TO LAY EGGS, THEY'RE TAKING THAT PROTEIN IN.

>> EARTH WORMS, HUH.

YOU ARE STARTING TO SEE THE BUGS.

THE GRASSHOPPERS AND IT'S REALLY STARTING TO COME ON AND THAT'S GOT TO BE A REALLY GREAT HIGH PROTEIN FOOD SOURCE FOR A TURKEY.

>> FOR SURES.

>> NEXT QUESTION FROM JIMMY.

WHY DOES TURKEY SEASON OPEN WEEKEND CLOSEST TO THE 15th AND NOT A SET DAY.

>> TIP THEIR WE HEAR IT WHEN THE SEASON FALLS LATER.

PEOPLE ARE ANXIOUS.

THEY WANT TO GET OUT THERE.

THEY HEAR THE FIRST GOBBLE.

THEY'RE LIKE I'M GOING TO MISS THE SEASON THIS YEAR.

I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT BUT THE SEASON, WE DON'T SET THE SEASON EVERY SINGLE YEAR.

THE SEASON IS SET BY REGULATION BASED 0 9 CALENDAR, CORRECT?

>> RIGHT.

>> OUR REGULATIONS HAVE BEEN CONSISTENT SINCE 2006, I BELIEVE.

AND REALLY IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BIOLOGICALLY WE HAVE A TARGET THAT WE ARE SHOOTING FOR AND THAT BIOLOGY IS PRETTY CONSISTENT YEAR TO YEAR.

BUT SOCIAL FACTORS ALSO COME INTO PLAY.

SO RIGHT NOW OUR SEASON STARTS THE SATURDAY CLOSEST TO APRIL 15.

YEARS BACK, WE WERE ON THE CALENDAR APRIL 15.

SO IT COULD COME, THE SEASON COULD HAVE COME IN ON A TUESDAY, ON A FRIDAY, IT VARIES BUT WE HEARD FROM HUNTERS, THAT WE WANTED TO OPEN IT UP ON A SATURDAY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, MORE PEOPLE WOULD GET THE CHANCE TO HUNT OPENING DAY.

IT WAS A SOCIAL CONSIDERATION AND THE WAY THE CALENDAR WORKS SOMETIMES THAT SATURDAY CLOSEST TO THE 15th IS GOING TO CALL AFTER THE 15th, THE 17th.

SOME YEARS IT COULD BE AS EARLY AS APRIL 12 SO IT VARIES.

REALLY WE ARE TRYING TO TIME THE SEASON ACCORDING TO THE BIOLOGY AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT BUT BUT THE EXACT DAY IS REALLY A HUMAN CONCERN.

>> NEXT QUESTION FROM DAVID MESSER IN.

HOW WAS THE YOUTH SEASON'S HARVEST.

>> WE JUST CAME OFF OF AND UNFORTUNATELY HIT ON EASTER WEEKEND BUT SATURDAY AND SUNDAY WAS OUR YOUTH WEEKEND.

HOW DID THOSE NUMBERS COME OUT?

>> WE JUST, A LITTLE OVER 1500.

AND THAT'S DOWN FROM 2200 LAST YEAR, BUT AGAIN EASTER IS THROUGH A BIG WRENCH IN THERE.

THAT'S A BIG HOLIDAY.

SO JUST, YOU KNOW, DEFINITELY INFLUENCE PEOPLE'S ABILITY TO HUNT.

BUT I THINK MAYBE LAST YEAR WITH THE PANDEMIC HITTING AND THERE WAS A LOT OF FOLKS THAT HAD SOME EXTRA TIME ON THEIR HANDS, AND THEY STILL DO THIS SPRING BUT MAYBE NOT QUITE AS MUCH.

SO MAYBE THERE WASN'T QUITE AS MUCH AVAILABILITY.

IT COULD HAVE BEEN A 1-2 PUNCH LIKE THAT.

EVERYBODY WAS LOOKING FOR A REASON TO GET OUTSIDE.

THERE IS MORE COMPETITION FIRST TIME TURKEY HUNTER IN THE STATE OF KENTUCKY WANTS TO KNOW IF HE NEEDS TO CALL HIS TURKEY HARVEST IN IMMEDIATELY OR CAN IT BE WITHIN A CERTAIN TIMEFRAME.

>> YOU CAN ANSWER THIS QUESTION BECAUSE IT'S REALLY THE SAME NO MATTER WHAT YOU ARE HARVESTING THAT NEEDS TO BE TELECHECKED IN THE STATE OF KENTUCKY.

>> WHAT HE NEEDS TO DO BEFORE HE MOVES HIS CARCASS, TAG IT ON THE HARVEST LOG FOR THE ENTIRETY OF THE SEASON AND HE WILL HAVE TO MIDNIGHT THAT NIGHT TO GET THE BIRD CALLED IN AND GET A CONFIRMATION NUMBER ON IT BUT HE WILL NEED TO GET THAT NUMBER BEFORE HE PROCESSES THAT TURKEY.

>> BEFORE YOU MOVE THE TURKEY CARCASS, ONCE IT IS HARVESTED, FILL OUT YOUR LOG INFORMATION WHICH MEANS YOU NEED TO TAKE A PEN TO THE FIELD.

>> THAT SEEMS TO COME UP A LOT.

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE TWO INK PENS WITH YOU.

>> ONCE YOU DO THAT, YOU HAVE UNTIL MIDNIGHT OF THAT NIGHT OR BEFORE YOU PROCESS I.

HE NEEDS TO GET THE CONFIRMATION NUMBER FOR IT AND HAVE IT PROCESSED AND CARRY THE HARVEST LOG FOR THE DURATION OF THE SEASON.

>> NEXT QUESTION IS ACTUALLY ZACH WAS ASKING THE QUESTION ABOUT IMMEDIATELY HARVESTING, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT, SHELBY WANTS TO KNOW, HE WANTS THE SEASON TO BE MOVED UP TWO WEEKS.

WANTS TO KNOW THE REASON FOR THE GENERAL SEASON BEING WHEN IT IS.

WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS.

IF THE SEASON WAS MOVED UP TWO WEEKS, I WAS OUT A LITTLE BIT THAT TIME OF YEAR, WASN'T HEARING MUCH GOBBLING.

I DON'T THINK WE WANT IT TO BE UP TO THE FIRST OF APRIL LIKE IT IS IN TENNESSEE AND STATES FURTHER SOUTH BUT TELL ME THE REASON THE 15th BECAME THE NUMBER, THE DATE, SATURDAY CLOSEST TO THE 15th, TELL ME HOW WE BECAME ABOUT THAT AS AN AGENCY?

>> WELL, IT GOES BACK TO OUR FORMER TURKEY PROGRAM COORDINATOR GEORGE WRIGHT, THE ARCHITECT OF OUR CURRENT TURKEY FLOCK, LED THE RESTORATION EFFORT IN THE 70s AND 80s AND INTO THE 90s.

AND LUCKILY GEORGE HAD THE FORESIGHT TO TO PLAN THE SEASON TO OPEN WHEN A GOOD NUMBER OF THE HENS HAD BEEN BRED SO THE THINKING BEHIND HAPPEN 15, NOTHING MAGIC ABOUT IT BUT BASED ON OUR LATITUDE AND THE TIMING MOST TURKEYS DO THEIR BREEDING, A GOOD CHUNK OF THOSE HENS, A GOOD NUMBER OF THEM WILL HAVE ALREADY BEEN BRED BY THE TIME WE START HUNTING AND THAT'S IMPORTANT.

IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE WE CONTINUE TO HAVE A HEALTHY TURKEY FLOCK AND PERPETUATE THIS GREAT RESOURCE BECAUSE IF WE PUT TOO MUCH PRESSURE TOO EARLY, THE RISK WE MAY RUN IS THAT WE ARE TAKING OUT DOMINANT GOBBLERS, THE MOST SUCCESSFUL BREEDERS.

