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Patrick Wightman

@wildturkeynerd

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NWTF National Director of Wild Turkey Research and Science

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This past weekend in Indiana, Dad and I were at turkey camp to hunt, spend time with friends, and enjoy one of my favorite parts of turkey season the camaraderie that surrounds it.

Every trip and every bird is special in its own way, but this weekend was extra special. After many years of hunting together, Dad and I doubled for the first time ever. With only a weekend to make it happen, getting it done on the final day made it even sweeter.

Feeling incredibly blessed to chase these birds on land with a healthy population and to share moments like this with family and friends. It’s a weekend I won’t soon forget. by @wildturkeynerd

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6 months ago

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8 months ago

Another great opening weekend of dove season in the books! Always a blast with good friends and Radar by my side. by @wildturkeynerd

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a year ago

Spent last week down in Florida pulling the sound recorders we deployed earlier this year and collecting all the acoustic data. While out there, I observed a good number of turkeys and even came across a few hens with broods, which always makes me happy. Back in the office this week and starting to run the recordings through our AI models to identify gobbles. I’ve already started listening to a few, and I sure do miss turkey season! Excited to see what gobbling activity looks like on these sites in this part of the country. Stay tuned for results! by @wildturkeynerd

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a year ago

It’s always a bit sad and sobering to admit, but turkey season 2025 is officially over for me. This spring was full of memorable hunts and meaningful time in the woods with family and friends. April was packed with close calls, some of the most I’ve ever had in a single season. Then, as turkey hunting often goes, everything changed one morning in May. After a four-hour chess match of a hunt, I finally found success on a great bird. In similar fashion, the very next day, I called in another awesome bird that Dad was fortunate enough to harvest. Grateful for the memories, the lessons, and the wild swings that make this pursuit so special. Time to hang up the vest and turn my full attention to the turkey science. Stay tuned for project updates and findings! by @wildturkeynerd

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a year ago

Happy Mother’s Day to Kelly Wightman, the amazing lady who has loved me so well over the years. I’m truly grateful for everything she has done and continues to do for me, even camping with Dad and me while we hunt. @kellyanddean by @wildturkeynerd

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a year ago

A couple days after Dad harvested his bird, I was fortunate enough to tag this beautiful longbeard. As lunchtime approached on our final hunting day of the trip, doubt crept in after not being able to seal the deal off the roost in the morning or mid-morning. But as we returned to the vehicle for a lunch break, I spotted this gobbler and his companion strutting about a mile away. We had tried to get in these bird’s bubble and make it happen earlier in the morning after seeing them with a hen. Our attempt failed as they went silent and headed away with the hen. Seeing them back in the same spot gave me the energy I needed to make the hike back after them. After getting a quarter of the way to them the birds once again left and were not responsive. I pressed on anyway, knowing time was ticking. Once I got to the area where they were strutting and hit a call, the two gobblers answered about 350-400 yards away. In less than 5 minutes I got to watch these two birds run through a burned mixed pine-hardwood stand and drop into strut at 20 yards, it’s a sight that will be engraved in my mind for a while. Grateful to put my hands on this bird, it truly never gets old! by @wildturkeynerd

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2 years ago

This turkey season in GA has been filled with great hunts and close calls with friends and family. The hunts contained just about everything but the harvest of a turkey. That all changed last week while Dad and I were in Indiana. I was fortunate to call this lonely mid-day gobbler and his running partner into Dad’s lap and he made a great shot. If I was sitting a little closer to him, I probably could have punched my tag as well. Although we have never doubled over the years neither of us was disappointed. The empty tag in my pocket meant we could spend more time together in Indiana pursuing this amazing bird and making memories together while trying to fill my tag. by @wildturkeynerd

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2 years ago

Treating the gear with permethrin can only mean one thing. The best time of the year is here! by @wildturkeynerd

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3 years ago

Enjoyed discussing the results of a recent publication, on the Wild Turkey Science podcast. I was fortunate enough to produce this manuscript with a fantastic team of academic and state agency collaborators. If you're curious about male wild turkey survival patterns across the southeast when subjected to harvest and in the absence, then check out this episode on YouTube (https://youtu.be/ZNkeHt11hns?si=CTNkLDOWF6EFLMIZ ) or podcast streaming service. A link to the manuscript can be found at wildturkeylab.com by @wildturkeynerd

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3 years ago

Enjoyed spending time in the field this past week helping new graduate students and technicians. While many people were trying to stay warm and avoid the cold our turkey trapping crews in GA and SC seized the cool weather to their advantage and got a good start to the trapping season. Trapping turkeys is more than just a task, it's the heartbeat of our research efforts. Without these feathered subjects, we'd be missing crucial data for our manuscripts, outreach, and conservation initiatives. Good luck to all the turkey trapping crews and researchers nationwide this year! @wildturkeydoc #wildturkey #science #mossyoak #nwtf #onxhunt #turkey #wildturkeyscience by @wildturkeynerd

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3 years ago

Yesterday I took Radar to the creek where she retrieved her first duck 6 years ago. After her leg injury last year I wasn’t sure I would ever duck hunt her again. It was an easy and fun hunt with only one drake mallard harvested but watching Radar retrieve that bird is a memory I will never forget. by @wildturkeynerd

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3 years ago