The Turkey Hunter Podcast with Andy Gagliano & Cameron Weddington | Turkey Hunting Tips, Strategies, and Stories

Annual Airing of Grievances with Kenny Mount - Part 1 This week, Kenny Mount joins Cameron and Andy on the show for his annual airing of grievances. In part 1 of the interview, the guys talk about a wide range of topics ranging from work getting in the way of turkey hunting, how technology is a mixed blessing when it comes to hunting and work, reduction of hunting opportunities in Florida and other states, the many states who have implemented draw system hunts, the rising costs of hunting licenses across the country, how YouTube has created better turkey hunters by shortening the learning curve, and how paper maps have gone by the wayside with the widespread use of technology like OnX. Lots of laughs and thoughts to ponder are shared in this week's episode. Listen in! Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

Turkey Call Making and Turkey Talk with Lonzo Trice This week, Lonzo Trice with Lonzo's Custom Calls joins Cameron and Andy on the show to share some of his knowledge with us. Turkey hunting discussion featuring call maker Lonzo Trice covered unpredictable success, call making origins, and hunting pressures and regulations. Hunting Success and Introductions The guys discussed the unpredictable nature of turkey hunting, noting that success can stem from luck rather than perfect execution. Lonzo Trice, founder of Lonzo's Custom Calls, was introduced as an expert turkey hunter from Southwest Georgia who has hunted in multiple states. Call Making Origins and Tuning Lonzo Trice is a self-taught call maker, and has been making calls since 2004. Lonzo detailed the challenges of early call development, admitting that his early calls did not sound great and that his skills have come a long way since. Tuning a pot call requires intricate adjustments to the bottom, thickness, and pedestal to achieve the desired sound, with different woods producing drastically different sounds. Hunting Pressure and Regulations The discussion covered increased hunting pressure since COVID and the need to limit sharing turkey location information among hunters. Due to this increased pressure from increased hunter numbers, states are limiting opportunities to turkey hunt, and those additional restrictions are a double edged sword. There is a lot covered in this episode, and we think you will enjoy it. Listen in! Contact Lonzo Trice with Lonzo's Custom Calls by visiting his website at https://lonzocustomcalls.com/ by phone at 229-317-0045 or by email at lntrice@yahoo.com. Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

Turkey Talk with Darrin Dawkins This week, Darrin Dawkins joins Cameron and Andy again on the show, and he does not hold back with sharing his wisdom of the turkey woods. Darrin first shares with us how to best care for our calls so that they will last us a lifetime. He also shares several turkey hunting stories and several tips as well. If you want to purchase a call from Darrin, call him at (803) 366-3305 or visit his website at www.darrindawkinsturkeycalls.com. This is another great episode that you will not want to miss. Listen in! Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

Single Year US Super Slam with Hank Brookside This week, Cameron and Andy are joined by Hank Brookside, who is not only the youngest person to ever complete a US Super Slam of turkey hunting but also the only person to have ever completed the US Super Slam in less than 12 months. This journey all took place from January of 2025 through December of 2025. Hank shares the story of how he completed the Slam in under 12 months, as well as some stories of his different hunts around the country. As you can probably imagine there are a few wild ones that he takes the time to share with us. Hank also shares his desire to finish his second US Super Slam entirely in the spring of 2027. He is still in the process of planning that season out, while he is riding the high of recently completing a 12 months US Super Slam. This is an episode filled with great turkey hunting stories from what would be, but is not likely to be for Hank, a once in a lifetime experience. Listen in! Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

The American Wild Turkey Historical Foundation with Paul Campbell Paul Campbell, Brent Rogers, and Nathaniel Maddux founded the American Wild Turkey Historical Foundation (AWTHF), also known as the Wild Turkey Archives, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the history and culture of the American Wild Turkey. Paul Campbell, who left NWTF in September 2025 and hosts the "Turkey Season Podcast," discussed the foundation's primary focus on creating a digital archive for rapidly degrading physical media and collecting oral histories from the first wave of modern turkey hunters. The foundation plans to operate on a subscriber-based funding model, not competing with conservation groups, with a long-term vision for a physical archival facility and will be filming call maker content at Unicoi in January.

Pre Season Turkey Soup Andy Gagliano and Cameron Weddington bring another turkey soup episode to you guys this week. Cameron and Andy discuss the struggles of air travel for turkey hunting, sharing a pro tip for circumventing long rental car lines before introducing the main topic on various turkey and turkey hunting news. They cover the nationwide Wild Turkey DNA project, which aims to study genetic diversity and inbreeding, Mississippi's newly extended season structure, and Pennsylvania's move to a one-bird limit offset by increased Sunday hunting opportunities. Other topics include the decline in fall turkey harvest in Virginia, challenges to the future of fall hunting, Wisconsin's available leftover tags, record applications in Delaware's turkey lottery, Ohio's proposed elimination of fall archery hunting, and Michigan's expansion of digital tagging for turkeys. There's some good info in this week's episode. Listen in! Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

