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John's Journal... Entry 20- Day 4

click to enlargeTURKEY HUNTING AT BENT CREEK LODGE

EDITOR'S NOTE: John Lanier and his partner, Leo Allen, have had the opportunity to hunt wild turkeys all their lives in this section of Alabama that's well-known for a large turkey population. Hunters from across the nation come to Bent Creek Lodge each year to have a chance to match wits with the bronze barons there.

QUESTION: When does turkey season run during the spring?

ANSWER: Generally turkey season runs from March 20th to April 30th in Alabama.

QUESTION: How many turkeys can a hunter take each season?

ANSWER: A hunter can kill one turkey a day during Alabama's season or five turkeys a year.

QUESTION: How many turkeys do hunters bag at Bent Creek in a season?

ANSWER: Our hunters usually take 60 to 70 longbeard gobblers off our lodge's 34,000 acres.

click to enlargeQUESTION: How do you hunt turkeys at Bent Creek? How much land will a turkey hunter have to hunt at your lodge?

ANSWER: Each guide gets 2,000 to 3,000 acres to hunt turkeys on, and he'll hunt that piece of property all turkey season.

QUESTION: Are the turkey hunts at Bent Creek Lodge always guided?

ANSWER: If you don't kill a turkey in the morning, you can hunt that evening. You can hunt by yourself or take a guide, but the guide costs extra for the afternoon.

QUESTION: Do many people kill turkeys in the afternoon?

ANSWER About as many hunters kill turkeys in the afternoon as in the morning at our lodge.

QUESTION: What's the best turkey you've seen taken at Bent Creek?

ANSWER: Most of the good turkeys weigh 20 to 23 pounds each and have 12-inch beards and 1-1/2-inch spurs.

QUESTION: How many birds like that will you see in a season?

ANSWER: Probably we'll have a couple of turkeys that size taken each year.

QUESTION: Are most of the birds your hunters bag 2-year-old gobblers?

ANSWER: No, John, most of them are 3-year-olds.

QUESTION: Why do you think that is?

click to enlargeANSWER: Our guides like to get good gobblers. They don't hunt young turkeys much.

QUESTION: Do you permit your turkey hunters to bag any jakes?

ANSWER: We ask our hunters not to take jakes, but we don't have a rule saying they can't. They just usually don't.

QUESTION: About how many days must a hunter hunt at Bent Creek Lodge to bag a tom?

ANSWER: Well, that time varies. Some people take a turkey every day while at the lodge. A lot of luck is involved.

QUESTION: Have you ever had anybody hunt for three days and kill three gobblers?

ANSWER: Yes, that's happened a lot of times.

Contact John Lanier, Bent Creek Lodge, P.O. Box 4267, Jachin, AL 36910, (205) 459-3065 or his partner, Leo Allen, at (205) 398-3437 to learn more about turkey hunting at the lodge. You can email Lanier at bclodge@pinebelt.net.

TOMORROW: WHY BENT CREEK LODGE IS SO POPULAR

 
 

Check back each day this week for more from John Lanier and Bent Creek Lodge...

Day 1 - Deer Hunting At Bent Creek Lodge
Day 2 - Hog Hunting At Bent Creek
Day 3 - The Biggest Buck Ever Taken At Benk Creek Lodge
Day 4 - Turkey Hunting At Bent Creek Lodge
Day 5 - Why Bent Creek Lodge Is So Popular

John's Journal