Chris Kirby on How to Take a Gobbler on the Other Side of the Fence
John E. Phillips 04.30.13
Author’s note: Chris Kirby, the president of Quaker Boy Calls (http://www.quakerboy.com), has won every major turkey calling championship in the nation including the U.S. Open, the World-National, and Grand National Turkey Calling Championship. He is also the creator of the Mossy Oak Turkey THUGS (www.mossyoak.com) line of calls.
If you’re hunting turkeys on a farm or a ranch in spring, sooner or later you’ll be on one side of a fence and the gobbler you’re trying to take will be on the other side. Normally, you’d go across the fence if you had permission to hunt the land on the other side of the fence, but the turkey might be so close that if you try to go over or under the fence, the turkey might hear you. If you can get on the same side of the fence as the gobbler, you’ll have a better chance to take him. You want to give the turkey a chance to come to you as easily as possible.
If you’ve got permission to hunt both sides of the fence, but the turkey is too close for you to move, your best chance of taking this gobbler is to take a stand close enough to the fence to shoot across it. The gobbler probably will come to the fence and begin to strut and drum to get the hen he’s heard to come under or over the fence to him. Once that bird gets to within gun range, shoot him and then solve the problem of the fence.
There’s another way I sometimes get turkeys across a fence when I either don’t have permission to hunt on the other side, or I can’t crawl under the fence without the turkey hearing or seeing me. If I’m buddy hunting, I’ll leave my shooter sitting within 50 yards of the fence, back away from my hunter and start calling to the gobbler like a hen that’s walking away. I’ll give some exciting cuts and yelps to sound like a really exciting hen that’s leaving that ole proud gobbler. Often he’ll fly over the fence. Turkeys go over and under fences all day long, especially in cattle country. If you’re hunting in a place full of fences, the turkeys have to negotiate the wire several times a day anyway. So, you may can get a turkey to fly across a fence or walk under it, but the situation dictates the best tactic to use.
John, the 2008 Crossbow Communicator of the year and the 2007 Legendary Communicator chosen for induction into the National Fresh Water Hall of Fame, is a freelance writer (over 6,000 magazine articles for about 100 magazines and several thousand newspaper columns published), magazine editor, photographer for print media as well as industry catalogues (over 25,000 photos published), lecturer, outdoor consultant, marketing consultant, book author and daily internet content provider with an overview of the outdoors.
Phillips has been a contributor to many national magazines, has been affiliated with 27 radio stations across Alabama serving as their outdoor editor and wrote for a weekly syndicated column, "Alabama Outdoors," for 38-Alabama newspapers for more than 13 years. Phillips was Outdoor Editor for the "Birmingham Post-Herald" for 24 years. Phillips was also the executive editor for "Great Days Outdoors" magazine for 3 years.
The author of almost 30 books on the outdoors, Phillips is a founding member of the Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA) and an active member of the Southeastern Outdoors Press Association (SEOPA). Phillips also is the owner of Night Hawk Publications, a marketing and publishing firm, and president of Creative Concepts, an outdoor consulting group.
Phillips conducts seminars across the nation at colleges in freelance writing, photography and outdoor education besides teaching courses in how to sell what you write to writers' groups. Phillips received his photography training as a still-lab photo specialist for six years in the Air Force. He was the chief photographer for Mannequins, Inc., a Birmingham modeling agency, for 11 years.
While serving as 2nd Vice President of the Alabama Wildlife Federation, Phillips was in charge of all press releases for the organization as well as serving as Chairman of Alabama's Big Buck Contest, which he founded more than 30 years ago. He also was president of the Alabama Sportsman's Association for three years.
Phillips is the recipient of a Certificate of Merit from the Governor of Alabama and the Department of Conservation for his work in the outdoor field. Phillips is vitally interested in the outdoors and travels the nation collecting personalities, stories and how-to information for his articles and features.
EDUCATION: B.S. degree from the University of West Alabama with a physical education major and a history minor.
EXPERIENCE: 10 years parttime and fulltime physical director for YMCAs and 34 years as a freelance writer, photographer, editor, book author, lecturer and daily-content provider for websites. Currently, Phillips is a field editor for Game and Fish Publications; serves on the editorial board of Grandview Media; is a regular contributor to 12 internet magazines and a daily content provider for 8 websites.
WRITING AWARDS: Runnerup - Best Outdoor Magazine Feature - 1981 - SEOPA; Certificate of Merit - Awarded by Alabama's Governor for writings on conservation; Most Outstanding Sports Writer in Southeast - 1983 & 1984; Best Outdoor Feature in Alabama, 1987 - Alabama Sportswriters' Association 3rd Place; Best Book of the Year - 1989 - SEOPA; 2007 - inducted into the National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame as a Legendary Communicator; 2008 - received award naming him 2008 Crossbow Communicator of the Year from the Crossbow Manufacturers' Association; 2009 - GAMMA Honorable Mention for Consumer/Paid Best Essay for July/August 2008 in "Southern Sporting Journal."
