Just wandering if some of you all could share some of your best advice
Go to bed early, you have to get up REAL early. As far as calls are concerned you MUST practice and then practice some more. If you make a mistake calling to a real bird keep going as though nothing happened. Even real birds make mistakes. Good luck.
P A T I E N C E!!!!!!!!I believe lack of patience saves more gobblers necks than anything else.
Learn the land. Figure out how the birds use the land.
Set-up in the shade, choose your set-up based more on what an approaching turkey will see instead of what you will see. Don't make turkey hunting complicated by overthinking. Don't try to out think a bird that can't think, you'll lose more times than not. Give a turkey's ears as much or more credit than his eye's. And last, don't pay any attention to aything I say on these forums.
Quote from: guesswho on January 19, 2012, 06:49:22 PM
Set-up in the shade, choose your set-up based more on what an approaching turkey will see instead of what you will see. Don't make turkey hunting complicated by overthinking. Don't try to out think a bird that can't think, you'll lose more times than not. Give a turkey's ears as much or more credit than his eye's. And last, don't pay any attention to aything I say on these forums.
Pay close attention to what this man says! :icon_thumright:
Quote from: jakesdad on January 19, 2012, 01:26:57 PM
P A T I E N C E!!!!!!!!I believe lack of patience saves more gobblers necks than anything else.
You have to have this P A T I E N C E!!!!!!!!
Some have mentioned similar and related advice but I'm going to give some good advice that was given me when I first started. There are 3 P's to turkey hunting and if you follow them you will have a greater success rate.
P- patience. Just because he's not gobbling doesn't mean he's not coming in. Sit tight.
P- persistence. Stay after them. If they get the best of you one day (which will happen more often than not), LEARN something from it and go after them the next day. The oldest most experienced turkey hunter learns something new everything he goes out.
P- position. As stated above, set up based on what the turkey will see not what you can see. Stay in the shade. If you aren't hunting with a decoy, don't set up where the gobbler can see where the hen should be from a long way off. Make him get close before he can see where the sound is coming from. I like to try and make him top a ridge within gun range before he can see where the hen should be.
I am by no means an expert on turkey hunting and still pretty green myself but this info has helped me and held true.
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I appreaciate all the good advice and will use it all here in my 2nd year of turkey hunting now to ride away to finish work.... :turkey2:
If you hunt public land NEVER tell ANYONE where you hunt. I don't even tell anyone what WMA's i hunt. This is one of the golden rules of turkey hunting. Lots of horror stories now a days with unethical hunters slipping in between a hunter and the bird he is working. Patience is the most important part of turkey hunting. It took me years to learn patience. Good luck !
:anim_25:
Quote from: Basin_hunter on January 20, 2012, 12:54:23 PM
If you hunt public land NEVER tell ANYONE where you hunt. I don't even tell anyone what WMA's i hunt. This is one of the golden rules of turkey hunting. Lots of horror stories now a days with unethical hunters slipping in between a hunter and the bird he is working. Patience is the most important part of turkey hunting. It took me years to learn patience. Good luck !
:anim_25:
No truer words have ever been spoken! I took a "friend" to a public land spot of that I had found and I am new to the sport so I took him to help me learn a little. I ended up killing my first turkey on this particular hunt. I didn't expect him to forget where I had taken him, but then he started bringing other people to that spot!! It's ok though, I found an even better spot where I called up 8 gobblers in one morning! He can have that other spot!
Quote from: Curtdawg88 on January 22, 2012, 07:00:21 PM
Quote from: Basin_hunter on January 20, 2012, 12:54:23 PM
If you hunt public land NEVER tell ANYONE where you hunt. I don't even tell anyone what WMA's i hunt. This is one of the golden rules of turkey hunting. Lots of horror stories now a days with unethical hunters slipping in between a hunter and the bird he is working. Patience is the most important part of turkey hunting. It took me years to learn patience. Good luck !
:anim_25:
No truer words have ever been spoken! I took a "friend" to a public land spot of that I had found and I am new to the sport so I took him to help me learn a little. I ended up killing my first turkey on this particular hunt. I didn't expect him to forget where I had taken him, but then he started bringing other people to that spot!! It's ok though, I found an even better spot where I called up 8 gobblers in one morning! He can have that other spot!
:agreed:
Curtdawg88 made a great post with the 3 Ps and I agree that keeping your hunting spots secret is a key. I don't share specific information with anyone except for a close few. I've been down that road a couple of times now. Simply understanding turkey behaivor gives you an idea of why they do what they do and understanding that will make you more successful.
