Turkey Hunting Advice (This is my first post here)

[diamonddave21]

Good morning everyone,

This is my first post here, I've dropped in here before to random things but decide it would probably be good to just join so i could post, ask questions and discuss things. The reason for my first post is I really want to gain some more knowledge on turkey hunting.

I started Turkey hunting two years ago in 2020, I really wanted to get into it for a few years but the job I worked required a lot of OT/hours all of March and on into mid April. So when Covid hit, we only worked one day a week, I finally had the time for it and fell in love with it. I started going that year with my best friend who had been hunting turkeys his whole life and he taught me a lot the few times we went together but I still ended up going a good bit on my own and I made alot of dumb mistakes to say the least haha Last year I suffered a compound fracture in the forearm in my shooting arm so I went a 3-4 with some friends once I could use my arm some but not enough on to go on my own and learn more about it. Now I'm on 4 10's(off on friday's) with my job and finally have the time to get out there a few times every week.

Where I'm at now: I have 4 mouth calls(3 different hook series and one other brand I cant remember), a box call and slate call by primos, 1 jake and hen decoy.
My experience/mistakes: My friend taught from the start to not over call and use a variety of calls. I've called in a Tom on his own once but wasn't close enough for a shot; 3 times I've called in a hen that had a jake or tom with her and only once have I gotten them close enough to get a shot. Those 3 times it was inexperience of when to move/lack of knowing how aggressive to be or not to be when calling back at the hen.

So after all of that the basis of my post is really to get any tips, tricks, videos worth watching on perfecting the use of mouth calls. Really just anything you guys would like to share to help me gain knowledge so I can work towards getting my first bird, continuing to hunt these birds right and not overpressure them on the WMA's I hunt on because I really don't know enough about turkey hunting yet!

Thanks!

 

[Hillbilly stalker]

2 things kill turkeys, location and patience. If you know one is coming in and he stays just out of range….slowly raking a few leaves with your hand is about the best call you can make. If your calling in hens you are doing it right. Patience young Jedi

 

[Offroadtek]

Welcome, first off, you call too much and move too much. But that is true of almost every turkey hunter there is, so you're in good company.

Have you read "The tenth Legion" by Tom Kelly. If not, it's a great read.

I personally have a 15 minute pause between cold calls. If a bird is gobbling, it's 3 gobbles to 1 call, mostly.

Patience is the best tool in the box for turkey. Sometimes in the form of a good nap under a big tree.

 

[diamonddave21]

2 things kill turkeys, location and patience. If you know one is coming in and he stays just out of range….slowly raking a few leaves with your hand is about the best call you can make. If your calling in hens you are doing it right. Patience young Jedi

Thank you! Patience has been a another thing that has been an adjustment to say the least. But it's also been addicting and I think I enjoy it more than deer hunting by a mile.

 

[diamonddave21]

Welcome, first off, you call too much and move too much. But that is true of almost every turkey hunter there is, so you're in good company.

Have you read "The tenth Legion" by Tom Kelly. If not, it's a great read.

I personally have a 15 minute pause between cold calls. If a bird is gobbling, it's 3 gobbles to 1 call, mostly.

Patience is the best tool in the box for turkey. Sometimes in the form of a good nap under a big tree.

At first I def wanted to call more than I probably should have, over the little time I've done it I have been taught less is better. I've heard guys on WMA's that over call and I do not want to be that guy that pressures or annoys other hunters.

I like the nap thing! I usually take a small lunch and sit in the woods until 12-1 in the afternoon, nothing better to do on a day off!

Also I have not read that but Ill download it and start reading it!

 

[Hillbilly stalker]

People see the hot shots on tv running and gunning and killing birds. That is great when it works. But you often educate 3 or 4 birds versus the one you get to kill or work. Educate enough birds and they become cautious about gobbling a lot when coming in. That’s where patience comes in, when you start killing older quiet birds, your the man Those tv hot shots are usually hunting un pressured birds that someone else has pattered I figure,

 

[kmckinnie]

Did somebody say lunch and a nap ?!
I’m about ready for that. Good advice !