WHEN YOU DO THAT CURRENT RESEARCH IN THE DEEP SOUTH IS STARTING TO SHOW THAT COULD BE DETRIMENTAL SO WE HAVE A RELATIVELY CONSERVATIVE SEASON AND THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT THE WE ARE TRYING TO TIME OUR SEASON WITH ABOUT THE PEAK OF LAYING WHEN MOST HENS ARE GOING OFF TO LAY.

MORE CONSERVATIVE WOULD BE TO WAIT UNTIL LATER WHEN MOST HENS ARE STARTING TO SIT ON THE NEST, BUT WE ARE KNOT THAT CONSERVATIVE.

WE ARE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD.

SO I THINK IT'S A GOOD SENSIBLE FRAMEWORK AND GIVEN TURKEY NUMBERS HAVE COME DOWN SOME FROM WHERE THEY WERE, I THINK IT'S A GOOD PLACE TO BE SO WE GET THAT A LOT.

BUT IT IS A BALANCE.

IT IS TRULY A BALANCING ACT AND SPORTSMEN HAVE ALWAYS FUNDED CONSERVATION IN THE STATE AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR FLOCK, TURKEY FLOCK IN THE FUTURE.

WHAT WE ARE TARGETING IS A CERTAIN DATE WHERE MOST HENS ARE BRED.

JUST BECAUSE IT IS NOT THE PACK OF THE VOCALIZATION OF THE TURKEY DOESN'T MEAN WE ARE MISSING THE SEASON IT'S NOT REALISTIC TO EXPECT TO SET IT EVERY SINGLE YEAR BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO VARY A TAD YEAR TO YEAR WEATHER CAN INFLUENCE IT.

BUT WE DON'T WANT TO CHANGE OUR SIS SEASON AROUND CHASING WHAT WE THINK IS A PEAK OF BREEDING.

IT IS HARD TO PUT YOUR THUMB ON WHERE THE PEAK IS THIS YEAR PEOPLE HAVE BEEN HEARING THE GOBBLING AND THEY'RE ITCHING TO GO BUT THOSE GOBBLERS HAVE BEEN READY TO GO, YOU KNOW, EARLY.

SO YOU JUST HAVE TO BE PATIENT AND THERE WILL STILL BE SOME GOOD HUNTING TO BE PAD.

>> MY FAVORITE IS LAST WEEK TURKEYS ARE A LITTLE DIFFERENT.

IT'S SOMETHING I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT.

>> I LIKE TO BOW HUNT THEM WITH A LONG BOW AND IT'S A CHALLENGE TO GET CLOSE ENOUGH TO THEM TO SET UP WITH A MIND AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.

THE LAST WEEK THERE IS MORE VEGETATION ON, I CAN GET SET UP BETTER AND MAKE MOVEMENTS WITHOUT BEING BUSTED SO EASILY.

THAT'S WHY I LIKE THE LAST WEEK.

>> THAT MAKES SENSE.

I'LL TELL YOU, I THINK THERE IS NOT A TWO-WEEK PERIOD IN THE STATE OF KENTUCKY THAT THE LANDSCAPE CHANGES MORE FROM THE OPEN DAY OF TURKEY SEASON TO THE LAST DAY OF SUCKER TURKEY CONDITION.

WE GO OUT AND WE WILL BE VIDEO AND BRING THE VIDEO FOOTAGE IN AND YOU ARE LOOKING AT IT AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S NOT EVEN THE SAME PLANET.

IT'S COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THAT TIME OF YEAR.

JUST, THAT'S ONE OF THE BEAUTIES OF TURKEY HUNTING, SITTING OUT THERE AND WATCHING THE WORLD COME TO LIFE.

YOU SEE TREES BLOOM AND BUD AND IT'S A BEAUTIFUL TIME TO BE IN THE WOODS.

>> REALLY IS.

>> NEXT QUESTION IS FROM ALEX CARTER.

HE SAYS THAT WHAT DO WE DO IF WE KILL A TURKEY THAT HAS WARTS ON IT?

WHAT IS THE PROCEDURE?

TELL ME ABOUT WHAT HE COULD BE TALKING ABOUT HERE.

>> THERE IS A NUMBER OF DISEASES THAT CAN CAUSE THAT, AVIAN POX IS ONE A LOT OF HUNTERS HAVE HEARD ABOUT BUT THERE ARE OTHERS.

WE ARE FORTUNATE WITH THE DEPARTMENT HERE TO HAVE A WILDLIFE VETERINARIAN ON STAFF AND SHE IS VERY INTERESTED IN HELPING US MONITOR DISEASES IN OUR TURKEY FLOCK AND THIS IS A COMMON CONCERN WE GET FROM PEOPLE ABOUT DISEASES.

THE BEST THICK TO DO WOULD BE TO CALL US UP BECAUSE WE WOULD LIKE TO GET THAT TURKEY FROM THEM SO WE CAN DO ABN-- DO A NECK CROPCY ON IT.

AND IT IS INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THE DISEASES ARE MOVING ACROSS THE STATE.

THERE ARE RELATIVELY NEW DISEASES IN THE LAST 10 TO 15 YEARS THAT HAVE COME ACROSS THAT VARIOUS STATES HAVE BEEN FINDING IN THEIR TURKEY FLOCK SO WE ARE LOOKING TO MONITOR FOR THOSE.

THAT WOULD BE SOME REALLY HELPFUL INFORMATION FOR US.

>> WHERE WOULD THE WARTS BE FOUND ON THE TURKEY?

WHAT PART WOULD IT MOST LIKELY SHOW UP ON?

>> THE HEAD, NECK AND ON THE LEGS AND FEET AND TOES.

OFTEN IT, YOU KNOW, A MILD CASE WON'T BOTHER THEM BUT IF IT STARTS TO IMPEDE ON THEIR ABILITY TO EAT AND BREATHE, IT CAN BE DONE.

>> DO CONSERVATION OFFICERS USE TURKEY DECOYS.

>> WE HAVE ALL TYPES OF DECOYS WE TRY TO DO TO DO A BETTER JOB THAN WHAT WE DO.

>> NOTHING BEATS THE REAL THING.

YOU KNOW FIELDS WHERE TURKEY'S HANG OUT.

IF YOU SEE A TURKEY OFF THE ROAD, IT'S A GOOD CHANCE YOUR CONSERVATION OFFICER KNOWS THE TURKEYS ARE HANGING OUT THERE.

YOU SPEND A LOT OF TIME WATCHING WILDLIFE.

>> WE HEAR MORE TURKEYS THAN ANYBODY.

WE USUALLY KNOW WHERE THEY'RE AT AND LIKE I SAID, DECOYS OF ANY TYPE ARE ALWAYS A GOOD TOOL TO USE TO TRY TO GAIN COMPLAINS FROM FOLKS.

>> THERE ARE TURKEY DECOYS OUT THERE, BEWARE.

JOHN STUB, DOES A YOUTH HARVEST COUNT TOWARDS THE PARENTS BAG LIMIT?

WE GET THIS QUESTION ALL THE TIME.

MY CHILD IS AT A CERTAIN AGE WHERE THEY MAY NOT NEED TURKEY TAGS OR HOW DOES THAT WORK AND WHAT AGE DO YOU NEED TAGS AND IF YOU ARE YOUNG ENOUGH THAT YOU DON'T NEED YOUR OWN TAGS, IT DOESN'T COUNT AGAINST THE PARENT, CORRECT?

>> UNDER 12.

IS 12-15.

>> THE PARENTS CAN'T USE THE YOUTH EITHER.

PARENTS DON'T WANT TO HUNT FOR THE YOUTH.

>> THEY'RE STILL CHECKING IT ON THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER, THE CHILD'S NOT THE PARENTS.

>> I GET THIS CALL EVERY YEAR DURING DEER AND TURKEY SEASON.

THEY SAY HEY, MY CHILD DOESN'T HAVE THEIR LICENSE AND I CAN'T GO TELECHECK THIS BECAUSE THE SYSTEM DOESN'T KNOW WHO THEY ARE BECAUSE THEY'VE NEVER BOUGHT A LICENSE.

YOU STILL CHECK IT UNDER THAT CHILD'S SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER AND IT WILL WORK.

