Open Season: Spring wild turkey hunt underway

This male turkey is attempting to charm the lady turkeys in Bob Bromby's back yard in Carp on March 9, 2013.

Hikers, bikers and dog walkers can expect to see turkey hunters in county forests over the next several weeks.

It was difficult to see Brian Dettman in a Simcoe County forest as he called out to try and attract a wild turkey on Monday morning for the opening day of the spring turkey hunt in the region.

Dettman is a field guide and says turkeys provide a special challenge for hunters.

“Half hour before sunrise that's when the birds start to gobble, they start making noise, that's when you start making noise back,” he says. “Hopefully call them into to your decoy set up front of your blind, get them inside good range within 40 yards and hopefully be successful.”

The spring hunt for wild turkeys has been a tradition in Ontario since 1987 after the birds were re-introduced to the landscape by the Ministry of Natural Resources. Over the years, wild turkey populations have expanded and so has the hunting season, which continues through the month of May.

"Hunters have to be mindful that others are using the forest and others have to be mindful hunters are there too," says Dettman.

Ron Hiel has been cleaning and dressing the turkeys hunters bring in for more than a decade.  He says it's been a slow start to the season.

“Definitely down today, probably in the 50 per cent range over last year,” he says.

However, Brad Martin was one of the lucky hunters. He spent the morning talking turkey and called one in.

“They are coming you know they are coming, and then you see them and then it's the adrenaline rush, they come right to ya, it's unbelievable actually,” Martin says.

Open season for wild turkeys continues seven days a week until May 31 – hunters are limited to two birds during that period of time.