I also think recognizing what phase of the breeding cycle you are hunting and adjust your hunting approach accordingly can be beneficial.
When you wake up from a shady midday siesta (it happens), do not make any sudden moves. Don't ask how I know this....
Quote from: jakesdad on January 19, 2012, 01:26:57 PM
P A T I E N C E!!!!!!!!I believe lack of patience saves more gobblers necks than anything else.
Couldn't agree more! :icon_thumright:
I like the 3 p's. Position is especially important. Do your scouting, figure out where they are roosting, and set up as close as you dare without getting busted in the morning. I like to be within 100 yards. I'm sneaking in at 0 dark 30. Remember turkeys can see in the dark and only sleep about 10 minutes a night. :anim_25:
Pay attention to detail.
If your wearing white socks, make sure your pants don't ride up so much when you sit down that your socks are showing.
If you wear a watch, make sure your gloves and sleeve keep it covered.
Just something to think about.
Know the land, know how the turkeys use the land, and hunt slow. You cannot rush a turkey so if you don't have time then back out and hunt him another day when you have time. This especially holds true with older birds.
My opinion theres no substitute for scouting. you can pattern them same as you can deer or any other game bird or animal. find the roost the night before and if possible set up between a gobbler and his hens or atleast closer to him. Get in there way before daylight so youll have plenty of time to be sneaky and quiet! Those are the lightest sleepin birds ever and they hear everything. good luck!
Don't forget the bug dope and the Thermacell.
Do not over call! If you do they will eventually become call shy.
Quote from: Trevor2 on February 05, 2012, 10:09:08 AM
Do not over call! If you do they will eventually become call shy.
What is this call shy stuff you speak of?
Understand your quarry. Become a student of the bird and read everything that you can get your hands on about the wild turkey. Notice I didn't say watch a video. The majority of videos are made by someone with something to sell and represent varying levels of theatrics and product placement. Throw yourself on the mercy of an old turkey hunter and beg him to teach you how to hunt them. Promise on your mother's life that you will never reveal any of the places that he takes you to. If you have a place with turkeys, ask him to come with you to your property and show you how he would hunt them and have him briefly explain why he makes the decisions that he does at the time that he does.
Be an avid and good student, respect the birds, hunt ethically. Good luck.
FullChoke
Quote from: ccleroy on February 05, 2012, 10:12:38 AM
Quote from: Trevor2 on February 05, 2012, 10:09:08 AM
Do not over call! If you do they will eventually become call shy.
What is this call shy stuff you speak of?
Educating birds with overvaluing or bad calling. Ever tried to call in a bird on public land where everybody under the sun has threw every call they have at a bird. Even though their brain is the size of a peanut they are smart and will learn.
Not only be patient but be still. Don't search for a turkey moving your head use your eyes only. When you see one coming and you have your gun on your lap, wait until he gets his head behind a tree then raise your gun. If there's no trees around you're screwed. :laugh:
When running and gunning or trolling for birds make sure you have a tree you can jump to before you give out a call. Nothing like haveing a bird holler back from 100 yards without a set-up!
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Quote from: PaTurkHntr on February 07, 2012, 05:14:58 AM
Not only be patient but be still. Don't search for a turkey moving your head use your eyes only. When you see one coming and you have your gun on your lap, wait until he gets his head behind a tree then raise your gun. If there's no trees around you're screwed. :laugh:
Not completely screwed. If you are luckily enough to have one blow up and twist to where his fan hides his head your back in the game. Hope all these great tips help.
When you use a mouth call keep reed savers between the reeds when not in your mouth. Take an eye dropper bottle full if water with you to weten between the reeds befor you put it back in your mouth. I can't believe how many people use thick single reed calls because all the reeds are stuck together. When they call they sound like a hurt seal.
Get a rangefinder and use it!!!!!
NEVER EVER tell anybody about the location of turkeys you are hunting {private or public}.always have gun up and pointed in general direction of where u think gobbler is coming to. do not overcall to a gobbler that is coming to u, make him hunt u. many times i ve had one fired up in swamp\woods that was 200yds. or more there and i play hard to get and go silent and sure enough he keeps gobbling the whole way in to base of tree im at.
Knowing when to move or stay, that's the hardest for me........
If using decoys, position the hens so they are facing away from the direction you think the gobbler is coming from. If he thinks the hen can see him, he is likely to hang-up. It is in their nature for the hen to go to the tom. If you are bow-hunting them & using a jake decoy. Face the decoy so it is facing toward you. Mostly likely when the tom comes in he will go "face-to face" with the jake decoy....with his back to you, it gives you a much better opportunity to draw the bow without being seen.