IT WILL GO THROUGH JUST FINE AND GIVE YOU THE OPTION TO CHECK A BIRD UNDER A STATEWIDE LICENSE UNDER THE AGE OF 12 OR SOME TYPE OF VERBIAGE TO THAT FORM.

IF YOU HAVE A YOUTH TURKEY HUNTING, THE YOUTH SEASON OR REGULAR SEASON, TELECHECK THAT UNDER THEIR NORMAL SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER, CORRECT?

>> YOU USE ALL THEIR INFORMATION.

FILL IT OUT JUST LIKE YOU WOULD IF IT WAS YOURS BUT YOU USE THEIR INFORMATION.

IT WON'T COUNT TOWARD YOUR BAG LIMIT.

>> WON'T COUNT TOWARD YOUR TAG.

>> AND GREATLY SIMPLIFY THAT, IF YOU GO IN ON OUR WEBSITE FW.KY.GOV GOV AND PROVIDE A NEW PROFILE ACCOUNT FOR A YOUTH HUNT HUNTER, IT GREATLY SIMPLIFIES CHECKING IN IF YOU WANT TO DO IT ONLINE.

YOU CAN PRINT ALL THAT INFORMATION FROM THE MY PROFILE.

NEXT QUESTION.

HOW IS THE POPULATION ON OUR WMAs, SPECIFICALLY PEABODY.

TAMMY BAILEY LOOKING FOR A RECOMMENDATION ON A WMA TO TURKEY HUNT AND WANTS TO KNOW ABOUT PEABODY.

>> PEABODY IS HUGE.

AND IT GETS A BIG HARVEST BUT IT IS A BIG AREA AND I PERSONALLY THINK, I'M A BIRD HUNTER.

I GO THERE TO QUAIL HUNT EVERY YEAR.

AND IT IS MANAGED FOR QUAIL.

I THINK THE TURKEYS BENEFIT FOR THAT.

WE BIOLOGISTS THINK ABOUT HOW TO PRODUCE MORE TURKEYS.

I THINK PEABODY IS A GOOD RESOURCE IN THAT SENSE.

THAT SAID, YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DO SOME LOOKING BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF OPEN MIND GROUND, QUAIL TYPE HABITAT BUT THERE ARE BIRDS IN THE WOODS, SO DO SOME SCOUTING AND YOU CAN FIND THEM DEFINITELY.

GIVE US A WMA THAT GETS LESS PRESSURE THAN THE BIRDS DICTATE?

I MEAN IT COULD SUSTAIN MORE HUNTING PRESSURE BECAUSE THE BIRDS ARE THERE.

>> DANIEL BOONE NATIONAL FOREST.

>> HE STOLE MINE THERE IS A LOT OF LAND THERE.

>> NEXT QUESTION, BRETT BRYANT.

DO TURKEYS EAT DRY LAND FISH ALSO KNOWN AS OR AMORELS?

>> I KNOW YOU LIKE TALKING ABOUT MUSHROOMS.

HAVE YOU SEEN TURKEYS EATING MORRELLS?

>> I CAN'T SAY I'VE SEEN TURKEYS EATING MORRELLS BUT DEER, OTHER BIRDS WILL CONSUME MUSHROOMS NOT JUST MORRELLS.

IT'S POSSIBLE.

TO THINK THAT TURKEYS WOULD BE GOING THROUGH AND SINGLY HUNTING FOR MORRELLS, I DON'T THINK SO.

>> WHAT IS YOUR THOUGHTS ON MUSHROOM EATING.

>> URBAN COUNTY THEYS EAT SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS.

THEY'RE PROBABLY NOT OUT THERE HUNTING FOR MORRELLS SPECIFICALLY IT IS A FOOD SOURCE.

IT IS INTERESTING A TURKEY'S DIET RANGE.

THEY CAN TAKECY CADEA AND GRASSHOPPERS AND WHAT OTHER WEIRD THINGS HAVE YOU HEARD OF THEM EATING.

>> IT MAKES THEY PECK AT THE STYROFOAM.

>> TURKEYS, THEY WILL EAT EVERYTHING.

THIS IS FROM JOE.

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT KENTUCKY'S TURKEY POPULATION OVER TIME?

PRE-RESTORATION TO NOW AND WHEN WAS THE RESTORATION DONE?

DO WE EVER IN THE STATE OF KENTUCKY GET TO WHERE WE DIDN'T KNOW OF TURKEYS OR DO WE ALWAYS HAVE SOME AND SOME ASPECTS OR AREAS OF KENTUCKY?

>> WE ALWAYS HAD A FEW.

LAND BETWEEN THE LAKES OR WHAT BECAME LAND BETWEEN THE LAKES, HARBOR BIRDS.

THAT WAS A REFUGE FOR THEM BUT THEIR POPULATION GOT SO DEPRESSED THAT IT, YOU KNOW, IT DIDN'T, IT WAS JUST BARELY HANGING ON ESSENTIALLY.

WE TRIED BACK IN THE 50S AND 60s, THEY WERE TRYING TO MOVE BIRDS INTO THE STATE AND SOMETHING TOOK UNTIL THE 70s.

IT WAS PROBABLY '77 OR '78 WHEN GEORGE WRIGHT ORCHESTRATED THE TRADES WITH OTHER STATES AND, YOU KNOW, STATES HELP OTHER STATES GET POPULATIONS STARTED AND IT'S REALLY, THANKS TO THOSE STATES THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GET BIRDS.

MISSOURI, MISSISSIPPI, WHEN WE GOT INTO THE PROGRAM OF CATCHING AND RELEASING LOTS OF BIRDS AND PROTECTED THEM, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A IT WASN'T UNTIL WE GOT LOTS OF BIRDS FROM A LOT OF PLACES AND STAYED WITH IT FOR SEVERAL YEARS.

BY MY-- MY FIRST TURKEY HUNT WAS IN 1996.

I SHOT MY FIRST BIRD IN '97 IF I REMEMBER RIGHT, AND MY WHOLE BASICALLY MY ADULT LIFE, IT JUST SEEMED LIKE TURKEYS WERE EVERYWHERE BUT YOU CAN'T TAKE IT FOR GRANTED BECAUSE IT WAS ONLY IN, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST ONE GENERATION AGO THAT FOLKS DIDN'T HAVE THEM SO AGAIN THAT'S WHY I ALWAYS HARP ON HUNTERS GOT TO BE CONSERVATIONISTS BECAUSE WE CAN'T TAKE IT FOR GRANTED.

>> AND IT'S SUCH A FUN ACTIVITY, TURKEY HUNTING AND CALLING TURKEYS IS SUCH A FUN ACTIVITY, THANK GOODNESS OTHER STATES GAVE US BIRDS TO SEED WHAT WE HAVE NOW.

DOESN'T SOUND LIKE NATURAL REPRODUCTION WOULD FILL THE STATE.

WE HAVE TURKEYS IN EVERY COUNTY NOW.

120 COUNTIES NEXT IS FROM T.J. SHORT.

WILL A GOBBLER EAT HEN'S EGGS.

WILL THEY EAT EGGS?

>> IT'S POSSIBLE.

DO THEY EAT IT ROUTINELY OR REGULARLY?

NO.

IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE GET THIS QUESTION A LOT AND I'LL BROACH IT BECAUSE I'M A GROUSE HUNTER AND GROUSE BIOLOGIST.

THAT'S A CONTENTION.

TURKEYS EAT GROUSE EGGS DESTROY NESTS, TEAR THEM UP.

TURKEYS ARE GENERALISTS, A HUGE DIET.

BUT TO THINK THEY'RE GOING TO SINGLE OUT NESTS, THAT'S PROBABLY NOT THE CASE.

JUST THINK ABOUT IT, WHEN HENS ARE LAYING AND WHEN A HEN LAYS FOR THOSE TWO WEEKS WHEN SHE IS LAYING HER EGGS, SHE IS NOT NECESSARILY-- HE IS GOING TO BE LAYING HER EGG AND GET AWAY FROM THERE.

WHAT ARE GOBBLERS WORRIED ABOUT THAT TIME OF YEAR?

>> HENS.

