Last week we talked to Joshua Carney, of Son of the South TV, who had just ended his 2016 turkey season in a big way. He harvested a 25-pound gobbler with a 10″ beard and 1.25″ spurs. We decided it would be a great time to talk to the world class mouth caller about turkey hunting!

Taylor: Nice to talk to you, Joshua. So when did you start turkey hunting? How did you get into it?

Joshua: I first started turkey hunting at the age of 13. After seeing so many hunting television shows and enjoying the action of the hunt I decide I wanted to try it myself. I told my dad that I wanted to go turkey hunting. As soon as the spring came, turkey hunting we went. We didn’t really know what we’re doing but I became fascinated by reading books and looking up videos on the Internet to teach me tips on how to become a turkey hunter. On April 17, 2005, I went on my first turkey hunt ever. The day started out great, it was a Sunday and my family and I went to church. Right after church my Dad and I went straight to the woods to go turkey hunting. We walked out this long gravel road on land we had been hunting for a long time. As we walked down the road, I spotted a turkey feather and I said: “Dad, this is the spot is where we’re going to hunt.” We went off into the woods, crossed a small ditch and found a spot inside the woods to set up. My dad and I were separated by 30 yards and we began to call. After waiting for what felt like hours I catch a glimpse of my dad picking up his shotgun and aiming it, but it was in my direction. Before I knew it the gunshot went off I suddenly couldn’t feel my body, I had been shot. My dad rushed over and picked me up in his arms. As he ran us out of the woods, he was on the phone with 911. We eventually arrived at the emergency vehicle and they carried me off to the hospital. I blacked out, only to awaken in a hospital surrounded by doctors and nurses. I had been shot and severely injured. The medics did everything they could to keep me alive, by losing so much blood I end up dying on the table, they brought me back to life and shortly after that, I died again and once more they brought me back to life. The hospital did everything they could to keep me stable and once I was stable they called for an air-med to fly me to New Orleans to another hospital for more surgeries. I finally get stable enough to begin my recovery, once I start recovering they send me to another hospital for children where I began to start physical therapy. After being in the hospital for three months I was finally released and able to go back home, after being home for two weeks the only thing I could think about was going back hunting, so I did and haven’t stopped since.

Taylor: What is your favorite place to turkey hunt?

Joshua: This is a tricky question because there are so many beautiful places on this earth to turkey hunt. When it comes down to it I can’t just pick one but I will categorize it by different species. I have to say my favorite place to hunt for eastern turkeys would be Kentucky. Kentucky, itself is just gorgeous state filled with wildlife. You are getting the chance to hunt a magnificent animal as well as getting a chance to take in see some beautiful country. Next species that I would say is an awesome species to hunt would be a Merriam turkey. I find that Nebraska is a state that is overpopulated with Merriam turkeys. In the early-season, they are a little bit tougher to hunt because they are in their winter pattern still which means they are grouped up and call shy but you will see an unbelievable amount of birds in one location. Probably my favorite species to go after would be a Rio because they are so vocal that it makes the hair stand up on a turkey hunters neck. Almost from sunup to sundown they are gobbling their heads off which makes it a little easier for you to hunt them, my state of choice for Rio’s would have to be Texas. Last but definitely not least would be the Osceola turkey, this is species of bird that is well sought after because they’re kind of rare in a sense of location, as for the other three species you can find them in multiple states but the Osceola turkey is only found in Florida. Because of the high number of predators in Florida this bird is not as vocal as the other birds which make for a little bit of a challenging hunt.

Taylor: I’m a native of your hometown as well and never hear much about turkey hunting in Louisiana. Have you done any hunting around there?

Joshua: I actually harvested my first bird in Louisiana and after that bird, I have not been able to hunt my home state since. Our birds here in Louisiana are definitely challenging because of the hunting pressure and a number of predators. I’m from South Louisiana where the terrain is a big issue also when it comes to turkey hunting. We have a lot of swamp land which can make for a difficult hunt for any hunter. Between the heat, water in the swamps, poisonous snakes, alligators, wild hogs and mosquitoes the size of crows it makes for an uncomfortable hunt. But, once you harvest your turkey, you will enjoy the reward much more.
Taylor: Do you prefer a run and gun or a sit and wait strategy?

Joshua: I personally like the run and gun strategy simply because I love the thrill of the hunt and I find it so rewarding actually chasing an animal and being the ultimate predator. There is absolutely nothing wrong with sitting and waiting on a turkey but you have to have patience. I can’t remember how many hunts have been ruined because of not having patience and wanting to chase birds. In some situations it’s better to sit tight and wait, for instance, if I located bird and he has hens with him it is probably best to wait till he finishes his routine with his hens because from the moment you started calling he knew where you were and will come investigate at some point in time, so sit tight and wait him out.
Taylor: What has been your favorite turkey hunt that you’ve been on?

Joshua: My favorite turkey hunt has to be my last hunt of the 2016 turkey season. I met a family a few years ago in Pennsylvania at an outdoor Expo show and their daughters asked me to take her turkey hunting. Her dad messaged me and reach out to me and wanted to surprise his daughters with me guiding them on their first turkey. I flew in the day before opening day to surprise his daughters and off to the woods we went to locate a bird for the next morning. We wake up early on opening morning and head to location where we roosted birds the night before, we set up and as we are setting up the birds start hammering and they are close, I make a few soft tree calls using my voice about five minutes later I do two fly down cackles and that’s all it took to get 4 gobblers in the field and another 2 minutes to get Brittany’s first on the ground. A few days later we take Tony’s other daughter Tiffany out for her first hunt any long beard came in but would not come into the right spot for her to get a perfect shot, and unfortunately, she did not get her bird. The next day Tony goes out and he was able to harvest his first bird. With my season winding down to an end, I had only a few hours left before I board my plane and headed back home so we make it early morning turkey hunt where I was able to harvest my biggest bird to date, ending my 2016 season on a very happy note.

Taylor: What is your favorite part about the CVA Apex turkey gun?

Joshua: My favorite part about the CVA apex would have to be the comfort. There’s so many guns on a market that you have to take a fitting to but the CVA apex shoulders just perfectly. Not only is a great turkey gun but it’s a great gun all around. When it comes to shooting anything to shotgun, I always pick up my apex because I know we will get the job done. I went so far as to shooting clay pigeons at a sporting range with my Apex, most people look at me funny shooting a single shot with a scope but what I put in their hand to try it, they are shocked and sometimes I have to pry my weapon away from them because I enjoy it that much. When it comes to a reliable gun, I know what to reach for my gun case and that’s my CVA Apex, it’s just a better gun!