Quote from: DMP on January 19, 2012, 04:00:17 PM
Learn the land. Figure out how the birds use the land.
More important than anything else IMO.
Know how your gun patterns and its effective range. You'll hear lots of talk of 50 yrd turkey kills and god bless the hunters that have the rig that can do that. For me I want my birds inside of 30 yrds and if I can get them closer that's even better.
As stated by many others, patience and placement are also key. The more you can watch turkeys and observe their behavior the better your odds are to getting them to come in range.
I've called birds in, with and without decoys, but I've also killed my share with no calling or decoys. Knowing were turkeys are coming from and want to go can put you in the right spot sometimes, provided your hidden.
What are reed savers? Where can I buy them?
When you decide your ready to go wait 30 mins .
Hunt all day when you can. Midday birds dont gobble as much but you stand a real good chance of calling that bird in. If I cant find gobblin birds I go back to my scouting and set up in high percentage areas and cold call every 20 to 30 minutes. Sometimes one hard note on a box call can be deadly.
Some great info
Dont make suggestions on a public internet forum to stay and hunt public land late morning and early afternoon....
There are no birds in my hunting area and if one does stumble into the area by mistake, they are totally unkillable after the first hour of shooting light :goofball:.
Quote from: redleg06 on February 25, 2012, 12:18:11 AM
There are no birds in my hunting area and if one does stumble into the area by mistake, they are totally unkillable after the first hour of shooting light :goofball:.
Thats what you get for moving to Alabama.
Quote from: guesswho on February 25, 2012, 12:54:25 PM
Quote from: redleg06 on February 25, 2012, 12:18:11 AM
There are no birds in my hunting area and if one does stumble into the area by mistake, they are totally unkillable after the first hour of shooting light :goofball:.
Thats what you get for moving to Alabama.
:agreed:
Be quiet in the woods, when you walk, and especially on your setup. I learned this the hard way.
If you can, on your setup, pace out your max range and lay a stick or branch w/ leaves to keep you from attempting a shot outside your ethical range.
Don't ever get discouraged when you get busted or when things don't work out like expected. Each time the bird wins and you learn something from the experience you become a better hunter. It never fails to amaze me how much I learn each year. Sometimes defeat is the best teacher.
pracitice calling, be patient, hunt the bird for the breeding phase or time of year, different birds take different tricks, the only way your truly going to get good is to make your own mistakes and learn from them
Know you terrain, be patient, dont overcall.
One of my best tips would be in regards to roost setups. Esp after green up has started, youd be surprised how close u can get to a roosted bird with a little woodsmanship. I like the range of about 75 yds give or take. Seems on average a bird will land around thirty yds from a tree (only an average where i hunt) and the short distance can raise your odds considerably if u do things right. When youre that close lack of movt is critical, and keep quiet no matter how hard he gobbles. Let him reach his boiling point, then let him know youre there very softly. Often i let him hit the ground. If he lands very close ill just scratch the leaves (if hes out of sight) and cluck. If i have to set up further i'll crank it up when he hits the ground. Sound effects kill alot of turkeys. (leaf scratching, flydowns, wing rubbing a tree trunk, etc.) and esp help with older birds or heavily pressured ones. Remember turkeys operate on turkey time so patience is paramount.
While i typically prefer to fly solo when hunting, dont underestimate the power of numbers when dealing with tough birds. If you have some buddies in whom you trust their abilities, you have alot of options to try that the solo hunter lacks. Setting up in opposite sides of a roost, "walking away" on hung up birds, and a slew of others too long to list. Key is having friends with woodsmanship and solid calling and hunting skills. Plus, its just plain fun to share a hunt with a good friend. Ps take a kid this season. They are the next generation and you'll be a part of something special you'll both never forget. :)
Scout alot ! Go out on a quiet morning early before season and listen . Always take Binoculars and or a spotting scope. Always avoid spooking the birds, keep your distance. Watch fields from a hidden distant vantage point. If you can find a spot where you can see a field from a distance sit there and watch where they come out and where they strut and what time they do this. Position yourself at these places so they will pass within shooting distance. Wear camo that matches the cover where you hunt. If it's really green out. Predator Spring green or Green Deception is the best, and pin Sneaky leaves to your hat and coat. Have a comfortable seat, a "fatboy" thick gel foam seat is the best I've found. Cabela's has them. Go in before daylight ,sit still in your pre- scouted key spot, wait and listen and call sparingly or on birds that have been hunted and hammered with calls, dont call at all and don't use decoys. If that gobbler has been strutting in the same place the last couple days you need to wait and let him come. Yes I would rather call and have'm come in excited and gobbling their head off and there's nothing better than that. But when your hunting birds that have been pressured already, spooked, or even shot at, most times calling too much will do more harm than good. Finally know your effective range and do'nt shoot beyond that if he's too far let him walk and hunt him again another day.
