How To Swat Turkeys, Not Bugs

By Babe Winkelman

Have you ever had a gobbler approach in stealth mode? Without making a gobble or even the sound of a footstep? I have, many times. But the one bird that stands out in my memory the most was an Eastern that was easily the biggest turkey I've ever seen in my life. I can't even guess how heavy he was, and his beard was as thick as my wrist and practically dragged on the ground.

He came in just outside of my peripheral vision. And like I said, he didn't make a sound. Ten more steps and he would have popped out right in front of me. But he didn't, because of a mosquito!

A mosquito you ask? How can a winged creature that small have any kind of effect on a winged creature the size of a mature Tom? I'll tell you how: the voracious little blood-sucking bandit had rudely attached himself to my neck, just as the unseen turkey was approaching. I could feel its little syringe going in, and I tried not to flinch because it's always so important to sit like a statue when turkey hunting. But the discomfort of that tiny torture machine was too much for me to take, so - WHAP! I got him with my right hand. I also unwittingly spooked King Kong Tom with my movement. I have never hated a mosquito more than that one, and I never saw that bird again!

Well, there are lessons learned on every hunt and that day I learned (the hard way) to always be prepared with the right gear - insect repellent included. This is especially true when hunting in areas that have ticks carrying Lyme Disease, which is a terrible disease that can have dire consequences if undetected or untreated.

So now there's always a can of repellent in my turkey pack, whether I'm hunting in the spring or fall. And because I hunt turkeys so often with the people I love most in the world, my wife and daughters, I always make sure they're protected with an effective repellent, too.

Two Sure-Fire Tips

Now, let's talk about swatting TURKEYS! I want to give you two sure-fire tips that will help you bring home more poultry, whether you're hunting with a shotgun or a bow.

For shotgun hunting, it is 100 percent critical to pattern your turkey gun before you go hunting.