PhD Gobblers: How to Hunt the Smartest Turkeys in the World [Kindle Edition]

John E. Phillips (Author, Photographer), Mike Handley (Illustrator)

Book Description

You’ll never encounter a more-maddening situation than hunting a turkey you can’t take. Turkeys that have earned their PhDs in the turkey-hunting wars pose problems to hunters because these birds know more about hunter-dodging than most hunters know about turkey hunting. These turkeys have built such a huge database on humans that they’ve earned their PhDs. These birds learn every day from each hunter they encounter how to survive until another season when they can breed another flock of hens. But the PhD turkeys’ need for sex, the sizes of their egos and their tendency to live a routine usually are their Achilles heels.

You can learn how to take a tom like this by spending many days in the outdoors yourself--or, by learning from the experiences of turkey hunters who have been successful taking toms. Pro hunters are consummate students who never stop learning, aren’t afraid to try new tactics and treat every PhD gobbler they meet as an individual. These pros are seasoned veterans with an unquenchable thirst for knowledge to understand how to hunt turkeys and how to call turkeys. This ebook will show you the pros’ victories and defeats and explain the lessons they’ve learned from some of the PhD gobblers they’ve hunted, so you too can take these tough toms and qualify for your master’s degree in turkey hunting.

This turkey ebook contains over 120 turkey-hunting pictures taken by the author and includes 6 BONUS VIDEOS with Eddie Salter.

Editorial Reviews

From the Author

Question: John, what do you consider to be a PhD gobbler?
Phillips: Generally, these birds are at least 3-years old, they've had many hunter encounters, and they're often smarter than the hunters who try to take them. These wild turkeys are the birds that teach us all how to hunt tough turkeys. My friend the five-time world-champion turkey caller, the late Ben Rodgers Lee, once said, "There are certain turkeys that, if you call to them, you won't take them." These ole gobblers are so smart, they practically can tell you the name of the call company that has made the turkey call you're using. They also know when you step-out of your truck before daylight where you're going, what you'll do, how you'll hunt, and what time you'll leave the woods. They know more about hunters than hunters know about them. Therefore, you have to forget everything you know about turkey hunting and hunt these turkeys as if they're deer.
 
A PhD gobbler is one of those bad birds, usually with a name or a reputation. When a well-known turkey hunter comes to camp, that's the turkey everyone wants to see him try to take. Rob Keck, once the executive director of the National Wild Turkey Federation, explains, "When I get into a hunting camp, and my guests ask me to hunt a turkey with a name, they'll usually let me out of the truck and tell me where to go to try and hunt that turkey. As soon as I see the tail lights of the truck disappear, I try to get as far away from that spot as I can and find another turkey to hunt. If I'm successful, when my guest comes to pick me up he'll say, 'That bird doesn't look like Old Sloughfoot,' to which I respond, 'Well, he's the bird that came-in when I called,' and I never say a word about not hunting that named turkey."
 
Question: Why did you pick the people as subjects in this book?
Phillips: As professional hunters, the men in this book have to hunt turkeys every season and in several-different states. The more turkeys you hunt, the more PhD gobblers you'll encounter, and the longer you hunt, the more you'll learn from these ole, smart birds. Everyone can remember the tough turkeys they've had to hunt better than they can recall the easy turkeys. Everyone who hunts a tough tom learns another lesson in his or her program to master the sport of turkey hunting. I asked each of these master turkey hunters to share with us the lessons they've learned from these old birds. All of them are also personal friends. I've hunted with most of them, and I respect them and their abilities to take toms.

Product Details

• File Size: 5238 KB
• Print Length: 160 pages
• Publisher: Night Hawk Publications, Inc.; 2 edition (February 7, 2012)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0076QJLQU
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #185,854 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars PhD Gobblers March 7, 2013

By L. Horseman

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Good information for the old or new turkey hunter. Short stories by
several writers who have solved problems with smart turkeys.

5.0 out of 5 stars Kindle Edition May 13, 2013

By rosemary Mckeever

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I loved this book. It was funny & interesting even for Spouses who know nothing about Turkey hunting or chasing Turkeys' as I call it! LOL
I'd buy it again, it made a great present & read!
Rosemary McKeever

1.0 out of 5 stars Deception April 17, 2013

By Plain Ed

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Didn't realize I needed Kindle software installed in my PC to have access to this offer. Downloaded the book, but deleted it when I discovered it could only be read via Kindle software; I already have another competing e-reader program and don't plan to add another at this juncture.

More About the Author

John, winner of the 2012 Homer Circle Fishing Award for outstanding fishing writer by the American Sportfishing Association (AMA) and the Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA), the 2008 Crossbow Communicator of the year and the 2007 Legendary Communicator chosen for induction into the National Fresh Water Hall of Fame, is a freelance writer (over 6,000 magazine articles for about 100 magazines and several thousand newspaper columns published), magazine editor, photographer for print media as well as industry catalogues (over 25,000 photos published), lecturer, outdoor consultant, marketing consultant, book author and daily internet content provider with an overview of the outdoors. Phillips has been a contributor to many national magazines, has been affiliated with 27-radio stations across Alabama serving as their outdoor editor and wrote for a weekly syndicated column, "Alabama Outdoors," for 38-Alabama newspapers for more than 13 years. Phillips was Outdoor Editor for the "Birmingham Post-Herald" for 24 years. Phillips was also the executive editor for "Great Days Outdoors" magazine for 3 years.

The author of almost 30 books on the outdoors, Phillips is a founding member of the Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA) and an active member of the Southeastern Outdoors Press Association (SEOPA). Phillips also is the owner of Night Hawk Publications, a marketing and publishing firm, and president of Creative Concepts, an outdoor consulting group.

Phillips conducts seminars across the nation at colleges in freelance writing, photography and outdoor education besides teaching courses in how to sell what you write to writers' groups. Phillips received his photography training as a still-lab photo specialist for six years in the Air Force. He was the chief photographer for Mannequins, Inc., a Birmingham modeling agency, for 11 years.

While serving as 2nd Vice President of the Alabama Wildlife Federation, Phillips was in charge of all press releases for the organization as well as serving as Chairman of Alabama's Big Buck Contest, which he founded more than 30 years ago. He also was president of the Alabama Sportsman's Association for three years.

Phillips is the recipient of a Certificate of Merit from the Governor of Alabama and the Department of Conservation for his work in the outdoor field. Phillips is vitally interested in the outdoors and travels the nation collecting personalities, stories and how-to information for his articles and features.

EDUCATION: B.S. degree from the University of West Alabama with a physical education major and a history minor.

EXPERIENCE: 10 years parttime and fulltime physical director for YMCAs and 34 years as a freelance writer, photographer, editor, book author, lecturer and daily-content provider for websites. Currently, Phillips is a field editor for Game and Fish Publications; serves on the editorial board of Grandview Media; is a regular contributor to 12 internet magazines and a daily content provider for 8 websites.

WRITING AWARDS: Runnerup - Best Outdoor Magazine Feature - 1981 - SEOPA; Certificate of Merit - Awarded by Alabama's Governor for writings on conservation; Most Outstanding Sports Writer in Southeast - 1983 & 1984; Best Outdoor Feature in Alabama, 1987 - Alabama Sportswriters' Association 3rd Place; Best Book of the Year - 1989 - SEOPA; 2007 - inducted into the National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame as a Legendary Communicator; 2008 - received award naming him 2008 Crossbow Communicator of the Year from the Crossbow Manufacturers' Association; 2009 - GAMMA Honorable Mention for Consumer/Paid Best Essay for July/August 2008 in "Southern Sporting Journal."