Columnist Barb Henderson: Spring turkey calls need to be purrr-fect

Barb Henderson

Friday, March 28, 2003 | 8:54 a.m.

Barb Henderson is an outdoors enthusiast, freelance writer and producer/host of outdoors radio television programming. Her column appears Friday in the Sun.

Hunting the "wild turkey" has been an American tradition that has been passed down from generation to generation.

Nevada hunters who were successful in the draw and hold a spring turkey tag are "strutting their stuff because they will soon be making purrs, clucks or yelps to imitate a hen (female turkey) with hopes of calling the tom (male turkey) in.

The hunter is able to make these purring, clucking hen sounds by using a variety of turkey calls such as; the slate, box or diaphragm.

The tom may not be bigger but by strutting he's indicating to other birds he is tougher, more fit to breed and to showcase his fitness as a breeder, to dominate other toms.

Interestingly, both males and females have beards. Nearly 100 percent of the males have beards and about 10 percent or less of the hens have beards.

The Overton Wildlife Management Area, offers two seasonal turkey hunts -- one in the spring and the other in the fall. Applications must be submitted as instructed in the Nevada Division Of Wildlife's (NDOW) regulations. Tags are awarded based upon results of a computerized random drawing.

Only those tag holders are allowed to hunt.

Early in the morning on Feb. 15, 1990, NDOW personnel and volunteers from the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) released these magnificent birds on the Overton Wildlife Management Area. The Rio Grande "turkeys made the long trip from the panhandle of Texas to Nevada by truck, and were ready to settle in their new home.

The birds found Moapa Valley to their liking and have explored the entire valley.

NWTF's regional director for Nevada and Utah, Brett Johnson, indicated the NWTF would concentrate on bringing Rio Grande turkeys over the next several years. Birds have been released at South Fork Wildlife Management Area near Elko and the Britton/Willomonte Ranch near Wells, with additional releases planned for the Goshute Reservation, Silver Creek near Baker, Bruneau Creek, the Sims Ranch near Wells and the Delamar Mountains in Southern Nevada.

The "gobble" of the wild turkey can be heard in every state except Alaska, thanks to NWTF, its members, and state and federal agencies.

The Rio Grande, Merriam's, Eastern, Gould's, and Osceola, are all sub-species of wild turkeys.

For more information on the NWTF Nevada Chapters in Las Vegas, Reno, Elko, Ely and Wells -- or for more information on the National Wild Turkey Federation click onto the Internet at www.NWTF.org.

For more information on hunting the wild turkey here in Nevada, click onto the Internet at: www.ndow.org

If you're like me and were unsuccessful in this year's draw for a spring turkey tag -- just remember we can always fill out an application and try again next year.