The Turkey Hunter Podcast with Andy Gagliano | Turkey Hunting Tips, Strategies, and Stories

How Harvest Statistics are Calculated with Dr. Roger ShieldsThis week, Wild Turkey Coordinator for the state of Tennessee, Roger Shields, joins Cameron and Andy on the show.They discussed Tennessee's wild turkey population, including concerns about rainfall impacting hatch success, the value of citizen and staff observation data, and trends in brood surveys. Dr. Shields provided insights into harvest management, the results of banding studies indicating sustainable harvest rates, and the methods for gathering harvest and hunter effort data, emphasizing the importance of CPUE. Dr. Shields also addressed the process of setting regulations and the considerations beyond biological data that influence the commission's decisions.

Hit the Ground Running - A Turkey HuntSummaryAndy Gagliano and Cameron Weddington discussed Cameron Weddington's challenges with their new chicken flock due to mycoplasma and its potential implications for wild turkey populations, referencing anecdotal evidence and a Canadian study finding mycoplasma in wild turkeys. Cameron Weddington then recounted a difficult three-day turkey hunt in a new state, detailing a tense encounter with two gobblers on a steep cliff that ultimately led to a successful shot after a strategic and risky maneuver. The hosts, Andy Gagliano and Cameron Weddington, also looked forward to a New Zealand turkey hunt and shared listener predator stories.DetailsPodcast Introduction and Personal Updates Andy Gagliano and Cameron Weddington began the Turkey Hunter Podcast episode 520 by discussing personal happenings. Andy Gagliano joked about opening chipmunk season at their house, while Cameron Weddington shared the story of their new flock of chickens after a disastrous first attempt involving a disease called mycoplasma(00:00:00).Cameron's Chicken Misfortunes and Mycoplasma Cameron Weddington recounted the unfortunate demise of their original nine chickens due to predators and ultimately, the introduction of four new chickens carrying mycoplasma, which wiped out the entire flock (00:00:00). They described the rapid spread and severity of mycoplasma, even in asymptomatic carriers, and the lengths they went to disinfect the area to protect local wild turkeys (00:01:34) (00:04:44).Potential Impact of Chicken Farming on Wild Turkeys Cameron Weddington reflected on how their experience with mycoplasma made them consider the potential impact of large-scale chicken farming and the spreading of chicken litter on wild turkey populations, especially given the prevalence of diseases in domestic poultry (00:03:39). Andy Gagliano concurred, noting that turkey populations in areas with significant chicken farming often seem lower. They referenced a discussion at a turkey convention where definitive evidence was lacking but anecdotal evidence suggested a negative correlation (00:05:43).Mycoplasma Research and Turkey Hunting Season Status Cameron Weddington shared findings from a Canadian study in Ontario that detected mycoplasma in a significant percentage of hunter-harvested wild turkeys. They also mentioned an article on the NWTF website discussing mycoplasma as a viral disease found in wild turkey flocks. With spring turkey season concluded in all US states, except possibly Michigan which ended on June 7th, the hosts transitioned to a story about a past turkey hunt (

Summer Turkey Soup Andy and Cameron discuss concerns about a potentially poor turkey hatch in the Southeast due to rain, the impact of weather on past turkey seasons, and the resilience of turkey populations. They also highlighted the importance of turkey observation surveys and the increasing restrictions and pressure on public land hunting access, referencing Oklahoma's new regulations. They also examined trends in turkey harvest numbers, changes in fall hunting regulations in states like New Jersey and Michigan, unusual coyote behavior during turkey season, predation on turkeys, Mississippi's new wild turkey stamp, hunting accidents and safety, proposed changes to Arkansas' turkey hunting zones and penalties, and the need to understand the drivers behind high harvest numbers. The favor of the week this week is to share predator stories from this spring's turkey season with Cameron and Andy.  Listen in! Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

Hunting Pressured Turkeys with Darrin Dawkins Andy Gagliano and Cameron introduced Darrin Dawkins, who discussed hunting pressured turkeys, noting increased hunter pressure as a key factor impacting turkey behavior. Darrin Dawkins shared his experiences and observations on changes in South Carolina hunting regulations, the importance of hen imitation and using varied calls like trumpet calls, and aggressive hunting strategies for pressured birds, while Cameron and Darrin contributed insights on regulation changes, hunter behavior, and turkey population trends. Darrin shares some incredible turkey hunting tactics. They also touched on the influence of social media on hunting and the call-making philosophy of Darrin Dawkins. If you would like to purchase a call from Darrin, please reach out to him at 803-230-3085. The best way to purchase a call from Darrin is to stop by his booth at Unicoi in Georgia in January of 2026. Listen in! Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

