When turkey seasons go bad, they really go bad. For many turkey hunters last season, finding a set of hen's teeth was easier than locating a gobbling tom. In many areas of the state, the whole season seemed to be earmarked by two predominant factors -- scant turkey observations, and a constantly blowing wind.

For central Mississippi, where I spent most of my own time in the woods, I dubbed the entire season the "Spring of the Gale-Force Winds." At times, it felt like I was in Kansas or Iowa where those flatland breezes never seem to cease. Of course, on top of that, we had plenty of rains and violent storms, including tornadoes across the state. It was definitely an unusual season.

The irony is that in several isolated spots around the state, other hunters experienced just the reverse. Ronnie Foy, a renowned Magnolia turkey guide, called to provide an example.

"We are hearing so many gobblers we can't get to them all," he reported last season. "I'm talking to other guides around the state and for some reason, we seem to be in a pocket of active gobblers in our area."

All of this just proves that determined turkey hunters have to be creative and flexible with plans to move around to where the gobbling activity is hottest.

In spite of the conditions, hunters still managed to bag roughly 40,000 birds.

TRIALS OF A TOUGH SEASON
The 2005 turkey season was one of the toughest I have ever personally hunted, yet it had a good ending. Since I participate in the annual Mississippi Spring Gobbler Hunting Survey, I keep data on each and every one of my hunts. This survey counts hunting in the morning and again in the afternoon as two hunts. Last season I went on 18 separate hunts, accumulating a total of 62 hours in the woods. I finally connected on a nice gobbler the last weekend of the season, though I had only heard three other gobblers during the season previously.

Participants in the Hunting Survey fill out data cards on each individual "hunt," compiling information as to the county, private or public lands hunted, the date, starting and ending times, and data on turkeys seen and gobblers heard. Successful hunters report harvest data on the bird taken, such as weight, beard and spur lengths. At the end of the season, these cards are mailed in from all corners of the state and tallied up.

The information turned in is vital in judging the status of the flock all over the state. This data is then presented in the annual Mississippi Wild Turkey Report, known as the Spittin' & Drummin' Report. Most of the data is also posted at the wildlife Web page on the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks Web site.

This information can be extremely helpful in narrowing down the search for the best areas of the Magnolia State to hunt.