Free turkey hunting seminars offered in March across North Carolina

NCWRC, NWTF offering 11 turkey hunting seminars across N.C.

The first time I ever went turkey hunting, you could say I got spoiled, lucky, or both. I had no idea what I was doing, had read very little about the big game bird, and hadn’t seen so much as a turkey track on the family land where I’d decided to go after my first turkey.

After setting up a decoy in darkness, then dozing off as I waited for daybreak, I made my first call just at legal shooting time. A gobbler immediately answered, and within five minutes, I killed my first turkey.

It was a long time before I ever killed another. Beginner’s luck was good for one hunt only, and it didn’t take me long to realize that if I ever wanted to kill these birds consistently, I had a lot to learn.

Fortunately for others in that situation, turkey hunting clinics are now available, are free, and cover a wide range of topics about hunting turkeys.

North Carolina’s wild turkey hunting season is just over two months away, but it’s never too early to get ready. And the NCWRC and NWTF are combining forces to offer 11 free turkey hunting seminars next month. The seminars will be held in areas throughout the state, and pre-registration is required.

The seminars are open to all ages and skill levels, with anyone under the age of 16 requiring their parents’ permission.

As with any endeavor, the more you know about it, the better your chances at success. These seminars will give you a well-rounded knowledge base about these game birds, and go beyond just hunting them.

The biology of turkeys, hunting methods, decoys and calls, guns and ammunition selection, and camouflage clothing will all aid you in everything from knowing where to set up for your hunt, how to trick that turkey into range, and all the way to killing it. Beyond that, the seminars will also talk about processing and cooking turkeys.

Dates and locations of the seminars:

•March 1

N.C. State University SAS 2203 Auditorium 2311 Stinson Dr., Raleigh, N.C. 27607

•March 6

Brunswick County Extension Center

Building N

25 Referendum Dr., Bolivia, N.C. 28422

•March 7

Craven County Extension Center

300 Industrial Dr., New Bern, N.C. 28562

•March 8

Onslow County Extension Center

4024 Richlands Hwy., Jacksonville, N.C. 28540

•March 13

Bass Pro Shops

8181 Concord Mills Blvd., Concord, N.C. 28027

•March 14

Cumberland County Extension Center

301 East Mountain Dr., Fayetteville, N.C. 28306

•March 20

Mountain Horticulture Crops Research and Extension Center

455 Research Dr., Mills River, N.C. 28759

•March 21

Haywood Community College

185 Freedlander Dr., Clyde, N.C. 28721

•March 27

Burke County Extension Center

130 Ammons Dr., Morganton N.C. 28655

•March 28

Forsyth County Extension Center

1450 Fairchild Rd., Winston-Salem, N.C. 27105

•March 29

Guilford County Extension Center

3309 Burlington Rd., Greensboro, N.C. 27405

Click here to pre-register for a seminar.