We caught up with Allie D’Andrea (@outdoors_allie), one of our hunting experts on the Muck® Field Team to learn from her experience preparing or turkey hunting season. She also shares her most memorable moments while on the pursuit.
Q. ALLIE, WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT HOW YOU PERSONALLY PREPARE FOR TURKEY HUNTING SEASON?
A. My prep for turkey season starts with going through my gear. There are some special items I use during turkey season that I don't use during any other time of the year. That includes a turkey choke and turkey loads for my shotgun (I shoot a 12 gauge), a turkey hunting vest with an attached seating pad and lots of pockets to hold other essentials like turkey calls, an owl hoot for locating birds, and turkey decoys. I also like to wear a ghillie suit type top and facemask for extra concealment (turkey can see shockingly well). I always spray down my clothes, socks, and boots with Permethrin spray prior to the season opening.
Permethrin prevents ticks, mosquitos and other biting bugs, so it's a must!
Q: WHAT TYPE OF TERRAIN DO YOUR ENCOUNTER WHILE ON THE HUNT
A. I hunt in Florida, and as you can imagine, I hike through a lot of water and muck to get to the spots where the birds are. Muck® Boots are an absolute must for this type of terrain. Osceolas are one of five subspecies of turkey found in the United States and they have the longest legs of the bunch, yet they're the smallest bodied. Biologists believe this is because of their wet environment; the long legs help keep their bodies out of the swampy water! I bet the Osceola's would love a pair of muck boots too. (We think so, too!)
Q. TELL US ABOUT ONE OF YOUR FAVOURITE TURKEY HUNTING MEMORIES.
A. The first time I called in a “gobbler” I was hunting by myself. I woke up well before sunrise, hiked into the woods, and plopped down against a tree. Just as light was starting to crack, I let out a hen call and was stunned by a monstrous gobble back. After the birds flew off the roost, I called just one or two more times, and the tom came running in.... behind me. I heard a stick crack and swung my head around, only to find the gobbler staring right back at me. Quicker than I could blink he ran and disappeared into the brush. I was elated.
Calling in a gobbler for the first time was more fun than I ever could have imagined. That was nearly a decade ago, and it definitely catapulted my love of turkey hunting.
Allie is a member of the Muck® Field Team based in Jupiter, Florida, and the outdoor creator behind @outdoors_allie. She loves the freedom and sense of self-reliance the outdoors provide and recently published her first cookbook, “The Butcher’s Table: Techniques and Recipes to Make the Most of Your Meat,” filled with home-cooked recipes she’s created to enjoy after every hunt.
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