so i went scouting this last weekend on a chunck of state land i had never been to....got out the car and started walking the trail to the top of a bluff....as soon as i reach the field on top a gobbler fires off in the distance....i slowly head towards the gobbling and....boom!....barbed wire fence....PRIVATE PROPERTY!!....the birds are probably roosted about 30-50 yards inside the property in a little 20-30 acre wood lot...between the fence and the woodlot is a strip of corn that is plowed over in the middle but has about 5 rows of standing corn from last year on each side....any chances of me getting them to fly over that corn and fence at dawn...or should i move on and find other birds?
I hunt a similar situation...they roost on another farm about 100-150 yards into the neighbors property I don't hunt...I hunt a long narrow cornfield adjacent.
The birds I hunt will eventually enter the cornfield to eat after flydown.
There is NO cover in the cornfield.
I have set up a ground blind about 30 yards inside the fence line on the property I hunt and set up decoys and called in toms and shot them...two times in two years.
any chance? Most certainly. There is nothing that will stop them if they want to come. Turkeys can and will fly rivers, walk across roads, come through fences, jump ditches. When we talk about obstacles we are are talking generally and odds. They certainly can go anywhere. I have found that "generally" it is better back off and give a gobbler a little room to cross the obstacle before coming in. More likely to cross the barrier this way. Even if he doesn't he well may come back looking later in the day.
Quote from: Mike Honcho on April 01, 2014, 11:38:06 AM
I hunt a similar situation...they roost on another farm about 100-150 yards into the neighbors property I don't hunt...I hunt a long narrow cornfield adjacent.
The birds I hunt will eventually enter the cornfield to eat after flydown.
There is NO cover in the cornfield.
I have set up a ground blind about 30 yards inside the fence line on the property I hunt and set up decoys and called in toms and shot them...two times in two years.
That's what I would do. Great advice Mike!
great advice guys keep it coming....i spent the majority of the morning watching and listening to this group of turkeys...consisting of 4 gobblers and about 8 hens....they were noisey as all hell for the majority of the morning...i wanted to see exactly where they were heading off to but instead of coming towards my direction they walked through the wood lot and stayed along the edge of the trees on the other side....i couldn't see them but i sure could hear them....i decided to go back to the car and watch from the road since they were no more than 75 yards from the road where they pretty much stayed put for the morning....im fairly new to turkey hunting but i've heard that turkeys won't come through obsticles and fences...that's why i asked for opinions.
Turkeys will and can go where they desire. If you can call and the time is right you should be able get a love sick bird to come your way. If he is roosting with hens chances are your going to wait a little longer until he finishes his business with the ladies on hand before he starts looking for a new love. Patience is the key. I wouldn't set up too close to the fence but would be close enough to watch him go through it or pitch over.
depends what kind of mood they are in. ive had them fly over fences land and come running in ive also had them hang up on down trees fences creeks any of that. just got to try it and see.
I have had the same situation the last two years. There is an old barbed wire fence between the property I hunt and the posted ground next to it. The last two years I have set up as close as I can to the fence so as soon as the bird crosses the fence and sets foot on my side he gets smacked. I killed both birds. It took ALOT of convincing and careful calling but it worked. It took me 2 hours and 5 minutes to move the first bird 100 yards and get him to cross the fence and about an hour on the second. It's very satisfying to work birds like that and win the game. You and I both know that he wins MOST of the time. Good luck.
there is a tree line next to the fence...i was planning on putting two hen dekes in the field and setting up in the trees...only problem is my back would be somewhat facing the direction they'd be coming from...would this scenario work or should i find somewhere else to set up....this would be my only set up since the treeline is right up agianst the fence...unless i use a pop up blind and set up in the field....what would you do?
Quote from: houagie on April 02, 2014, 10:14:56 AM
there is a tree line next to the fence...i was planning on putting two hen dekes in the field and setting up in the trees...only problem is my back would be somewhat facing the direction they'd be coming from...would this scenario work or should i find somewhere else to set up....this would be my only set up since the treeline is right up agianst the fence...unless i use a pop up blind and set up in the field....what would you do?
I can't help you there. I don't use blinds or decoys. My advice is to set up in a spot where as soon as you can see the bird he is ALREADY in range. No blind or decoy required. Use the lay of the land to your advantage.
Quote from: houagie on April 01, 2014, 05:31:17 PM
great advice guys keep it coming....i spent the majority of the morning watching and listening to this group of turkeys...consisting of 4 gobblers and about 8 hens....they were noisey as all hell for the majority of the morning...
I would suggest yelping 3 times, as softly as possible, and then sitting still for hours on end....
;)
Quote from: bamagtrdude on April 02, 2014, 03:26:10 PM
Quote from: houagie on April 01, 2014, 05:31:17 PM
great advice guys keep it coming....i spent the majority of the morning watching and listening to this group of turkeys...consisting of 4 gobblers and about 8 hens....they were noisey as all hell for the majority of the morning...
I would suggest yelping 3 times, as softly as possible, and then sitting still for hours on end....
;)
really??...they were really vocal that morning.....i was wondering if i should try picking a fight with the lead hen and get them to come to me with tom in tow...or should i follow bamagtrdude's advice and go with the quite technique.....hmm...i guess trial and error time...what do you guys think?
I'm sorry, man - I was joking with you!! I'd let it rip, if they're really vocal like that!
Lol.....ok
Quote from: houagie on April 03, 2014, 03:03:37 AM
Lol.....ok
Humor is sometimes hard to express over this msg board -- but, ya, when you said they were "loud", that right there is all I would need to hear... In order for you to "get in the conversation", you're going to have to get your calling on their level, and if the boss hen fires up, even higher than her!
roger that!
Quote from: houagie on April 02, 2014, 10:14:56 AM
there is a tree line next to the fence...i was planning on putting two hen dekes in the field and setting up in the trees...only problem is my back would be somewhat facing the direction they'd be coming from...would this scenario work or should i find somewhere else to set up....this would be my only set up since the treeline is right up agianst the fence...unless i use a pop up blind and set up in the field....what would you do?
Yesterday morning I was waiting on a silent bird. I had already seen several hens come by the normal path they took, so I was waiting on the Tom to follow them. My daughter texted me from school where she is interning and that is unusual, so I reached down and checked her text (it was not an emergency). As I placed it back down, from behind me I heard the sound we all hate, "PUTT, PUTT, PUTTT". Crap. Try to set up differently if you at all can. Unless you can build a virtual wall of brush to your back (which you might be able to do). It is nice to have one walking away from you toward your dekes. Something really fun about a single cluck, a raise of the head and a boom. Or put a blind in the woods. I know they work, but I just can't get myself to use one.
i hear ya...i don't like blinds myself, just for the fact that its a pain to carry...especially if your hunting far from the car and want to make 1 trip....i will see if i can make a make shift blind in the tree line to cover my back...it should be simple enough!....i'll let you guys know how it turns out....2 weeks to go...can't wait!!!
Do your best to let them know your there. Hit them with a fighting purr or anything you think of. Then just set and wait. I was always told if a turkey shows some interest you always have a chance. A lot also depends on the time of the season the hens may leave also watch for the silent birds, I've been busted by the quite ones before.