Hunting Pressured Turkeys with Darrin Dawkins Andy Gagliano and Cameron introduced Darrin Dawkins, who discussed hunting pressured turkeys, noting increased hunter pressure as a key factor impacting turkey behavior. Darrin Dawkins shared his experiences and observations on changes in South Carolina hunting regulations, the importance of hen imitation and using varied calls like trumpet calls, and aggressive hunting strategies for pressured birds, while Cameron and Darrin contributed insights on regulation changes, hunter behavior, and turkey population trends. Darrin shares some incredible turkey hunting tactics. They also touched on the influence of social media on hunting and the call-making philosophy of Darrin Dawkins. If you would like to purchase a call from Darrin, please reach out to him at 803-230-3085. The best way to purchase a call from Darrin is to stop by his booth at Unicoi in Georgia in January of 2026. Listen in! Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

Hunting Osceola Turkeys from 2025 Unicoi Callmakers Show This week, Cameron and Andy play the Hunting Osceola Turkeys roundtable discussion from the 2025 Unicoi Custom Callmakers Show that was held in January in Helen, Georgia. The panel for the roundtable includes Darrin Dawkins, Lon Trice, Larry Stephens, Lamar Williams, and Mark Prudhomme. The panel discusses differences in Eastern and Osceola turkeys and the differences in hunting them as well.  This is a great discussion, and one that even experienced turkey hunters can pick up some helpful hints by listening to. Listen in! Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

2025 Mid Season Update Cameron and Andy are back after some unscheduled time off from the podcast. In this episode they explain what has been happening in their worlds that has kept them from posting shows regularly this spring and they share updates about their seasons. Andy's spring season is over now, and Cameron is squeezing in one last hunting trip for the spring. But, what happened between preseason and now? Listen in and find out. Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

Join us this week as we dive into a successful turkey hunt that Cameron experienced earlier this season. We also discuss a few audio mishaps and fun memories in the turkey woods.  Hopefully you can pick up an idea or two from this live hunt to help you on a future turkey hunt. 

Hunting Pressured Turkeys with Patrick Wightman This week, Patrick Wightman, a research scientist with the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, joins Cameron and Andy this week to discuss what turkeys do when they get pressure put on them by hunters. Patrick has done hours and hours of research on this topic, and he shares his insight with us in this interview. This is an interview that we feel everyone will glean some useful information from because private and public lands alike can receive a great deal of hunting pressure. You'll want to grab a pen and piece of paper before you start listening to this one because there are some great nuggets to take away from this episode that will help you to find and harvest pressured turkeys. Listen in! Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

Hunting Pressured Turkeys with Cameron and Andy This week, Cameron and Andy take on the topic of hunting pressured turkeys. They share their approaches to hunting pressured turkeys, and talk about how some private ground is just as pressured as some public ground. They also share some stories of encountering pressured birds and what they learned from those encounters. This is the first of a new series on the topic of hunting pressured turkeys. This is a very informative and fun episode. Listen in!  Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

Turkey Hunting in New Zealand with Dink Watson This week, Dink Watson with New Zealand Turkey Adventures joins Cameron and Andy this week to talk about turkey hunting down under. This is an eye opening and fascinating episode that kind of makes you wonder what turkey populations might be like in the US without hunter or predator harvests and diseases. According to Dink, the numbers of wild turkeys in parts of New Zealand is absolutely mind boggling. Cameron and Andy will be traveling to New Zealand to hunt turkeys in early September, and they wanted to learn a little more about what they can expect when they get to the ranch to hunt.  Listen in! Here is the link to attend Dr. Lashley's and Dr. Gulsby's workshop on March 8 in Columbiana, AL... https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wild-turkey-management-academy-tickets-1200894139699?aff=oddtdtcreator&utm_source=email&utm_medium=sparkpost&utm_campaign=postpublish Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

