Our turkey season opens in about three weeks in NY.  I have seen a number of flocks around in my travels.  Some states are already open.  A number of my friends are reporting gobblers in the freezer already.  Hopefully, everyone has their weapon of choice ready and their camo clothes all set.

My son, Tyler, will be hunting in Louisiana.  He will trying for his first gobbler somewhere around Ft. Polk. He is stationed there with the 10th Mountain Division.  I know he has his Winchester 1300 all sighted in.  Tyler grouped it at 20,30 and 40 yards and is comfortable with the results.

Most turkey hunters will be using shotguns but there are some diehard archers that will be flinging arrows at their birds.  I have decided to join the latter group this year.  While at a Gun Show in Barre, VT in February with Tyler, I found a prize worthy of America's Frugal Sportsman note:  I found a vintage 45# fiberglass recurve bow...for $15! You know me and bargains...I snapped it up.  The manufacture cannot be deciphered as the label as faded, but the bow is in top shape.  There I have my trusty PSE Predator sitting,  anxiously to go,  and I am taking a relic out instead.

Yep! It reminds me of when I started bow hunting in the mid 1960's.  I do have to get a hip quiver for the arrows, however. I never liked the Kwickie Kwivers for recurve bows.  Also, the Carbon Express I use in my Predator will do just fine on the old recurve.  Besides, it will make a more enjoyable article to write should I be successful with the recurve.

Turkey should pose no real problem, as long as they are inside 30 yards.  Many deer have died as a result of a an arrow loosed from a 45# recurve.  I will be using the same heads I did for deer, 125 grain Eastons.  Why...that way I don't have to buy any different heads.  If you already have perfectly good and perfectly deadly broadheads, use them. With the economy the way it is, a sportsman needs to conserve funds wherever he (or she) can.

Turkey season is a long season in most states. Here, in NY, it covers the month of May, which is also the striper run in the Hudson River.  Guess I will have hunt in the morning then go chase stripers.   I have some neat reals from Australia that I will be field testing, but that is for future writings.  All I need now is to find a deal on a good box call and I will be set.

The goal of the Sportsman should be to spend as much quality time afield with friends and family as possible.  For quite some time I have been preaching about doing it on a budget.  Now, thanks to the country's financial mess, many of you will be on a budget. By all means that does not mean to hunt or fish less.  It simply means that maybe you don't buy the newest rifle, shotgun, bow, boat, camper, optics or Huntress pin-up calendar. Ok, buy the calendar, but watch the sales in classified ads and online auctions. With the bad ecomomy come some fantastic deals on toys and such.

I really hope I get a shot at a turkey with my bargain-basement bow.  But, I will be out there hunting and that, after all, is my goal...isn't it.

Whatever you do in the Outdoors this spring, take a youngster with you.

Tags: Turkey Archery Hunting

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