Wild Turkeys: Hunting and Watching (Paperback)

by John J. Mettler (Author) "Sitting under a hemlock tree, trying to keep dry while deer hunting on a drizzly November day more than thirty years ago, I thought, "I..." (more)
Key Phrases: wild turkey hunting, chur chur chur, tail mount, New York, Rio Grande, National Wild Turkey Federation (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist
Wild turkeys are mentioned often in early American history. Benjamin Franklin even championed the wild turkey rather than the bald eagle for recognition as our national bird. Although the wild turkey was once nearly extinct in North America, it has seen a dramatic population increase within the past two decades. There are now 4.5 million nationwide as a result of stocking and restoration efforts. Mettler's book is a complete guide to understanding, hunting, dressing, and cooking these noble birds. The author covers habits, including feeding patterns, mating rituals, and distribution. Recommendations on weapons and equipment, clothing, and safety measures to aid in a successful hunt are also provided. The field-dressing process and proper handling of the turkey carcass are covered, as are step-by-step mounting instructions. Thirty recipes and sources for further information are provided. Fred Egloff

Review
"Wild Turkeys is an excellent book..." -- Former President Jimmy Carter

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Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC; illustrated edition edition (January 9, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580170692
• ISBN-13: 978-1580170697
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #857,936 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An informative book beautifully written, August 26, 1999

By	Chris Foglesong (Orlando, FLorida) - See all my reviews

I was amazed by this book; it was a real page turner. I could not put it down and read straight though it in a few days. The author (John Mettler) combines great information and anecdotes to apply what he describes. Mr. Mettler is a veterinarian so he is able to explain all sorts of reasons behind the behavior of the wild turkey. You'll not only learn where turkeys will be, but why they are there. Great for a begining turkey hunter and the acomplished one who needs a little brush up on stratagies.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Extensive information about an intriguing game species., February 13, 1999

By	[e-mail] (Jeremy Exline) (Frostburg, MD) - See all my reviews

Mettler gives a thorough examination of the wild turkey. He covers information about its origins, habitat, calls, and the equipment and skills necessary for a successful and ethical harvest. The illustrations also give clarity to the greenhorn turkey hunter.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book on the subject, April 18, 2004

By	magellan (Santa Clara, CA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)

I've only beeen hunting twice in my life, once deer hunting with a .30-06 and the other quail hunting with a 12-gauge shotgun, so while hunting is not really an interest of mine, I was still struck by the title of a book devoted exclusively to turkey hunting, so I decided to check it out. (Also, at first blush I thought the title had to do with the managers I've had over the years. On the other hand, they're more like tame or couch turkeys. :-)).

I learned some interesting things about turkeys and turkey hunting from this book. For example, the author makes the interesting statement that turkey hunting is the most dangerous hunting sport in the U.S. Apparently there are more hunting accidents turkey shooting than in any other sport. The author says the reasons involve the need for complete camouflage, the use of new magnum shotgun loads with ranges of over 100 yards, the wariness and difficulty of the quarry, and the fact that people try to actively stalk the turkeys and end up getting in each other's line of fire.

The book discusses many aspects of turkey hunting, and there are chapters on habits and habitat, safety and equipment, field dressing, photography, cooking and recipes, and mounting and preserving your trophy. I was struck by some of the recipes which included grandma's sausage stuffing, Wiener schnitzel, savory turkey pie, Plainville turkey thighs, and turkey parmesan and tettrazini, all of which sounded quite appetizing. That's only a sampler. And for those interested in black powder hunting and shooting there is even a section devoted to the use of those rifles, as well as more typical modern rifles. Finally there are appendices listing state game commissions and a glossary of hunting terms.

I noted that the author is apparently a veterinarian, and he certainly knows a lot about birds and specifically turkeys. The text is well written and there are plenty of illustrations to accompany the text. Although as I said I'm no expert in this area this seemed like an excellent book on the subject which I can highly recommend.