Calling, decoying, and tactical advice from these seven pros will help you to get your gobbler right out of the gate
Author: Scott Bestul
Scott Bestul
Trained as a high school English teacher and coach, Scott Bestul left that lucrative field to pursue another—as a full-time freelance writer in 1990. He sold his first story to Field & Stream a few years later and has been contributing to the brand ever since. Highlights Education Bestul graduated from Winona State University in 1985, with a B.S. in English (writing emphasis) and a coaching certificate. Experience Bestul has been the F&S whitetails columnist for more than a decade and has written dozens of articles and contributed to many feature packages since joining the brand. Additionally, he’s contributed to many national and regional outdoor magazines and newspapers. Bestul paired with F&S Executive Editor, Dave Hurteau, to write the The Total Deer Hunter Manual and The Total Bowhunting Manual. Bestul also co-authored The Last River Rat with Wisconsin resident Kenny Salwey in 2001. He was awarded the Quality Deer Management Association’s “Signpost Communicator of the Year” in 2013, and has given seminars at deer expos and sportsman’s shows across the country. Bestul will enjoy his 50th deer season this fall, and has been turkey hunting since the 1980s. He’s been an avid upland hunter and fisherman since boyhood. F&S Lightning Round Favorite Place to Fish: Driftless region trout streams in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa,Favorite Critter to Hunt: Whitetail deer in the woods behind his home,Bucket List Adventure: Float trip for archery moose in Alaska or the Yukon,Most Prized Piece of Gear: Recurve bow I helped build,All-Time Favorite F&S Story: “The Quicksand” by Bill Heavey Notable Work
Ultimately, ozone couldn’t fool our K-9 cop’s nose””but it confused the pooch for longer than anything else we’ve tested
Cover scents actually work better than odor-reducing products, according to our K-9 cop
Practical revelations about a buck’s first line of defense””from a K-9 cop named Blitz
Do your scent-control measures really make a difference? Not according to Chance, the K-9 cop
Fifteen expert hunters from eights different regions of the country reveal exactly when you can expect the hottest spring gobbler hunting in your neck of the woods
Early-season turkey hunting can mean nasty weather and flocked-up birds. Here’s how to score anyway, with tips from our regional experts
T.J. Rempel took the buck of a lifetime thanks to a tip from a buddy and the forbearance of a loving spouse
Tom Vinal shot the giant whitetail on Thanksgiving day. A main-frame 8-pointer with a forked left G3, the buck green-grossed 194 inches B&C
Nathan Dahl rattled the giant buck in and shot him only 20 yards from where he took his last Booner whitetail
