Troubling Toms
“Troubling Toms”
By: Brooks Milling
We are now almost two weeks into the 2023 Alabama, spring turkey season. I have been able to hunt about 4 times this season- with no luck. Now, I’m not the type of turkey hunter to sit and call for hours hoping for a gobbler to walk by. The only time I will sit still for a long time is if I feel really good about the spot I’m in. I like to stay pretty quiet and call around every 30 minutes. Most days, I will typically move on and keep walking while stopping every few hundred yards to make one sound off.
I have seen hunters on social media having great success- which is fantastic. But, if you are riding the struggle bus this season, know that you are not alone. This is not to say that I am not enjoying the season. When I was younger, I used to get really frustrated with tight lipped or hung up gobblers and let them drive me into intense aggravation. The 2022 season was the first time that I was able to hunt after a four year hiatus. I told myself I wanted to focus more on the beauty of the spring woods while hunting and less on making a turkey gobble. The thing is, I was able to kill my personal best gobbler on opening morning, around 8 a.m., which made my goal of enjoyment over the harvest way easier. This spring I’ve had to remind myself, way more, to relax and be glad that I get to walk around and enjoy the sacred, spring woods. However, I have reached a point where I think I need to do something to change my mojo. This includes washing all of my turkey hunting gear, taking a different gun, getting a haircut, and wearing a different hat. I’m not superstitious, but I am a little “stitious” and something has to change. I hope these birds that I am after will fire up soon and give me some unreal displays of gobbling, spitting, and drumming. If they don’t, I will have still gained a lot this spring. The miles put on my boots, the plants and animals discovered, and the serene atmosphere that allows for clear thinking provides me with more knowledge and greater peace of mind. Please let us know at TrueSouth how your season is going so far. Whether you hunt a property that we helped you buy or if you just follow the page, we would love to hear from you. Also, any tips to change my luck are greatly appreciated.
AGENT CONTACT INFO
Name: Brooks Milling
Phone: 251-656-2253
Email: brooks@truesouth.com
Video Caption: A hung up gobbler out of gun range on April 2, 2023 during a hunt with 22nd State Co.