When hunting hilly terrain, the accepted method is to when possible, get above roosted gobblers and call them uphill. The old adage of calling birds uphill easier than down may hold true sometimes, but ive found atleast two reliable exceptions. Mountains with fields along the base or extremely steep, rugged terrain. In these cases turkeys nearly always head downhill in the am, and we all know the best way to call a turkey is to be where they already want to go. Scout to find these lowere elevation morning feeding and breeding grounds and save yourself alot of wasted energy climbing hills. Unless u just like a workout. :)
If youre a cutt and run kind of a guy, like me, you like to travel light. I still like to carry dekes though. To save on a little weight and bulk in the vest, i've taken to carrying just two decoys, both hens. However, ive made a slight mod. I have a bright red sleeve that slips over the neck, and a stubby foam beard that pokes thru a small slit in the chest, instantly transforming one into a jake if the conditions dictate thats what i want. I can then use a single hen, two hens, jake and hen, or just a jake. As for the plumage, i take a can of copper metallic spray paint and very lightly dust all my dekes across the breast and back. Adds a little life-like shimmer in the sun, and if a bird gets close enuff to painstakingly scrutinize the plumage and object to my "insta-jake's" cross dressing discrepancies, he's probably flopping in the dirt by then anyhow.
Quote from: BP1992 on February 20, 2012, 12:54:22 PM
What are reed savers? Where can I buy them?
Little plastic spacers that separate the reeds on a multiple reed call. Helps to keep the reeds from sticking together. I soak my calls in mouth wash to kill the bacteria on them. I read some where the bacteria growing on the call is the reason you start to feel draggy as the season wears on. And I thought it was getting up early every morning then hunting 1/2 a day all season.
Flyrodder
I hunt solo alot and I prefer to hunt solo, But I do miss hunting with a Good friend at times. I guess some tips I would throw at you, would be Know the Land, Call very little, and sit still. Range finder would be Good, I always use decoys, some guys don't like them But I have always liked having them with me, I sometime Hunt out of a Blind, esp when there calling for Rain, Knowing where they roost is a Plus but not a Game breaker, be patient and stay put as long as you can, where I live we can hunt all day and I normally do, I may move 1 or twice in the day, But have fun and remember you will learn something each day you hunt. Oh and I always take my Thermo-cell even when I hunt in a Blind. Alot of great tips from Guys here. Good Luck
Quote from: gunnerj on January 26, 2012, 06:28:58 PM
I like the 3 p's. Position is especially important. Do your scouting, figure out where they are roosting, and set up as close as you dare without getting busted in the morning. I like to be within 100 yards. I'm sneaking in at 0 dark 30. Remember turkeys can see in the dark and only sleep about 10 minutes a night. :anim_25:
They only sleep 10 minutes??? Wow no wonder they look like crap
Everything you need to know will be taught to you from the turkeys themselves. ex. i have perfected much of my calling by listening to hens, I have learned how much calling i should do by how much the hens in my are call. i feel the birds will always tell you what they want to here.
Been hunting a lot of public ground and have found that since deer and turkey co-habitat, I always take a call of the animal I'm not hunting with me. Many times have pulled in turkeys in the fall when I'm deer hunting. Deer seem to use the turkeys senses as part of their own. Turkeys that hear my deer calls aren't rattled at all. The hens I was working seemed to relax and they fed into my area last fall. I also use fawn calls when stalking deer. Have slipped up on many deer that way. I can't speak for anyone else, but I use calls conservatively and watch my volume carefully. I mimick the cadence of the birds in my areas as well.
Quote from: chatterbox on January 19, 2012, 06:50:52 PM
Quote from: guesswho on January 19, 2012, 06:49:22 PM
Set-up in the shade, choose your set-up based more on what an approaching turkey will see instead of what you will see. Don't make turkey hunting complicated by overthinking. Don't try to out think a bird that can't think, you'll lose more times than not. Give a turkey's ears as much or more credit than his eye's. And last, don't pay any attention to aything I say on these forums.
Pay close attention to what this man says! :icon_thumright:
Exactly.......50% calling......50% Being a good woodsman.
Location, location, location dont have to be in that order either.
