Turkey Calls

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Turkey Calls organized by type

Turkey Hunting: Origins, Industry, Technology, and Sounds

Turkey hunting is a popular outdoor activity that is enjoyed by many hunters in North America. It is an exciting and challenging sport that requires skill, patience, and a deep understanding of turkey behavior. In this article, we will discuss the origins of turkey hunting, the current industry, the technology being used, and the sounds that hunters use as they hunt.

Origins of Turkey Hunting

Turkey hunting has a long and fascinating history that dates back to the earliest days of American settlement. Native Americans were the first to hunt turkeys for both their meat and feathers. They used a variety of methods to catch turkeys, including traps, snares, and decoys. European settlers later adopted these methods and added new techniques to their hunting arsenal.

By the early 1800s, turkey hunting had become a popular sport, with hunters competing to see who could bag the biggest and best turkey. In the mid-1800s, turkey hunting began to decline due to over-hunting and habitat destruction. By the early 1900s, wild turkeys had nearly disappeared from many areas of the United States.

However, through conservation efforts and reintroduction programs, wild turkey populations have rebounded in recent decades. Today, turkey hunting is a thriving industry with millions of hunters taking to the woods each year to bag their own trophy bird.

Current Industry

Turkey hunting is a multi-billion dollar industry that supports countless jobs and businesses. According to the National Wild Turkey Federation, there are over 2.5 million turkey hunters in the United States alone, and they spend an estimated $5.9 billion each year on gear, licenses, and travel expenses.

The turkey hunting industry includes a wide range of products and services, from hunting gear and clothing to guided hunts and hunting lodges. Turkey calls are also an essential part of the industry, with a variety of calls available to mimic the sounds of turkeys and attract them to the hunter's location.

Technology

Advances in technology have revolutionized the way hunters approach turkey hunting. Trail cameras, for example, allow hunters to monitor turkey activity in a specific area and determine the best time to set up for a hunt. GPS tracking devices can also help hunters navigate through the woods and locate turkey roosts.

Another technological innovation that has made a big impact on turkey hunting is the electronic turkey call. These devices use pre-recorded sounds to mimic the calls of wild turkeys, making it easier for hunters to attract them to their location. Some electronic turkey calls can even be controlled remotely, allowing hunters to adjust the volume and pitch of the call to suit the conditions of their hunting spot.

Turkey Calling

Turkey hunting is an activity that requires a hunter to lure the bird towards them using a series of calls that mimic the sounds of a turkey. Each call serves a specific purpose and can be used in different hunting scenarios. Some of the commonly used turkey calls include Kee-kee, Yelp, Cackle, Cutt, Purr, Tom, Whine, Gobble, and Cluck.

The Kee-kee call is used by young turkeys to communicate with their family and is often used by hunters to imitate the sound of a lost turkey. Yelp is a versatile call that can be used for different purposes such as locating turkeys, calling in a gobbler, or communicating with other hunters. Cackle is used to mimic the sound of a flock of turkeys and is an effective way to attract a male turkey. Cutt is a sharp, aggressive call that can be used to provoke a response from a gobbler, while Purr is a soft, calming sound used to reassure turkeys that everything is safe.

Tom call is a deep and resonant call that is used to imitate the sound of a male turkey, while Whine is a high-pitched, pleading call that is often used by female turkeys to beg for food or attention. Gobble is a loud and distinctive call used by male turkeys during the mating season to attract females or challenge other males. Finally, Cluck is a basic turkey sound that can be used to communicate with other turkeys, attract attention, or calm nervous birds.

Each of these calls has its unique purpose and can be used to improve a hunter's chances of success. By understanding the different calls and when to use them, hunters can become more effective in their turkey hunting pursuits.

All the sounds are conveniently organized by call type. Each call type has a description to help better understand it's purpose.

For ease, you can also repeat any given sound so that it continues endlessly until you stop it. Click below to read more about each sound.

2024 Spring Turkey Hunting Schedule for North America:

Alabama:
- Private Lands - Zones 1 and 3: March 25 – May 8, 2024- Zone 2: April 1 – May 8, 2024- WMA and U.S. Forest Service Ranger Districts, Bankhead Ranger District; WMAs - Lauderdale, Freedom Hills, Black Warrior, Coon Gulf, Riverton CHA and Martin CHA: April 8 – May 8, 2024- Remainder of national forests districts (Talladega, Shoal Creek, Oakmulgee, Tuskegee and Conecuh Ranger District) and WMAs that allow turkey hunting: April 1 – May 8, 2024
 
Arizona:
- Shotgun Season: First hunt April 26 - May 2, 2024, and May 10-23, 2024- Second hunt: May 3-23, 2024- Youth hunt: April 19-25, 2024, and May 10-23, 2024
 
Arkansas:
- Youth turkey hunt Zones 1-2: April 6-7, 2024 - Regular season: Zone 1 April 15-23, 2024; Zone 2 April 15-May 5, 2024
 
California:
- General Season: March 30 – May 5, 2024- Archery Season: March 30 – May 19, 2024- Additional Junior: March 23-24, 2024, May 6-19, 2024
 
Colorado:
- April 13 – May 31, 2024, see regulations for specific units
 
Connecticut:
- April 24 - May 25, 2024
 
Delaware:
- April 13 – May 11, 2024
 
Florida:
- South of St Rd 70 – Youth weekend Feb. 24-25, 2024, Regular spring season March 2 - April 7, 2024- North of St Rd 70 – Youth weekend March 9-10, 2024, Regular spring season March 16 - April 21, 2024
 
