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The MeatEater Podcast
The title was repeatedly highlighted on the show as the definitive turkey‑hunting resource, with hosts praising its blend of vivid turkey behavior observations—such as indifference to calls and eating crayfish—and practical hunting tactics like ditch baiting, shot placement, and the "Kelly factor" for ambidextrous shooting. Steve Rinella and several crew members recommended it as a must‑read, noting its humorous anecdotes and historical perspective on turkey hunting in Alabama. Overall, the book was portrayed as the greatest turkey hunting book ever written and strongly urged for listeners to read it.
Episode: Ep. 403: Rattling Bucks with Joe Rogan
It was mentioned in relation to turkey hunting and the idea that a bird's lack of response to calls may not always be due to fear, but sometimes disinterest. The author describes watching a tom ignoring hens' attempts to attract it.
And this book, there's this book, the 10th Legion by Colonel Tom Kelly about turkeys. And he talks about that same thing.
He always thought when you, when a Tom won't come, it's because he's afraid of getting killed and thinks it's a person.
But then one day he describes watching a Tom. He's watching a bunch of hens and he's watching a Tom cruising along.
And the hens are doing all the shit that he would do to try to call in a Tom. They're doing the calling, they're doing everything.
And he said, the Tom never gave a shit, never lifted its head up.
Episode: Ep. 262: The Jake Brake
It is a book about turkeys, and a story from the book was discussed regarding a hen yelping near the author, while gobblers nearby didn't react. This challenged the idea that turkey responses are solely based on call quality.
But then that, I didn't trick them. Well, but then here's a hen standing there and they're like, didn't pick their head up. Mike Chamberlain was saying that their testosterone levels changed daily up and down.
You gotta read the 10th Legion.
Episode: Ep. 173: Here’s What You Oughta Do
The book was mentioned in passing, with a quote from it describing turkeys eating crayfish underwater.
In Colonel Tom Kelly's The 10th Legion, he talks about watching them out eating crayfish from underwater.
Episode: Ep. 168: Satan's Decoy
It was mentioned in relation to turkey hunting techniques, specifically the use of ditches and corn to bait turkeys and then shooting them efficiently from a distance. The podcasters compared this old-fashioned technique to modern-day methods like using decoys.
I was reading 10th Legion. Tom Kelly's book. He talks about... Colonel Tom Kelly. One of the ways that they shot out turkeys is when pot hunters, meat hunters I think he calls them would bait... They'd dig a ditch that was maybe a foot or 18 inches deep. They'd bait it with corn for a while and then on the day they wanted to reap or harvest turkeys... Not reaping. That's where you take a fan and walk up on them with a pistol.
Episode: Ep. 125: Live from Tempe
The podcast host referenced this book as the single greatest turkey hunting book ever written, quoting it extensively on turkey hunting techniques and strategies. Specific passages discussed the importance of shot placement over shotgun artistry and the "Kelly factor", which describes a hunter's ability to shoot ambidextrously.
What you are interested in here is not shotgun artistry, but the simple delivery of a charge of shot.
A delivery affected often through a hole the size of a grapefruit. Or through a slit like the crack between two loosely fitting barn doors. You normally only have to deliver it once.
It lets you keep the gun partially presented all the time. It is as comfortable as any. If a turkey approaches from your left, he is under the gun.
And if he comes from directly in front of you, you can ease the gun from your left knee to your right and at the proper time slouch down even lower and let the barrel down until it bears.
If he were at quarter to nine, skill and intelligence would have again trumped over ignorance and superstition. But he ain't.
Episode: Ep. 117: The Bronzeback and the Bat
It was described as the greatest turkey hunting book ever written and was referenced when discussing turkeys eating crawfish.
Colonel Tom Kelly who wrote the greatest turkey hunting book ever called the Tenth Legion talks about them eating mud bugs which talks about them eating crawfish.
Episode: Ep. 109: Hunter Harassment
The book was referenced during a conversation about turkey hunting strategies, specifically discussing fall hunting techniques using dogs to disperse flocks.
And you read in the 10th Legion, he talks about this as well. Colonel Tom Kelly discusses this in the 10th Legion, that a fall hunting strategy... Well, I'm not telling you boys this, I'm telling the listeners. How you're generally hunting turkey, unless you're bushwhacking turkeys, in the spring what you're doing is you're exploiting the fact that they're in their breeding cycle and you are going out and making the sound of a female in order to lure in the male.
Episode: Ep. 067: Vortex Optics Headquarters, Wisconsin. S...
It was described as a must-read book about a turkey hunter in Alabama, offering humorous anecdotes and insightful observations about turkeys from a historical perspective. The book was highly recommended by multiple speakers.
Colonel Tom Kelly's book the 10th Legion have you guys ever heard of the 10th Legion? Must read. Yeah, it's like if you haven't read that book. You got to read it. It's about turkey hunters
It's about a turkey hunter. It's a turkey hunter in Alabama who was hunting back when there weren't any turkeys It's just kind of like it's the it's it's one. It's hilarious
He's got observations about turkeys that will surprise you and things. He's watched turkeys do including feeding on crayfish that um He's just like a cute observer of turkeys what the hell's I talking about him for
Kelly talks about that he talks about your roostery shooting No, but he likes like a good clean Calling The turkey in
That's not even Kind of it. There's unpredictable I Could agree with that