SHE SAFARI UPLAND APPAREL FOR WOMEN

SHE Safari introduces the Upland Collection of fine hunting apparel for women. Stylish and functional, the Upland Collection offers comfort and durability in feminine designs.

The premiere Upland Field Jacket makes a fashion statement without sacrificing performance. Durable tightly woven 8.5 ounce waxed cotton facing repels moisture, yet has a breathable fleece lining that is 4 times more wind resistant than traditional fleece. A chocolate shell and turtle liner, four storage pockets, internal elastic waistline and durable YKK zipper with front tie closure complete this classic looking jacket.

Upland Brush Pants compliment the Upland Field Jacket. Designed in traditional fashion but tailored to her shape, the pants have a durable chino twill body with tightly woven 8.5 waxed cotton facing that repels the morning dew. Two deep front pockets and two rear pockets accented in chocolate waxed cotton give these pants sleek lines that flatter the feminine form. Upland Brush Cargo Pants were designed for comfort on long days afield.  They fit just below the waist and come with additional accented cargo style pockets on the legs.

Upland Long and Short Sleeve Shirts are stylish and functional. Each may be worn in or out, with ample room for movement. Both styles have a padded shooting patch on the right side, a tapered design and a single pleated front pocket. The short sleeve has V-shaped accents on the sleeve and lower shirt finish.

SHE Safari also offers women's hunting apparel in safari and camouflage collections. For more information log on to www.shesafari.com.

OUTDOOR WRITER KATHY BUTT PROVIDES TURKEY HUNTING TIPS

            Kathy Butt is a member of the SHE Safari Team and a freelance outdoor writer/photographer, and Mossy Oak hunting team member. She provides this advice in a question and answer session on hunting wild turkeys across the nation.

            Q. What is your favorite subspecies of turkey to hunt? Are there any different techniques you must consider when hunting this subspecies of bird?

            A. The Eastern subspecies of wild turkey are undoubtedly the most challenging of turkey subspecies to hunt, so I would have to say I enjoy hunting the Eastern more than any other subspecies. An Eastern's gobble really rattles the woods in the spring and I believe they are perhaps warier than any other subspecies, making it a real challenge to call in an Old Eastern longbeard.

            Q. What is your favorite type of call? And under what circumstances do you use it most? 

            A. I use & carry a variety of calls each time I head for the woods for spring turkey, but I really enjoy using a box call. In fact, I would never think of heading into the woods without one, especially on windy days.

            Q. Do you have any advice for hunting call-shy or henned up birds?

            A. When hunting call-shy or henned up birds, it certainly helps to know the land you're hunting and the turkey's daily routine. Knowing where they like to spend their time and when they are there is a key to being in position for those "seemingly unworkable" old toms.

            Q. What do you do when you cannot locate a bird on the roost the night before?

            A. I don't worry about roosting birds in the evenings, as most of the birds I've killed are mid-morning to early afternoon. I've killed my share of birds right off the roost, but not nearly as many as during the mid-morning to early afternoon time frame.

            Q. What do you do differently from early season to late season?

            A. I tone down my calling and vary decoy setups. Jake decoys work very well opening week, but I find they often intimidate old gobblers as the season rolls along.

            Q. Do you hunt heavily pressured birds differently?

            A. I don't hunt public land for turkeys, but do hunt late in the season when birds have been "educated", so I again revert back to patterning birds, knowing what they like to do & try to use my woodsmanship skills to outwit smart old birds. I don't call nearly as often for these birds, but use soft calling tactics and scratching leaves to bring birds in.

            Q. Do you find the birds react differently to specific weather patterns?

            A. I've never been able to figure out what really makes birds gobble more on some days, while not at all on other days.

            Q. Do you hunt food sources, or focus on mating behavior?

            A. I definitely hunt food sources, especially during morning & afternoon hunts. For mid day, though, I like to cut & run in the woods & along field edges to locate lonesome longbeards.

            Q. What techniques might you use later in the morning from what you tried at first light?

            A. Locate, setup and patience. Lots of patience! If a tom gobbles in response to your calls at first light, but follows a hen in the other direction, he may come back to investigate later in the morning after he's finished servicing his hen. If you get up & move after fly-down, be sure to return to the same area & try calling from this spot in case the gobbler returns to find you later.

            Q. Any advice for first time turkey hunters?

            A. Successful turkey hunters started out as beginners, too. Watch videos and read articles written by turkey hunting seasoned veterans to gain as much insight about hunting and calling as you can before heading to the spring turkey woods. Turkeys are of the most exciting and challenging game birds to hunt. Always follow safe hunting procedures and never take that safety off until you see that longbeard step into view.  

            Q. What subspecies are the easiest and or hardest to hunt and why?

            A. Easiest - Rio Grande. They gobble more & gobbler earlier on the roost in the mornings - making it easier to setup on them before fly-down

            Hardest - Easterns. They probably receive more hunting pressure and seem to be somewhat warier than other subspecies

            Q. What decoy set ups do you use and why?

            A. I use a jake & hen early in the season, but as the season progresses and longbeards become warier I switch to using mostly hens, but vary my setups by incorporating decoys with bobbing heads or real tail fans.

