By the time the 20th century arrived, wild turkeys could only be found in isolated pockets of North America. This was due to the major destruction of habitat and unregulated hunting, with some states, such as Michigan, having its wild turkey population completely extirpated. Michigan began transplanting wild turkeys from Pennsylvania in the Allegan State Forest during the 1950’s. Efforts were made to successfully expand the wild turkeys’ range across the northern Lower Peninsula, and the first limited turkey hunt was held in 1965. This would continue with other northern Michigan areas having a limited spring turkey hunt, and I was fortunate enough to be one of 30 hunters to draw a spring turkey tag for the Baldwin area in 1968, which was quite a unique adventure, I can assure you, and I was forever smitten with spring turkey hunting.
Other states had been doing the same wild turkey reintroduction process, and today, the wild turkey can be found in 49 of the 50 states, including Hawaii, with the only exception being Alaska. The successful comeback of the wild turkey began creating a fast-growing following of avid turkey hunters. As a result, the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) was founded in 1973, with its mission being the conservation of wild turkeys and the preservation of our hunting heritage.
The NWTF would play an important role in assisting state agencies, whenever possible, in reestablishing wild turkeys across the country. During the 1980’s, wild turkeys from Iowa and Missouri were released in Michigan’s southern Lower peninsula, and in 1985, I can remember when the Michigan DNR had traded ruffed grouse with Iowa for wild turkeys, which were shipped to my Thumb area and released, with NWTF assisting with paying for the costly shipping. I also remember when a transplanted flock increased in number enough to allow some to be live trapped (using a big net and rockets, which was quite a sight to witness), and moved to more effectively spread the population around. As a result, wild turkeys are now found in every county in the Lower Peninsula, as well as several locations in the Upper Peninsula. Nope, folks, you don’t have to travel far to find great turkey hunting opportunities in Michigan today!
Michigan has become one of the top turkey hunting states in the country, and thus far it is the only state I have ever turkey hunted in, of which I have no complaints. However, my attitude has been changing a bit because the NWTF has created various “Turkey Slams” regarding hunting the different turkey subspecies found in North America, which have piqued my interest, and I sense a “bucket list” matter coming about.
First off is the Grand Slam, requiring all four U.S. subspecies (gobblers) – Eastern (which we have in Michigan), Osceola (Florida), Rio Grande (down Texas-way) and Merriam’s (out west).
Next is the Royal Slam, which is the Grand Slam plus a Gould’s, which is only found in Mexico and certain parts of the Southwest.
Finally, is the World Slam, which is the Royal Slam plus the Ocellated wild turkey found only in Mexico and Central America (and reminds me of being more of a very colorful peacock than a turkey).
For the truly adventuresome, there is also the U.S Super Slam which requires harvesting one wild turkey subspecies (gobbler) in every state except Alaska.
I guess you can call doing any turkey slam as being “Trophy wild turkey hunting”, but I’ve never considered myself as being much of a trophy hunter, especially when it comes to turkeys, because I’ve never been too picky. Yep, folks, I’ve shot some dandy gobblers over the years, but that is because they were the first to show up and offer a decent shot. My years of experience hunting extremely sharp-eyed and very wary wild gobblers have taught me to never hesitate whenever a splendid opportunity presents itself.
“Norma Jean”
A case in point is when I had to plant trees and prairie grasses for a new government program my farm had just been enrolled in, putting a damper on my spring turkey season until the very last day. I was hunting with my friend Bob Walker of Kingston, who had already bagged a gobbler and had come along to call in turkeys for me. We were in a ground blind with Bob seated to my left, when he leaned slightly forward and looked over my right shoulder, and whispered a turkey had just arrived to my far right. Turkeys are well known for doing that, and being right-handed, I’ve learned to “switch-hit” by easing my shotgun from the right for a left-handed shot (I’ve also taken deer in the same manner).
Without turning my head, I asked Bob if the turkey had a beard, and he said yes, a very tiny…… and then he heard me suddenly shoot! Once matters had been confirmed by Bob, I automatically turned, while shouldering my 20 ga shotgun, locked-on and touched the trigger in one fluid motion, with a headshot turkey biting the dust 25 yards away. It turned out to be a jake (a young gobbler) with about a one inch “stub” for a beard but was just the right size to fit whole in my deep fryer, and he turned out to be tender and tasty. Yep, folks, I was plenty satisfied with that hunt!
While that was the smallest turkey I ever shot during my lengthy tenure, two gobblers I took in recent years turned out to be my largest ever. The first occurred in early May 2021, when the Covid issue kept me close to home, so close in fact I shot the big gobbler on the back of our family farm. He was the only gobbler to respond to my wakeup call at daybreak, when I placed him about a half mile away in a neighbor’s fencerow. We would “talk” back and forth for a while without closing much of the gap between us, and then he completely shut up, and so did I. It then became a waiting game on a beautiful sunny spring morning, and, well folks, I fell asleep.
Author with harvested MI turkey
A loud gobbling suddenly woke me up and I saw the big gobbler out in front of me trying court my none-too-beautiful, beat-up hen decoy that I call “Norma Jean”, and yep, folks, he was the only gobbler I saw that morning and I automatically shot him dead at 28 yards with my vintage Model 97 Winchester 12 ga. Due to a thick nearly 11-inch beard and very lengthy spurs, I had him scored and he is now in the CBM record book.
I shot the other big gobbler in May 2023 on private property near Standish, thanks to hunting guide Gary Morgan and champion turkey caller Rodd Little, who brought my biggest gobbler (with a13-inch beard) in for a 36-yard shot with my new Winchester “Longbeard” pump 20 ga. This gobbler’s downfall was the fact he was an obvious bully and allowed to lead the way of the fast-approaching big flock to reach the decoys.
Check link for captured video of Tom’s hunt: https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/p10?projector=1
Yep, folks, big or little, I’m none too picky whenever opportunity smiles in the turkey woods!
than 40 years and has had his weekly radio show, “Tom Lounsbury
Outdoors” for more than 20 years. Tom grew up on a farm in
Michigan’s Thumb, and it is where his first outdoor adventures began
as a kid accompanying visiting pheasant hunters into the field during
the “pheasant hunting heyday” of the 1950’s and 1960’s. It is a passion
he still has to this day and being the 4 th generation to own the family
farm, he has put most of it into conservation programs with a focus on
wild pheasants, which in turn helps all wildlife.
Being an outdoor communicator, Tom appreciates all the outdoor
adventures he experiences in different places, and especially the
people he meets in which to share them.
- 1968 – The year my annual spring turkey hunting adventures began - March 23, 2025
- Trophy Wild Turkey Hunting - March 21, 2025
- Becoming High on the Hog - March 6, 2025