Putting Your Best You Forward with Landowners with Dr Jack Schafer This week, Dr. Jack Schafer joins Cameron and Andy on the show to talk about an interesting topic of how to present your best you when approaching a landowner to gain access to his/her property for turkey hunting. This episode is full of very interesting and useful verbal and nonverbal cues to look for when speaking with a landowner and also gestures and verbiage we can use to increase our odds of getting a "Yes" when we knock doors to ask permission.  Also, in this episode, I have a brief discussion on the show with Dr's Marcus Lashley and Will Gulsby regarding an upcoming workshop they are putting on discussing techniques and considerations landowners should take to compile a habitat management plan for our properties. This should be an amazing workshop, and I encourage any landowners from around the southeast to attend. Lots of great info in this episode, so listen in! Here is the link to attend Dr. Lashley's and Dr. Gulsby's workshop on March 8 in Columbiana, AL... https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wild-turkey-management-academy-tickets-1200894139699?aff=oddtdtcreator&utm_source=email&utm_medium=sparkpost&utm_campaign=postpublish Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

Q&A with Mike Chamberlain and Patrick Wightman at NWTF Convention This week, Cameron and Andy share the Q&A Seminar with Mike Chamberlain and Patrick Wightman from the NWTF Convention in Nashville last week while they are in South Texas enjoying turkey camp with the raffle winners. This is a great episode with Mike and Patrick sharing their knowledge based on many studies completed from around the US. The questions from the audience range from topics like habitat to setting bag limits and season dates to predation. You are sure to pick up something you did not know already by listening to this seminar by Mike and Patrick. Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

Better Setups for More Successful Turkey Hunts with Doc Weddle This week Doc Weddle joins Cameron and Andy to discuss some of his techniques and strategy in setting up for more successful turkey hunts.  Doc has completed 5 US Super Slams, and he is arguably one of the best turkey hunters you will ever meet. Cameron and Andy question him on what he looks for in a great setup for a turkey hunt, and Doc provides some great nuggets.  Like most, Doc believes great setups will help you kill more turkeys than great calling.  This is a great episode that is full of really good tips and tactics to help you tag more birds this spring. Listen in! Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

Better Setups for Successful Turkey Hunts with Jeff Budz This week, Jeff Budz joins Cameron and Andy to discuss how to setup on turkeys to increase your odds of filling a tag.  Jeff has killed more Grand Slams than anyone has at this point, and he guides hunters as well. So, when it comes to knowing what a good setup looks like, Jeff knows a thing or two. This is a fun episode as Jeff is in his normal fashion, which is 90 to nothing. Listen in! Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

Better Setups for Successful Turkey Hunts with Cameron and Andy This week Cameron and Andy discuss how setting up for your turkey hunts can make all of the difference between eating turkey or eating tag soup.  Listen in as both Cameron and Andy share some of their secrets setting up for more successful turkey hunts. Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

Early Season Tactics with Bret Collier and Nick Bakner This week, Dr Bret Collier and Dr Nick Bakner join Cameron and Andy to discuss what wild turkeys are doing early season. Dr. Bakner has extensively tracked the movements of wild turkeys throughout the seasons and in different landscapes across the country. He shares his extensive knowledge of the movements of wild turkeys during hunting seasons, but especially early season. The information that he and Dr. Collier share with us in this interview is fascinating in context and impressive in quantity.  You do not want to miss this episode. Listen in! Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

Early Season Tactics with Kenny Mount Part 2 This week, Cameron and Andy have the remainder of the Kenny Mount episode where they do a little deeper dive into early season turkey hunting tactics. This episode is not without its share of laughs and silliness either, but there are some tactics that will help you to have more success in the early spring turkey woods. Also, the 2nd annual hunt raffle is on the downhill stretch. Get your tickets by clicking the link below.  Listen in! Here is the link to this year's hunt raffle to benefit the NWTF and TFT. Buy early and buy often! Thank you for supporting these 2 great organizations. https://rafflecreator.com/pages/78793/2nd-annual-wild-turkey-hunt-fundraiser Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

Early Season Tactics with Kenny Mount This week, Kenny Mount joins Cameron and Andy on the show to discuss early season turkey hunting tactics. We are fortunate enough to get a couple of hours of Kenny's time in this interview, so you are going to hear part 1 of the interview today. We really are just getting warmed up in this episode, and we discuss trying to balance a little bit of life with turkey hunting during turkey season, corn and deer and turkeys, turkey season start dates, and how important scouting pre-season still is. This is a fun episode (just like all of Kenny's interviews are), so listen in! Here is the link to this year's hunt raffle to benefit the NWTF and TFT. Buy early and buy often! Thank you for supporting these 2 great organizations. https://rafflecreator.com/pages/78793/2nd-annual-wild-turkey-hunt-fundraiser Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80  

