For many in the Cache Valley area, wild turkeys are nothing more than a nuisance. For others, the wild birds offer hunters an opportunity to sharpen their skills.
If you hunt wild turkeys, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) is hosting a free workshop in the Northern Utah area 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.
For more information about the event, contact Brad Hunt, manager of the Hardware Ranch Wildlife Management Area at [email protected].
Turkey permits are available for the April and May hunting seasons. 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.