Florida NWTF Turkey Calling Championship

Scott Ellis, a contributing writer for U.S. Hunting Today and Skinny Moose Media, will be participating in the 2008 Florida National Wild Turkey Federation Turkey Calling Championships in Orlando, Florida next month. Scott is a 5-time winner of turkey calling events in Florida and will be joining others for this event. Read more

A Tale Of Two Turkeys

By Scott Ellis

Turkey Tale Number one:

It was Thursday evening, April 3, 2006 at the Ellis’ household. My nine year old son Zachary and myself were headed turkey hunting the next morning. We were hunting with my protégé and good friend Aaron “Boomer” Walters. Boomer is a former Florida State Junior Calling Champion and a very accomplished turkey hunter. My wife Kim, Zachary and myself were hanging out on the back porch getting ready to fire up the grill when my phone rang. It was Boomer and he had been out trying to roost a bird that evening. I could tell by the excitement in his voice it was something good. Sure enough, he had put one to bed with his owl hooter that had gobbled some 100 times on the roost . I told Boomer “well at least if we don’t bag him we should have some fun in the morning“. We talked about the lay of the land and a little about a game plan for a set up the next morning. Read more

Scott Ellis 8th In U.S. Open Turkey Calling Championships

Scott Ellis, a contributing writer for U.S. Hunting Today, recently participated in the U.S. Open Turkey Calling Championships. He placed 8th. Our congratulations to Scott for his efforts.

1st- Matt VanCise
2nd Sadler McGraw
3rd Billy Yargus
4th James Harrison
5th Doug Bennefield
6th Chris Parrish
7th Mark Prudhomme
8th Scott Ellis
9th Walter Parrot
10th Mitchell Johnston

Should Employees Be Able To Keep Gun In Car At Work

We have heard this discussion often of late and in Florida once again they are debating a bill that would allow an employee to keep a gun in their car at work provided it is kept locked in the trunk or the glove compartment of their automobile.

News4JAX has a brief story about the proposed bill, SB1130, and quite interestingly they are running a poll to see what readers think of this bill. Here’s what the poll asks. Read more

Calling The Wild Turkey……..When And How Often??

By: Scott Ellis

2005,2006,2007 Florida State Turkey Calling Champion

2004, 2007 Florida State Gobbling Champion

Quaker Boy Game Calls Pro Staff

One of the most asked questions about hunting the wild turkey is “when do I call and how often?” I feel that there is an art to calling turkeys. It’s all based on feeling him out and knowing what he wants to hear. How do you know this? Well I think it will come to you the more you work gobblers in different scenarios. Right off the roost, mid morning with hens, with out hens, public land bird, private land bird. In my opinion, whether calling a hot to trot two year old or a four year old hard hunted public bird, it’s a matter of getting his attention and keeping his interest just enough to get him to investigate. If you over call him, he will stand his ground and wait for this hot hen to meet him for their rendezvous. If you under call him, he will move off to the next hot item. Read more

Preparations For Spring Turkey Season

By Scott Ellis

As the days start to grow longer and the fall hunting seasons have passed, our thoughts start wandering to the upcoming spring turkey season. If anyone out there is a quarter like I am, you are starting to prepare your “tools of the trade” for that glorious opening day.

Shotgun Patterning

Just a short time before writing this article, fellow Quaker Boy Pro Staffer Chad Hodge, his wife Jessica and myself; conducted an extensive patterning session. It was a blast and between us both we had numerous chokes and loads to test. Patterning your shotgun is something very important and is neglected by a large portion of the turkey hunting population. Read more

What Good Can Come From Legislating Fair Chase?

By Tom Remington

A nasty and heated debate has already begun in North Dakota over a proposed ballot initiative that is intended to put an end to high-fence hunting. The Attorney Generals office has yet to come up with a title for the initiative and the petition, which will need 12,844 legal signatures, hasn’t received a single signature yet. Read more

A Deer Population Under Control Is A Healthy Thing

By Tom Remington

There is a reason why state fish and game management sets goals for attaining and/or maintaining an ideal whitetail deer population. Some people, hunters and non-hunters alike, want to see deer everywhere. This is not practical nor is it healthy for deer and humans.

Most states, depending upon several factors, try to manage a deer population of somewhere around 15-20 +/- deer per square mile. Read more

Chasing ‘Gators

By A. Sayward Lamb

My first encounters with alligators happened in the summer of 1973, when my wife and I traveled from Maine to South Carolina to visit our niece Pam and her husband Daniel. Daniel worked for the Federal Wildlife Service and was stationed on Bulls Island, which is part of the Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge. The island is located a few miles off the South Carolina coast and is accessible only by boat from a place called Moore’s Landing. Read more