The Turkey Hunter Podcast with Andy Gagliano & Cameron Weddington | Turkey Hunting Tips, Strategies, and Stories

544 - Finesse Turkey Hunting with Bob Byrne

Finesse Turkey Hunting with Bob ByrneAuthor and turkey hunter, Bob Byrne, joins Cameron and Andy on this week's show to talk about his book, Finesse Turkey Hunting, and some of the strategies discussed in the book.Finesse turkey hunting techniquesHunting success relies on stationary patience, subtle calling, and strategic concealment using custom blinds. These methods effectively manage wary birds found on heavily pressured public land.Property and habitat managementManaging land for turkey populations involves planting clover and carefully timing herbicide applications. Wildlife demonstrate high sensitivity to environmental changes, requiring cautious and thoughtful landscape stewardship.Bob shares some great tips and strategies in this book that turkey hunters of any age and turkey hunting style can use. Listen in!Purchase a copy of Bob's book here.Purchase some raffle tickets to hunt in south Texas in February 2027 here.Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

543 - Summertime Turkey Soup

Summertime Turkey SoupThis week, Cameron and Andy share a heaping helping of some piping hot turkey soup for you. Basically, we share some turkey and turkey hunting news that you may not have heard or seen.In this episode, we talk harvest numbers from across the country, poult surveys being conducted by numerous states (even Alabama is doing a poult survey now), proposed season changes in the works for next season, and a story on poaching.Also, Cameron and Andy announced the 2027 Rio Grande Turkey Hunt Raffle is now open. Buy your tickets by clicking here.These are always fun episodes, so listen in!Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

542 - 2026 End of Season Recap Episode

2026 End of Season Recap EpisodeThis week, Cameron and Andy recap their 2026 turkey season.Andy discusses the frustrating last 4 weeks of his Alabama season and how he was fortunate enough to have so many opportunities to hunt turkeys and to be in the woods enjoying spring mornings.Cameron discusses a few of his out of state trips, including a great trip with his family in the late season.Additionally, the turkey hunting legend Hank Brookside joins Cameron and Andy to briefly recap his turkey hunting season as well as an upcoming trip.Listen in!Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

541 - Turkey Call Making with Ricky Padgett

Turkey Call Making with Ricky PadgettIn this episode, hosts Andy Gagliano and Cameron Weddington interview Ricky Padgett of Spring Allure Custom Calls to discuss the art and strategy of turkey hunting. The conversation opens with a deep dive into the recent resurgence of trumpet calls, a tool once dismissed as a novelty but now celebrated for its unique, realistic tone. Padgett emphasizes that while highly effective, the trumpet is a dynamic wind instrument that requires rigorous daily practice and air control to master. The veteran hunter shares anecdotal proof of its efficacy, noting how it can turn an uninterested bird around when standard calls fail, though he warns that it is far from a "magic bullet."The dialogue then shifts toward broader conservation efforts and the shifting regulatory landscape in South Carolina. The group discusses the state's delayed season opener—a proactive measure aimed at improving low nesting success and poult production by reducing early-season hunter interference. Padgett explains that laws alone aren't enough, highlighting predator management and habitat upkeep (such as prescribed burning) as critical components of land management. He shares that comprehensive trapping targeting bobcats—which he considers the apex turkey predator—and coyotes has directly led to a noticeable increase in gobbling birds on his managed properties.Concluding the interview, Padgett digs into the psychology of the hunt and the common pitfalls rookies face. He stresses that a lack of patience is the ultimate mistake, explaining that turkey hunting is a "mind game" where hunters must resist the urge to move and instead allow birds to break their natural morning routines. To illustrate, Padgett recounts a grueling 13-day pursuit of a stubborn, hen-nested turkey that he finally harvested by carefully slipping into the bird's "bubble" off the roost. The episode wraps up with a lighthearted rapid-fire Q&A segment and information on how listeners can join the waiting list for Padgett's sought-after custom trumpet calls just ahead of the upcoming spring season.You can reach Ricky Padgett with Spring Allure Custom Calls at 803-682-3644. Contact him today to get on his waiting list for an amazing trumpet call.Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

540 - Annual Airing of Grievances with Kenny Mount Part 2

Annual Airing of Grievances with Kenny Mount Part 2The annual airing of grievances with Kenny Mount continues in this week's episode.Kenny never fails to entertain with his deep thoughts and excellent questions. Kenny, Cameron and Andy discuss the problem with a need to publicly show the world that you are good hunter by posting photos of your harvest on social media to garner likes and "attaboys".There is also discussion of the mental fortitude needed in the sport of hunting, using methods to kill turkeys at exorbitant distances instead of calling that turkey into close range, and how close encounters with wild turkeys can be the ultimate adrenaline rush.This is another episode that you will not want to miss. Listen in!Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80