Wild Turkey Photography at Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge

An Unexpected Wild Turkey Photography Encounter

The Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge is a place that always has surprises if you keep your eyes open. On a recent drive through the loop with my two sons, we were just out looking for wildlife with our gear ready. While the refuge is a great spot for bird photography, this specific afternoon ended up giving us an adventure we will never forget.

We were just starting to enter the main gate area when we heard a loud turkey gobble coming from the woods. I immediately pulled the truck over, shut off the engine, and waited. When we heard the call echo a second time, I looked at my boys, and our eyes were huge with excitement.

I quietly grabbed my camera, put on my big lens, and decided to try a quick experiment just to see what would happen. I am definitely no professional turkey caller, but I did my best to copy the sound and threw a turkey call out into the quiet woods.

We waited in absolute silence for about thirty seconds. Then, we heard a reply. He was definitely getting closer.

I made another call and we waited again. About thirty seconds later, the tom gobbled right back to us, closing the distance even more. With our excitement hitting a peak in the truck, I called back a third time, and then we completely froze.

The woods went totally quiet.

We kept scanning the brush and wooded area, thinking the moment had passed. But because we were parked right next to the trees, the bird was actually looking for a good spot to show off. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a big brown object jumped right out of the grass, landed on a fallen stump directly in front of our truck, and let out a huge gobble right back at us.

I could not believe it. It was a massive turkey tom. He fanned out his tail feathers, puffed up his chest, and put on a full display like he was trying to call a mate. Without hesitating, I raised my camera, locked focus, and took the photo.

We just sat there completely amazed, looking at this bird right in front of us and enjoying how perfect the light was. Not wanting to tease him anymore, we did not call back. After a few moments, he jumped off the log, crossed the dirt road right in front of us, and walked into the trees on the other side of the forest. My boys and I just looked at each other, completely buzzing. Can you believe we actually called that bird right up to us?

The drive had one final laugh for us. As we finished driving the loop and got near the exit, we ran into a refuge ranger. I decided to pull over and ask if they have been seeing a lot of turkeys around, since I have never really seen them on this side of the refuge before.

The ranger gave me a funny grin. “No,” he said. “But we do have one.”

I laughed, realizing how crazy the timing was. “Well, I think we just got introduced to him. He came right to us after I made a couple of turkey calls, and I have never even done it before. He must be a little confused about what a female turkey sounds like.”

That shared laugh capped off an awesome experience with my sons. That is the best part of wildlife photography—it is not just about getting a perfect photo, but the spontaneous stories and adventures that happen when you are out there. Whether you see a bison herd, a coyote out on the prairie, a hawk flying overhead, or a single turkey calling back to you, the refuge always delivers. If you live in the area or are just vacationing and passing through Colorado, it is a destination that never disappoints.