By Jerry Gardner

Jerry Gardner is widely recognized as one of the foremost authorities on the subject of the wild turkey and its vocabulary. He has actively studied wild turkeys since his childhood.

With the help of his father, he called in and harvested his first wild turkey at the age of eight. He knew right away that it was meant for him to spend his lifetime dedicated to learning all he could about these elusive and wondrous birds. He spent every available moment studying their language, mating habits, feeding habits, etc.

As the years have passed, Jerry has become involved in the preservation of the wild turkey. He was a charter member of the National Wild Turkey Federation in 1973 and has since served on the state board of directors and maintains a sponsor membership. He has served as judge for the Grand National Turkey Calling Championship on three different occasions. While he chooses not to compete in contests, he knows that calling to real turkeys and calling to human judges are two entirely different ball games.

Jerry has raised turkeys, both wild and many various strains for over 25 years. He has had many opportunities to closely observe them and learn from them. He has also raised whitetail deer for 17 years in an effort to learn more about them. He has hunted wild turkeys in 16 different states.

Hunting Tips That Jerry Recommends:

1. Know the area you are hunting. Know the lay of the land and if there are creeks or streams. This is very important because the more you know about the area and the obstacles that could potentially stand between you and the bird, the better off you will be.

2. Be in the woods well before daylight. You will have a much greater chance to slip in without being seen by the wary birds and you can get situated and get in that first tree call.

3. Know all you can about the vocabulary of the wild turkey. There are more than 31 known vocalizations made by the wild turkey and the more you know about their language and the meaning of each sound the better you will be able to communicate with them. The better you can do this, the more confidence you can instill in the birds that you are indeed another turkey.