Early Season Tactics with Cameron and Andy This week, Cameron and Andy kick off episode number one of their first series of episodes on Early Season Tactics. We talk about the geographical differences between early seasons and subspecies of turkeys across the country and how that should affect your strategies. We also discuss how your pre-season scouting can make or break early season success for you. One of the several tactics we discuss is how challenging gobblers, depending on where the birds are in their breeding cycle, can be a very good strategy to use on early season toms. There are several great tips and strategies discussed in this episode, so listen in! Here is the link to this year's hunt raffle to benefit the NWTF and TFT. Buy early and buy often! Thank you for supporting these 2 great organizations. https://rafflecreator.com/pages/78793/2nd-annual-wild-turkey-hunt-fundraiser Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80  

1980's Trap and Transfer in MS with Benny Herring This week, Benny Herring joins Cameron and Andy on the show. Benny was with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks for 30 plus years. He was deeply involved in trap and transfer efforts in MS during many of those years. Cameron and Andy talk with Benny about those efforts, enjoy one of the slowest and best Rapid Fire Q&A sessions ever, and talk about turkeys and turkey hunting as well. Listen in! Here is the link to this year's hunt raffle to benefit the NWTF and TFT. Buy early and buy often! Thank you for supporting these 2 great organizations. https://rafflecreator.com/pages/78793/2nd-annual-wild-turkey-hunt-fundraiser Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

2025 NWTF Convention and Sport Show Preview with Pete Muller Pete Muller joins Cameron and Andy this week to talk about the NWTF's upcoming 2025 Convention and Sport Show. This coming year the show will be held on February 13 - 15, 2025 at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville, TN. The show is 3 days of turkey hunting bliss where experienced and new turkey hunters alike can find hot new turkey hunting products or their old favorites as well. In addition to the convention show floor, there will be countless seminars, banquets, auctions, calling contests, custom call maker contests, opportunities to meet many of the big names in the hunting industry, and make new friends while enjoying the weekend. Pete talks about many of the great events that will be held during the NWTF's biggest fundraising event each year. This is a very informative episode with some insider tips on getting the most out of your attendance at the show. Listen in! Here is the link to this year's hunt raffle to benefit the NWTF and TFT. Buy early and buy often! Thank you for supporting these 2 great organizations. https://rafflecreator.com/pages/78793/2nd-annual-wild-turkey-hunt-fundraiser Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

Podcast and Wild Turkey Talk This week, Cameron and Andy celebrate Episode 500 discussing the podcast and wild turkeys. Cameron and Andy talk about their favorite podcast guests, topics, and tips from over the past 10 years. They also get into a little talk about wild turkeys and their prospects for the future. This is a casual, fun, and laid back episode.  Listen in! Here is the link to this year's hunt raffle to benefit the NWTF and TFT. Buy early and buy often! Thank you for supporting these 2 great organizations. https://rafflecreator.com/pages/78793/2nd-annual-wild-turkey-hunt-fundraiser Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

The 2025 Unicoi Custom Call Makers Preview Show with Mark Sharpe This week, Mark Sharpe joins Cameron and Andy again to talk about the upcoming 2025 Unicoi Custom Turkey Call Makers Show. There are some changes to the show for 2025, and Mark covers those changes with us and gives us a little preview as to who some of the new participants to this years show are.  This week's show is a good one that you will not want to miss. Listen in! Here is the link to this year's hunt raffle to benefit the NWTF and TFT. Buy early and buy often! Thank you for supporting these 2 great organizations. https://rafflecreator.com/pages/78793/2nd-annual-wild-turkey-hunt-fundraiser Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

Random Turkey Topics with Jim Casada This week, Jim Casada joins Cameron and Andy to talk about all things turkey.  This conversation has a heavy lean towards talking about some of the personalities that Jim has had the pleasure of hunting with over his many years of writing for Turkeys and Turkey Hunting magazine as well as for his various books that he has written. Jim is an amazing story teller and a great writer with a wonderful way of expressing his thoughts. This is easily one of our favorite interviews, and we think you will really like it. Here is the link to this year's hunt raffle to benefit the NWTF and TFT. Buy early and buy often! Thank you for supporting these 2 great organizations. https://rafflecreator.com/pages/78793/2nd-annual-wild-turkey-hunt-fundraiser Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

