Ugh, Having trouble getting my 1st turkey. Need some advice.

[ShotGunSniper]

Ok here I go. This is my very 1st season and I been having one heck of a time trying to kill my 1st Tom. I have had a time tryin to call any birds. I have 2 properties that Im hunting on in 2 different counties. One is not much to hunt on. But there are birds on it very little. They all stay on the farm land right next to it, and all the birds are stayin on that property only. They are not wondering anywhere else. So those turkey are some of the hardest birds to get out or away from that property. And the farmer that owns it, wont let anyone hunt on it. So that's a losing battle. Well now for the other property. It has alot more to hunt on. Wheat fields and alittle bit woods on the edges. I went last weekend on the edge of one of the wheat fields and set up. I called and nothin for about 2-3 hours. So I left and drove to my sister-in-laws and got out of my car, looked around and there was a big Tom in full strut on top of a hill in a hay field that is over grown in clover. I was thinkin at this point, I would try to run-and-gun this one. I have had no luck for 2 weeks. I try to flank him over from the next wheat field right beside this field. Well as I came up the hill and started to crawl on my knees, I finally poked up my head tryin not to spook him. I saw him still in full strut about 50-75 yards from me. So I tryed callin him with my HS Strut lil duece glass pan call. He gobbled and started to head my way but I felt he was still not in my range. So I started back down the hill and tryed to flank him at the bottom of the other side of the hill. Well saw a Tom (thought it was him) running and flew over the fenceline. He spotted me and I way so frustrated at this point. So I decided to call in the woods alittle way. Well it was getting late and the sun was setting. I had to call it aday. Well as I get back to my sister-in-laws house at the top of the other hill right beside this one. She and her husband told me that they had been watchin all this go down from their front yard. They had told me that the Tom on top of the hill was still there way after I gave up on him and was started to come closer towards me. Here I left him hangin and could had got a shot off. I went out there the next day tryin to work this Tom and had no luck all day. Not one gobbler around. Found out yesterday they where back in the same spot around the same time as last weekend. So my question is, how should I do this? Im shooting with a Mossberg 835 Ulti Mag duck gun with a 28" ported barrel, ported Tru glow turkey choke, Federal 3" Strut mag's #5 shot, one inflatable hen decoy, full camo. Should I set the decoy on top of the hill or maybe down halfway so this tom can see her? There is more birds in this flock that I could not see other then the 2 Toms. Im trying to figure the best way doing this right next time. Any advice welcomed. Sorry for such along story but just wanted you all know what Im dealin with.

[troutfisher13111]

My advice would be to find a good ambush point and sit still. Trying to stalk or flank a Tom can be tough. And if they are headed your way, stop calling. Also, a lot of new guys over call. So, try to call just enough to entice them. For the birds that won't leave the adjacent farm, try throwing something different at them like a kee kee, or if it's safe, a gobble. Hope this helps.

[fsu33952]

Don't always expect him to come running as soon as you call or expect him to gobble every step when he is coming. I have hunted some of these small pieces of farm land and the turkeys didn't like to gobble a lot. They would come to you, but it might only be after they have stoud around and strtted for and hour or two without hardly moving. For me trying to stalk a turkey is the absolutely last option.

[bubbaboy]

welcome to the world of turkey hunting,it'll test your patience that is for sure.the birds on the other farm i believe will leave it you just got to be there when they do.i wish ya luck you'll get him

[flintlock]

Some good advice here.   I'd lay low w/no decoys at this point and setup in the area you have been seeing him, with some stuff in front of you (so you can get your gun up if he comes in.    Don't call to much either and the more you move as a first time turkey hunter the more it is in his favor.

KNOW you will kill him and it aint over till it is DARK.

[ShotGunSniper]

Hey thanks for all the great advice you all. I really appreciate it. So now to leave out the decoy and call less, and play the waiting game..lol Kinda was my plan B but was not sure what to do at this point. I heard that they been back at that same spot. They really like it there I believe. So hoping this goes in my favor this time.

[TauntoHawk]

if he's there a lot its a strut zone and he will feel comfortable and visit it often, start right there in that over grown field before he gets there and call once every 30min purrs and light clucks nothing aggressive or crazy. stay hiden because he could come in silent and you dont want to be busted moving around after 3hrs of waiting.

Turkeys are different to hunt than most other game animals so there is a good learning curve, once you get it down though its the funnest thing this side of Elk country.

Good Luck!

[tomstopper]

I agree with Tauntohawk. The gobblers love these strut zones & its as good as spot as any to kill him.....

[ShotGunSniper]

if he's there a lot its a strut zone and he will feel comfortable and visit it often, start right there in that over grown field before he gets there and call once every 30min purrs and light clucks nothing aggressive or crazy. stay hiden because he could come in silent and you dont want to be busted moving around after 3hrs of waiting.

Turkeys are different to hunt than most other game animals so there is a good learning curve, once you get it down though its the funnest thing this side of Elk country.

Good Luck!

Learn something new everyday. And yes he loves this spot from what the property owners have told me. So I found a Strut Zone  This is very good news for me. I have see one on someone else's property but I could not hunt on it. But this is my 1st up close and in person. This Tom, I call him "King of the Hill" and he comes back every other day or so and the hen's follow. Even seen another Tom there but at the other side of the hill. I believe he was at the bottom of the hill near the hen's. There is a fence all around his strut zone and has small trees and bushes that grows around it in spots. The highest point of the hill is in the middle of this field. That's where he likes to strut. Im going to try tomorrow and the whole weekend if I can. Gas prices has been my enemy here. But Im determined to get one of these tom's before season is over. Thanks for the extra advice and tips 

[Bowhnt]

Good luck. With a little bit of patience you should be able to kill him

[870supermagnum]

ShotGunSniper, do you know how and where the "King of the Hill" enters the field to get to his strut zone.  Does he pitch down off a roost and fly in or does he walk in from a certain area, direction?  What time of the day is he usually spotted in his strut zone?  Knowing those things will help you develop an ambush strategy.  If you know where he's going (strut zone), what time of the day he's usually seen, and what his line of travel is, set your ambush up along his line of travel in the best camoflaged spot, call a little and be patient.  I've killed a lot more turkeys by ambushing them than by calling them in.  It's exciting calling him to the gun, but when he won't come, ambush him.

               

[DirtNap647]

not every hunt is a story book hunt where he gobbles to your barrel. sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do more than likely that strut zone is where he is going to be killed on or around try to key on that good luck

[cahaba]

Pattern him and find out where he's at before he gets to his strut zone and hunt accordingly. If you can try and roost him.

[troutfisher13111]

And when you do harvest him, make sure to post pics and the story here.

[ShotGunSniper]

Good news. I got what I believe was "King of the Hill" yesterday. I had to run-and-gun him. So this is why I believe it was him. He seemed to like my calls. 22lb., 10 1/2" beard, 1" spurs. He was much bigger then what he looks in the photo. He was a soakin wet dead bird that after I shot him. Yeah he was right on this small creek's edge that runs through these wood about 10 yards from the fields. Well I got him anyways. One of the hardest workouts I had in many years. Btw, I wished I could had showed this beautiful Tom off but as you can see he was soakin wet and roughin up and so was I. I was so exhausted after finally gettin this bird. Who ever said turkey huntin was not hard...hahahahaha!!