Learning to turkey hunt

[Bowguy]

Seems some of the newer folks are looking for help to succeed. They ask questions about decoys, field hunting n blind usage. I'm not one totally against any of that. Yes they have their place n can aid in success.
I live in an area that may see more pressure than other areas but truth in since around 84 I've only seen 2-3 other hunters besides someone I might be with. Still birds sense pressure from other fronts, hikers, predators, etc.
When I was younger I'd hunt along the Delaware river. Birds were visible to anyone going trout fishing, shad fishing, hiking, etc, etc.
Seemed every hunter trying to impress a gf, buddy or wife would call to those birds. They'd gobble n the hunters felt like heros.
Prob is once season opened those birds saw lots of cars calling at them.
To combat this I started looking for birds in the woods. Away from the fields. These birds behaved more naturally, were slightly less suspicious.
Few friends were hunting w decoys eventually. They were successful. Pretty soon everyone was. Hunt shows marketed the heck out of newer, improved dekes. More guys tried it.
In time that was the only method guys knew. Sitting in a blind, over dekes in a field. Many knew no other way.
Kinda like baiting deer. How many people don't understand deer behavior or habits n kill deer? They too are successful yet know no other ways.
My advice would be to become complete. Learn how to find birds besides seeing them in a field. Learn how to locate em. Learn how to work/call em. Don't rely on one technique or one area n don't rely on one "spot", flock, bird just because you saw him or hear it every time you hit the woods.
You need options imo. Gotta learn dif techniques. Learn how to hunt if your first set fails n sitting in a blind til noon hoping a bird happens into a field may not be the answer.  It's only gonna help you grow n become more successful no matter where you hunt.

[davisd9]

Learn to hunt them without a blind or decoys and you will be a better hunter. Once you got that down, then use decoys as a tool and not as some you depend on to kill. Personally I am not for blind as it takes away from the true reason for turkey hunting, getting past their best sense, their eyes.


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[MK M GOBL]

Seems some of the newer folks are looking for help to succeed. They ask questions about decoys, field hunting n blind usage. I'm not one totally against any of that. Yes they have their place n can aid in success.
I live in an area that may see more pressure than other areas but truth in since around 84 I've only seen 2-3 other hunters besides someone I might be with. Still birds sense pressure from other fronts, hikers, predators, etc.
When I was younger I'd hunt along the Delaware river. Birds were visible to anyone going trout fishing, shad fishing, hiking, etc, etc.
Seemed every hunter trying to impress a gf, buddy or wife would call to those birds. They'd gobble n the hunters felt like heros.
Prob is once season opened those birds saw lots of cars calling at them.
To combat this I started looking for birds in the woods. Away from the fields. These birds behaved more naturally, were slightly less suspicious.
Few friends were hunting w decoys eventually. They were successful. Pretty soon everyone was. Hunt shows marketed the heck out of newer, improved dekes. More guys tried it.
In time that was the only method guys knew. Sitting in a blind, over dekes in a field. Many knew no other way.
Kinda like baiting deer. How many people don't understand deer behavior or habits n kill deer? They too are successful yet know no other ways.
My advice would be to become complete. Learn how to find birds besides seeing them in a field. Learn how to locate em. Learn how to work/call em. Don't rely on one technique or one area n don't rely on one "spot", flock, bird just because you saw him or hear it every time you hit the woods.
You need options imo. Gotta learn dif techniques. Learn how to hunt if your first set fails n sitting in a blind til noon hoping a bird happens into a field may not be the answer.  It's only gonna help you grow n become more successful no matter where you hunt.

Great Stuff here!!

Plus when you venture to different states or even within your own state you will have a better skill set to apply to those hunts. I do use blinds and decoys at times for Youth Hunts, and Learn to Hunts, some New Hunters and Bow Hunts and when we video. The Blinds and Dekes do aid in some of those first "experiences" successes and allows for that interest to grow and then I teach about how to go in on birds without those tools, which is how I started and still enjoy.

MK M GOBL

[silvestris]

The best advice I could give a new hunter is to purchase Tom Kelly's book/video combination "A Fork In The Road".  I purchased it for my grandson and previewed it.  It contained a lot of valuable information that I had to learn the hard way.  His lesson on the use of topographical maps will place a new hunter light years ahead of many who have hunted for years.

Next I would go to Google Books and read E.A. McIlhenny's "The Wild Turkey.and Its Hunting" based upon the field notes of Charles Jordan.  Skip through the taxonomy chapters.  Keep an historal perspective as you read but recognize that there are some real gems hidden between the lines.  The book is free to read, and I think you may be able to download it to your computer.

Finally, purchase a copy in paperback of Ken Morgan's book, "Turkey Hunting, A One Man Game".  This book is especially good for its description of the various gobbler personalities and how to best communicate with each personality.

