Tree leaves are just beginning to emerge, and mosquitoes have not emerged. Forest flowers have emerged. Winter snows (usually) are a distant memory.

Warmer air is a reality. Green growing plants of all kinds are poking their stems and new leaves into the sunlight for another growing season. Watching morning sunlight break the horizon and filter long slanting beams of light through the forest is always an awe inspiring moment to cherish, and every small warbler bird is making chirping sounds to greet the dawn.

And then one may hear it, the distinctive gobble gobble of a tom turkey, somewhere still in his tree top overnight resting place, as his calls greet the dawn. His call is also intended to be heard by other tom turkeys, and especially his vocal nuances are meant to be heard by hen turkeys.

When light values increase with the sun’s rising, it will be fly down time. The flutter of his large wings will be heard by a hunter, if close enough, as the big bird glides to the ground. Soon he will walk about, and find it irresistible to advertise his presence with a full tail fan display, and if the hunter can make intimidating calls that sound like competition, the tom may wander over for an investigation.

Photo by Garry Brandenburg

That is the way spring hunting scenarios happen, and sometimes those intentions do not happen as the tom turkey moves away, not closer, and fades into the forest. Try as one might to be in the right place at the right time, sometimes you just have to resort to plan B or C or try again at another location or another day. Hunting requires persistence and patience, no matter what the game bird or mammal the hunter seeks out.

Iowa turkey hunters, as of midweek, had reported taking more than 11,400 tom turkeys. Every county of the Hawkeye State has wild turkeys, some very few and other counties with lots of forested lands, rolling hills or deep ravine habitats, will be customarily the areas with larger

numbers of turkeys and thus larger harvest rates. Data from the Iowa DNR harvest report available online shows two counties with over 400.

They are Clayton (461) and Allamakee (445). In the 300 or more bracket are these counties: Jackson (320), and Warren (333). In the 200 to 299 range are Appanoose (295), Clarke (212), Decatur (251), Delaware (203), Dubuque (228), Fayette (243), Harrison (257), Linn (245), Lucas (267), Madison (276), Marion (230), Monroe (215), Van Buren (208) and Winneshiek (204). Obviously, there are many counties in mid ranges of 100 to 199, and quite a few of 99 or less.

At the lowest end of harvest data are those counties with much less favorable turkey habitat. Still, there are attempts by turkey hunters to dispel any thoughts that one must travel long distances to seek out a tom turkey. This list includes Butler with 6, Grundy (9), Pocahontas

(9), and Osceola shows a zero count — so far.

Marshall County turkey hunters have noted 71. Surrounding us are Hardin County with 88, Grundy with 6, Tama has a higher count and more habitat so that number is 152. Poweshiek comes in with 63, Jasper has 143 and Story noted 43.

Melissa Ream’s double this year makes up for last year. During 2022, she was unable to make her traditional turkey hunt. That happens.

So as 2023 rolled around, she obtained a landowner turkey tag and purchased a fourth season gun tag. Two tags in her pocket, one shotgun, one determined lady, and a great location close to home all added up to, in this case, to a right place, right time experience.

One shot, two dead tom turkeys. Congrats Melissa. Job well done.

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On a slightly whimsical theme, help me with this idea: Why are male turkeys called “Tom?” Why not Fred, or William (Bill) or David or ________ ?

I could see how the original ‘naming’ of all wildlife was a mixture of the location and the nature of the anatomy of the species.

Some make sense, others not so much. If I had lived long ago I would have named male wild turkeys Henry and female turkeys Henrietta. Try that on for size and see if it fits, and now back to serious stuff.

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The National Wild Turkey Federation is an excellent organization to belong to. As a private conservation group, they focus efforts on habitat projects and research into the largest game bird in North America.

One of their advertising lines is Save the Habitat, Save the Hunt. Their work is science based data gathering and protection efforts to preserve hunter’s rights.

NWTF was founded in 1973. Since then, a lot has been accomplished. Since 2012, they set a goal and eclipsed that goal of conserving or enhancing more than 4 million acres nationwide, and they recruited or retained more than 1.5 million hunters.

Access to hunting lands was another aspect of their work to assist in opening over 500,000 acres to recreational opportunities. NWTF helps by using their funds as a leverage tool to build monies to combine with other federal, state and local dollars. It is a plan that works.

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Here is another serious conservation organization. It appeals to those hunters who pursue waterfowl — ducks and geese. Ducks Unlimited is their name.

They are a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving wetland habitats for waterfowl and other wildlife. Their founders began the work of wetland protection and enhancement on Jan. 29, 1937. They also are known for partnerships with other private groups and federal and state agencies to enhance wetland landscapes.

Past works have involved agreements with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) to make Iowa’s Prairie Pothole region habitats see improvements. If one looks at a map of Iowa, DU project assists have touched almost every county from the Mississippi to the Missouri River.

Yes, there are more concentrated projects in Iowa’s north central lands, lands that thanks to recent geologic history, have sculpted gently undulating landforms left by melted glacial ice. Iowa has a large “thumbprint” of glacial pothole landforms in north central and north west regions.

Overall, the Prairie Pothole landforms extend into western Minnesota, eastern South Dakota, most of North Dakota, northern Montana, southwest Manitoba, southern Saskatchewan, and large portions of Alberta, in Canada. However, DU does not limit their work to Prairie Pothole projects. In 2023, construction is planned for Eagle Lake in Hancock County and Lily Lake in Dickinson County.

Locally, the Iowa River Chapter of DU will host a banquet on May 13, a Saturday evening, at the Midnight Ballroom, 1700 South Center St., Marshalltown. Tickets can be acquired by calling Rich Naughton at 641-328-0124.

The doors open at 5 p.m. Special DU silent and live auction items will be on display. Special games and raffles will be offered, and a great meal will be made ready to eat later in the evening.

Any and all wildlife enthusiasts are encouraged to attend. You can have a stake in the long-term health of wetland conservation in Iowa and in North America, and remember that wetland habitats make terrific homes for hundreds of species of critters large and small, not just waterfowl.

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Mark the date: May 23, a Tuesday, at the Grimes Farm and Conservation Center. Naturalist Emma Bruck will speak from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on her experiences internationally during her time at Iowa State University.

Her emphasis will be on natural resources, agriculture and food systems in Uganda, the Netherlands and Costa Rica.

Bring your own sack lunch to this free program. Call prior to 4 pm on May 19 to register.

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“The sound of laughter might be the most civilized music in the world.” — Anonymous

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Garry Brandenburg is a graduate of Iowa State University with BS degree in Fish & Wildlife Biology. He is the retired director of the Marshall County Conservation Board. Contact him at PO Box 96, Albion, IA 50005.

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