Page 47 - 2019 MAR/APR Outdoor Oklahoma

Calls have gone from basic slates
and boxes to high-tech “moisture PROVIDED
proof” mouth calls. Decoys came into
vogue, and camo clothing can now
become virtually invisible against a
wooded background. But he still likes
to hunt turkey the old way, sitting
with his back against a tree with his
trusty shotgun and his favorite call.
In the 1970s and ‘80s, Balentine
witnessed the restoration of deer
and turkey populations across
Oklahoma. Turkey trapping and
transplanting became a great
conservation success story as
the Oklahoma Department of
Wildlife Conservation and partner
groups such as the National Wild Turkey Federation worked to build the A successful hunt in 2001.
resource. These days, biologists say there are more wild turkeys (and deer)
in Oklahoma than at any time in modern history.
“In Oklahoma, the partnership between NWTF and the Oklahoma
Wildlife Department has been a win-win situation.” He was president of the
first NWTF chapter in southeastern Oklahoma, and then served 18 years as
treasurer of the Le Flore County Longbeards chapter.
In his years, Balentine has seen turkey hunting grow from its infancy to
a popular pastime. But he thinks the number of turkey hunters is on the
way down these days. “It’s not because of the lack of game; we’ve got more
now than we’ve ever had. The interest is just not there like it was when I was
a kid. And I don’t think it bodes
PROVIDED well for our wildlife. “The youngsters

“The youngsters are playing are playing the
the electronic games, and they
are not getting the outdoor expe- electronic games,
riences like I did. When I was a and they are not
kid, we all hunted. The value of
that experience is immeasurable. getting the outdoor
The experience is a lot more experiences like I
wholesome than what you are
running across on the Internet. did. When I was a
“I think you learn to appreci-
ate the things that God has put kid, we all hunted.”

here for us to appreciate. In a
sense, you learn to appreciate
life, too. You learn to appreci-
ate what it’s all about, and you
learn to contemplate that.
“I feel like a lot of the values
Aud Balentine with one of his most recent I learned in life, I learned in
harvests, a fine Eastern wild turkey gobbler from the woods.”
southeastern Oklahoma, in 2018.
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