In conjunction with the opening of Alabama’s spring turkey season this past Saturday, successful hunters in the Black Belt — widely regarded as one of the best turkey hunting areas in the United States — are encouraged to enter into the ninth annual Big Gobbler Photo Contest.
The Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association is proudly continuing this tradition. The contest seeks to conjunction showcase the region as well as to highlight both seasoned and novice hunters alike.
“Spring in the Black Belt is synonymous with hunting hard-gobbling eastern turkeys,” stated Pam Swanner, executive director of the Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association.
“We invite you to visit our 23-county region to experience the thrill of pursuing North America’s largest game bird in the Black Belt’s bottomlands and beautifully thinned pine stands. While you’re here, be sure to stop in at any of the local establishments for great eats, drinks and friendly chats with the locals who characterize the fabric of the Black Belt,” she continued.
The Black Belt includes the following counties: Barbour, Bullock, Butler, Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Crenshaw, Dallas, Greene, Hale, Lee, Lowndes, Macon, Marengo, Monroe, Montgomery, Perry, Pickens, Pike, Russell, Sumter, Tuscaloosa and Wilcox.
The winner of the contest will receive a copy of the recently released book by famed Alabama turkey hunter Ron Jolly entitled “Memories of Spring” along with a limited-edition commemorative “Memories of Spring” box call that Jolly produced with another turkey hunting legend, Preston Pittman.
The contest, conducted online at www.AlabamaBlackBeltAdventures.org/biggobblercontest, began on opening day and will close on May 2.
It should be noted that Barbour, Lowndes and Oakmulgee Wildlife Management Areas will all have a delayed start to the season that will begin on March 27. Hunters are also reminded to comply with all game laws, including purchasing a valid hunting license and game-checking their harvested bird.
Participants are limited to only one entry and must fully complete the online form with the necessary information, including person (or persons) in the photo and the county where the gobbler was harvested. Visitors to the contest webpage may vote once per day, per entry, per IP address.
Only photos of turkeys taken in the Black Belt during the 2020-2021 season (including those taken in Clarke and Monroe Counties during the 2020 fall season) are eligible. Previous winners of the Big Gobbler Photo Contest from 2018-19 and 2019-20 are not eligible this year.
Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
