WALK OR RIDE, YOU MAKE THE CHOICE
By Larry Shockey, Ol' Tom Elite Team Member

The one hunting blunder that I hear of and see most hunters make is driving through their turkeys while hunting and scouting. I have witnessed first-hand what riding through or up on turkeys can do in the early morning.

Just last spring in Arkansas I was hunting with Bob Walker and Paul Butski on private land. The area we were hunting was very rugged. We had worked hard to be at my favorite listening spot on time. We were standing in a good spot listening to multiple toms gobble from the roost when suddenly all of the gobbling turkeys just shut up . At the time we did not know why. About ten minutes passed when we started hearing a four wheeler coming up the mountain. The turkeys heard that ATV a long time before we did and just shut up. In fact, that ATV shut those turkeys down for the majority of the morning!

As I have traveled around the country doing seminars and guiding, I have heard countless stories similar to the above. In today's world of ever increasing hunting pressure, it is becoming more important to pay attention to the small details while in the field.

Would you rather ride to your favorite hunting spot only to spend the morning hearing an occasional distant gobble, or would you rather walk into an area and experience the magic of harvesting a spring gobbler?

For me the decision is easy... I am walking!!!

Have a great spring, Larry Shockey