>> THEY'RE NOT WORRIED ABOUT EATING.

THEY'RE NOT OUT THERE SEARCHING FOR HER NEST OR A GROUSE'S NEST.

IT'S POSSIBLE.

VERY RARE INTERESTING QUESTION KEVIN ROCK WANTS TO KNOW DO YOU THINK DEER HUNTER FEEDING CORN INCREASING RACCOON NUMBERS HAS AN EFFECT ON TURKEY POPULATIONS?

>> >> YOU'RE ON A ROLL.

>> I DON'T THINK IT'S A GOOD THING TO CONCENTRATE WILDLIFE PERIOD.

BUTFULLY TIME YOU ARE CONCENTRATING POTENTIAL PREDATORS, YOU KNOW, THESE ANIMALS, IN BEING A PREDATOR, THEY'VE GOT A HIGHER MENTAL CAPACITY.

THEY'RE GOING TO LEARN THE PATTERN, THE GAME THAT YOU WANT TO HUNT.

IF YOU ARE CONCENTRATING THEM, THAT'S PROBABLY NOT A GREAT THING FOR YOUR HONEY HOLE AREA.

SO.

>> I MEAN ANY TIME THE LACK OF A FUR MARKET AND DECREASE IN TRAPPING HAS INCREASED NEST PREDATORS PRESENCE ON THE LANDSCAPE SO WITHOUT EXCELLENT HABITAT, YOU ARE GOING HAVE HIGHER NEST DESTRUCTION.

IN OTTER CREEK, WHEN THE AGENCY FIRST TOOK IT OVER, WE PUT CAMERAS OUT, AND CHARLIE AND I HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ONE OF THE WOFT PREDATORS FOR TURKEY EGGS ARE?

HE SAID AT THAT PARTICULAR LOCATION, IT HAD BEEN VERY, VERY LITTLE RACCOON HUNTING FOR MANY YEARS AND HE SPECIFICALLY SAID THAT'S WHAT HE WAS SEEING.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT?

>> COONS ARE A BIG ONE FOR SURE.

EVERYONE IS GOING TRY TO EAT AN EGG ABOUT IT ONE OF THE ONES THAT'S PRETTY PROMINENT THAT MAYBE WE DON'T THINK ABOUT A LOT ARE SNAKES.

RAT SNAKES ARE A BIG TIME NEST PREDATORS.

>> THEY CAN SMELL AN EGG A LONG WAY OFF AND THEY LEARN, TOO.

THEY'RE SNEAKY.

>> SNAKES.

>> CERTAINLY COONS, OPOSSUMS,.

>> NEXT QUESTION WHAT ARE YOUR INSIGHTS ON THE POPULATION NOW VERSUS 5, 10, 15, 20 YEARS AGO.

WHAT HAS THE OVERALL POPULATION TREND BEEN FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS?

>> WELL, WE, OUR RECORD HARVEST WAS IN 2010 AND THAT GAME ON THE HEELS OF A 17-YEAR PERIODICALLY CICADA HATCH THAT OCCURRED OVER MOST OF THE STATE BASICALLY EASTERN TWO-THIRDS, IT MISSED THE PURCHASE REGION BUT IN 2008, SO BEFORE THAT TIME WE HADN'T BROKE 30,000 IN A SPRING HARVEST.

OUR POPULATION WAS STILL KIND OF GROWING.

PROBABLY WAS SLOWING DOWN BY THAT POINT AND THAT CICADA HATCH JUMPED US UP AND TURKEYS ARE RELATIVELY LONG LIVE SPECIES AND SO WHEN YOU HAVE A GOOD HATCH, ESPECIALLY A REALLY GOOD ONE LIKE THAT, IT CAN CARRY YOU A FEW YEARS DOWN THE ROAD SINCE THAT TIME WE HUNG REALLY STEADY, YOU KNOW BUT ALSO AFTER THAT TIME, REINSTRUCTION STARTED GOING DOWN THIS IS OTHER STATES WE STILL HAD A PRETTY LONG POPULATION AND WE HAVE COME DOWN IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.

A LOT OF HUNTERS CAN RECOGNIZE THAT.

IT'S TRUE.

AGAIN IT COMES DOWN TO REPRODUCTION.

WE'VE GOT PRETTY CONSERVATIVE HUNTING REGULATIONS HERE SO THAT HELPS BUFFER US.

BUT HATCHES ARE VERY IMPORTANT.

WE NEED IT TO REPLENISH THE POPULATION.

WE'VE' COME DOWN SOME.

IS THE SKY FALLING?

NO.

DO WE NEED TO BE CONCERNED AND DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO HELP OUR FLOCK?

SURE.

BUT WE STILL HAVE A VERY STRONG TURKEY POPULATION.

>> WE ARE FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AWAY FROM THE SAME CICADA HATCH YOU WERE REFERRING TO.

CAN WE LOOK FORWARD TO 2025 OR 26, 27, THOSE YEARS, TO BE BOONL YEARS AGAIN.

>> POTENTIALLY.

>> THE CICADA THING, THE MORE I LEARN ABOUT IT, IT'S A REALLY FASCINATING SCIENCE AND THE BIOLOGY BEHIND IT.

TYPICALLY PREDICTABLE BUT THERE IS GOING TO BE SOME VARIATION BUT THEY THINK TWEABT 25 WILL BE A BIG HATCH.

WE WILL HAVE ONE THIS YEAR BUT IT WILL ONLY AFFECT A LITTLE OF THE OHIO RIVER COUNTIES MORE PROMINENT IN INDIANA AND OHIO.

BUT 2025 AND 2027 IS THE YEAR I WOULD PEG AS A PRETTY GOOD HARVEST YEAR.

BUT THAT'S COUNTING OUR TURKEYS BEFORE THEY HATCH.

>> YOU'VE GOT PREDATORS NORMALLY PURSUING TURKEYS THAT ARE GOING TO EAT THOSE CICADAS, RACCOONS, SNAKES, HAWKS, YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT NORMALLY DON'T EVEN FEED ON BUGS OR EATING BUGS AT THAT TIME, JUST BECAUSE OF THE SURPLUS.

SO IT TAKES THE PRESSURE OFF ALL OF THE OTHER GAME THE AMOUNT OF PROTEIN ON THE LANDSCAPE WHEN THAT HAPPENS, IT'S JUST EVERY WHERE.

FISHING IS GREAT.

TURKEYS, EVERYTHING IS FAT AND HAPPY EXCEPT FOR THE CICADA, I GUESS.

BUT WHAT AN AMAZING YEAR.

I STILL HAVE VERY VIVID MEMORIES OF THE LAST TWO HATCHES.

OLD ENOUGH TO REMEMBER TWO OF THEM AND LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT ONE.

IT GETS A LITTLE BIT ANNOYING AFTER A WHILE BUT KNOWING WHAT IT CAN DO TO OUR FISHING AND OUR TURKEY POPULATION IS PRETTY AMAZING DEAL.

>> IT'S A NEAT PHENOMENA.

>> PAM, IN YOU HUNTER WANTS TO KNOW WHAT EQUIPMENT DOES SHE REALLY NEED TO HAVE SUCCESS.

SO FIRST OFF SHE NEEDS TO HAVE WHAT?

>> SHE NEEDS HER HUNTING LICENSE AND A TURKEY TAG AND THEN, YOU KNOW, A SHOTGUN SHOT SIZE NO LARGER THAN NUMBER 4.

IF SHE IS NEW AND SHE HEY MAY NOT KNOW, THE SMALLER THE NUMBER, THE LARGER THE SHOT SIZE.

SO ANYTHING LARGER THAN A NUMBER 4 WOULD BE ILLEGAL TO USE.

ANYTHING LESS THAN A NUMBER 4, HIGHER NUMBER, SMALLER SHOT SIZE WOULD BE LEGAL.

>> SO JUST TO GET BY, TO GET OUT TO A TURKEY HUNT, YOU DON'T NEED A TON OF GEAR.

THAT'S ONE OF THE BEAUTIFUL THINGS ABOUT TURKEY HUNTING.

