“Gobble, gobble, gobble.”

The first time I heard a wild turkey the hair stood up on the back of my neck. We were scouting the hardwoods of Western Massachusetts at dusk. The air was still and a bright spring sun had just settled beneath the hills near a pipeline in Granville.

Responding to my owl call, the Tom was, I learned, at roost, probably in one of the large hemlocks on the edge of the swamp below the hardwoods.

Adhering to the turkey hunter’s doctrine, I made like an owl only once. That’s all it took. Hearing that turkey’s gobble break the stillness was as memorable as it was spine-tingling. Wait until you hear your first one! There’s something so prehistoric about that sound in the woods. You expect to see a dinosaur materialize from the descending mist.

The next morning, while hunkered down in full camouflage beside the same pipeline, I glassed a big old Tom picking his way toward me. Sure enough, before he came into range, I spotted his chalk white head and bright red wattle – my target. Then it happened. At about 50 yards, a hen appeared in this Tom’s path and the show began. Well, sir, he strutted and fanned. And strutted some more as the hen watched, presumably captivated by all of this foreplay. Soon they were engaged in lovemaking.

Feeling more like a voyeur than a hunter, I reminded myself of my mission and prepared for the shot. But it was not to be. His work done, the Tom turned and headed back the way he came. The hen composed herself and returned to the brush. Later that day, I watched slackjawed as a 20-pound turkey glided across the pipeline looking as much like a small bomber than a game bird.

No birds were taken by me that hunt, but I was hooked good. Since then, I have hunted these remarkable game birds in three states, including Maine, and taken a few. With Maine’s turkey population doing so well, the number of turkey permits issued each year have grown exponentially. In fact, the progress is actually astonishing when you consider that Maine’s entire wild turkey population, which now covers at least 12 counties, sprang from just two stockings. In 1977, 41 Vermont turkeys were live-captured and released in southern Maine. And again in 1987, 70 birds from Connecticut were released. Most encouraging of all, these birds have shown a capacity to propagate and survive that has far exceeded biologists’ expectations.

If you were one of the 20,000 hunters fortunate enough to draw a turkey permit this year, good luck. Next year it appears likely that no turkey hunters will be left out of the permit selection process. The hunting tips below provided by the Fish and Wildlife folks may help. Remember, scouting is 90 percent of the equation for successful turkey hunters. If you didn’t make the turkey drawing, get out and scout anyway. It will make you a better hunter next year.

Turkey hunting tips

• Pre-season scouting is the single most important part of turkey hunting. Scout several different areas to lessen your chances of conflict with other hunters.

• Practice your turkey calling diligently.

• Pattern your shotgun on a life-sized target to know your effective killing range.

• Plan on hunting on weekdays, if possible, rather than Saturdays. Hunting pressure is lighter during the week, reducing chances for conflicts with other hunters.

• Be patient, with a four-week season there is plenty of time. Birds are still active at the end of May, and there is less hunting pressure at that time.

• If bow hunting, use a string-tracker to aid in retrieving crippled birds.

• Be patient when calling, give each set up 30-45 minutes, as birds sometimes come in silently, especially in areas that have heavy hunting pressure.

• Do not walk in on another hunter who is “working “a bird. Repeated gobbling is often a sign of a hunter working a bird. Attempting to stalk the “gobbler” is not only dangerous, it is also interfering with the caller.

• Do not wear any clothing with the colors red, white or blue. These are the same colors as a gobblers head and may draw fire from a careless hunter.

V. Paul Reynolds is editor of the Northwoods Sporting Journal. He is also a Maine Guide, co-host of a weekly radio program “Maine Outdoors” heard Sundays at 7 p.m. on The Voice of Maine News-Talk Network (WVOM-FM 103.9, WCME-FM 96.7) and former information officer for the Maine Dept. of Fish and Wildlife. His e-mail address is [email protected].