Georgia:
- Special Opportunity: March 23-24, 2024- Statewide Season (Private Lands): March 30 – May 15, 2024- Statewide Season (Public Lands): April 6 – May 15, 2024
 
Hawaii:
- Check regulations
 
Idaho:
- Youth-only: April 8-14, 2024- General season: April 15 – May 25, 2024
 
Illinois:
- Youth Season: March 30-31 and April 6-7, 2024- North Zone: 1st: April 15-19, 2024; 2nd: April 20-25; 3rd: April 26-May 1; 4th: May 2-8; 5th: May 9-16- South Zone: 1st: April 8-12; 2nd: April 13-18; 3rd: April 19-24; 4th: April 25-May1; 5th: May 2-9
 
Indiana:
- Youth Season: April 20-21, 2024- Regular season: April 24 - May 12, 2024
 
Iowa:
- Four seasons running from April 8-May 12, 2024
 
Kansas:
- Youth/Disabled: April 1 – 16, 2024- Archery: April 8 – 16, 2024- Regular: April 17 – May 31, 2024
 
Kentucky:
- Youth-only season April 6-7, 2024- General season April 13 – May 5, 2024
 
Louisiana:
- Area A - April 6 – May 5, 2024- Area B - April 6 - 28, 2024- Area C - April 6 - 21, 2024
 
Maine:
- April 29, 2024 - June 1, 2024
 
Maryland:
- Regular season: April 18-May 23, 2024- Junior hunt days: April 13-14, 2024
 
Massachusetts:
- April 29 - May 25, 2024, Youth day April 27, 2024
 
Michigan:
- April 20 - June 7, 2024 (see regulations summary for full unit and date details)
 
Minnesota:
- Season A - April 17-23, 2024- Season B - April 24-30, 2024- Season C – May 1-7, 2024- Season D - May 8-14, 2024- Season E - May 15-21, 2024- Season F - May 22-31, 2024
 
Mississippi:
- March 15 – May 1, 2024- Youth Season: March 8-14, 2024
 
Missouri:
- Youth Dates April 6-7, 2024- Regular season April 15-May 5, 2024
 
Montana:
- April 15 – May 31, 2024
 
Nebraska:
- Youth Archery March 25 – May 31, 2024- Archery March 25 – May 31, 2024- Youth Shotgun April 6 – May 31, 2024- Shotgun April 13 – May 31, 2024
 
Nevada:
- Varies by county, check regulations
 
New Hampshire:
- Youth Weekend April 27-28, 2024- Spring Season May 1-31, 2024 statewide
 
New Jersey:
- Youth Turkey Hunting Day April 20, 2024- Regular season April 22 - May 24, 2024
 
New Mexico:
- April 15 – May 15, 2024
 
New York:
- Youth season: April 20 and 21, 2024- Regular season May 1, 2024 – May 31, 2024
 
North Carolina:
- Youth Season April 6-12, 2024- Spring Turkey Season April 13 – May 11, 2024
 
North Dakota:
- April 13 – May 12, 2024
 
Ohio:
- Youth Season April 13-14, 2024- South Zone April 20 – May 19, 2024- Northeast Zone April 27 – May 26, 2024
 
Oklahoma:
- Youth Season: April 13 – 14, 2024- Regular season - April 16 - May 16, 2024
 
Oregon:
- April 15 – May 31, 2024
 
Pennsylvania:
- Youth April 27, 2024- Regular season May 4-31, 2024
 
Rhode Island:
- Regular season April 25 – May 19, 2024- Youth hunt April 15-21, 2024- Paraplegic hunt April 20-21, 2024
 
South Carolina:
- Game Zones 1 and 2 - April 1 to May 10, 2024- Game Zones 3 and 4 - March 22 to April 30- WMAs statewide - April 1-30, 2024
 
South Dakota:
- April 13 – May 31, 2024 in most units- Black Hills Unit: April 27 – May 31, 2024
 
Tennessee:
- Young Sportsman: April 6-7, 2024- Shotgun/Archery: April 13 - May 26, 2024
 
Texas:
- Rio Grande North Zone - March 30 - May 12, 2024- Rio Grande South Zone - March 16 - April 28, 2024- Rio Grande Special 1 Turkey Bag Limit - April 1 - 30, 2024- Eastern Turkey - April 22 - May 14, 2024
 
Utah:
- Limited Entry – April 13-25, 2024- Youth hunt April 26-28, 2024- General Season – April 29 – May 31, 2024
 
Vermont:
- May 1-31, 2024
 
Virginia:
- Youth and Apprentice Season: April 6 - 7, 2024- Spring season: April 13-28, 2024 (half-hour before sunrise to noon)- Spring season: April 29 – May 18, 2024 (half-hour before sunrise to sunset)
 
Washington:
- Youth: April 1-7- General: April 15 – May 31
 
West Virginia:
- Youth Season April 13-14, 2024- Spring Gobbler April 15-May 19, 2024
 
Wisconsin:
- Spring Turkey Youth Hunt: April 13 - 14, 2024- Period A: April 17-23, 2024- Period B: April 24-30, 2024- Period C: May 1-7, 2024- Period D: May 8-14, 2024- Period E: May 15-21, 2024- Period F: May 22-28, 2024
 
Wyoming:
- Area 3: April 1 – May 31, 2024- Rest of the state: April 20 – May 31, 2024
 
Québec, Canada:
- Spring season April 28 - May 22