Learn to understand the turkey langauge......Learn what a hen vs a jake vs a gobbler sounds like in the woods....Listen to wild turkeys calling ALLOT.......Practice YOUR calling to or with wild turkeys...Practice outside, if you can for a truer sense of the realism of your calling......Get a digital recorder and tape yourself......
They don't lie..If you sound terrible, you need more practice time....Learn to MASTER one type call before learning to run a bunch of other calls.....
If you want to take 5 years off your learning curve......Buy this DVD....Challenging Pressured gobblers. PM me, if your interested....
(http://i852.photobucket.com/albums/ab87/Boatpaddle/IMG_0498.jpg)
Boatpaddle
NEVER, NEVER call to a gobbler until I am ready to try and Kill it. Try to locate them from far away, can't always to that.
:OGturkeyhead:
Lonnie that's some sound advise right there.
Through the years I bet I've educated a few playing with calls like a knucklehead.
Lesson I was told and didnt use, and it hurt me. While walking "out" to your truck on a logging road. Walk slowly and quietly. Hang to the inside of curves in the road. Have your gun ready and ease around the corner and look down the logging road or trail. Be ready might be a bird standing in the logging road. Happened to me the other day. Was working a bird , midday I decided to go home. Was walking fast up the logging road to my truck. I told myself I was walking to fast. As soon as I round the corner on a curve, busted by a big ol gobbler standing in the road. Funny thing was he took off running up the logging road toward my truck. I laughed and said to myself , what if he sees my truck and runs back at me. HE DID,lol did I get a shot? NO , had my gun on my shoulder with a gun sling. Doesnt matter ,I didnt want to kill him like that anyway. Went back next day finished him off at 9:20am !!!
So walk slowly out the woods toward your truck never know.
I highly recommend taking a good nap in the turkey woods. What could be better than curling up against the perfect tree, birds singing, sunshine warming you up from the cool morning? I'll tell you what is better. Waking up at ten a.m. , calling again and finally tying a tag on that old gobbler that was henned up at 7. Naps get you re-energized after those three or four a.m. wake ups, keep you in the woods, and get you through that dreaded mid morning lull when the gobblers are with hens. Take a nap this spring. :)
Quote from: jakebird on April 21, 2012, 10:04:34 PM
I highly recommend taking a good nap in the turkey woods. What could be better than curling up against the perfect tree, birds singing, sunshine warming you up from the cool morning? I'll tell you what is better. Waking up at ten a.m. , calling again and finally tying a tag on that old gobbler that was henned up at 7. Naps get you re-energized after those three or four a.m. wake ups, keep you in the woods, and get you through that dreaded mid morning lull when the gobblers are with hens. Take a nap this spring. :)
Hooray for this one!
But be careful where you nap... the ants that ate my shorts this morning loved that I wasn't careful...
Love your screen name, btw! :D
bump for those of us wanting to know more... :OGturkeyhead:
Try to read what the bird or birds is wanting to do. To often hunters (myself included) hear a gobble and hurry up and set up. If you try to understand what mood the gobbler or his hens are in the better off you will be. They might be aggressive or cautious. I always try to read the mood of the gobbler or if he is with hens their mood. Another piece of advice I can give you is scout your birds and the terrain ( lay of the land). Try to know where that hill is or that creek. Patience is key but at the same time know when you move on. Best of luck and hope you kill some limb hangers.
Don't give up on a gobbler too quick. Also calling alittle less is better than call to much. Get uphill or at least at the same level. Try to feel out a gobbler before setting up.
Scout before season opener and figure out where the birds like to go after fly down ...that will save you a couple days of hunting trying to pattern birds...figure them out before season and setup between where they wanna be and their roost site...probably would barely have to call...I call very little, if you do your homework calling is kept to a minimum..which is great for hunting Public land..I've killed a to of birds on Public land in many States...you learn to call very little..never call to birds on the roost the last thing you need is a bird gobbling every 5 seconds..if you know he' s there..good enough..wait till he hits the ground and if you done your homework you should have a dead bird within an hr of sunrise.
My suggestion on a turkey hunting tip is to not call before the season begins. I have too many friends that tell me they had gobblers howling at em before the season and can't find them once the season begins. Believe me, I don't hunt with these guys. No need to educate an already tough bird to kill. Hard enough for me anyway without knuckleheads calling before game time. Good luck to all. Our season starts one week from Saturday here in Texas and I cannot wait.
Great stuff! Thanks all.
Listen for the crows cawing after sunrise. Sometimes they follow turkey and can give you a general direction where turkey are headed. If you hear crows near you, assume that turkey are close by.
