Women Hunting

I JUST WANTED to say I really appreciate the article on the Women Hunt program in the September/October Issue. It was interesting to see the industry stepping up to get real women hunting initiatives out there. And I salute Texas Fish & Game for having the boldness to not only do a story on this, but put it on the cover. Double kudos!

Mary Hansen

THANKS FOR THE article about women hunting. I grew up in a family where all of us women hunted so it’s nice to see a program to help coach women who never had that chance.

Kaycee Smith

Smoke-Colored Turkey

Corey Anderson’s smoke-colored gobbler.
(Photo: Corey Anderson)

I READ YOUR article online about turkey color phases. Five years ago, I saw a smoke hen and the following year I saw a jake.

I watched him until last spring. My neighbor stated he was hunting him. So I decided I’d go for him as well. He eluded us both until I was able to get him at 37 yards with my bow! Well people are telling me it’s just a wild turkey fornicatiing with a domestic turkey. It’s no big deal. I thought it would reach out to you and see what your thoughts are.

Corey Anderson
Wright County, MN

Editor: Congrats! What an amazing story and bird! Smoke-colored turkeys are probably the most abundant of the color phases, but they are still super rare. You got the trophy of a lifetime! That is not the result of mating with a domestic turkey, but a color phase, rarely found in wild birds.