Michigan Turkey Season Begins

The Michigan turkey hunting season begins for some April 17 and others April 24.

Check the DNR's Turkey Digest for seasons in your area because they differ all across Michigan.

Turkey hunting is something I grow to love more and more each and every season. I feel like a kid counting the days until Christmas this time of year. Heck, I've hardly been able to concentrate at work all this week in anticipation of this Saturday's hunt.

I got one of the early permits to hunt my own land in Newaygo County. I applied back in January and so far I have been picked two years in a row.

Last year, I had one of the most exciting opening days I have ever experienced. My fear is, it was so unusually good, I may never have another opening day like that again.

I had a very unusual amount of gobbles opening morning all the way until 12:30 in the afternoon. I saw 17 different Toms, it was like I was at a turkey ranch. Granted I saw all those birds from a long ways away, it was still cool.

Normal opening days, I just hope to see a couple birds and maybe get a shot at one. I wound up getting a nice Tom in the afternoon that day after I moved my blind in the middle of the day. I still had 5 Toms come in so I can't complain.

This year I have not had the bird activity that I had last year but I know there are plenty of birds in the area. I've seen six different shooter birds but there are two that I have picked out for my buddy Rob and I. Plus I let my neighbor Tyler hunt my spot as well but he won't be out until next week.

My son and I set up the turkey blind last week. We already have the buckets in the blind along with the decoys. I am a big fan (no pun intended) of the Tom decoy. A buddy of mine named Adam turned me on to the idea as well as a gobble call and both have been revolutionary to bagging thunder chickens on a regular basis.

Every morning the first thing I do is look out my back window with binoculars and scan the fields behind the house. Then on my drive into work I have fields all along the way I scan. When I get home its the same thing, I glass the field before I take the dog out.

My buddy Rob has never gotten a bird in all the years of hunting so I really hope to call in a nice Tom for him. The birds are there, we just need them to cooperate this weekend.

Whether we get a bird or not, I'm sure we will have a great time. Both of us are talkers and like a lot of the same things. Plus we will eat like kings this weekend, heck, I have a roast slow cooking right now plus his wife is sending up some home cooked vittles.

Hunting is always great when you get something because you not only get a meal, you get a story to tell for a life time. Hunting is not always about getting something, those conversations, the laughter and those good meals and times spent with friends are family plus the time out in nature, that is what hunting is really all about.

So if you plan to head into the woods this turkey season, I wish you nothing but the best. Now go get that gobbler!