YES, WE CAN LOAD OURSELVES DOWN WITH TONS OF GEAR BUT IF YOU HAVE A SHOTGUN WITH A FULL CHOKE OR TURKEY CHOKE AND ANYWHERE FROM A 410 TO A 12 GAUGE YOU PRETTY MUCH GOT TO BE STILL.

IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BUY THE CAM CAMMO THAT LOOKS PERFECT, YOU JUST HAVE TO SIT STILL AND HAVE PATIENCE.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO CALL.

HAVE ANY OF YOU CULLED A TURKEY WITHOUT CALLING.

>> SCRATCHING IN THE LEAVES.

IF YOU HAVE A BIRD GOBBLING AND IT'S CLOSE, THEY CAN HARDLY RESIST THAT.

>> ONCE YOU GET A TASTE OF SUCCESS, YOU END UP ACCUMULATING MORE GEAR.

IT BECOMES MORE FUN AND YOU GET MORE CALLS IF I PERSON WAS GOING TO PICK UP ONE CALL I WANT ONE CALL BECAUSE I WANT TO KEEP IT SIMPLE, WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND.

>> A NEW HUNTER, I'M GOING TO SAY PROBABLY A SLATE OR WHAT HAROLD KNIGHT RECOMMENDS, THOSE PUSH BOX CALLS.

YOU CAN MAKE A TURKEY SOUND OTHER THAN THAT, AS YOU GET A LITTLE OLDER I MIKE A MOUTH CALL.

I'M NOT GREAT AT IT DON'T PRETEND TO BE A CHAMPION CALLER.

>> TURKEYS ARE NOT AS GOOD AT IT EITHER SOME OF THE WORST TURKEY CALLS COME FROM THE TURKEY POST PEOPLE OVERCALL.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO CALL AGAIN HE KNOWS WHERE YOU ARE AT.

IT'S AMAZING HOW THEY CAN PINPOINT YOU WHEN THEY HEAR YOU CALL IN THE WOODS.

THEY KNOW WHERE YOU ARE ABOUT AT.

PEOPLE CAN MOUNT THEM ON THEIR GUNS WHERE THEY CAN DO LESS MOVEMENT, THE PUSH PULL CALL.

THE MOUTH CALL TAKES THE MOST PRACTICE BUT THERE IS ALMOST NO MOVEMENT.

IT'S LITERALLY A DIAPHRAM THAT SITS IN YOUR MOUTH.

IT'S KIND OF GOOD TO MESS WITH ALL OF THEM AND THEY ALL MAKE CERTAIN SOUNDS A LITTLE DIFFERENT.

SOME ARE LOUDER.

IT'S FUN TO EXPERIENCE PEERMT AND TRY DIFFERENT ONES, GET YOU, YOU KNOW, SLATES DIFFERENT WOOD, STRIKERS AND ALL THAT.

THAT'S AFTER YOU HAVE BEEN DOING IT A LITTLE WHILE AND BECAUSE INEVITABLY, YOU ARE GOING GO TURKEY HUNTING AND FORGET SOME OF IT AND LOSE A STRIKER HERE OR THERE.

DON'T LET THAT BE YOUR FRUSTRATION.

HAVE SOMETHING SIMPLE.

>> SO PAM DOESN'T HAVE TO HAVE A CALL.

A SHOTGUN.

MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WHERE THE SHOTGUN IS SHOOTING.

GET OUT THERE AND PATTERN THE SHOTGUN TO MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WHERE THAT, WHAT AMMO IT SHOOTS RIGHT, WHAT TYPE OF TURKEY CHOKE TUBES YOU WANT TO PUT IN THERE ONCE YOU GET THAT MAKE SURE THAT YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING SHUNY ON YOU AND GET COMFORTABLE BECAUSE NO SHINY THINGS.

>> AND BE STILL.

>> BE SUPER STILL.

>> THAT'S THE NUMBER ONE MISTAKE PEOPLE MAKE IS THEY HAVE A BIRD COMING, THE BIRD IS SUDDENLY SHUT UP AND THEN THEY'RE DOING THIS ON THE TREE.

IF YOU ARE WANTING TO HARVEST A TURKEY, YOU JUST INTO ED TO KEEP YOUR HEAD PINNED TO THE TREE AND MOVE NOTHING BUT YOUR EYES.

THAT WILL GO A LONG WAYS.

THE MINUTE YOU START LOOKING AT YOUR PHONE OR, YOU KNOW, HE'S TAKING OFF BEHIND YOU AND YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW HE WAS THERE.

WE'VE ALL SEEN THE VIDEOS WHERE 3 CAMERA LOCATES A TURKEY OUT THERE IN THE FIELD.

A COUPLE CALLS.

TURKEY COMES RUNNING, YOU SEE THE BEARD FLOPPING AND IT RUNS RIGHT ON THE LUN TO YOU.

DOESN'T HAPPEN THAT WAY VERY OFTEN.

>> MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, I'VE GOT A BIRD GOBBLING AND A BIRD SNEAKS IN OVER HERE I'M NOT AWARE OF.

>> HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU SET THERE WITHOUT A SOUND, HAVEN'T HEARD A THING AND YOU STAND UP TO MOVE LOCATIONS AND WHAT WAS THAT?

AND THE TURKEY IS RUNNING AWAY.

>> MORE OFTEN THAN I WANT TO TALK ABOUT.

>> YOU THINK YOU KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT TURKEY HUNTING, THEY WILL HUMBLE YOU.

YOU ARE REVERSING NATURE.

NORMALLY THE HENS GO TO THEM AND YOU ARE DOING IT BACK WARDS.

THE BIRDS ARE GOING TO BE MORE HESITANT TO MILWAUKEE THE FINAL MOVEMENT AND GETTING THEM ZIP LIPS IS THE BEST OPTION TO MAKE THEM COME ON.

>> BEING PATIENT.

YOU MIGHT FINALLY CATCH IN WHEN HE IS RELUCTANTLY DECIDED TO REVERSE NATURE.

>> IF YOU ARE HUNTINGING PUBLIC BROWNED, THE MORE THE BIRD GOBBLES, THE MORE LIKELY SOMEONE ELSE IS GOING TO COME IN AND GET IT.

THEN YOU ARE DELAYED ANOTHER TWO HOURS.

>> HOW MANY TURKEY TAGS COME WITH A YOUTH SPORTSMAN LICENSE.

>> YOU CAN GET TWO IF YOU BUY JUST THE TURKEY PERMIT, YOU GET ONE.

>> AND A YOUTH SPORESMAN YOU GET TWO IN THE SPRING.

>> IT'S A PACKAGE SET UP FOR YOU TO HUNT ALMOST LIKE YOUR ADULT SPORTSMAN BUT CHEAPER.

>> THERE YOU GO.

NEXT QUESTION, WHAT IS THE NUMBER ONE IMPROVEMENT THAT CAN BE MADE ON YOUR AVERAGE FARM TO IMPROVE TURKEY HUNTERS?

BIOLOGISTS LOVE THIS QUESTION.

>> PARK THE BUSH HOG, TRY NOT TO MOW BETWEEN THE LAST OF MARCH AND THE MIDDLE OR END OF JULY THAT WILL SAVE A LOT OF TURKEY NESTS I HAVE WALKED UP AND FOUND THOSE THINGS AND THEY CAN BE HIDDEN VERY WELL PARK THE BUSH HOG.

AS FAR AS PLANNING, WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND?

>> HARD TO BEAT CLOVER.

CLOVER GETS INSECTS, IT'S GREAT BROOD HABITAT.

NATIVE GRASSES ARE GREAT NESTING COVER BUT CLOVER IS AN EXCELLENT PRACTICE FOR TURKEYS.

>> HOPE HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY IS GETTING OUT THERE AND GETTING THEIR TURKEY GUN SIGHTED IN.

PUT THE TURKEY CALL IN THE CAR WITH YOU, DO SOME CALLING.

DON'T DRIVE YOUR FAMILY CRAZY WITH IT BUT LET YOUR KIDS TRY IT.

IT'S A LOT OF FUN, TURKEY SEASON IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER, BEEN HEARING GOBBLERS.

