First things first! Today, I want to give a shout out to Dave Wattles, Black Bear Project Leader with MassWildlife for the terrific presentation he made earlier this month to the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife board of directors on black bear management in the commonwealth. Dave’s presentation emphasized the need for picking up the pace in addressing the high numbers of black bears now found in Massachusetts. Yes, we’ve come a long way since that first bear hunting season in 1980! Now, the state needs to find ways to stabilize the numbers even more, which will, of course, take more time!

But in the end, these continued deliberations will lead to a decision that should bring great news to bear hunters. Thanks Dave, for all your hard work on this issue, and for being such a great steward of this wonderful resource. Also, to Sasha Dyer, MassWildlife board member, for her diligent work on this project, and the Massachusetts Sportsmen’s Council for their constant voice on behalf of the sportsmen and women of the Bay State.

In the meantime, archery season for deer, and fall turkey hunting season are coming on fast, with the two seasons coinciding between Oct. 7 and Oct. 19 when you can take either a turkey or a deer with a bow. You can switch over to a shotgun for wild turkey on Oct. 20 thru Nov. 2, but then back to “archery only” from Nov. 4 through Nov. 30. Just remember, if you’re hunting on, or even around, a WMA stocked with pheasants or quail during the pheasant or quail season, wear a blaze orange cap which is required in these areas.

And while all of us love bow hunting for deer, I never understood why fall turkey hunting never got the love it deserves, except for from die-hards like me who, perhaps, just want to be a maverick, or from others who are trying it out for the very first time. But let’s be honest, we all know that spring is where it’s at for turkey hunting, and that persuading folks to give fall birds a shot is usually a waste of time. But I’m here to tell you that hunting these birds now, will make you a better turkey hunter come next April, and you can rely on that! The simple fact is this, the more turkey hunting you do, and the more you understand the communications and habits of individual birds and flocks, the better you’re going to do be during the spring. The more you open the door, the more you’ll soon realize that turkeys have a reason for everything, and this is never more evident than in the autumn of the year!

And it’s all equal, whether you’re dealing with flocks of hens and poults, or a bachelor group of gobblers, there’s always a noticeable pattern to where they go and what they do, as their daily routines dictate it. In my experience, fall birds can sometimes move like clockwork in their day-to-day interactions and travels, if they aren’t hindered by harsh weather, predators, or too much hunting pressure, which is seldom a problem in the fall. However, the same rules apply to spring birds as well, at least to the hens. If you understand what route the ladies are taking throughout the day, you’ll understand where the gobblers are likely to be as well. And in any season, that’s a huge advantage!

I also don’t believe there’s a better way to learn to really call wild turkeys than to listen to a flock, sometimes two flocks, of live birds interacting with each other in the fall. It always makes me scratch my head when people tell me that, “fall birds really aren’t that vocal.” Believe me when I tell you, fall birds are vocal, and at times, very vocal. In fact, even though you won’t hear gobbles (sometimes you do, and I have no idea why), if you encounter a flock, you will hear everything a wild turkey has in its repertoire, and that’s an education that you simply cannot purchase anywhere. That knowledge carries over nicely into the spring season, especially if you hunt pressured birds where it’s critical at times to say exactly the right things at exactly the right time!

All that said, in the fall, I know how hard it is to drag yourself away from a deer stand to chase fall turkeys but, when you do it right, it can be a complete rush! Even better is knowing that the experiences you gain with fall turkeys will, without a doubt, make you a better all-around turkey hunter, which is more than enough reason to get out there and dance with some “Autumnal Equinox,” turkeys!

Joe Judd is a lifelong hunter and sportsman. He is an outdoor writer, seminar speaker, member of the New England Outdoor Writers Association, and a 2019 inductee into the N.E. Turkey Hunting Hall of Fame. Joe is also on the Quaker Boy Game Calls and Bass Pro Shops/Cabela’s Pro-Staff. He can be reached at jjontheridge@comcast.net