One of Maine’s most exciting hunts is underway: the spring turkey season. For all of May, and the first week in June, any licensed hunter with a special turkey permit may take one male turkey.

What are the hunting prospects? Brad Allen, fish and wildlife’s head bird biologist, writes: “The last of the registration materials from the spring 2008 wild turkey hunting season reached my desk recently and I see that 33 percent of the nearly 20,000 wild turkey permit holders were successful. Last year’s spring kill of 6,348 wild turkeys was an all-time record for Maine. As turkey hunters we have a lot to look forward to this year. I predict last year’s records will be eclipsed this year, given favorable hunting conditions over the five-week season. And for the first time, wild turkey hunters will have an entire five-week period to hunt.”

According to George Smith, spokesman for the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine (SAM), next year’s turkey hunt opportunities will expand. SAM succeeded in its bill that will increase the bag limit in 2010. Next spring, one turkey permit will allow a hunter to take one male bird in the spring and one bird of either sex in the fall. Additionally, a spring turkey hunter will have the option to purchase a two-bird permit for an additional fee.

If you are new to turkey hunting, here is a true turkey hunt tale that may inspire you. It is followed by some hunting tips for these wary birds.

It was opening day of turkey season last April. I had been watching a respectable long-bearded gobbler out back, but decided not to hunt him. It seemed too easy. I saved him for Diane who couldn’t hunt until the following week. Shuffling out of the sack at 3:30 a.m., I ate a quick breakfast and drove to a spot I know. After a short walk in the fog, I found my old spot under a big pine tree alongside a large field and, after, placing the decoys – three hens and a Jake – about 20 yards from my ground blind, I hunkered down.

The field was shrouded in fog that seemed to thicken as daylight began breaking on the eastern horizon. The eerie stillness was at last broken by a distant gobble, then another. A couple of fly-down yelps from me brought a response from the Tom, or at least it seemed to be answering my call off in the distance. This went on for half an hour. Decision time. Should I move his way and try to cut the distance or stay put? Move, I guess. Underdressed as I was and fighting a chill, moving would be a welcome change. But an inner voice told me to tough it out, stay put. I did. Nothing, no sounds for about an hour. The fog began to lift and the sun worked its way above the hemlocks trees behind me. I leaned back to soak up some warmth from the sun’s rays. It was then that I spotted some turkeys about 300 yards on the far end of the field. A few hens, a couple of Jakes, and one strutter doing his thing. He looked to be a mature Tom. A couple of clucks and a purr from my slate call brought his head my way for an instant, but then he was back to the business at hand. I decided to wait it out and observe the proceedings. Soon, one by one, the hens worked their way back into the woods.

A couple of soft purrs. The strutter looked toward my decoys from across the field and to my delight began inching his way across the field toward the decoys. Half way across the field, he – and the three Jakes trailing him – came to a full stop, and like a chorus line, all froze in their tracks with their necks extended and eyes looking straight at me. Maybe one little purr. It worked. The strutter abandoned all caution and came to the decoys at a full march. The Jakes were in lockstep behind him. At 30 yards, it was obvious that this strutter was an elder Jake. No beard that I could see, but a sizable male turkey nonetheless. In full strut he followed the script, stopping beside the Jake decoy, stretching his neck to the fullest and talking up a storm.

To shoot or not to shoot. A second or two to decide. BLAM. I put him down with my little Remington 20 gauge pump. A trophy hunter would have probably turned down the shot, waiting for a true long-beard. Not me.The setup was too good. The choreography and the orchestration was flawless. The crescendo in the turkey woods rose to a perfect pitch. The kettle drums rolled and the cymbals awaited to complete the metaphor. There had to be a shot. After all, killing a turkey is the name of the game. His sacrifice left me with a memorable hunt and a wonderful meal or two.

Now get up early and out there in the turkey woods. And, if you are new to the hunt ponder these hunt tips:

• Preseason 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 5- 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 could 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, WQVM 101.3) and former information officer for the Maine Dept. of Fish and Wildlife. His e-mail address is [email protected].