[Meadow Valley Man]

I took my first gobbler in Wisconsin on April 19th, 1984, one of 300 plus taken in Wisconsin that year. The next day, I called one in for my father, who was 66 at that time. Now I find myself nearing my fathers age at that time, and for me, the hunt is still all about finding a gobbler and talking to him. For years I conducted turkey hunting education clinics co-sponsored by the WDNR and the Wisconsin Chapter of NWTF.  I can't tell you how many times I'd have someone tell me about a gobbler that was a quarter mile away gobbling like crazy, and the bird wouldn't come to the blind and decoys.  My response was always to get out of the darn blind and go to the bird.  Leave the decoys behind and get moving. GO TO THE BIRD!

If blind hunting with decoys is your thing, go for it. In the 30 plus years of hunting turkeys in nine different states, I have killed exactly two gobblers while using decoys.

I'm pretty sure that had ADD been recognized as a syndrome when I was a kid, I'd have been accused of having it. I cannot sit in a blind for hours when it comes to turkeys. I can do it for deer, but not for a gobbling turkey.

There is no question that decoys and blind sitting work. I think they work best on private land, and if one only has 40-80 acres to hunt, that may be the way to go.  All of my out of state hunting has been on public land, and going to the bird gives me the best odds of giving ol'Tom a ride home.

[Dtrkyman]

I am the opposite, it all came together for me when I started bowhunting from a blind, having all that gear made me much more patient, where as my early years I could never stay in a place long.

Now I have the deadly combination of patience while gun hunting without the blind, I love shooting birds with the bow but have reverted back to gun hunting them mostly, only bow killed one of the 7 I shot last year. At one time I bowhunted exclusively for about 6 years, but there is just something about shooting them in the face at close range with the "heater"!!!

[1iagobblergetter]

I prefer to hunt without a pop up blind unless my boy is hunting with me or if I want to hunt and it's raining. I'll let the won't ever use a blind guys sit in the rain or on the couch while I'm out hunting in comfort other than that I do believe having something over your head does take away the experience. I also think knowing when to sit and knowing when to move is very beneficial. I'm more of sit and call,but getting better at getting up and closing the distance if need be. Not trying to start anything,but also curious if bowhunters on forums ridicule eachother over sitting up a tree shooting a deer or versus stalking or hunting them on the ground. (Meaning different styles of hunting)..Anyone on bow forums and know the answer?

[Happy]

It's an interesting discussion. Personally I hunt outside in whatever conditions are present and my boys do the same. They are learning to hunt without blinds and I feel they are better for it. Not knocking those that do otherwise but I am not raising my kids to expect instant sucess with no effort. That's bull and we are already seeing the fruits of children raised in such a manner. I have told them if they want to hunt then hunt. If they want to kill stuff to take a job in pest control. More than once my boy has moved at the wrong time and paid the price for it. It's called learning. I guess I just fear this trend towards taking the easy way out and not bettering ourselves. Hunting is a sport and should be viewed as such. If you tip the odds in your favor to much then it quits being a sport. My theory is if you suck at it then get better. Don't change the rules so you win.

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[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.

[catman529]

Good post. Gotta be willing to try different approaches and learn from your mistakes when the normal ways aren't working.


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[1iagobblergetter]

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.

[1iagobblergetter]

Well said Greg..My son is mildly Autistic. He knows it's more than the kill,but if it weren't for a blind there would never be one and what kid or grown up is ever going to keep at it without occasional success,every person is different some have limitations some dont,etc. You hit the nail on the head with keeping an open mind and remembering one guys way of hunting may not be for everyone or they may not be able to hunt that way even though they would like to,but want to enjoy the great out doors...

[MK M GOBL]

So I post a lot about Youth Hunting, Learn to Hunts, Ladies and New to Hunting, Mentored Hunts and Hunts I share. This is what I am passionate about, my life has been in the "Outdoors" from work to play and feel that I am very fortunate in this. Dad raised me on this and I pass it along. It goes much deeper than "We killed a "turkey" or whatever game we seek." I do much to teach about safety, ethics, respect and conservation, and for those who I have mentored, I get that in return. Part of my job/work does allow me this avenue as well, I have given many a seminar on these subjects beyond the "How To" and have had many people tell me how much they enjoy what I speak about and say they can tell in in my voice and how I relay it is a big part of what I do.
Part of this getting people out to enjoy what we have in the outdoors, it keeps us strong and gets our voice out there too.

We all have a different way in which we like to pursue (I'll keep this about turkey) turkeys, you may be the old school, A call & A gun hunter, Run & Gun or some of us hunt with blinds and decoys or bows instead of guns, fortunately we have the choice and freedom to do that. What's legal   And it may be that another's avenue to turkey hunting isn't the same as yours but it does not make it any less if those hunters enjoy their pursuit. For me personally there are ways/tactics I prefer not to use while turkey hunting and that's my choice, but I'm not holding it against you if you do.

Hope you all enjoy your hunts coming up and can share with family & friends.

God Bless, Hunt Hard and Be Safe!

MK M GOBL

[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

[guesswho]

I'm glad I learned when and how I did.  Started in the mid 60's.   It was a family learning experience.  Both my Dad and Mom turkey hunt, so we learned together.    I pretty much developed my own style and still hunt the same way, just a different gun and clothes. 

I love hunters who use blinds and decoys.  I wish everyone used them except me.  Keep up the good work and enjoy yourselves.