Author: Ryan Fair

As the sun slowly started to peak over the horizon on opening morning of turkey season, the anticipation started to build. After a long winter it was nice to get back in the woods chasing the kings of spring. I sat comfortably in my TideWe 270 ground blind tucked in a corner of the woods overlooking a freshly plowed field, with my decoys set up 20 yards out in front of me. I knew there were toms in the area from my scouting, but I’ve only heard a few short gobbles in the distance. After about 15 minutes passed, I…

How to Set up the Perfect Turkey Shotgun as well as a list of our favorites: Turkey hunting is a tradition that dates back generations, combining skill, patience, and the right equipment to successfully harvest these elusive birds. Among the most critical pieces of gear for any turkey hunter is the firearm. Choosing the best gun for turkey hunting can make a significant difference in your hunting success and overall experience in the field. This article aims to guide both novice and seasoned hunters through the selection of the ideal gun for turkey hunting, taking into account factors such as…

Learning to use a mouth call can be challenging especially when starting out. I remember as a young turkey hunter I would spend hours trying to master moving the air over the reeds of the call to produce that perfect sound. Every few tries I would get what sounded like a turkey yelp to come out, but there was no consistency in my calling. To say I was getting frustrated is an understatement. But like with anything you’re trying to learn, practice makes perfect. With a lot of determination and some time I got my calling down and was sounding…

The evening before the first day of the spring turkey season here in Ohio, a good friend and I headed out to roost some local birds in hopes of a great opening morning of turkey season. He was excited to learn how to hunt spring turkeys. Just as the sun was setting, we started to get a few gobbles from some distant toms as they headed up to roost for the evening. As the excitement builds, we get a plan together knowing the toms were not as close as we would have liked. For your convenience, here is a list…

As waterfowl hunters we sacrifice time, money, and sleep every year in pursuit of gunning for ducks and geese. We brave some of the roughest weather conditions and many times do this on only a few hours of sleep. We do all this because of a fire burning deep inside us, driving us to spend every waking minute possible in the duck blinds during those few short months we get to hunt waterfowl. With that said I want you to consider if you’re getting the most out of your shotgun every season. You may have some of the “top gear”…

As an avid waterfowl hunter there are few things that are as important as a good set of waders. We use them to get to some of the roughest parts of the water, in some of the coldest water and in some of the most extreme conditions. All while expecting them to keep us comfortable and dry. We ask a lot from our waders but when spending your hard-earned money, you should ask a lot. Whether it’s your first time picking up a set of waders or your fifth, there are a few things to keep in mind which I…

When my wife first told me seven years ago that we were having a baby, the excitement started to build. I couldn’t wait to have a new hunting partner and one that was as excited about the outdoors as I am. I just knew when “he” got here, we had all kinds of things to start learning. Fast forward a few months and all the planning I had done had come down to this appointment: The ultrasound. When the doctor came in and said, “Congratulations, you guys are having a little girl,” I didn’t know what to say. This obviously…

Every spring, as turkey season approaches, I hear several hunters complain that the turkey numbers are down. I have heard this complaint enough that I decided to research whether that’s true, and if so, what is causing it. Not only did I find that this was true, but I also discovered that one of the top threats to wild turkey populations is predation. I’m sure it is no surprise that the decrease in wild turkey correlates with the fall of the fur market. What was once a popular and lucrative pastime for many people—trapping—is now almost nonexistent. I talked with…

What is the best bait for winter bass fishing? If you are any kind of bass-fishing aficionado, the itch to catch the first bass of the year grows the longer winter drags on. It’s an itch that only has one cure: Catching bass. The only problem is, you must wait for the ice to thaw or head south. Once the ice is thawed, it’s go-time. I check lakes nearest to me as I flip the calendar to March, knowing that now, it won’t be long. As soon as I have open water, I’m casting. Cold-water bass fishing is not like…

Our picks of the best turkey calls, how to perform, and when to use each one. Getting the old gobbler to break his sense of protection is the job of the turkey hunter. In order to make the tom come into your calling, you have to be very patient and very subtle. Turkeys are really not that different from men. We like soft-spoken women who know how to play the game. Getting an old tom into gun range is as simple as impersonating someone he is used to hearing and having the right call to help you. In my opinion,…