40 Years of Turkey Hunting with Team Realtree

Concealing turkey hunters and promoting the sport has always been at the core of the Realtree brand. (Photo by Realtree)

When Bill Jordan launched Realtree in the 1980s, turkey hunting was entering a golden era, and Realtree quickly became both part of the movement and a powerful influence. For 40 years, the company’s realistic camo patterns have helped hunters vanish in the spring woods while its media platforms and partnerships have helped shape turkey hunting culture and inspire new generations of longbeard chasers.

Realtree hit the scene during a pivotal time for turkey hunting. After nearly being wiped out in the early 1900s, wild turkey populations rebounded in the 1980s and 1990s, thanks to conservation and restoration efforts. During that time, hunters were experiencing more success and the turkey hunting culture was evolving rapidly.

As Realtree’s earliest camo patterns emerged, many at the time thought of the company as a deer brand, but Bill’s son Tyler Jordan says turkey hunting was never second fiddle in the Jordan household. “My dad is an avid turkey hunter,” Tyler said. “In fact, he was first on record to take a Grand Slam with a bow. My best memories growing up are of turkey hunting. It’s as much a part of our culture as deer hunting or any other type of hunting. Turkey hunting is at the core of what this company has been about for years.”

Realtree’s earliest patterns, including the first offering of Realtree’s Original camo, were developed to get hunters as close to their quarry as possible without being detected, which was vital for both deer and turkey hunting.

“The early Realtree patterns were designed to look like actual tree trunks. They were built for the hunter sitting with his back against a tree, which describes about 90 percent of turkey setups in the spring woods,” Tyler said. “The second version of Original camo was even more perfect for turkey hunting, as it added more green leaves to reflect spring conditions.”

Despite the latest innovations, Bill Jordan keeps his camo philosophy simple — the pattern must blend in and be effective in the woods. (Photo by Realtree)

As more states offered turkey hunting opportunities and more hunters were taking to the woods, Realtree’s expanding lineup of patterns provided hunters with the concealment they needed for their apparel and gear. “During those early years, the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) collaborated with Realtree on pattern work, reinforcing how serious Realtree was about concealing the turkey hunter,” Tyler said.

CAMO INNOVATION

Camo technology has advanced dramatically over the past 40 years. High-definition printing, digital layering, and sophisticated color analysis have all changed the landscape. But at its core, Realtree’s approach to developing new patterns has remained the same.

“Despite all of the innovation, at the end of the day, my dad’s philosophy on camo has always been very simple. It’s got to blend in and be effective in the woods. That’s what matters most,” Tyler said.

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When versatile patterns like AP, Xtra, and EDGE came along, they became staples for turkey hunting because they break up the human outline at a distance while also dissolving it at close range, making it ideal for turkey hunters in a variety of setups. More recent patterns such as Realtree Timber and APX have proven extremely effective for turkey hunting. The new Legacy pattern blends old-school realism with modern texture and overlay, offering a nod to nostalgia while incorporating advancements in depth and contrast.

Realtree has leaned into conservation stewardship as part of its mission through partnerships with organizations like the NWTF and Turkeys for Tomorrow. (Photo by Thomas Torget)

“Turkey hunters are especially nostalgic,” Tyler said. “In fact, many hunters got their start hunting turkeys. Some of my earliest hunting memories are of sitting between Dad’s knees at 3 or 4 years old, eating powdered doughnuts and drinking chocolate milk while waiting for a gobbler to sound off. Just like me, many turkey hunters remember their first gobbler when they see a particular camo pattern. They associate those leaves and bark textures with their earliest memories of the spring woods. While newer trends emerge across the hunting industry, turkey hunters often hold tightly to the patterns they were wearing when introduced to the sport.”

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MOVING THE NEEDLE WITH TURKEY HUNTING MEDIA

Understanding that camo alone doesn’t grow the sport, Realtree began investing heavily in outdoor media beginning in the mid-1990s. Shows such as “All Stars of Spring” and “Spring Thunder” came along at a time when hunting content was limited to a handful of television shows and VHS tapes, and they were extremely impactful.

“Dad wanted the turkey shows to focus on education – on helping turkey hunters experience more success. So, he showcased elite turkey hunters such as Eddie Salter, Dick Kirby, Ricky Joe Bishop, and Joe Drake,” Tyler said. “These were men who hunted for a living, who understood situational tactics, calling nuance, and reading gobbler behavior. They gave hunters practical tips and advice to make them better at turkey hunting. Hunters could watch, rewind, and study techniques in a way that wasn’t previously possible.”

Realtree’s influence on turkey hunting culture spans 40 years of pattern innovation and storytelling. (Photo by Realtree)

Tyler said the Realtree team never tried to present themselves as professionals on the shows. Instead, they wanted to focus on fun, legality, and authenticity. They showed both successful hunts and gobblers that got away. The end goal was to help people become better, more successful turkey hunters.

VHS TO VIRAL

Today, the media landscape looks vastly different than what it did in those early years, and Tyler says the changes are mostly beneficial to hunters, especially young or new hunters.