Listen behind you for "sneakers." While you may have your 9 to 3 O'clock covered and you can fidget without being spotted from the front, don't forget that your 4 to 8 O'clock is often exposed. In many hunting areas huge trees that can cover the entire width of your body are scarce. A little preseason natural ground blind building may pay off.
Best advice I've been given: if a gobbler is on the ground and answers your call, stop calling. 9 times out of 10, he's on his way.
Quote from: Curtdawg88 on January 19, 2012, 08:26:03 PM
Some have mentioned similar and related advice but I'm going to give some good advice that was given me when I first started. There are 3 P's to turkey hunting and if you follow them you will have a greater success rate.
P- patience. Just because he's not gobbling doesn't mean he's not coming in. Sit tight.
P- persistence. Stay after them. If they get the best of you one day (which will happen more often than not), LEARN something from it and go after them the next day. The oldest most experienced turkey hunter learns something new everything he goes out.
P- position. As stated above, set up based on what the turkey will see not what you can see. Stay in the shade. If you aren't hunting with a decoy, don't set up where the gobbler can see where the hen should be from a long way off. Make him get close before he can see where the sound is coming from. I like to try and make him top a ridge within gun range before he can see where the hen should be.
I am by no means an expert on turkey hunting and still pretty green myself but this info has helped me and held true.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
:icon_thumright: :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright:
Quote from: Rio on January 23, 2012, 06:14:25 PM
When you wake up from a shady midday siesta (it happens), do not make any sudden moves. Don't ask how I know this....
:TooFunny:
Quote from: dejake on December 10, 2014, 03:32:55 PM
Best advice I've been given: if a gobbler is on the ground and answers your call, stop calling. 9 times out of 10, he's on his way.
Following this advice will result in many a sore shoulder on your walk out.Unless there is some kind of other bird competition,play hard to get.It'll get the best of many a gobbler.
I suppose this theory may be true in some places, but in my experience, I would probably reverse those numbers. I would say that, around here, if a gobbler answers your call one time and then doesn't respond again, he has just given you a "courtesy gobble" and most likely has no intention of coming to your calling without further encouragement. One in ten might come to investigate if you only call to them one time and then shut up.
And perhaps more importantly to me, the "call one time and shut up" method is an awfully boring way to turkey hunt. To me, calling too little is just as bad as calling too much. Yes, you can lose a killable gobbler by calling too much to him,...but you can do the same thing with a killable gobbler by not calling to him enough to keep him interested. The trick is to learn when to do one or the other.
Of course, that trick is hard to determine. Each gobbler is different and can have a different mind-set at any given time. You may kill a gobbler by calling to him one time and then waiting for him to show up while you sit and watch the grass grow, but it is a heck of a lot more fun to find one that wants to have a conversation with you while he is on the way.
Taking his temperature is definitely key.I wasn't trying to imply that you should just sit and call once then shut up if he gobbles.I always seem to err on the side of quiet as opposed to "TV" calling.You know the guys how call at every bird like their trying to give a contest seminar.Every bird is different,that's what makes it fun.I also think the old adage of never calling before season is crap.Birds talk to each other everyday.using calls to locate works well.now calling birds constantly into "range" before season is different,but I do think the negativity its picked up over the years is really overblown.just my .02
Quote from: jakesdad on December 25, 2014, 05:04:36 PM
Taking his temperature is definitely key.I wasn't trying to imply that you should just sit and call once then shut up if he gobbles.I always seem to err on the side of quiet as opposed to "TV" calling.You know the guys how call at every bird like their trying to give a contest seminar.Every bird is different,that's what makes it fun.I also think the old adage of never calling before season is crap.Birds talk to each other everyday.using calls to locate works well.now calling birds constantly into "range" before season is different,but I do think the negativity its picked up over the years is really overblown.just my .02
d
Good points made. Always best to start conservatively with calling and get more aggressive if needed. You can't take calls back once you've thrown them out there.
The "calling before the season" issue has been debated many times before. I agree that "select" calling under the right circumstances can be a definite preseason aid in locating birds. However, the wrong kind of preseason calling,...and calling-in birds in particular, can most definitely affect birds behavior come hunting time.
The prior point I was trying to make really is for our newer hunters here. I hate to see those guys become so afraid of calling to birds by listening to us harping about not calling too much that they get where they are afraid to call. Turkey hunting is about turkey calling. That is the main reason many of us are so fascinated by it,...and it is a learning experience for all of us,...even us long-time turkey hunters.
