Turkey Season at the Keefer’s.

Winter is gone, I think we missed it where I live; spring is here and fall is not far away.  With the blooms appearing on trees and plants, it can only mean one thing – it’s turkey season.  Of course, Robert Hoague is ahead of most of us, but we’re gaining ground.

I’ve been practicing regularly and feel pretty comfortable shooting up to 30 yards.  I don’t shoot birds beyond that distance so that’s ok.  A quick check of my decoys revealed no repairs were needed, they are ready to go.

I have two options when it comes to clothing and they both include HECS  STEALTHSCREEN garments that prevent the body’s electromagnetic field from going out.  If the weather is hot I will wear the HECS STEALTHSCREEN suit as an outer garment.  The suit will breathe providing me with comfort.  If it is cold I will wear the HECS as an undergarment and wear black clothing over it since I’ll be hunting in a blind.  Every living creature produces an emf that animals can detect. HECS just gives me that extra bit of assurance like camouflage clothing, scent control etc.

I do give my outer clothes (excluding the HECS suit) a liberal spraying of permethrin insect spray (several companies make it).  If you haven’t used it before, trust me it is great.  Just spray your clothing the day before you hunt and it will last through two washings.  Do not spray it on your skin, it’s pretty toxic to humans and it’s deadly on ticks.  I use it all summer while working on my farm.

The spray works on bugs that crawl but offers no defense for the flying insects – mosquitoes, gnats, etc.  For these pests the solution is simple – ThermaCELL.  It’s lightweight, easy to use and very effective.  Once you get it started you’ll quickly notice a void of bugs in your area.  The repellent it uses is not harmful to humans or pets, but bugs can’t stand it.  ThermaCELL  has been around for many years and wouldn’t have lasted so long if it didn’t work.  I don’t recall ever meeting anyone who owned one and didn’t like it.  That’s a pretty impressive endorsement.

This season I am going to try a new broadhead – the Vantage Point Archery Spur turkey head. I’ve successfully used other broadheads for turkeys; however, my inquisitive nature causes me to search out and try new products such as the VPA Spur.

You’ve got to admit it’s an innovative design. The front part of the broadhead gives initial penetration and the blades in the rear portion are unsharpened, except for the outer edges. The idea is that the rear blades slow the arrow’s penetration while allowing for maximum energy transfer. The head is also Teflon coated. It comes in several weights; I’ll be using the 100 grain version. I like it; I hope the turkeys hate it.

As I am writing this column, my shafts have been cut; the ends filed completely flat; crest wrap applied and Goat Tuff vanes installed with my Arizona Rim E-Z Fletcher.

Well it will be another couple of weeks before work (income tax preparation) frees me to explore the woods and see if I can put a gobbler on the ground. My wife and I will be going to one of our favorite places in Nebraska. I’ll keep you posted.