Pre-Thanksgiving Turkey Soup This week, Cameron and Andy share some delicious fall turkey soup with you. Among the states discussed are Maine, Illinois, Missouri, Ohio, South Dakota, Pennsylvania, and Minnesota. Cameron even shares a story with us about the recent bust of some lowlife scammers in Florida who were selling hunts for farm turkeys as Osceola turkey hunts. This is an interesting episode. Listen in! Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80  

April Fools! This week Andy shares one of his hunts from this past spring with us. This is a hunt that took place in his home state of Alabama on, you guessed it, April Fools Day. Listen in as Andy shares the details on this hunt with some turkey vocalizations we don't often hear in the spring time. Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

Legends of The Spring with Mike Giles  Mike Giles joins Cameron and Andy this week to discuss his new book,  Legends of The Spring, Masters of The Call. Mike shares several stories from the book, and we get to learn a little about Mike as well. Liaten in! Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

Fall Turkey Hunting and Turkey Dogging with Gratten Hepler This week, turkey dogger, Gratten Hepler, joins Cameron and Andy to talk about fall turkey hunting with a turkey dog. Gratten turkey hunts in the Fall with a Brittany Spaniel. He shares lots of stories about fall hunting with his dog on the show. Gratten also shares some tips that can be used during the Fall whether you hunt with a turkey dog or not. Gratten also talks about how and why he thinks hunting turkeys in the Fall has changed. In addition to hunting turkeys in the Fall and Spring, Gratten also makes turkey calls. If you are interested in speaking with Gratten regarding some of his calls, then reach out to Andy or Cameron. They will share his number with you. Listen in! Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

They Mark My Steps with Michael T Simpson This week, Michael T Simpson joins Cameron and Andy on the show to talk a little about his new book, They Mark My Steps. Michael shares a number of stories with us in this episode. He shares the story of the tornado that hit his house in northeast Mississippi not long after the release of his first book. He talks about the emotions of his first turkey hunts soon after the turkey hunt. Michael also talks about an exciting hunt in Texas with his wife this past spring where she got her first turkey ever after a long hiatus from turkey hunting.  This is a great episode that is loaded with stories and a few laughs. Listen in! Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

The Story of a Bonafide Swamp Gobbler This week Cameron and Andy share one of Andy's hunts from the 2024 spring turkey season to help deal with the fact that spring turkey season is still over 6 months away for most of the US. In this hunt, Andy encounters high water and gobbling turkeys on a piece of property that he had never set foot on before. This was an interesting hunt, that like most of our hunts, involved several decisions that could have turned this hunt into a non-event. The story is a good one, and the hunt audio is brief. Listen in! Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

Piping Hot Turkey Soup This week, Cameron and Andy share some interesting articles and commentary with a bowl of turkey soup in the hottest month of summer for most of the country. In this episode, Missouri, Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana, and Illinois turkeys and turkey hunters are in the news and discussed at length. With topics covered like fall turkey season bag limits and dates, harvest numbers, summer and fall turkey surveys, and even inaugural Hall of Fame inductees are all discussed.  Listen in! Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

Turkey Talk with Billy Yargus  This week, almost first time guest and 2 time Grand National Calling Champion, Billy Yargus joins Cameron and Andy on the show to talk all things turkey. Billy talks about how he got into hunting, and shares some fond memories of his hunting mentor. He also shares the story of how he got into competitive turkey calling and some insight into some of the competition that he faced during those days. Of course, we get a few turkey hunting tips from Billy along the way as well. Billy currently is on the pro staff for Woodhaven Custom Calls and Mossy Oak as well. Billy makes a several thousand diaphragm calls for Woodhaven each year, and they definitely put out a quality product. This is another great episode of the show, so be sure to listen in. Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

The Final Results from the 2024 Raffle Hunt with Mark Hatfield In late 2023 and early 2024, The Turkey Hunter Podcast raffled a turkey hunt for two lucky hunters in South TX to join Cameron and Andy for a late winter hunt. Over two thousand tickets were sold during the raffle period, and Del Ghia and Jason "Justin" Barnes won the hunts. A great time was had by all and new friendships were formed during the hunts. Best of all, funds were raised to be donated to the NWTF and TFT.  Both the NWTF and TFT received donations of $2000 because of your generosity. This week, Mark Hatfield with the NWTF is on the show to talk about where your raffle donation money is being spent. In addition to talking about the projects supported with your donations, we talk about the matching dollars that come from the government and other organizations that helped to make the $2,000 donation much, much more than a couple thousand dollars. The NWTF always does a great job maximizing the spend of each dollar donated, and the donation from the raffle tickets purchased by our listeners yielded the same results by the organization. Cameron and I are very excited to bring you guys this episode, and we are very appreciative of your support of the raffle. Stay tuned for another raffle hunt in 2025. This is a great episode. Listen in! Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80  

