earn how to hunt turkeys at local, free clinics
SALT LAKE CITY — If you've ever wanted to hunt wild turkeys but don’t know how, here are some free workshops to get you started.
The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) is hosting six turkey hunting clinics around the state to educate new hunters and to offer tips and insights to both beginners and veteran hunters.
While the clinics in Sandy, Salt Lake City and the beginner clinic at Hardware Ranch have all filled, there are still spots available at three additional, upcoming clinics.
Price clinic
This clinic will be held on Saturday, March 30 at the Department of Natural Resources building at 319 N. Carbonville Road in Price. The free clinic will run from 10 a.m. to noon and will include presentations by experienced turkey hunters on everything you need to know to bag a gobbler, including:
Where to find Merriam’s and Rio Grande turkeys in Utah
How to tell a mature tom from a juvenile or a hen
Turkey habitat and food preferences
Daily and seasonal behavior patterns
The best turkey hunting equipment and accessories
How to call in a turkey or stalk one that won't come to your call
“Utah’s turkey populations are doing very well, and opportunities for hunters are plentiful, especially in southeastern Utah,” said Walt Maldonado, the DWR southeastern Utah wildlife recreation specialist. “Even if you’ve hunted turkeys before, this clinic will cover tactics that will make you more proficient in the field this spring.”
Participants can register online at https://goo.gl/2fDJVJ.
For more information about the Price clinic, contact Maldonado at 435-820-8147 or waltmaldonado@utah.gov.
Parowan clinic
This clinic is being offered by DWR, the National Wild Turkey Federation and Sportsman's Warehouse and will be held on Saturday, March 30 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Parowan Fairgrounds Building at 30 N. 300 East. The clinic is open to anyone who has never hunted turkeys, and to all youth 17 and younger.
The clinic will begin with a brief overview and then attendees will rotate between seven stations. The stations include:
Archery hunting techniques
Turkey calling
Turkey habitat and biology
Shotgun patterning
Archery shooting
Law enforcement station
Pellet gun shooting and lunch
The event will conclude with door prizes and a Q&A session to clarify the hunting regulations and techniques described at the stations.
Participants can register online here.
For more details about the event, contact DWR wildlife recreation specialist Heather Talley at 435-868-8756 or heathertalley@utah.gov.
Hardware Ranch clinic for advanced hunters
This clinic will be held on Saturday, March 23 from 11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Hardware Ranch. The ranch is on Blacksmith Fork Canyon Road in Hyrum, Cache County. It will be an advanced workshop geared toward experienced turkey hunters. A beginner class will also be held earlier in the morning, but that class is already full.
Experts with the National Wild Turkey Federation will cover:
Scouting
Some hunting tactics
More advanced calling tactics
Locating hard-to-hunt turkeys
How to locate a roost
Decoy and hunter placement
Before and after the clinic, staff from the Cache Valley Public Shooting Range will be available to assist hunters with gun patterning. Participants are also welcome to bring their own shotgun, rifle or bow. 3D turkey targets will be available; however, only field tips should be used during the target practice.
Participants should bring their own chairs and remember to dress in layers in case of cold weather.
You can register for the clinic online here.
For more information about the event, contact Brad Hunt, manager of the Hardware Ranch Wildlife Management Area at bradhunt@utah.gov.
Get a turkey permit
Utah’s spring turkey hunting seasons are in April and May. Utah’s spring limited-entry turkey hunt runs from April 13-25. The youth turkey hunt runs from April 26-28. The spring general-season turkey hunt runs from April 29 to May 31.
You can buy a permit for the statewide general season anytime between now and when the hunt ends. Permits for the limited-entry season, however, are available only through a drawing.
General-season permits are available at the DWR website. They’re also available at hunting license agent locations and DWR offices.
For more information on season dates and permits, see page 6 of the 2018-19 Utah Upland Game & Turkey Guidebook. The free guidebook is available online at www.wildlife.utah.gov/guidebooks or at hunting license agent locations and DWR offices.
Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2C4SmO03ts&feature=youtu.be
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