Colorado Outdoors Podcast Episode 3.3: Pagosa Springs Mentored Turkey Hunt

In this episode of the podcast, CPW Digital Media Specialist Forrest Czarnecki returns as a guest host to bring listeners into the field for a CPW mentored turkey hunt near Pagosa Springs.
Colorado Outdoors Podcast graphic with turkey hunters in the field

Czarnecki pairs up with CPW volunteer Bob Blauert and his novice hunter to give listeners a behind-the-scenes look at the turkey hunting seminar and a real hunt from the opening morning of the 2026 spring turkey season.

Listen along as we set out before the sun rises and call in gobblers while Blauert works with his young hunter on getting into shooting position before eventually pulling the trigger.

Through the experience, learn why people become so passionate about turkey hunting and why it has become an obsession for Blauert, who is already looking forward to the next mentored spring turkey hunt in 2027.

As Blauert says, “This weekend is sacred.”

The Experience

Scenes from the Springs Mentored Turkey Hunt, showcasing some memorable moments and shared experiences. It’s wonderful to see such enthusiasm and camaraderie in these outdoor adventures! Photos by Forrest Czarnecki.

Pagosa Springs Mentored Turkey Hunt
Bob Blauert loves wild turkeys, and turkey hunting. To date he has harvested several dozen wild turkeys in most western states and even a couple in Mexico.
Pagosa Springs Mentored Turkey Hunt
Heading into the woods for some pre-dawn turkey scouting on the Friday before opening day.
Pagosa Springs Mentored Turkey Hunt
Bob Blauert holds up some turkey scat for identification during a pre-season scouting trip. Turkeys can be sexed based on the shape of their droppings. Male birds leave “J” shaped droppings, whereas female birds are a loose circular pile.
Pagosa Springs Mentored Turkey Hunt
Bob Blauert’s passion for wild turkeys and turkey hunting runs deep, all the way down to the 4WD shifter in his truck –– adorned with a rubber turkey model.
Pagosa Springs Mentored Turkey Hunt
Bob Blauert spends most of his time researching, thinking about, watching or hunting turkeys. Each spring he devotes a full weekend to guiding youth and novice hunters with Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s outreach hunts in the Pagosa Springs area.
Pagosa Springs Mentored Turkey Hunt
Bob Blauert, right, teaches a youth hunter the basics of using a slate call for turkeys during a turkey hunting seminar hosted by Colorado Parks and Wildlife in the Pagosa Springs area. Blauert volunteers at the event each year and lends his turkey hunting expertise.
Pagosa Springs Mentored Turkey Hunt
District Wildlife Manager Nate Martinez, left, walks novice turkey hunters through the process of reading and validating a hunting license during an outreach clinic in the Pagosa Springs area. The clinic is hosted by Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
Pagosa Springs Mentored Turkey Hunt
A district wildlife manager sets up new targets during the shotgun patterning portion of the clinic.
Pagosa Springs Mentored Turkey Hunt
District Wildlife Manager Brandon Dye, center, helps a youth hunter prepare for the shotgun patterning portion of the turkey hunting clinic.
Pagosa Springs Mentored Turkey Hunt
A youth hunter and her father work on shot placement during the shotgun patterning portion of the clinic.
Pagosa Springs Mentored Turkey Hunt
District Wildlife Manager Cody Rarick discusses shot placement with a youth hunter during the turkey hunting seminar.
Pagosa Springs Mentored Turkey Hunt
Bob Blauert, left, and Grant, a novice turkey hunter, listen for turkeys gobbling off the roost on opening morning during Grant’s outreach hunt.
Pagosa Springs Mentored Turkey Hunt
Bob Blauert softly calls for turkeys on opening morning of the 2026 season. Bob lends his skills as an experienced turkey hunter by volunteering on youth and novice outreach hunts with Colorado Parks and Wildlife each spring.
Pagosa Springs Mentored Turkey Hunt
Bob Blauert and Grant, a youth turkey hunter, get set on opening morning of the 2026 season.
Pagosa Springs Mentored Turkey Hunt
Bob Blauert, left, and Grant, a youth hunter, get in position near a flock of turkeys on opening morning. Bob lends his skills as an experienced turkey hunter by volunteering on youth and novice outreach hunts with Colorado Parks and Wildlife each spring.
Pagosa Springs Mentored Turkey Hunt
A flipped over cow pie indicates a turkey was scratching here, searching for insects and seeds to eat in the early morning.
Pagosa Springs Mentored Turkey Hunt
Grant works on a fruit snack during a mid-morning break of his spring turkey hunt.
Pagosa Springs Mentored Turkey Hunt
Bob discusses turkey behavior and biology with Grant and his father, Shaan, at the end of the first morning hunt.
Pagosa Springs Mentored Turkey Hunt
A fresh turkey track in the dirt on opening morning of the 2026 season.
Pagosa Springs Mentored Turkey Hunt
The group heads out for a late morning hunt on opening day of the 2026 spring turkey season.
Pagosa Springs Mentored Turkey Hunt
Grant and his father Shaan make their way into the woods for the late morning hunt on opening day of the spring 2026 turkey season.
Pagosa Springs Mentored Turkey Hunt
Grant prepares to cross a fence with some help from Bob during the opening day hunt of the spring 2026 turkey season.
Pagosa Springs Mentored Turkey Hunt
Bob gives Grant a big hug after Grant missed a shot on a turkey during opening morning of the 2026 season. Bob speaks from experience when he says “If you hunt turkeys long enough, you are bound to miss sometimes.”
Pagosa Springs Mentored Turkey Hunt
Bob Blauert tries to triangulate the location of a gobbling turkey as they head to the roost at the end of opening day.
Pagosa Springs Mentored Turkey Hunt
Photo provided by Bob Blauert.

Podcast hosted by Regional Public Information Officers John Livingston and Kara Van Hoose. Podcast edited by Meghan Lopez. Art19 is the host platform, and people can also find the podcast online at https://art19.com/shows/colorado-outdoors

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