The NRCS and Wild Turkey Habitat Management with Mike Hansbrough This week, Mike Hansbrough, who is the Area Resource Biologist in West Tennessee for the NRCS, joins Cameron and Andy today to discuss the role the NRCS can play in habitat management on private property. Mike discusses a few of the programs, such as CRP, EQIP, and CSP that are available to help private landowners manage their properties for targeted wildlife species. These programs not only help to provide a management plan for a landowners property, but they can provide needed dollars to help offset the cost of performing the services needed to improve the habitat. Mike is very passionate about his job and the programs available through the program, and this episode is loaded with information that any landowner will find useful. Listen in! Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80  

488 - A Mexican Showdown on a Turkey Hunt This week Parrey Cremeans joins Cameron and Andy to share the story of a Gould's turkey hunt that didn't quite end up the way that was expected. After hunting for several days in the mountains of the Sierra Madres for the beautiful Gould's turkey hunt, Parrey and his group were robbed at gunpoint by members of a Mexican drug cartel while on their way back to the airport to catch their flights home.  Listen in to the story! Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

Turkey Tips from the Window to the Walls with Chris Walls This week, champion turkey caller, Chris Walls, joins Cameron and Andy on the show for the first time.  Chris is a winner of the Gobbling competition and finished second several times in the Grand Nationals in Nashville. He also knows a thing or two about wild turkeys and turkey hunting. Cameron and Andy managed to pull some tips out of him during the interview. In addition to several tips, Chris shares how his turkey hunting strategy has had to change over the course of the past couple of decades because of loss of opportunities. This is another great episode that you do not want to miss. Listen in! Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

2024 The Misses This week, Cameron and Andy talk about some of their missed shots from their 2024 turkey seasons. The missed shots are always humbling and are a great source of thousands of questions we ask of ourselves. There are really just a handful of reasons as to why we miss most of the shots that we miss. Cameron and Andy discuss some of those reasons during the show, and they play some of the hunt audio from a couple of their misses as well. Listen in to this week's episode, and if you are feeling brave share your story, or stories, of your missed shots from this season with Cameron and Andy and the listeners. Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

2024 Turkey Hunting Goals - Successes and Failures This week, Cameron and Andy talk about their 2024 pre-season goals and whether or not they accomplished those goals.  They discuss their failures and a few of the things they learned from those failures. They also discussed how those failures do not define them or their turkey season. Listen in! Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

Pheasants Forever This week, Cameron shares a 2'fer with us as he shares the stories and audio of two of his turkey hunts from this spring.  The moral of the stories are that we, as turkey hunters, need to be adaptable to be successful. This is a great episode with some awesome turkey hunt audio. Listen in! Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

2024 Mid Season Update This week Cameron and Andy share an update on how their 2024 turkey seasons have been going so far. There have been quite a few turkeys that have been taken so far this year. You'll hear a little about that as well as what both Andy and Cameron have learned during the season and what the highlights of their seasons have been so far. Listen in! Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80  

Beau Brooks Seminar from the 2024 NWTF Convention This week, Cameron and Andy replay the seminar about hunting western wild turkeys that Beau Brooks put on at the NWTF convention in Nashville. This is a very informative seminar that I feel like everyone can learn a little something from, especially those of us east of the Mississippi River. Beau is a phenomenal caller and natural voice caller, and the presentation is very entertaining as well. Listen in! Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

Results from the TN Delayed Season Start Study This week, Dr. Craig Harper and Dr. David Beuhler with the University of Tennessee join Cameron and Andy on the show to discuss their recommendations from their 7 year study regarding the effects of delaying the start of turkey seasons and the potential for increase in poult recruitment. The results of the study showed that moving the start of hunting season to later in the year did not greatly affect the initiation of nesting or the start of incubation for wild turkey hens. Drs Buehler and Harper share the details of the study and upcoming vote to possibly change the start date of the turkey hunting season. This is a very informative interview with information that can be applicable for any states that are considering moving the start date of their seasons to later in the year. Listen in! Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

