Learning to turkey hunt

[Happy]

I guess I should clarify a little. I am not saying my way is the only way. What I am saying is we need to be careful. That I am afraid the kill has taken place of the hunt. It's dangerous ground and in today's society everyone what's everything for nothing.

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[ilbucksndux]

I think turkey hunting is about being able to "improvise adapt overcome".  Having several tools in the box to pull out and use when you need to. I only use a blind when Im hunting with my youngest son,but he is getting better about when to move and not move. I have a couple decoys but they spend 99.9% of the season in the back seat of the truck.

[Marc]

 Across the country, many of us hunt different terrains, species and situations for turkeys. Sometimes the advice of preferences and means to hunt is not always applicable across the board.

Hunting with decoys is a prime example of this. I have found that in general hunting in the woods is probably more successful without the decoys then with them. However I have had some success using decoys, and have enjoyed the interaction of the birds  with the decoys, and have probably learned a little bit about turkey behavior using decoys. The ethics of using decoys or not, is somewhat of a personal decision.

I believe that the best universal advice for turkey hunting, is to  learn as much as possible about the biology and behavior of the birds.

There is plenty of literature, and videos out there about turkey hunting and turkey behavior.  There are also video and audio tapes available with live turkey sounds, and some of the noises and calls that they make under different situations.   And then there are video and audio tapes about how to use and master different types of calls.

Of course experience in the woods and listening to live birds is the greatest teacher of all, but I do believe there is some great benefit to be had from some of the different videos and audios available.

As far as actually learning to call, I have had some success in actually recording myself calling, and comparing it to recorded sounds of live birds calling.

[Greg Massey]

You know i have seen this beat to death on this forum. I don't hunt with decoys or i don't hunt from blinds, again i feel this is up to the hunter. Most of us on this forum have no idea about the health and will being of older hunter still trying to enjoy the outdoors. Also lets not forget our vet's who come back from war with lost of limbs and still wanting to hunt. A lot of the time these people have to use blinds and decoys. I for one on this forum don't want anyone to feel bad about the way they hunt, that's not the purpose of this forum is to BASH people on the way they hunt. So if this offends you, them i feel you don't really understand as you age or have health problem really what some people go thru in life just to enjoy the outdoors. Let's show respect to all our hunting friends because with this world the way it is NOW we need everyone hunting regardless of age, health and life. As you get older YOU will realize getting ready for the hunt is just as much fun as hunting.

Greg I think you totally missed the point. There's no bashing, judging, etc. also not about excluding anyone especially w physical conditions. It's about new folks allowing themselves to grow by learning habits, tactics, techniques, etc etc n not stunting themselves w one way. It's also not about caring if they're good w that. It's for the rest. The more we learn the more we enjoy the sport. Turkeys are often  a different game day to day. Same things won't work so expanding your skill set can only help yourself no matter where you hunt. Hope that made sense

I agree to some point, our children and newer folks are the future of hunting. Although that's important, there are many reasons for teaching them to hunt. It helps get these people involved in the sport. Hunting is a bonding time that gives you something that will leave lasting memories. My point is we shouldn't judge anyone on the way they hunt. I know of several people who teach tactics, techniques and conservation and they do it well with blinds and decoys just because they choose to hunt this way doesn't make them bad stewards. Building interest in hunting and connecting with the outdoors is just as important as harvesting animals. It's all about getting off the couch and into the woods for these people. Now about skills it's about learning discipline, patience's and disappointments, hunting helps to build these life skills and responsibility of handling weapons and hunter ethics. These responsibilities makes it exciting knowing the moment all came together for everyone. I hope this makes sense also...both are good post...

[Bowguy]

You know i have seen this beat to death on this forum. I don't hunt with decoys or i don't hunt from blinds, again i feel this is up to the hunter. Most of us on this forum have no idea about the health and will being of older hunter still trying to enjoy the outdoors. Also lets not forget our vet's who come back from war with lost of limbs and still wanting to hunt. A lot of the time these people have to use blinds and decoys. I for one on this forum don't want anyone to feel bad about the way they hunt, that's not the purpose of this forum is to BASH people on the way they hunt. So if this offends you, them i feel you don't really understand as you age or have health problem really what some people go thru in life just to enjoy the outdoors. Let's show respect to all our hunting friends because with this world the way it is NOW we need everyone hunting regardless of age, health and life. As you get older YOU will realize getting ready for the hunt is just as much fun as hunting.

Greg I think you totally missed the point. There's no bashing, judging, etc. also not about excluding anyone especially w physical conditions. It's about new folks allowing themselves to grow by learning habits, tactics, techniques, etc etc n not stunting themselves w one way. It's also not about caring if they're good w that. It's for the rest. The more we learn the more we enjoy the sport. Turkeys are often  a different game day to day. Same things won't work so expanding your skill set can only help yourself no matter where you hunt. Hope that made sense

I agree to some point, our children and newer folks are the future of hunting. Although that's important, there are many reasons for teaching them to hunt. It helps get these people involved in the sport. Hunting is a bonding time that gives you something that will leave lasting memories. My point is we shouldn't judge anyone on the way they hunt. I know of several people who teach tactics, techniques and conservation and they do it well with blinds and decoys just because they choose to hunt this way doesn't make them bad stewards. Building interest in hunting and connecting with the outdoors is just as important as harvesting animals. It's all about getting off the couch and into the woods for these people. Now about skills it's about learning discipline, patience's and disappointments, hunting helps to build these life skills and responsibility of handling weapons and hunter ethics. These responsibilities makes it exciting knowing the moment all came together for everyone. I hope this makes sense also...both are good post...

Makes sense buddy

[wvmntnhick]

My question politely is what makes one person's way of hunting if they are happy with it better than another's if they are happy.(No pun intended Happy with all the Happys.).Lol.. I understand one way may be more challenging than another. I guess I feel like whether I love blinds,hate them or hunt one specific way or another if someone is asking for advice on the way they want to hunt and I don't hunt that way who am I to say that way is wrong when they aren't asking a ? on the way I hunt.

Nailed it. It's not anyone's place to put themselves above another based on personal preference. Blind, treestand, or nothing at all, who cares? It's all preference. Longbow, recurve, compound or crossbow. All personal preference. Decoy, no decoy. Personal preference. I've not done much turkey hunting from a blind (only once that I can recall) and it was enjoyable but not my thing. That piece of land called for it however and if I go back, I'll do it again without hesitation. Different circumstances require different gear. I believe that's why leatherman tools come with more than just one tool. Hard to remove a nut with just a blade. Blinds, decoys, etc are just another tool. It's up to the hunter to determine when he/she (or both these days. One can't be too sure) needs to deploy the pliers. 


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[HawkeyeGobbler]

These methodology arguments come up on a number of forums I'm on. The worst ones about it by far are waterfowlers. (Late season field guys vs the October slough hoppers vs early teal guys vs big river diver hunters etc). But they come up everywhere.

My response has always been and always will be this:
In our time of diminishing resources, strained state DNR's/F&G Depts, the uncertain future of our declining sport is completely dependent on license sales, habitat fees, and duck stamps. As long as you and your kids are buying one, I really could care less how you hunt. Age-wise I'm older than some but younger than some, and my own observations have concluded one thing. The offering of unsolicited advice, and the compulsion to pontificate on moral matters both increase sharply when testosterone ages in the brain  Someday I'm sure I'll be whining about the got dang kids and their crappy work ethic and their endless supply of cheater gimmicks. But I'll also be glad they are buying a license.