Turkey Hunting with the Walking Dead with Steve Webb This week, Steve Webb joins Cameron and Andy on this week's episode. You may not recognize Steve's name, but he has an amazing story to tell of what I'm sure is the most unforgettable turkey hunt he has ever been on - and likely the 2nd most unforgettable turkey hunt he has ever been on. Steve basically died on a turkey hunt, and he was shocked back to life by a life saving device that his doctors put him on after several doctor visits. Steve also shares an awesome story about a hunt with a blind hunter. There are 2 amazing stories in this episode that you do not want to miss. Listen in! Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

Remembering Jack Dudley with Preston Pittman and Austin Dudley In this week's episode, we pay tribute to a true titan of the timber, the late Jack Dudley. Joining Cameron and Andy are two men who carry the Dudley legacy forward: Jack’s grandson, Austin Dudley, and 5-time World Champion Preston Pittman. As a legendary mentor in the sport, Jack Dudley helped shape the foundation of modern turkey hunting. Preston reflects on their historic rivalry in the National Turkey Calling Championship and the "old school" woodsmanship Jack instilled in him—specifically the difficult art of natural voice turkey calling. Austin shares personal stories of his grandfather's "stationary" hunting approach and Jack's larger-than-life personality, from family camp memories to his famous trophy photos in the local newspaper. Preston Pittman announces his forthcoming book, The New Breed: Turkey Hunting with Preston Pittman, set for release later this year. Whether you’re a fan of Pittman Game Calls or a student of turkey hunting history, this episode reveals the massive, often-unseen impact Jack Dudley had on the gear, the calls, and the culture of turkey hunting today. Listen in! Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

2026 Unicoi Recap Show This week, Cameron and Andy recap the 2026 Unicoi Custom Callmakers Show held in January in Helen, GA. This year's show was once again a tremendous success for the callmakers and other exhibitors at the show. It was also a success for Andy as he was able to bring home some great calls to add to his turkey vest for this upcoming spring. Andy bought incredible sounding calls from Roger Park, Darrell Dawkins, and Larry Stephens at this year's show, and he has audio clips from the woods running those calls for your listening pleasure in this episode. Andy also had a special gift given to him by budding callmaker Luke Ditto, who was introduced to the Unicoi Custom Callmakers Show by this podcast. That introduction has led to an interest in building turkey calls. Andy shares that story this week. This is a great episode, and we think you will enjoy it. Listen in!

Trapping Bobcats and Coyotes to Boost Turkey Populations with Bill Smith This week, Bill Smith joins Cameron and Andy to discuss trapping bobcats and coyotes. Trapping these predators can benefit your turkey populations not just during nesting and brood rearing seasons, but throughout the entire year. I see more and more videos on social media of these predators killing adult wild turkeys. I know this is not a new phenomenon, but, with predator populations increasing around the country due to low fur prices, there is no doubt predators are taking more wild turkeys as opportunities arise. Your adult turkey hens are especially susceptible to predators while they are sitting on their nests full time in the spring. Eliminating coyotes, bobcats, and foxes should help you to have more turkeys on your hunting property. Bill Smith has a YouTube channel that is primarily focused on trapping these predators, and he is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to removing some of these animals from the landscape. In this podcast, Bill offers tips on trap sizes, baits, lures, sets, and pretty much anything and everything in between. This episode will help you to become a better trapper, and trapping will help your property to become a better place for turkeys to flourish. Listen in! Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

New Zealand Turkey Hunt Post Hunt Chat This week, Cameron and Andy discuss, at length, their recent New Zealand turkey hunt with New Zealand Turkey Hunting Adventures and Dink Watson. This discussion also includes the post hunt chat with Dink and one of the other hunters who was there at the time. There are lots of stories, memories, and laughs shared during the chat, and we think that you will enjoy this show. Listen in! Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

2026 Unicoi Custom Callmakers Preview Show This week, Josh Painter joins Cameron and Andy on the show for the first time to discuss the 2026 Unicoi Custom Callmakers show that will take place in Helen, Georgia on January 8 - 10. The Unicoi show is one of the few places in the country where you can purchase custom made turkey calls from about 60 turkey callmakers. Many of these callmakers have 2 - 3 year waiting lists, but you can purchase calls from them right there in the show. In addition to the custom made turkey calls, there are other turkey hunting related vendors there selling their books, leather products, knives, and even some artwork. There will be several seminars held over the 2.5 day event as well. This is an event you do not want to miss, and this is a show you don't want to miss. Listen in! Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

A Turkey Hunter's Christmas Wishlist Andy Gagliano and Cameron Weddington opened the podcast, joking about their recent communication and teasing a recorded guest episode set for late January or early February. Cameron Weddington detailed his predator trapping efforts, reporting success with a bobcat and a coyote but noting three remaining coyotes avoiding his current trap setup. The majority of the discussion focused on a "Christmas spectacular" dedicated to turkey hunters, with gift recommendations from Cameron, including the Moonshine Leather Works Turkey Tote, hunting licenses and tags, new rubber boots, the Jaccard Meat Tenderizer, The Turkey Hunter Podcast diaphragm calls, and the Garrett Pro Pointer metal detector; and from Andy Gagliano, who suggested gas, hotel, and airline gift cards, Grizz Hawkins prints, TSS shotgun shells, a brown bag of "call cash" and a trip to the Unicoi Custom Call Maker Show as his top personal requests. Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

Weeeee'''''rrrrrreeee Baaaaaccccckkkk! This week social media personality Carl Ray joins Cameron and Andy on the show. We talk a little turkey hunting, but we get to know the real Carl Ray in this episode. If you know how much of a character Carl Ray is on his social media platforms, you'll be surprised to hear this side of Carl Ray. Carl Ray shares his views on game management, taking kids hunting, and a host of other hunting related topics. You'll also learn what Cameron and Andy have been doing on their long Fall break. Listen in!

