Young hunter shoots unique white phase wild turkey gobbler
The opening morning of the youth spring turkey season on April 8 brought a lifetime trophy to 14-year-old Anna White of Excelsior Springs. White was hunting with her father and sister on a private farm near Polo when a snow-white adult gobbler walked into range of her 12-gauge, Remington 870 shotgun.
The family had arrived in the pre-dawn hours and walked about a mile to their “lucky spot.” Anna’s dad, Paul White, set up a camouflage blind at the base of tree and they settled in to wait. At about 5:40 a.m., a barred owl called out with a hoot and kicked off a chorus of turkeys gobbling. Anna said she could feel her excitement begin to rise with the sun as she heard the turkey woods wake up. Shortly before dawn, Anna said her dad leaned in to whisper, “We are going to get lucky today.” The eastern skies continued to lighten up while roosted turkeys were gobbling away. Anna said she could hear the sound of wing beats as a nearby bird came down from a tree. Paul leaned close again and whispered, “I think I just saw a white turkey fly down!” Anna could hardly contain her excitement, and responded with, “I want that turkey.”
Paul made a few calls, and was answered by the yelps of a nearby hen. Moments later, the white bird walked out into the field in front of them. Anna said, at first all she could see was the turkey’s head and body, unsure if it was a legal bird for the Spring Season. Paul began to give a hen purr on his turkey call and the bird stepped closer, exposing his black beard. Anna said, as the turkey came in to the call, she was overwhelmed with how gorgeous the bird was. She adjusted the barrel of her shotgun and lined up the shot. Anna said she didn’t hesitate for a second. “It was now or never, and I made it happen.” BOOM!! Anna said, “The gobbler dropped in its tracks at 29 yards.” The once in a lifetime hunt was over by 6:30 am.
Anna and her dad jumped up and ran to the downed bird. The gobbler was magnificent, weighing 20 pounds, with 1 inch spurs and a 9-10 inch beard. At 14 years old, Anna had the maturity to thank the landowner for the privilege of hunting on his property, and said none of it would have been possible without the efforts of the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), the National Wild Turkey Federation, and private landowners.
The turkey was likely an all-white, white phase gobbler, said Jason Isabelle, an MDC resource scientist who manages the state’s wild turkey program. The bird did have white spurs. But it would have been an albino only if the eyes were pink. Isabelle usually receives reports of hunters harvesting one or two white phase turkeys from around the state each year.
Studies have shown that albino wildlife or those with lighter than normal coloration suffer from a higher rate of predation than individuals of the same species, with natural coloration. Most wildlife species have adapted over time, with fur or feathers that provide a level of camouflage, making them better suited for their environment.
During the youth turkey hunting season April 8-19, young hunters in Caldwell County harvested 27 gobblers, 2 juvenile gobblers, and 2 bearded hens, for a total of 31 turkeys. Statewide, 4,060 turkeys were taken by youth hunters.
