Fall turkey hunters take to the fields

Iowa hunters are taking to the woods looking for the bird that Ben Franklin thought should be our national symbol. The bow-hunting season for wild turkeys began Tuesday. Iowa Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Bureau Chief Richard Bishop says hunters should find plenty of targets.He says there are good bird numbers for the fall season. Bishop says the number of hunters seeking wild turkeys is a fraction of those who seek pheasants.Bishop says a little over six thousand permits are issued for turkey hunting. Bishop says an average of 40 to 50 percent of the hunters who get permits will be successful in bagging a bird. Bishop says fall turkey hunting is a lot easier than hunting in the spring.He says you just run into a group of birds, get them to scatter, and then call them back. Bishop says it’s not easy to get a bird, if you can find them.The turkey bow season runs through December sixth. The second season is December 23rd through January 10th. The gun season for turkeys is October 14th through November 30th.