IT WON'T BE LONG.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS THAT WE DO NOT GET TO TONIGHT, YOU CAN ALWAYS REACH OUT TO THE DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE BY REACHING OUT TO OUR INFO LINE 1-800-858-1549.

YOU CAN ALWAYS REACH US THERE IF WE DON'T GET TO YOUR QUESTIONS NOW.

NEXT QUESTION FROM NATHAN.

HE NOTICED A WHITE TURK OWE A WALL BEHIND YOU.

IS THAT AN ALBINO OR SOMETHING ELSE AND WHAT CAUSES IT?

I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHICH TURKEY THEY SAW.

>> THERE IS A SMOKE FACE.

>> YEAH, SO TURKEYS ARE NEAT IN THAT THEY HAVE SOME ABERRANT COLORATIONS.

A GENETIC MUTATION.

SMOKE FACE IS ONE YOU SEE TYPICALLY IN HENS.

TRUE ALBINOS ARE EXTREMELY RARE WHERE THEY HAVE NO PIGMENT.

IT'S JUST PINK EYES.

THERE ARE VARIATIONS OF WHITE IN THERE, TOO, OCCASIONALLY, BUT YOU DON'T SEE IT ON GOBBLERS TOO MUCH.

THAT SAID, IF YOU HAVE A BIRD COLORED UP DIFFERENT AND YOU ARE LEGALLY HUNTING AND OTHERWISE IT'S A LEGAL BIRD SO YOU CAN CASH IN AND THEN THE QUESTIONS START.

IS THIS A DOMESTIC BIRD OR, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF HARD TO SAY, BUT THERE ARE NATURAL COLOR VARIATIONS NOT JUST THE WHITISH OR SMOKED.

THERE IS REDDISH AND OTHER PHASES THAT YOU JUST DON'T SEE VERY OFTEN.

>> PRETTY COOL LOOKING.

I CAN'T SEE THE SMOKED FACE FROM HERE BUT THEY'RE REAL COOL LOOKING BIRD.

>> THE AMAZING THING IS THEY DO LOOK LIKE A DOMESTIC STYLE TURKEY YOU MIGHT SEE OUT BUT THE AMAZING THING IS THAT WITH ALL THE PREDATORS AND EVERYTHING WANTING TO EAT A TURKEY, HOW THAT BIRD THAT LOSE IS A LOT OF ITS CAMOUFLAGE, A WHITE OR GRAY COLOR CAN MAKE IT TO ADULT HOOD IS PRETTY AMAZING.

>> NO QUESTION.

>> STRENGTH IN NUMBERS.

SHE STAYS WITH OTHER HENS AND THEY HELP HER.

>> THERE YOU GO.

>> MORE EYES THE BETTER.

>> ALL RIGHT.

HARLAN SAYS HE IS NEW TO TURKEY HUNTING AND WE ARE HAPPY TO GET NEW PEOPLE INVOLVED IN TURKEY HUNTING.

HARLAN, GOOD LUCK THIS YEAR.

NEW TO TURKEY CALLING WANTS TO KNOW THE MOST IMPORTANT SOUND OR CALL I SHOULD LEARN FOR THIS SEASON WE TALKED ABOUT THE TYPE OF CALL.

WHAT IS THE ONE CALL YOU REALLY NEED TO WORK ON TO HAVE DOWN BEFORE YOU HIT THE WOODS.

>> JUST A BASIC YELPING.

THE CADENCE IS IMPORTANT.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO GET FANCY I CAN'T CACKLE BUT I ALWAYS TRY BUT I CAN SOUND LIKE A DECENT HEN AND THAT'S REALLY ALL YOU NEED IF YOU ARE PATIENT MAYBE THESE GUYS ARE EXPERT THE BIGGEST MISTAKE NEW HUNTERS MAKE IS WALKING AROUND WITH THE CA YOU WILL IN YOUR MOUTH AND.

(MAKING SOUNDS) AND MANY TIMES WHEN YOU DO THAT, YOU DON'T HEAR ANYTHING, YOU TAKE TWO OR THREE STEPS AND THERE IS HURKY ON HIS WAY TO YOU.

THEY GET TOUGHER THE HUNT THE MORE YOU EDUCATE THEM SPEAKING OF EDUCATING BIRDS, DO WE HAVE A RULE OR LAW AGAINST CALLING A CERTAIN TIME OF YEAR.

>> YOU CAN'T DO ANY CALLING WHERE A TURKEY MAY HEAR YOU AFTER MARCH 1.

30 DAYS AFTER THE SEASON.

WE ARE IN THAT PERIOD OF TIME.

YOU CAN PRACTICE IN YOUR HOME, IN YOUR VEHICLE BECAUSE YOU CAN EDUCATE A BIRD PRETTY QUICKLY.

>> ESPECIALLY IF YOU HUNT PUBLIC LANDS.

I'VE SEEN TOMS RUN FROM TURKEY SOUNDS NEXT QUESTION FROM JAMES STURGEON.

CAN YOU LEGALLY PRACTICE CALLING OUTSIDE WE HAD THIS QUESTION COME UP.

>> WITHIN YOUR HOME YOU ARE GOING TO BE ALL RIGHT BUT YOU DON'T WANT TO DO IT WHERE THE HURKY TURKEYS ARE GOING TO HEAR YOU BECAUSE IT WILL MAKE IT HARDER TO KILL FOR EVERYBODY.

YOU MAY BE LEGAL ON YOUR BACK PORCH BUT AGAIN, IF THE TURKEY CAN HEAR YOU THE WAY THE LAW READS, YOU ARE IN THE WRONG BUT LIKE I SAID, YOU ARE MAKE MAKING IT HARD ON YOURSELF.

I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND IT AND IT'S AGAINST THE LAW.

>> KYLE, WHY DO TOMS SOMETIMES GROUP UP AND SOMETIMES GO SOLO.

IT SEEMS LIKE DURING MATING SEASON THEY WOULDN'T WANT TO BE AROUND OTHER MALES.

>> THESE BIRDS ARE ENGINEERED TO BE IN A HIERARCHY THEY KNOW EACH OTHER.

WE DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND HOW THEY PERCEIVE EACH OTHER, REALLY.

THE REASON THEY TURN THE BEAUTIFUL RED, WHEW IT AND BLUE THAT WE ALL GET EXCITED ABOUT, THAT'S BECAUSE THAT MEANS SOMETHING TO THEM BIOLOGICALLY, AGAIN, WE CAN'T SPEAK TURKEY.

EVERYBODY LIKES TO THINK THEY CAN.

THEY'VE GOT A SOCIAL-- THEY'RE A SOCIAL BIRD, YOU KNOW.

SO EVEN WHEN IT'S BREEDING TIME AND EVERYBODY, THEY'RE FIGHTING TO BE THE BREEDER, THEY'RE STILL GOING TO BE AROUND EACH OTHER, JUST BECAUSE THAT'S JUST WHAT THEY DO TO SOME EXTENT I THINK THERE IS A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, HEMMING AND HAWING BUT THEY KNOW, YOU KNOW, HOT DOMINANT BIRD IS AND SO THEY'RE JUST NEVER THAT FAR AWAY FROM EACH OTHER TYPICALLY.

>> MY THEORY.

>> I AGREE.

MANY TIMES YOU GET BIRDS EQUAL AGE OR SAME HATCH CLASS THAT HANG AROUND TOGETHER AND ANY TIME YOU SEE THE THREE OR FOUR GOBBLERS TOGETHER, THEY'RE PROBABLY NOT THE DOMINANT BIRD AROUND IF THEY'RE HEARING HIM GOBBLE, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO COME IN AND WHEN HE IS SOMEWHERE ELSE, THEY'LL ACT LIKE THEY'RE THE BOSS.

>> TURKEYS ARE INTERESTING.

IF YOU ARE HUNTING TURKEYS AND DECIDE I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE A JAKE.

