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.
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.Heading into the woods for some pre-dawn turkey scouting on the Friday before opening day.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.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.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.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.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.A district wildlife manager sets up new targets during the shotgun patterning portion of the clinic.District Wildlife Manager Brandon Dye, center, helps a youth hunter prepare for the shotgun patterning portion of the turkey hunting clinic.A youth hunter and her father work on shot placement during the shotgun patterning portion of the clinic.District Wildlife Manager Cody Rarick discusses shot placement with a youth hunter during the turkey hunting seminar.Bob Blauert, left, and Grant, a novice turkey hunter, listen for turkeys gobbling off the roost on opening morning during Grant’s outreach 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.Bob Blauert and Grant, a youth turkey hunter, get set on opening morning of the 2026 season.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.A flipped over cow pie indicates a turkey was scratching here, searching for insects and seeds to eat in the early morning.Grant works on a fruit snack during a mid-morning break of his spring turkey hunt.Bob discusses turkey behavior and biology with Grant and his father, Shaan, at the end of the first morning hunt.A fresh turkey track in the dirt on opening morning of the 2026 season.The group heads out for a late morning hunt on opening day of the 2026 spring turkey season.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.Grant prepares to cross a fence with some help from Bob during the opening day hunt of the spring 2026 turkey season.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.”Bob Blauert tries to triangulate the location of a gobbling turkey as they head to the roost at the end of opening day.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