Over time, all of us learn what works and what doesn't through our successes and failures with the gobblers we encounter. A key part of how we learn those things is by calling to them and seeing how they respond. There is no shame in scaring off a gobbler on occasion by making poor calling judgments. What matters is that we learn from those experiences. From that, we gradually catalogue our successes and failures into some sort of knowledge base that we rely on to tell us what we should do in any given situation.
That knowledge base consists of having an idea of when it might be best to call a lot,...or call a little,...or not call at all. Contrary to what some people think, doing one of those to the exclusion of the others is not necessarily going to make you a better,...or more successful,...turkey hunter.
After reading through part of this I realize how much of this I simply take for granted. No I've not forgotten it, I simply act upon the situation by instinct based up on experience.
For the beginner knowing when and where to set up and call is something that can be confusing, however a short list is never down hill, never across a creek or gully, or never to close. You can call a gobbler an amazingly long distance if you give him tome to respond. Also I agree with Gobbler Nut calling one time is a boring way to turkey hunt. However to much is to bad. think of it like this if you were on a date and she never shut up would you go out again but if she never said a word and acted uninterested would you have a second date. Go slow but talk back...a little.
I've really enjoyed reading through this thread. There is a lot of good stuff here.
Far and away the best advice I can give is for the beginning turkey hunter. Way too often, seasoned turkey hunters talk about slipping in close to the roost before dawn and calling a gobbler off a tree. This is going to sound like heresy to many here, but I believe that a beginning turkey hunter is best served by forgetting about flydown and concentrating on bagging a bird mid-morning. Before y'all go grabbing your torches and pitchforks, let me explain.
I am the first to admit that gobbling on the roost is a stirring event. However, beginners usually make a lot of mistakes. Snapping twigs, shining the flashlight all around-- you know what I'm talking about. Gobblers will shy away from that. Just setting up too close to the roost is a common problem. I say, set up well back from the roost-- maybe 150-200 yards. Make yourself known to the gobbler with a few tree yelps and such, but mostly just wait.
After flydown has occured, be set up where you know the turkeys like to go to feed. Let the turkeys know you're there and you're interested in partying.
That's my advice. The reason I give it is because:
1) In all my conversations with turkey hunters, I've found that actually getting a gobbler to pitch off the roost to you is a relatively rare occurrence at least compared to the number of gobblers taken well after the sun is up.
2) The literature, especially in my formative years (early 80's) made it sound like flydown was almost the only time you could call a gobbler. This simply isn't so.
3) In my experience, gobblers are more likely to respond to a new voice in the neighborhood after the hub-bub of flydown has occured and the woods have gone back to being quiet
Going through my own learning curve and then teaching my two sons got me to these conclusions. Bottom line: it is far better to make your stupid beginner mistakes away from the roost tree.
Great advice, Shaman. I agree almost 100%. I would tweak your advice just a little, however.
Nobody,...beginner or veteran,...should miss being near the roost at first light. Not because the chances of killing a gobbler there are great,...but because, to me, that is one of the essential parts of turkey hunting. You should be there to experience the awakening of a new day in the world of the wild turkey,...and all of the natural world, in fact.
Yes, those that don't know better are inclined to make mistakes,...if they try too hard,...at the roost site. However, those that don't press the issue will experience wild turkey behavior at its finest. And if they relax, take in the show, and not do dumb-turkey-hunter stuff, they might, on occasion, actually kill a gobbler while enjoying that spectacle.
I quite agree: no one should miss flydown. My idea is that folks get all wadded up over trying to get in close to the roost and call to a gob to get him to fly down. Instead, I recommend that beginners start well back from the roost-- still close to the birds to listen to them, but far enough away so as to not bother them.
Also, I recommend to beginners trying to be where the gobblers and hens are going to be an hour after flydown rather than right at the roost. Your turkeys may be different, but mine are usually no more than 200 yards from the roost at that point-- still plenty close to hear the show. This removes the problem of trying to decide which side of the roost tree to sit, because now you're hunting them after they've already made the choice.
This dovetails into my other beginner's tip: Try not to be too much of a standout at first. Don't be the first to sound off in the morning. Match the hens that you hear. Blend in. I tell the story of my Dad going to Germany in 1938 to visit relatives. He was used to going to the movies all by himself here in Cincinnati, but he'd heard that minors under age 21 were not allowed in movie theaters. He was fluent in German, but made a minor mistake when he went up to the window to buy a ticket. He asked "Do you allow youths?" It came out "Do you allow Jews?" The next he knew he was in the middle of a major problem. Subtleties matter.