Turkey Talk with Mark Prudhomme This week, Cameron and Andy are joined by World Champion Caller of All Critters, Mark Prudhomme. Mark has won just about every type of calling contest known to man. He is a student of the talk of wild turkeys, and he is always willing to share information with us on this show. Mark talks about being on the stage at The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville to introduce the 2024 Grand National Calling Champion, Matt Van Cise. We also discuss how today's technology has helped to improve success rates in the turkey woods and how turkey hunters have become better turkey hunters. Mark tells what his favorite locator call is for turkeys, how to know whether or not it is worth going after a turkey gobbling a great distance away, and which turkey gave him the hardest battle. All of those questions are from our Patreon subscribers. This is a very entertaining interview, and we believe you will love it. Listen in! Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80  

The Sweet Voice of the Wild Turkey with Denny Gulvas - Part 2 This week, Cameron and Andy bring you part 2 of the interview with Denny Gulvas.  In this episode, we discuss in much more detail about certain similarities in the characteristics of hen yelps and turkey talk. Denny also gives some tips on things to listen for in hen yelps and how he believes a gobbler can remember the voices of the hens in his flock. Denny also discusses how to run his turkey calls and talks about an exercise that he uses to help people run his calls better. This episode is full of amazing tips and content that will help us all be better turkey callers and, subsequently, better turkey hunters. Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80  Listen in!  

The Sweet Voice of the Wild Turkey with Denny Gulvas This week, Denny Gulvas joins Cameron and Andy on the show. Denny has devoted the latter years of his life to videoing the wild turkey and studying their language. There likely is not anyone more expert on the voice of the wild turkey than Denny. We discuss not only the calls of the wild turkey, but practically everything else about the bird that fascinates us turkey hunters.  This is a great episode, and it is one of two. Get your pen and paper, and listen in! Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80    

Wild Turkeys and Bluegrass with Winky Hicks This week, the very talented turkey call and musical instrument maker Winky Hicks join Cameron and Andy on the show. Winky is never at a loss for a one liner or a great sounding turkey call.  This show covers the gamut from talking turkeys to how Winky got into making turkey calls to bluegrass and some of the great artists that Winky has encountered over the years. We even talk Winky into doing a little picking for us. This is a very entertaining show. Listen in! Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

Get Off of My Lawn with Kenny Mount - Part 2  Join us for part 2 of the interview with Kenny Mount this week.  Kenny, Cameron, and Andy really sound like 3 grumpy old men sitting around the local gas station at 5 AM complaining about the youngsters in the neighborhood. Maybe it is part jealousy on Kenny's and Andy's part because they didn't have all of the amazing tools that today's younger hunters have when it comes to turkey hunting. Kenny brings it again this week, and you'll really enjoy this episode of turkey talk with Kenny Mount. Listen in! Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

Get Off of My Lawn - Part 1 HE'S BAAAACCCCKKKKKK! This week, Cameron and Andy have part 1 of their most recent interview with Kenny Mount, aka Chubbs. Kenny is always an entertaining guest to have on the show, and this episode is no different. Not only is there a great deal of turkey talk and laughs, but we even get to discuss banana pudding and nilla wafers. We all get down a few rabbit holes in this interview, but that is part of what makes Kenny's interviews so fun and popular. Listen in! Buy some turkey calls and merchandise by going to our Shopify store here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80  

A Hodge Podge of Turkey Talk with Chad Claycomb This week, Chad Claycomb with Claycomb Outdoors joins Cameron and Andy to talk about a hodge podge of turkey topics. Chad hunts mountain turkeys a fair amount, so we discuss the challenges of hunting in the mountains. We also talk to him about traveling and hunting and competition calling.  Chad is a great guy, and this is a great interview that I think we all can learn a little from. Listen in! To check out Chad's pro tip of the week, become a Patreon subscriber by clicking here and signing up... https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80 To buy some podcast merchandise sporting our new logo or some of our new diaphragm calls, click here to visit our shopify store... https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/

Talking with a Turkey Calling Champion with Matt Van Cise  This week, Matt Van Cise joins Cameron and Andy on the show for a full interview for the first time ever.  Be sure to catch the Rapid Fire Q&A. We actually discuss more turkey hunting than we do competitive turkey calling. Matt tells us what he listens to for his inspiration while practicing his turkey calling. Matt delves into the differences between competition calling and calling while hunting. His description of the difference is pretty interesting. This is a great episode. Listen in!