Let the Turkey Games Begin!

Grab your shotguns, mouth calls, slates, and boxes, turkey seasons all over the country are getting underway!  Some of you are already in full swing turkey mode, some are just getting started, and others, like the crew at Heartland, are working hard to prepare for the season ahead.  Whatever stage you may be in, the excitement of bringing a mature long beard into shotgun or bow range is surely on your mind.

Few things can compare to the feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment of putting your tag on a big tom after calling him in from a distance, tricking him with seductive yelps and purrs, and watching him strut proudly in front of your shotgun barrel.  This season is shaping up to be a record year for Heartland’s turkey program.  A full hunting camp all five weeks means expectations are high.  There are quite a few beaks to bust this year, but we greet this challenge with a smile and open arms.  Our experienced guides cannot wait for the action to start. 

The anticipation of seeing who brings in the first bird, biggest bird, longest beard, and best spurs is almost overbearing.  The only bad thing about the 2012 turkey season at Heartland Lodge is the fact that it’s not here yet.  For a few more weeks we will have to daydream about opening day.  Until then, listening to the early morning gobbles that will soon fill the air, and watching mature toms with ground dragging beards strut in the fields will have to suffice.  We look forward to seeing all of our hunters in camp, and keeping the rest of you updated on our successes in the field.   

Allen Ballinger

Last Updated: March 22nd, 2012