AND BY ALL MEANS TAKE WHATEVER YOU WANT BUT A LOT OF DAYS OPENING MORNING I TELL MYSELF, I'M ONLY GOING TO SHOOT A MATURE BIRD AND IF YOU GET A JAKE RIGHT THERE ON YOU AND YOU GET THE CHANCE TO GET THE BIRD REALLY CLOSE, KIND OF FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU CAN GET AWAY WITH NEXT TO NOTHING BUT WATCH HOW THE BIRD REACT.

TURKEYS ARE A BEAUTIFUL UGLY BIRD.

YOU LOOK AT THE HAIR ON THEIR FACE AND YOU GET CLOSE AND INSPECT THEM, YOU'RE LIKE THAT IS AN ODD LOOKING CRITTER BUT LOOK AT THE COLOR AND HOW THEIR INTOEDS CAN STAND STRAIGHT UP AND ALL THE WEIRD THINGS A TURKEY CAN DO.

WHAT AN INTERESTING BIRD I.

>>Y AGREE SOMETIMES JUST ENJOY.

LITTLE NOISES THEY MAKE IT'S FASCINATING.

SO WHEN YOU GET THAT MOMENT WHEN YOU ARE THAT CLOSE AND THEY DON'T KNOW YOU ARE THERE, IT'S PRETTY COOL TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF TRYING TO WATCH WHAT THE BIRD IS DOING AND THE SOUNDS IT'S MAKING.

THEY CAN BE LOUD AND SHOW UP COMPLETELY SILENT.

IT'S AMAZING HOW THE BIRD THAT SIZE CAN BE SO QUIET BUT YET CAN COME THROUGH PULLING EVERY LEAF AND SCRATCHING EVERYTHING OFF THE GROUND AND PRETTY AMAZING.

NEXT QUESTION IS FROM MIKE CELTE.

AN INCREASE IN HAWK NUMBERS THE PAST FEW YEARS.

ARE THEY HAVING ANY EFFECT ON THE TURKEY NUMBERS.

>> THEY CAN TAKE TURKEYS, YEAH I DON'T KNOW ABOUT, WE DON'T REALLY TRACK POPULATION TRENDS IN HAWKS AND MY THOUGHT, ANY TIME OF YEAR A COOPER'S HAWK COULD TRY ON A TURKEY, BUT PROBABLY NESTING IS, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY WOULD HAVE THE MOST IMPACT.

>> THE YOUNG BIRDS.

>> YOUNG.

>> IF YOU ARE MOWING TOO MANY STRIPS, YOU ARE EXPOSING BIRDS POTENTIALLY TO-- SO PARK THE BUSH HOG.

>> COREY WANTS TO KNOW WHAT THE LAW SURROUNDING BAITING.

WHAT ARE THE DATES YOU CAN'T RUN FEEDERS OR THE DISTANCES THAT YOU HAVE TO HUNT FROM THEM?

>> THE YOU ARE ALOUD TO-- YOU ALLOWED TO FEED WILDLIFE IMMEDIATE AREA AROUND YOUR HOUSE.

FROM MARCH 31 TO MAY 31, IT IS ILLEGAL UNLESS YOU ARE IN THE CURLAGE OF YOUR HOME.

IT WOULD BE ILLEGAL.

AND IF YOU DECIDE OVER ANY TYPE OF BAIT.

>> SO IF IT HAS BEEN MON INLATED IN ANY SHAPE OR FORM.

>> YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO HUNT THERE UNTIL 30 DAYS AFTER ALL THE BAIT IS GONE SO YOU COULD TAKE YOUR SPOT OUT OF PLAY FOR THE WHOLE SEASON.

TIMMY ONCE SAID HE HEARD A LOT ABOUT TUNGSTEN SHOT FOR TURKEYS IS IT WORDS THE EXTRA MONEY.

HE THINKS IT SEEMS PRETTY EXPENSIVE.

>> THIS IS THE TREND IN TURKEY HUNTING RIGHT NOW PEOPLE MOVING TO SMALLER GAUGE AND SHOOTING TUNGSTEN.

WHAT ARE YOU GOING SHOOT THIS YEAR?

>> I'VE GOT, I THINK I'M SHOOTING THRIP WILL THREAT.

IT HAS SOME OF THE OTHER ALLOYS.

TRIPLE THREAT.

I'VE GOT OLD REMINGTON NITROS IN MY VEST, TOO.

I BOUGHT ONE BOX OF EXPENSIVE ONES I THINK THE TECHNOLOGY BALLISTICS ARE GOOD.

ARE DON'T LIKE IT WHEN IT GIVES PEOPLE FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY ON THEIR RANGE.

A GOOD ARTICLE WRITTEN MAYBE THE MARCH ISSUE IT WAS LIKE ABOUT GUN SET UP AND YOUR LOAD AND CHOKE BUT HAVE A 60-YARD GUN FOR A 40-YARD SHOT.

NO MATTER WHAT, I JUST DON'T THINK THAT THEY'RE GOING TO ENGINEER ANYMORE OF A SAFE ETHICAL SHOT IN THERE EVEN WITH THESE GREAT SHOTS BUT THE KILLING POWER IS THERE AND IF YOU ARE WILLING TO SPEND THE MONEY, I SAY TAKE ADVANTAGE.

>> ARE YOU SHOOTING A 20 GAUGE OR 12 GAUGE.

>> 12 GAUGE FOR TURKEY.

>> I KNOW YOU ARE NAPPING YOUR OWN BROAD HEADS GETTING READY FOR THE SEASON.

I KNOW YOU LIKE TO BOW HUNT THEM BUT DO YOU SHOOT A SHOTGUN HAD.

>> SOMETIMES I GET TIRED OF PACKING A BLIND AND BEING SAID TEAR AND I LIKE TO RUN AND GUN.

AND TAKE SEVERAL PEOPLE HUNTING EVERY YEAR BECAUSE I LIKE TO EXTEND MY SEASON WHEN I HIT THE HILLS IN EASTERN KENTUCKY, THERE WERE HILLS, I TAKE THREE SHOTGUN SHELLS, A MOUTH CALL AND MY SHOTGUN.

AND YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES YOU ARE GOING TO BE TIGHT WITH BIRDS SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOUR LOAD IS GOING TO MAKE THAT BIG A DIFFERENCE BUT I DO SHOOT THREE AND A HALF INCH WESTCHESTER LONG BEARD NUMBER 5S.

>> YOU ARE SHOOTING A 12 GAUGE AS WELL.

>> YEAH.

>> FLOYD GAR WANTS TO KNOW, HE NEVER TURKEY HUNTED BEFORE.

GOING FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS YEAR.

HOW SHOULD HE APPROACH OPENING MORNING?

THAT'S A SMART MAN TO ASK THE QUESTION THE DAY ABOUT OF HE GOES BECAUSE YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A LOT OF TURKEY HUNTING.

WHAT WOULD YOU TELL HIM?

>> WOULD I GET THERE EARLY WHERE YOU THINK OR WHERE YOU SCOUTED TURKEYS AND LISTEN FOR A GOBBLE IN THE ROOST AS IT'S BREAKING DAY.

I DON'T TIP THEIR HEAR BIRDS GOBBLING IN THE DARK I KNOW YEARS AGO IT WAS SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE EXPECTED TURKEYS TO DO BUT THEY SIMPLY DON'T WHERE I HUNT.

IT'S ALMOST, YOU CAN SEE THE GROUND WHEN THEY'RE GOBBLING.

BUT IF YOU WANT TO SHOT GOBBLE ONE, YOU CAN DO AN OWL CALL, AN AIR HORN FOR A BOAT.

IT WILL MAKE TURKEYS GOBBLE.

IT DOESN'T SPOOK THEM BUT SHOCK GOBBLE.

GREAT DEVICE.

ONCE HAVE YOU THEM LOCATED, TRY TO GET WITHIN 150 YARDS OF THEM WITHOUT THEM SEEING YOU A SHOFT YELP.

IF THEY GET THE GOBBLING BACK, YOU KNOW YOU ARE SETTING GOOD.

IF THEY DON'T, BE PATIENT.

HE MAY JUST BE COMING IN SILENT.

>> WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE HIM PEOPLE TRY THE LOCATOR CALLS A LOT.

