NEBRASKAland Magazine is dedicated to outstanding photography and informative writing with an engaging mix of articles and photos highlighting Nebraska’s outdoor activities, parklands, wildlife, history and people.
Issue link: http://mag.outdoornebraska.gov/i/654753
APRIL 2016 • NEBRASKAland 51 aforementioned blind locations. If no sandbars are available, set decoys up in a clearing along the edge of the river so they are in view from the other side of the river. Using a blind will conceal movement and allow for a more comfortable hunt. Glassing a river bottom for turkeys can be productive mid-morning to afternoon – turkeys will fill their craw with gravel and get a drink in river bottoms before moving on to roost for the night or traveling to breeding or feeding areas. If on the move, use the bank of the river to sneak up on a tom. You may need to throw on some hip or muck boots to travel in the river bottom along the bank ridge, but use this edge to your advantage to conceal movement. Use the bank to call from or crawl up onto the bank to get in place for a perfect shot. Locations to Hunt: From the Niobrara River in the north to the Republican in the south, and the Platte in between, it is often said that Nebraska has more miles of river than any other state. There's no doubt a river nearby if you're hunting in Nebraska. With ample terrains to turkey hunt, along with affordable permits and the opportunity to shoot three bearded turkeys during the spring season, these are the glory days of Nebraska turkey hunting. ■ A hen turkey and her poults fly into a tree in Lincoln County to roost for the night. Turkey Breeding By Julie Geiser Pre-breeding and Flock Dispersal Winter flocks are made up of three groups: hens and female offspring, older toms and jakes. Gobbling and hen noises increase as pecking orders are established in each flock and flocks disperse. Now is the time to challenge boss hens and toms. Call toms with hen yelps and fighting purrs or rattles. Dominant hens will belt out yelps and sharp cuts – duplicate her and challenge her dominance, hoping a tom will follow her to the fight. Less dominant toms will fall for hen calls and jakes will chase virtually any hen sound. Breeding Phase Winter flocks have broken up and most breeding will occur with minimal gobbling. Hunting can be frustrating as big toms get henned-up and don't respond to calls. But once hens start tending to nests, more gobbling will occur and so will opportunities. Don't call aggressively. Set up close to a roosted tom and yelp softly as he hits the ground, hopefully before live hens get to him. As the season progresses and hens are nesting, keep gobblers interested with sweet yelps, clucks and subdued purrs. Post-breeding This second season is considered the best time to call in a wary tom. Most hens are incubating eggs while toms are eager to breed; lusty gobblers will respond to almost any hen call. PHOTO BY JULIE GEISER