By MARY ELIADES
Voice correspondent
FIRST PUBLISHED IN THE SEPT. 22, 2026, ISSUE OF THE HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE VOICE. REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION.
“The gobble of a turkey on a crisp spring morning…” That’s how Kristen Robinson, from the Education Division of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, describes her idea of the perfect start to a day of turkey hunting. Robinson was the guest speaker at the monthly meeting of Hot Springs Village Audubon on Sept. 10.
As Fall approaches, thoughts turn to Thanksgiving and cooking (and eating!) those big, beautiful birds. And while many of us look forward to digging into a perfectly roasted or fried turkey, hunters know that turkey season in Arkansas is in April.
Robinson’s presentation, “Wild Turkey Basics,” focused on all aspects of the birds – identification, life cycle, and diet – and touched on turkey hunting basics. She illustrated her talk with stunning photos from the National Wild Turkey Federation.
She began by answering the question “What is a wild turkey?” A wild turkey is an upland game bird native to North America; it is the heaviest member of the order Galliformes; and is an ancestor to the domestic turkey. Wild turkeys are popular with hunters because they are large birds – a good meat source.
There are six subspecies: Eastern (which is found in Arkansas), Rio Grande, Merriams, Gould’s, Osceola, and Ocellated (“He’s a little crazy looking,” said Robinson, but only found in South America).
Robinson said it is important to be able to identify the birds (male vs. female, etc.) because Arkansas has very specific rules and regulations for turkey hunting. “So number one,” she said, “nobody can kill a hen…they are the ones who are…creating our next generation of turkeys.” Adult hunters cannot harvest jakes (young male turkeys), although youths between the ages of 6 and 15 can.
Robinson outlined the differences between males and females and used a tableful of props to illustrate. Hens typically do not have beards (but 10 to 12 percent may); the tips of their breast feathers are brown or buff; the head is primarily blue with light feathering; they are half to two-thirds the size of an adult gobbler or jake; and spurs are absent.
Adult gobblers have much larger heads than hens, with beards usually greater than six inches. The males are brightly colored – the head and major caruncles at the base of the neck are vibrant shades of red, blue and white. The spurs are usually more than one-half inch and the breast feathers have black tips; they are around twice the size of hens.
Robinson also described the differences between jakes and gobblers – gobblers have full, even fans, wing bars that extend to the tips, and beards at least six inches long.
Robinson next described ideal turkey habitat and said, “…we have been making…huge efforts of trying to help our turkey and quail population in Arkansas.” She added, “Turkeys are very picky.” They prefer open savanna forest or field areas, with good visibility and tall grass for cover. Game and Fish uses native grasses as much as possible – forbs and bluestems – which grow in clumps, leaving openings in between, “pretty much creating a highway for the youngsters.”
Game and Fish uses prescribed burns to open up habitat and get rid of invasive species. She said that in as little as 10 minutes after a burn, turkeys are on the scene – “They love the burned stuff.”
Robinson described the life cycle of a turkey. The eggs take 28 days to hatch, and the hatchlings are called poults. They hatch feathered, can walk within hours, and rely on insects (high protein) for rapid growth. In the first two weeks, they grow quickly but are very vulnerable to predators (especially raccoons) and weather.
The chicks begin to fly short distances at about one to two weeks, and by four to five weeks, they can roost in low trees.
At three to four months, the poults look similar to adults but are smaller, and full adult size is reached around six to seven months.
Turkeys are mostly plant eaters, especially as adults. They love acorns and other nuts; seeds and grains, including native grasses and agricultural crops (corn, soybeans, wheat); fruits and berries; and green vegetation – leaves, buds, clover, forbs. Young poults rely heavily on insects for protein – “this is critical for growth in the first few weeks of life,” said Robinson.
Turkey hunting is a popular sport, and Robinson reviewed some of the main reasons to hunt turkeys: population control, conservation (especially through the purchase of licenses and stamps), tradition, challenge, connection to nature, and food.
AGFC compiles an annual turkey harvest report, and Robinson said there were 13,591 turkeys harvested in 2026.
One of the highlights of Robinson’s talk was her description – and demonstration – of some of her collection of handcrafted turkey calls. She noted that electronic calls are against the law in Arkansas.
Robinson said turkeys are smart but often respond to “locator calls” – for example, from pileated woodpeckers or owls. The turkeys hear the call and “gobble to it.”
Robinson, a very lively and entertaining speaker, even generated a little audience participation in a barred owl call.
Robinson fielded many questions and left her audience with a deeper understanding and appreciation of the majestic turkey.