Web series teaching turkey hunting basics debuts March 4

FRANKFORT, Ky. (March 2, 2021) — Fooling a spring gobbler and calling it into range is challenging for even the most experienced turkey hunter.

Conservation educators with the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources are developing a new virtual web series to lessen the learning curve for hunters of all experience levels.

The five-part series debuts March 4 on the department’s YouTube channel (youtube.com/FishandWildlifeKY) as part of the agency’s Field to Fork program, which teaches adult participants the basics of how to successfully hunt and process their harvest. Registration is free at fw.ky.gov and you must be at least 18 years old to register.

The programming lineup:

• March 4: Basic Wild Turkey Ecology and Behavior for the Hunter
• March 10: Turkey Calling Basics
• March 17: Wild Turkey Processing and Cooking
• March 25: Turkey Hunting Equipment
• March 30: Scouting and Hunting Tactics for Wild Turkeys

The web series concludes before the youth-only and general statewide spring turkey seasons open in Kentucky. The statewide season dates are: Youth-only Weekend - April 3-4; General Season - April 17-May 9.

As a reminder, hunters who are not license-exempt and plan to hunt turkeys this spring will need hunter education certification if they were born in 1975 or afterward. Those exempt from licensing and hunter education requirements include youths under age 12, and landowners and their dependents hunting on their property. 

Hunters must first complete an approved course (available online).  Next, they will need to create and submit a video of their “range day” live-fire safety demonstration. Go online to fw.ky.gov for hunter education video range submission steps and for links to view how-to and sample videos.

The website includes requirements for what the video must contain and how to submit it. Each student must have a mentor certified in hunter education present for the entire video. Students may use a firearm, bow, crossbow, or air gun.

The department encourages students to complete the online course and range day video submissions as early as possible because it can take up to two weeks to process and issue hunter education certification once a student has satisfied the requirements.

A one-year hunter education exemption permit also is available to new hunters who have a qualified adult mentor to accompany them afield. This permit is currently free for a limited time.

For additional information, contact the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Information Center by email at Info.Center@ky.gov or call 1-800-858-1549 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Eastern) on weekdays.

Hunting licenses and permits are available in many stores that sell sporting goods, or online at fw.ky.gov. The Kentucky Spring Hunting Guide is available on the department’s website and wherever licenses and permits are sold.