Turkeys go wild for week

Fall wild turkey season opened on Saturday and closes Nov. 29. The shooting hours are from 30 minutes before sunrise to sunset. The bag limit is 1 wild turkey of either sex per season.

Hunting techniques are quite different from the more popular spring turkey hunt.

One of the most successful techniques is to locate and break up a fall brood flock, position yourself where they were, and call them back. First, locate a roost by listening for soft yelps and birds flying into the trees the evening before your hunt. Once a flock is located, hunters will rush the flock, shouting and waving their arms to startle the flock into scattering. Do not run with a loaded gun in your hands.

After you have broken up the flock, locate a calling site near the point of breakup. Wait about one-half hour or until you hear birds calling before you start to call them.

The most frequently used call in the fall is the lost bird call. It is a high pitched "kee kee kee" in a series, usually followed by a yelp or two. Young birds will "kee kee" frantically and try to locate each other a short time after you have broken up the flock. Using this call technique can lure them into shooting range.

Another call to try is a hen assembly call. It is a long series of yelps rising slightly in volume and pitch and then declining in volume and pitch. Hens will often use a series of 15 to 20 yelps for a gathering call. A series of yelps will often lure a young bird within shooting range.

Camouflage clothing is important with a camou blind being critical as the trees lose their leaves.

We are certainly blessed to have a lot of public land with wild turkeys in the Yuba Sutter area. All of these areas are open for hunting 7 days a week.

The Lake of the Woods Unit (700 acres) is 5 miles in length and is located south of the Star Bend Boat Ramp to the Bear River along the Feather River.

The Daugherty Hill Wildlife Area (5000 acres) has 7 parking lots from which to access the units. Lots 1-6 are located on Marysville, Dolan Harding, Loma Rica and Los Verjeles Roads. Take Highway 20 east of Marysville and turn left on Marysville Road for 8 miles to Dolan Harding Road. One parking lot is on the corner and another lot is a mile south on Dolan Harding Road. Lot 3 is near the corner of Loma Rica and Marysville Roads, Lot 4 is on Marysville Road, Lot 5 is at the corner of Collins Lake Road and Spruce Lane, and Lot 6 is on Los Verjeles Road.

Lot 7 of the Darby Road Unit (700 acres) is located 4 miles east of the community of Bangor on Darby/Vierra Roads. Darby Road is located 3 miles east on Bangor on La Porte Road.

The Spenceville Wildlife Area (11,000 acres) is 18 miles east of Marysville on Highway 20, then turn right on Smartville road for 1 mile to the wildlife area.

Fall pheasant season also opened on Saturday and ends Dec. 27. Shooting hours for pheasants are from 8:00 am to sunset. The bag limit is 3 males per day after the first 2 days of the season.

The Nelson Slough Unit is the best local area for hunting pheasants as there were many pen raised birds released for the junior/women's pheasant hunt prior to pheasant season. The 800 acre Nelson Slough Unit is located under the Highway 99 bridge about 18 miles south of Yuba City.