            SHE Safari is a Texas based company designing and producing the highest quality women’s outdoor clothing in safari, upland, field and camouflage collections. The styles are developed with great attention to detail to provide attractive, fashionable and functional garments. SHE Safari offers a diverse line of clothing for her expedition, whether it be shooting, hunting or observing. For more information log on to www.shesafari.com

SHE SAFARI TEAM PROVIDES UNIQUE TURKEY HUNTING TIPS

From humorous experiences to proven in-depth methods, the SHE Safari Team provides a unique perspective on turkey hunting with these valuable tips and techniques.

            Tes Randle Jolly, freelance outdoor photographer, writer and active member POMA & SEOPA provides these tips for hunting pressured turkeys.

            “Pattern other hunters. This is as important as scouting turkeys in heavily hunted areas. Note locations where you hear or see other hunters calling to turkeys. Avoid using the same locations. Be creative. Approach and setup from a new direction and use calls the birds have not heard.”

            “Hunt non-peak times. Many hunters head to camp for breakfast and a nap when the gobbling ends. Remain in the turkey woods during the mid-morning lull. Get comfortable and take a nap. During the peak breeding phase hen and gobbler flocks stay together all day. Toms are busy strutting and breeding during the early morning hours. By late morning as temps rise the flock usually retreats to shady areas for loafing and preening. Timber around pastures and green fields are ideal setup sites for late morning. Carry a quality compact binocular such as offered by Nikon or Alpen for glassing. Gobblers often use this time to break away to feed. Try soft calling and/or a hen decoy during this time of light hunting pressure. Toms are especially vulnerable midday during the hen’s egg laying phase.” 

            “Hunt all day. Comfort is key for this method. Must-have equipment includes an insect repelling Thermacell and a lounge type vest for comfortable setups when no tree is available. To prevent numb buns and back strain bring a Hunter’s Comfort Cushion or Breedlove’s Supreme Air Cushion. For the lady hunter SHE Safari Realtree camo clothing provides effective concealment and a comfortable unrestricting fit for long setups. Don’t forget to pack a lunch, snacks and water.”

            “Hunt silent and undetected. Utility vehicles and ATVs are notorious for alerting game when traveling through hunting areas. Bad Boy Buggies are perfect for hunting high-pressure areas. The all-electric 4 wheel drive design allows silent travel, spooks less game, and won’t give away your position to other hunters. Another advantage of a silent ride is the ability to hear a turkey gobble while driving.”

            Brenda Valentine, The First Lady of Hunting gives this advice. “As hunters, there is no way we can ever improve on nature.  This is why I take my cue and pattern my calling after the real thing - the hens in the immediate area I'm hunting.  The mood of a wild turkey hen in the spring will change daily, if not hourly.  Her mood will dictate her calling style and frequency.  These sudden mood swings are probably hormonal, as we can all relate to.  Many changes take place in the vocal personality of a hen during the mating, laying, and nesting season which usually coincide with spring hunting season.”          

            “Similar changes can also be triggered by weather, food, or hunting pressure and they can vary from one area to another at any given time.  This is why I gauge my calling by whatever the hens happen to be doing that day.  If they wake up mouthy I jump right in and try to join in on their conversation or perhaps more accurately, I try to be the sexiest hussy in the woods for all the gobblers within hearing distance. If the hens are all clammed up and sneak around tight lipped I tone it down to just an occasional sweet purr.   It takes a while for anxious jakes to figure all of this out which is why they'll usually run in to anything that remotely resembles a yelp, but to fool an old Tom you'd better become one of the flock.”

            Lisa Price, outdoor writer, highlight’s turkey hunting’s humorous side with these tips.  “Ah, turkey hunting, where optimism and dejection trot hand-in-hand with you through brambles, fast-moving bodies of water, poison ivy patches, drastic elevation climbs and slides, and cattle pastures filled with mob-mentality large black steers. Each year, the demands of turkey hunting stealthily rob me of the ability to make rational decisions, leading me into actions which in retrospect appear stunningly stupid – shooting my own truck with an arrow, walking along a stream bed while holding a hen decoy over my head at bank level a la puppet show, and brawling with a not-quite-dead jake inside a double-bull blind.  I have most definitely learned these tips the hard way.”
            “Decoy Set Ups: Do not attempt to use inflatable decoys. If you attempt to deploy these while a turkey is gobbling, you will hyperventilate. You will also waste a lot of energy chasing them as they tumbleweed through the forest.”

            “Calling: While turkey hunting and in your personal life, it’s not a bad rule of thumb to make the male call twice before you respond. If you lay your diaphragm calls on the ground, check them for slugs before putting them back in your mouth. My favorite call is the Woods Wise Mystic, a box call that works when it’s wet. You can also make the Mystic call at any volume, from really soft to really throwing it out there on windy days. I also use the Woods Wise diaphragm calls – for some reason it’s not a big stretch for me to sound like a raspy old hen, what’s up with that?” 

            “Late Season: After a few weeks, turkeys have been lied to in every possible way. I’ll set out decoys but rarely call.”

            “First Timers: Invest in a blind because turkey hunting can be a game of exciting action, followed by hours of mind-numbing inaction. It is a given that even if you have been sitting completely still for hours, a turkey will be looking at you when you move a finger to dislodge an ant.”

            SHE Safari is a Texas based company designing and producing the highest quality women’s outdoor clothing in safari, upland, field and camouflage collections. The styles are developed with great attention to detail to provide attractive, fashionable and functional garments. SHE Safari offers a diverse line of clothing for her expedition, whether it be shooting, hunting or observing. For more information log on to www.shesafari.com