March 18 - Jason Edney

Hunter: Jason Edney
Animal: Turkey
Location: Alabama
Weapon: Shotgun

One of the best things about living in the South is the early turkey season! Things start changing down here in early March and you start seeing all the new colors of the coming season, and with the new colors of spring the turkeys start feeling there oats!

I jumped at the chance to start my 09 turkey season off in LA (Lower Alabama)! I got the invite from Jamie Averitt and Sadler McGraw. They kept telling me about the ample properties they can hunt and sheer numbers of turkeys that live around the metropolis of Gastonburg, population 9 except during hunting season! They did not exaggerate one bit on either the number of turkeys that call this area home or the beautiful properties that they have access to.

This hunt started several years ago when I met Sadler at a turkey calling contest. Since then Sadler has went on to establish himself as one of the countries top callers on the stage and as you will hear in the woods. Through Sadler I met Jamie, Jamie has been living in this area his whole life and manages several acers of hunting properties for various land owners. It is evident that all the deer management benefits the turkeys as well.

The AL season started off wet! Monday was a wash out and it left this area a MUDDY mess, but after the front pushed through we were left with a high pressure system that dawned with bright blue Sky's and turkeys letting there presence be known! The only problem with Tuesday was the turkey we picked out to chase, one word for him "Crazy". That's the only way I can describe him. We have wonderful footage of him at about 50 yds in full strut for several minutes but would not commit so he lived for another day. Wednesdays weather was more of the same with a high pressure setting the stage. This morning we decided to try a little different setup on the "crazy" turkey and if he worked so be it!

Wednesday we slipped as close as we dared at daylight and setup, we truly got in their back pocket. King strut was set up in the road and everything was ready. I knew we had a chance when a few light tree yelps were answered instantly. The birds didn't stay in the tree long and started pitching down. They had us pinpointed and flew down within 75yds of us, and that is where the movie star came out of the "crazy" turkey. The show he put on in result of King Strut is something to see, and let's say King Strut didn't come out well in the end is a understatement!

What a way to start the spring off! I'm looking forward to many more openers in "LA" at the "Gastonburg Turkey Camp"!