A Final Pre New Zealand Turkey Hunt Chat with Dink Watson In this episode, Cameron and Andy are joined by Dink Watson with New Zealand Turkey Hunting Adventures to discuss their upcoming trip to hunt turkeys "Down Under". Listen in as they discuss gear needed on the trip, weather, terrain, etc. This is an episode that any traveling turkey hunter, or aspiring traveling turkey hunter, will want to hear because there are some great tips to be had that can help with any turkey hunting trip. Listen in! For more information on hunting wild turkeys in New Zealand, contact Dink Watson by phone at (337) 396-6547 or by email at dink@trophyhunting.co.nz

The South Carolina Super Slam with Bubba Ross In this week's episode, Andy and Cameron have Bubba Ross on the show to chat about his amazing accomplishment of killing a wild turkey in every county in the state of South Carolina. Bubba is the only person to achieve this feat, and to complete it without assistance. Bubba Ross shared insights into his hunting strategy, the importance of gaining access to private land, and his preference for morning hunts, as well as the patience required for turkey hunting. Bubba Ross and Andy Gagliano also discussed the difficulties of hunting in all counties of a state compared to the "super slam" across different states. And, Bubba offered some advice for aspiring hunters based on their unique experiences. This is a very interesting episode. Listen in! Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

To All the Turkeys I've Missed Before Andy Gagliano and Cameron Weddington, discuss their recent turkey hunting misses and some of the factors they believe contributed to them. Cameron shares details about his single miss from the past year, attributing it to a "stupid" rushed shot and offering insights into how he improved his shooting, including patterning different shells and switching back to open sights. Andy recounts two misses, one from a Texas hunt in challenging weather and another from his home state, speculating on potential causes like different ammunition or a turkey's unexpected mid-flight maneuver. They also express gratitude to their listeners for donations to the NWTF (National Wild Turkey Federation) and TFT (Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center) from a raffle, highlighting the significant impact these funds have on wild turkey research and habitat management. Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

Are There Really Fewer Turkey Hunters We hunters hear it all the time, "Hunter numbers are declining." But, are hunter numbers really declining? Are the number of turkey hunters declining as well? This week, Andy Gagliano and Cameron Weddington host Dr. Will Gulsby and Dr. Marcus Lashley to discuss hunter recruitment trends, particularly for turkey hunting. Marcus Lashley presented research indicating an aging turkey hunter demographic and scrutiny of national survey data suggesting a decline in hunter numbers, while state-level data presented by Cameron Weddington showed increases in many states. Listen in! Click here to view the spreadsheet containing all of Cameron and Andy's stats used in the show. Click here to view the episode on YouTube. Buy some merch and great sounding The Turkey Hunter diaphragm turkey calls from our Shopify store by clicking here: https://theturkeyhunterpodcast.myshopify.com/ Join our Patreon group and get additional content, discounts on merch, and other great perks by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/TheTurkeyHunterPodcast80

How Harvest Statistics are Calculated with Dr. Roger Shields This week, Wild Turkey Coordinator for the state of Tennessee, Roger Shields, joins Cameron and Andy on the show. They discussed Tennessee's wild turkey population, including concerns about rainfall impacting hatch success, the value of citizen and staff observation data, and trends in brood surveys. Dr. Shields provided insights into harvest management, the results of banding studies indicating sustainable harvest rates, and the methods for gathering harvest and hunter effort data, emphasizing the importance of CPUE. Dr. Shields also addressed the process of setting regulations and the considerations beyond biological data that influence the commission's decisions.

Hit the Ground Running - A Turkey Hunt Summary Andy Gagliano and Cameron Weddington discussed Cameron Weddington's challenges with their new chicken flock due to mycoplasma and its potential implications for wild turkey populations, referencing anecdotal evidence and a Canadian study finding mycoplasma in wild turkeys. Cameron Weddington then recounted a difficult three-day turkey hunt in a new state, detailing a tense encounter with two gobblers on a steep cliff that ultimately led to a successful shot after a strategic and risky maneuver. The hosts, Andy Gagliano and Cameron Weddington, also looked forward to a New Zealand turkey hunt and shared listener predator stories. Details Podcast Introduction and Personal Updates00:00:00Cameron's Chicken Misfortunes and Mycoplasma 00:00:0000:01:3400:04:44Potential Impact of Chicken Farming on Wild Turkeys00:03:3900:05:43Mycoplasma Research and Turkey Hunting Season Status