King’s Outdoor World Blog

Utah Turkey Hunt

April 11th, 2006 David King - King's Outdoor World

Todd Munford (Left) and Jeff Bishop with Todd’s Utah Turkey
(click image above for bigger image)

Saturday I got a phone call from Todd and Jeff that Todd bagged his turkey on opening morning of the Utah Turkey hunt. Todd is a Factory Rep here at King’s Outdoor World and drew a tag right here in our backyard so-to-speak and got into the turkeys big time. I was tied up and unable to tag along, but ended up tracking them down later so I could get some good pics. Todd and Jeff (along with Todd’s wife) were all wearing King’s Desert Shadow Camo and it worked awesome in the low to mid-level terrain they were hunting in.

I will now turn it over to Todd and let him give you some details about the hunt:

The 2006 Spring Turkey Hunt in Utah kicked off on Saturday April 8th. This was my first year for putting in and I was fortunate enough to draw a tag. I’ve experienced turkey hunting only through the eyes of other hunters on various hunting shows and was told how intense it is. Watching turkey hinting on TV has never got me real pumped but I am now a true believer in the excitement and Aura of Turkey Hunting.

Throughout the week I scouted an area above my ranch in Central Utah. I was with my good friend Jeff Bishop who is the Art Director for Kings Outdoor World. Our first evening out scouting we lucked out and located a flock. We let out a crow call which acts as a shocker call. The Toms respond. We had some Toms call back and knew this was the area we would hunt.

The area is thick with oak and cedar trees which is untraditional compared to the wooded areas lining fields that I was use to seeing on hunting show. I went to the same area the night befor the opener and set up on a slope across canyon from where we’d heard the Toms the night before. I glassed and listened right up until dark. I located the flock. I saw a big red object in a clearing next to some thick oak trees. After bearing down with my spotting scope I identified object as being the head to a nice Tom. I actually watched the birds fly up into the Cedar Trees right before dark to roost.

I went home and told my wife, Laudi, that I put ‘em to bed. The next morning Laudi and I met Jeff about one hour before sunrise. We hiked up the same slope I glassed from the night before and set up about 150 yards above the roost I’d glassed the night before. Anticipation was so high. We had a Tom and Hen decoy set up on an old logging road above the roost. As the sun started to tinge a little light on the landscape we heard our first Tom of the morning. That gobble from a mature Tom is so distinct and I was so pumped. Jeff is a great caller and has hunted turkey’s many times. It was awesome listening to him communicate with these birds. We heard them fly off their roost and it was game on. We called back and forth and sat very quietly awaiting their arrival. The gobbles were starting to get faint, like the flock was moving away and then we heard a couple of hen s calling. Not a good sign. The Toms had hens with them so were content. Sometimes you will pull a hen into you and the Toms will follow. Not to be this beautiful morning. We decided to leave our stand to try to get ahead of the birds which were on the move. They did not have us at all but were in their natural morning feeding movement. We set up two more times and had a hen come in at about 65 yards but the Toms didn’t show face.

We were about ready to head back to the truck to go have some lunch and come back in the evening to set up near their roosting area, when we heard a gobble about 50 yards below us. We immediately set up under a pinyon pine and started to call. We were all sporting King’s Desert Shadow Camo. It was a perfect stand. The birds were working towards us when out of th3e corner of my eye I saw movement. There stood two nice Toms fully fanned out working up the slope adjacent to our stand. I signaled to Jeff and Laudi that I was going to make a move on them. I had pretty good cover between me and the birds. Jeff kept calling to keep them interested as I snuck in on them. I got about 30 yards from them and decided not to take one. It was still early in the hunt and I wanted Mr. Longbeard. The Toms I was looking at had about 3” birds. Then I decided, no way I’m not passing them up. I looked back up and they were gone. I wanted to kick myself for not taking the shot. I crawled over to where I had last seen them. Gone. All of a sudden I looked below me about 50 yards. There stood another Tom, full strut, full fan and I was on it. I snuck down closer behind some Larb bushes. In the meantime I looked up to where I had crawled from and there stood the first two Toms, I had birds everywhere. I remained motionless. None of them had me. Yeah! Desert Shadow. I got to me knees and squeezed the trigger on my Remington 870. I was using 3” 4 shot. The Tom went right down. Next thing I knew two other Toms and three Hens converged around my Tom who was down. Jeff and Laudi had heard the shot and were on my bird before I was. There were turkeys flying everywhere.

My Tom measured in with a 3 ½” beard. We guessed it to be a two year old bird. I was so happy and was even more delighted that I was able to share my first turkey hunt with my wife Laudi and good friend Jeff Bishop. Now as I watch turkey hunting on TV I am much more psyched than ever before. It is a wonderful hunt. Hats off to the Turkey Federation and all those volunteers that have made turkey hunting in Utah very viable. I put it up there with bugling in Big Bullies and can’t wait until I draw out again.

We love to hunt!!!

Todd Munford

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