Know How to Transitional Turkey Hunt for More Success with Tracy Groves
John E. Phillips 03.25.13
Author’s note: Tracy Groves of Sykesville, Maryland is an avid turkey hunter, a member of Mossy Oak’s Pro Staff (www.mossyoak.com) and particularly enjoys hunting public lands, something many turkey hunters find hard to do. The host of the Real Deal TV show on the Sportsman’s Channel for three years, he recently developed a camp called Heartwood Outdoors (http://heartwoodoutdoors.com) to take youngsters from single-parent families hunting to teach them outdoor skills and to work with special-needs children.
Turkeys have three different transitions they go through during turkey seasons in most states. If you know what those transitions are, you’ll know what calls to use and when to use them. Once you learn the transitions and the time of year they occur on the lands you hunt, you’ll be much more successful. In the early part of the season, in many states, the gobblers are in bachelor groups. The second phase is what most hunters know as a condition called henned-up, and the third phase is the peak turkey breeding time.
Hunting bachelor groups
When turkeys are in their bachelor groups, the main gobbler you will try to call in is the sub-dominant gobbler. These birds are trying to gather their own harems of hens. So, those two-year-old birds will break away from their bachelor groups to find any young hens they can stockpile in their harems. At this time of the year when a gobbler gobbles back to you, call softly, and be somewhat coquettish. Keep your calling soft, because that young two-year old will come hunting you, hoping for a date.
Hunting henned-up gobblers
This time is when the gobblers are staying with a flock of hens and waiting on one of those hens to be ready to breed. When that gobbler is sitting on the roost and hears you, he knows where you are. He may gobble good from the tree, fly down, and not gobble again, because he’s gotten with his flock of hens. However, although he may walk off with his hens, he hasn’t forgotten you. At some time in the morning, he’ll return to the spot where he’d heard you and start looking for you. So, wait him out, do some soft calling and some soft yelping, and be patient.
Hunting roosting sites
The third transition during turkey season occurs when the hens go to the nest. By this time, most of the public land hunters have gone home, the hunting pressure is lighter, and the older gobblers are looking for girlfriends. Instead of collecting a harem of hens, this gobbler is looking for any hen that’ll talk to him. He’s lonesome, and he’ll come looking for you. You just have to wait long enough for him to find you. Often you’ll take some of the biggest turkeys during this last transition.
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."
