Turkey Hunting Clinic Scheduled In Lewiston

With wild turkey season opening April 15th in much of Idaho, hunters are encouraged to refresh their skills at a turkey-hunting clinic scheduled for 7 p.m., Wednesday, March 13 at Tri-State Outfitters, 120 Thain Road in Lewiston. J.R. Keller, a Hunter Specialties Pro Staffer and outdoorsman will discuss how to make turkey calls more effective and how to minimize hunting accessories. Hunters will also learn now to discern yelps, clucks, cuts and cackles, and how to tune adjustable calls. Jim White, an Idaho Department of Fish and Game habitat biologist and avid turkey hunter, will also be available to talk about Idaho's turkey management, and the importance of hunter safety and landowner relations. Wild turkeys are not native to Idaho, but were first introduced in 1961 near Riggins. Since then, more than 150 relocation efforts have been conducted statewide. Populations have done so well that during the 2000-hunting season, an estimated 4,896 birds were harvested. The department hopes to establish turkey populations in all suitable habitats and produce hunting opportunities for 20,000 hunters.