Forget the spring cleaning; you’re just going to muddy the house up with mud from your waders and turkey feathers anyway. Just grab the shotgun and your fishing gear and get out to the hills for some long overdue outdoors activity.
The first thing you need to know is that you don’t need to draw a limited quota turkey license anymore. For some reason, there are still limited quota tags available for some of the areas, but the general license works in all turkey hunting areas. The only exception is the Yellowtail Wildlife Habitat Management Area in Hunt Area 4. If you don’t have a turkey license yet, go get one.
During the spring, only male turkeys, or those with visible beards, are legal birds. Make sure you’re drawing a bead on a male before you trip the trigger.
You’ll also need to have a valid hunter education card if you were born on or after Jan. 1, 1965. No matter when you were born, you’ll need this year’s Wyoming conservation stamp. And if you plan to hunt on private land, get written permission from the landowner before you plan your hunt.
But don’t limit your trip to a turkey hunt. If you have time, stay out a little longer and dip a line in the water. If you’re a fly fisher, make sure your vest is full of wet flies. You’ll want nymphs and midges that sink to the bottom of the waterway, because that’s where the trout are feeding right now. Bead head prince nymphs are good bets on most of the waters in the state. A good woolly worm will never treat you wrong, either.
You’ll need a conservation stamp for fishing, too. You’ll also want to make sure you have a current fishing license. The stamp and fishing license can be found at any license-selling agent in the state as well as at the regional Game and Fish offices.
So get your gear rounded up and escape civilization for a few days.
