The Forestry Commission partnered with the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) to sponsor a Women in the Outdoors (WITO) turkey hunt at Niederhof Forestry Center (NFC) April 30 and May 1 with three first-time turkey hunters. One of the ladies harvested a big gobbler!
This special hunt gives NWTF and SCFC personnel who have never hunted the chance to experience a hunt and learn about the art of turkey hunting while helping manage the turkey population at NFC. Two hunters were NWTF staff while one was from the Forestry Commission.
Expert guidance
The guides/mentors for the hunt were State Forester Scott Phillips, Coastal Regional Forester Pete Stuckey and Assistant Regional Forester Andrew Williams.
Edisto Unit Forester Kip Terry welcomed the ladies and NWTF Outreach Coordinator Teresa Carroll to the property and gave the background history of the property and the hunt.
Then State Forester Scott Phillips presented Introduction to Turkey 101, educating the first-time hunters on all things turkey hunting.
Success!
The turkeys were elusive, but NWTF Outreach administrative assistant Haley Morton harvested her first turkey, a nice 19.96-pound gobbler with an 11-inch beard and an inch-and-an-eighth spur, Friday morning with Phillips.
“It was a great experience, and I am definitely going again. My brother has been trying to get a turkey for years, and I got one on my first hunt!”
-Haley Morton, NWTF Outreach administrative assistant and first-time turkey hunter
Haley also had some excitement Thursday when a copperhead tried to climb into her lap, and State Forester Scott Phillips had to take care of it.
While they didn’t see many gobblers, the ladies saw other wildlife and learned a lot while having fun over the two-day event.