“In the 1990s, a hunter might wait a year to see footage on a DVD or TV show from the previous season. Today, a successful hunt can be edited and posted online within a day or so, if not hours,” Tyler said. “By simply watching an online tutorial or a hunt on Realtree 365 or on Realtree’s YouTube channel, a hunter can learn to cluck or purr on a mouth call in minutes. He or she can watch and learn how to pursue turkeys from a hunt that just happened. That instant accessibility to new hunts and information is extremely beneficial to hunters who want to learn and improve their skills.”

Tyler applauded the fact that new and aspiring hunters are no longer as limited by geography or mentorship availability. Hunters can now learn through a wealth of available online information. He said youth hunters’ growing enthusiasm for the sport reflects that they’re doing just that.

“When I walk the floor of the NWTF Convention, I see young callers demonstrating skill levels that rival seasoned veterans – all thanks to modern technology and social media,” Tyler said.

As newer trends emerge across the hunting industry, turkey hunters often hold tight to the traditions they learned when introduced to the sport. (Photo by Realtree)

Speaking of calls, Tyler said it’s a true honor to have some of his favorite call makers join Realtree this spring in celebrating its 40th anniversary with a selection of limited-edition calls. “Richard Gunn, Matt Van Cise, Steve Mann, Mike Lapp, and Marlin Watkins all created 40th Anniversary turkey calls for us. There are many great call makers, but these are some of the best in the game, and to have them be a part of our 40th celebration meant a lot to me personally because I’m such a fan of their work.”

CROSSROADS OF CONSERVATION

While turkey restoration remains one of the great success stories of modern conservation, more challenges have emerged in recent years. In some regions, turkey populations are no longer as robust as they were in the 1990s and early 2000s. Habitat loss, nest predation, and changing landscapes have diminished turkey numbers in many areas. To combat these challenges, Realtree has leaned into conservation stewardship as part of its mission through partnerships with organizations like the NWTF and Turkeys for Tomorrow.

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Realtree recently announced a partnership with NWTF’s “Habitat for the Hatch” initiative. “The purpose of this 10-year initiative is to improve forest and field health and resiliency at a landscape scale in Southeastern states through active management of more than 1 million acres. The purpose is to improve nesting and brood-rearing habitat to create conditions that help poults survive those critical first weeks,” Tyler said.

Realtree Timber was originally designed for waterfowl hunters, but it’s an excellent pattern for turkey hunters as well. (Photo by Realtree)

He said Realtree is taking similar steps on its own farms and is encouraging others to do the same. “We are especially focused on educational outreach aimed at landowners, whether they manage five acres or 5,000. Landowners and managers need to take practical steps to create the best nesting and habitat on their farm or land. It not only improves the turkey population on their own land, but it improves it for everyone else around them. Property improvement has a big impact across a wide landscape.”

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TFT Chief Executive Officer Jason Lupardus said that organization appreciates Realtree’s continuing support of its conservation efforts. “We have been honored to have Realtree help us tell the story about wild turkeys on an international scale when we were doing conservation work in New Zealand this past year,” Lupardus said. “We are educating the public about all facets of wild turkey management, and the New Zealand landscape provided the perfect real-world setting to demonstrate how turkey numbers are growing aggressively with the absence of predators. We are honored to work with people, such as the Realtree family, who share our values.”

Tyler noted that some of the conservation projects that Realtree is involved with are long term, even spanning decades or more. But the extended involvement is worth the time and effort. “Change takes time. Results aren’t immediate,” he said. “But long-term projects demonstrate a willingness to invest beyond the short term. If turkey hunting is to remain vibrant for the next 40 years, companies must put their money where their mouth is by supporting science-based initiatives and distributing accurate, timely information to the public.”

Realtree EDGE is a great versatile choice for turkey hunters, providing the concealment they need in a variety of setups. (Photo by Realtree)

GENERATIONAL SHIFTS

Today’s turkey hunters are deeply aware of the importance of taking care of both the land and its wildlife. The conscientious hunter cares not only about filling tags but about ensuring that the resource thrives so future generations can do the same.

“They consume content about habitat management. They ask questions about poult recruitment. They want to be part of the solutions,” Tyler said. “For Realtree, aligning commercial growth with that stewardship ethic isn’t optional, it’s essential. Promoting hunting in a positive, responsible light while investing in conservation ensures that our kids have the same opportunities that we did.”

Tyler can’t pinpoint a single moment when Realtree had its biggest impact on the turkey hunting culture. Rather, it is the culmination of four decades of pattern innovation and media storytelling. From “All Stars of Spring” to Realtree 365, from the first Original pattern in 1986 to Legacy today, Realtree has evolved with the times and the turkey hunter.

But in the end, it all circles back to that image of a child sitting between his father’s knees against a tree, waiting for a gobbler to break the silence. As the patterns evolve and the platforms change, Realtree knows the heart and future of turkey hunting rests with those who walk the spring woods in search of gobblers and who pass that love of the hunt onto the next generation.