Kids Outdoor Outpost – April 2022

Turkey Season Is Here

Turkey season is here! In the blink of an eye, we just finished putting away our deer rifles and bows, and it’s time to get after those gobblers. 

Georgia has the longest season in the Southeast with 44 days of hunting and two bonus days if you’re 16 or younger or mobility impaired and have private land to hunt. Remember our bag limit has changed so that hunters can only take two gobblers per season and one per day. 

According to the popular onX hunting app, the best state for turkey population and shooting multiple birds in the Southeast is Alabama. Our neighbors to the west have bragged for years of good number of longbeards. Hunters have a bag limit of five over the spring and fall seasons, but make sure you don’t have two lined up on each other because you can take only one per day. With 42 days to hunt in the spring and plenty of public land, it sure does make me consider getting an out-of-state license if I tag out in Georgia.

Tennessee to the north has an estimated 250,000 turkeys roaming fields, swamps, forests and mountains and allow for up to three birds per season. Speaking from personal experience, I’ve got several fans, spurs and beards from there. Great place, great people and great food!

For the last several years my son Jared and I have teamed up with a friend and his father to camp and hunt some of our WMAs on opening weekend. Over the years, it has changed some from being crazy wide open when we had to hunt every minute to coming in early so we could enjoy a great meal by the fire each night.

We still prepare the same way by cleaning the shotguns and finding the right loads, to finding camo that may have been misplaced over the last several months. Of course, we always pack like we’re going to be camping for a month with lots of snacks and usually some venison to grill. Yep, it’s evolved somewhat. But man, the time in the field spent with friends and family are priceless. 

Good luck this season!