When I first got started, I thought you should throw the kitchen sink at them. #2 son still thinks that. #3 son does mostly clucks and purrs and makes scratching noises in the leaves. #3 son gets a shot at a gob every year. #2 is still trying.
Quote from: jakesdad on January 19, 2012, 01:26:57 PM
P A T I E N C E!!!!!!!!I believe lack of patience saves more gobblers necks than anything else.
I agree..seen many hunters give up on a setup in 15 minutes..I've sat 2 hrs working birds in before killing them...plus I'm old, so it's easy to stay put and let things " develop"...I started killing many more birds when I learned patience. Old Bull, Young Bull deal there.
The learning curve has been one of the most fun aspects of hunting turkeys...
I have lost more birds due to a lack of patience than any other factor.
I believe I have caused a lot of other birds to "hang up" due to too much calling.
Knowing where the birds are going off the roost has probably helped me to kill a few birds. If I realize I set up poorly, I might just listen and learn that day, and try to figure out where to hunt next time, rather than push the birds and change their behavior.
Even if "running & gunning" I never call unless I can continue to call in and kill a bird from where I am standing... Nothing like calling on a barren logging road and having a bird come running towards you.
Know where your gun shoots and how it patterns long before the season... I punch some paper every year before I head out into the field. Nothing like missing a bird, cause your gun shoots higher than you thought.
Want to improve your calling? Record yourself calling... Compare it to recordings of live birds.
I have had poor luck at calling agressively at toms on the roost... I have had some luck at irritating some hens to fly down to me, and pull those toms in with her...
Quote from: Marc on January 18, 2015, 10:49:04 PM
The learning curve has been one of the most fun aspects of hunting turkeys...
I have lost more birds due to a lack of patience than any other factor.
I believe I have caused a lot of other birds to "hang up" due to too much calling.
Knowing where the birds are going off the roost has probably helped me to kill a few birds. If I realize I set up poorly, I might just listen and learn that day, and try to figure out where to hunt next time, rather than push the birds and change their behavior.
Even if "running & gunning" I never call unless I can continue to call in and kill a bird from where I am standing... Nothing like calling on a barren logging road and having a bird come running towards you.
Know where your gun shoots and how it patterns long before the season... I punch some paper every year before I head out into the field. Nothing like missing a bird, cause your gun shoots higher than you thought.
Want to improve your calling? Record yourself calling... Compare it to recordings of live birds.
I have had poor luck at calling agressively at toms on the roost... I have had some luck at irritating some hens to fly down to me, and pull those toms in with her...
I believe you have learned well.[/list][/list]
Quote from: Marc on January 18, 2015, 10:49:04 PM
The learning curve has been one of the most fun aspects of hunting turkeys...
I have lost more birds due to a lack of patience than any other factor.
I believe I have caused a lot of other birds to "hang up" due to too much calling.
Knowing where the birds are going off the roost has probably helped me to kill a few birds. If I realize I set up poorly, I might just listen and learn that day, and try to figure out where to hunt next time, rather than push the birds and change their behavior.
Even if "running & gunning" I never call unless I can continue to call in and kill a bird from where I am standing... Nothing like calling on a barren logging road and having a bird come running towards you.
Know where your gun shoots and how it patterns long before the season... I punch some paper every year before I head out into the field. Nothing like missing a bird, cause your gun shoots higher than you thought.
Want to improve your calling? Record yourself calling... Compare it to recordings of live birds.
I have had poor luck at calling agressively at toms on the roost... I have had some luck at irritating some hens to fly down to me, and pull those toms in with her...
I'd agree 110%..I have learned the very same things. Good tips[/list][/list]
Have fun! It's not about tagging out! It's about the journey
Practice calling year round. Try to feel out the bird you are trying to work. I usually start out with light calling and pick up the pace if need be. Try to get where the bird wants to be. Don't be too quick to think the bird isn't coming. Don't rush the shot! Enjoy every second!
In no particular order;
Carry some strands of wire or a few zip ties in your vest that can be used to tie limbs out of the way. You can also bend small trees down and tie them in place for extra cover. This helps if you intend to return to hunt that same spot again.
Change the striker you normally use on a pot call. I get in the habit of using the same striker on the same call over and over. Sometimes a different pitch is all it takes to bring a gobbler in.
Don't stay in the same place and make the same calls over & over. I hear it on public land and by the 3rd call, there's no doubt those calls are coming from a human.
Baby wipes are your friend.
Jim
More than 1/3 of the gobblers I have killed were straight off the roost.