JUST BEING QUIET AND LETTING NATURE UNFOLD ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE DONE SOME SCOUTING.

IF YOU ARE LUCKY TO GET ONE ON THE ROOST, CLOSE THE DISTANCE BUT STAY WITH SOME COVER.

OPEN FIELD WILL GET SPOTTED.

KEEP THE DISTANCE.

>> THOSE BIRDS MANY TIMES WILL ROOST AND COME DOWN WITH HENS, THEY'RE GOING TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME WITH THE HENS BEFORE THEY GET INTERESTED IN YOU BEING A TURKEY CALLER OVER THERE.

>> THE WAY I LIKE TO TURKEY HUNT IS DIFFERENT THAN JOE.

I DON'T LEAVE THE HOUSE UNTIL 9:30, 10:00.

>> A LOT OF PEOPLE DO THAT IF YOU WANT TO BE SUCCESSFUL, DON'T LEAVE THE HOUSE UNTIL 9:30 OR 10:00.

IF YOU GET THE GOBBLING, CHANCES ARE YOU ARE WORK THE TURKEY BECAUSE IT CAN GET FRUSTRATING TO HUNT THEM HENNED UP BIRDS.

A LOT OF BIRDS, I WOULD SAY, A LOT OF BIRDS ARE KILLED BETWEEN 11 AND THREE OR 4:00 IN THE AFTERNOON.

THAT IS A GREAT TIME TO BE OUT THERE TURKEY HUNTING.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE THERE AT DAYLIGHT.

IF YOU'VE GOT WORK REASONS, WORK SITUATIONS, DROP THE KIDS OFF TO SCHOOL.

WHATEVER IT MAY BE, DON'T THINK THAT IT IS THAT FIRST HOUR OF DAYLIGHT AND THAT'S IT.

IT'S COOL TO HEAR THEM GOBBLING BUT IT IS THE FIRST HOUR IN THE MORNING.

LESS LUCK THEN THAN THE REST OF THE HOURS OF THE DAY.

>> GETTING THE RIGHT POSITION IS REALLY KEY.

>> WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCES IN TACTICS BETWEEN THE MORNING HUNT AND EVENING HUNT IN YOUR OPINION AND WHAT SHOULD SOMEONE DO DIFFERENTLY?

IT'S A GREAT QUESTION THERE.

>> EVENING HUNTS, WHEN I'VE GONE OUT IN THE EVENINGS SPECIFICALLY, IT'S MORE OR LESS GOING TO A PLACE THAT I THINK TURKEYS, I'VE SEEN THEM BECAUSE JUST FROM FROM HAVING HUNTED THE AREA.

I'M A LITTLE MORE STATIONARY.

IT'S DAYLIGHT AND PLUS BEING STILL.

YOU CAN HEAR AND I LIKE TO BE ABLE TO SEE.

I'M OFTEN OVERLOOKING A FIELD BECAUSE MAYBE I CAN SEE SOME FAR OFF AND THEY'RE GOING TO ROOST.

THAT WILL GIVE ME A CLUE FOR THE NEXT MORNING.

>> THAT'S A GREAT TACTIC AND REALLY LOOKING AT FRESH SCRATCHING, SEEING WHERE THERE IS FRESH SIGN AND KNOWING THAT BIRDS HAVE ROOSTED IN THE PAST.

IF YOU ARE AROUND, YOU ARE GOING TO SEE THE DROPPINGS ON THE GROUND WHERE IT SPLATTERED AND RECOGNIZING THE PLACES WHERE BIRDS ROOST.

THEY DON'T ROOST IN THE SAME TREE OVER AND OVER.

SOME PLACES THEY DO.

IT'S NOT BEEN MY EXPERIENCE THAT THEY PICK THE SAME TREE OVER BUT BEING NEAR THERE AND THE LAST FOUR HOURS OF DAYLIGHT IS A GREAT PLACE TO INTERCEPT THEM AND MANY TIMES THEY ARE VERY RECEPTIVE TO RESPONDING TO A CALL.

HERE WE HAVE AUSTIN.

ARE THERE ANY RULES AGAINST TURKEY FANNING ON PUBLIC PROPERTY AND WANT TO KNOW IFLY GIVE THIS A TRY ON THE SHOW THIS YEAR.

TURKEY FANNING.

OR REAPING.

WHO WANTS TO DESCRIBE WHAT TURKEY FANNING OR TURKEY REAPING IS?

WANT TO GIVE IT A TRY?

>> SURE.

IT'S USING A TURKEY FAN OR, I MEAN ORIGINALLY IT WAS AN ACTUAL TURKEY FAN MIGHT BE A JAKE FAN, A GOBBLER FAN BUT BUT IT'S A FAN THEY MAKE COMMERCIALLY PREPARED ALL DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF THEM, BUT IT'S MIMICKING THE LOOK OF A TAIL FIN AND YOU ARE PUTTING THAT IN FRONT OF YOUR BODY TRYING TO ELICIT A RESPONSE.

IT'S ALSO JUST SPECIAL IF YOU ARE HUNTING AROUND OTHER HUNTERS, SOMETHING TO BE AWARE OF.

I WOULD BE VERY WORRIED ON PUBLIC LAND OF ATTEMPTING IT.

I DON'T KNOW OF ANY PARTICULAR RULES.

>> THERE IS NO LAW AGAINST IT BUT FROM A GUY THAT HAS WORKED A SHOOTING DURING TURKEY SEASON AND A GUY ACTUALLY HAD 56 PELLETS IN HIS FACE, THERE NO, SIR WAY I WOULD DO IT ON PUBLIC LAND.

>> THERE IS NO WAY I WOULD ATTEMPT THAT ON PUBLIC PROPERTY.

IF YOU WANT TO GIVE A DIFFERENT TECHNIQUE OR TACTIC AND YOU FEEL LIKE HAVE YOU A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT IS PRIVATELY HELD, YOU ARE NOT HAVING ANY PROBLEM PEOPLE SNEAKING IN.

YOU HAVE CHECKED ALL THE BOXES ON THE SAFETY ASPECT AND WANT TO GIVE IT A TRY, IT COULD BE VERY REWARDING OPPORTUNITY TO GET OUT AND TRY TO DO THAT.

BUT MAN, THERE IS NOTHING WORSE THAN GETTING SHOT.

AS FAR AS ANY LAWS AGAINST IT, THERE ARE NO LAWS.

>> NO LAWS AGAINST IT.

>> IT HAS BEEN A GREAT SHOW.

I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT IT IS YOUR ALL FIRST TRIP.

YOU BROUGHT GREAT INFORMATION.

I APPRECIATE YOUR JOINING US TODAY AND AS ALWAYS, CONGRATULATIONS WITH EVERYTHING YOU HAVE DONE WITH OUR TURKEY AND GROUSE POPULATION HOPEFULLY A GREAT SEASON AND PLENTY OF BIRDS THAT SUCCESSFUL THIS YEAR AND POPULATION CONTINUES TO GROW.

IF YOU HAVE NEVER TRIED TURKEY HUNTING, YOU GOT TO GET OUT THERE AND TRY IT.

FOR MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE DIE HARD HUNTERS WHO HUNT ALL OVER STATE AND THE COUNTRY, TURKEY HUNTING MIGHT BE THEIR FAVORITE.

ONE WAY TO ENGAGE AND INTERACT WITH WILDLIFE AND TRY TO TRICK THEM AND GET THEM IN.

IT'S A LOT OF FUN.

GET OUT THERE AND GIVE IT A TRY AND MAKE SURE YOU GET YOUR TAGS AND MAKE SURE YOU GO ABOUT IT VERY, VERY SAFELY.

AND REMEMBER...

HUNTING AND FISHING ON PRIVATE PROPERTY IS A PRIVILEGE.

ALWAYS ASK PERMISSION AND THANK THE LAND OWNER.

UNTIL NEXT WEEK, I'M YOUR HOST I'M SURE YOU ARE GOING TO BE GETTING THEM CHAD MILES AND I HOPE TO SEE YOU IN THE WOODS OR ON THE WATER.