 

[The Original Rooster]

Keep talking to the hens as much as possible. I've learned more listening and talking to hens out in my yard than anything else. You will find that most hens do not sound as good as a human and that most hens will walk around putting and clucking more than anything else.

 

[DRBugman85]

Oh lord my friend it's a Addiction that's is uncureable,it will haunt your dreams,make you lose sleep over and sometimes in up with Divorce, Patience is your friend, If he hears and responds to your call he/they know where you're at and sooner or later he /they come to see a new hen in his woods, No blind no decoy just me and him that's turkey hunting IMO.Good luck have fun and enjoy the hunt as much as a kill.

 

[ol bob]

If you get a gobbler to gobble to a call, put your calls up and forget were you put them, and be ready, may take him an hour, but hes coming The problem most are gone when he gets there.

 

[Offroadtek]

If you get a gobbler to gobble to a call, put your calls up and forget were you put them, and be ready, may take him an hour, but hes coming The problem most are gone when he gets there.

I have a talent of knowing exactly when a bird is going to show up. It's 1 minute after I stand up to leave. I lost count of the birds I've run off walking out.

 

[Danuwoa]

Welcome to turkey hunting. If you don’t get frustrated or discouraged early on you’ll love it. As Tom Kelly said, “I don’t turkey hunt because I want to, I turkey hunt because I have to.”

 

[antharper]

https://forum.gon.com/threads/new-to-me.1014706/page-2#post-13318167

 

[Gut_Pile]

Everyone has their own opinion, and here are a few of mine

Patience has it's place in turkey hunting, but so does being aggressive. Knowing when to do which is what makes the great ones great. I find myself being a lot more aggressive than I am patient these days.

Light calling has it's place in turkey hunting, but so does lighting up the woods and getting him fired up. My favorite way to kill one is to get him gobbling really good. Almost choking on his own gobbles and then shutting up. When his next gobble is at 60, go ahead and knock that safety off.

One other thing about being aggressive when moving. Use the terrain to your advantage. Humans and turkeys sound very similar to each other walking in the woods. As long as he can't see you, he's not going to spook by the sound of you walking in the leaves. Don't be afraid to go that extra 10-20 yards if it means bettering your calling position

 

[diamonddave21]

Thanks to everyone so far for all the advice, its much appreciated! I'm hoping the guy that lets me hunt his property every now and then will let me go this weekend if not I look forward to getting out and trying to scout some this weekend.

 

[SouthPaw Draw]

Patience and sitting still you you are setup, moving around while setup will get you pegged everytime. I think that is a turkey's number 1 defense, picking out movement.

 

[Taco4x4]

Gut_Pile you just saved me a lot of typing. You are spot on with how I do it. We learn this from years of mistakes. That's a big part of being a good turkey hunter. You learn from it and move on. Eventually you reach a point where you know what you need to do that day by reading the personality of that bird. There is no system for calling. It all depends on his aggression that day or lack of.

O yea and when you think you have it all figured out most of the time you don't. Guess that's why I love it so much. I go home laughing at myself for getting outsmarted by a bird with a brain the size of a walnut. Man I can't wait...

 

[grouper throat]

Go as much as you can as nothing beats experience and knowing the woods you hunt.

Try new tactics if nothing seems to be working on one. For instance, I stalked up on a flock twice the other day and could not pull a gobbler out for a decent shot as the hens pulled them away when I called. Third time I got close and knew I had nothing to lose, I pulled out the gobbler full strut fan and crawled up to where they could see it. Most intense shot ever as the first gobbler that saw it came charging me.

No one has mentioned scouting and patterning also. I like to know where a bunch of gobblers are before the season and where they want to go once on the ground.

 

[bfriendly]

Thank you! Patience has been a another thing that has been an adjustment to say the least. But it's also been addicting and I think I enjoy it more than deer hunting by a mile.

I have little doubt that I enjoy this more than Deer hunting……by a mile! Welcome to the fire!
I’m trying to close the deal on my first after a bunch of years chasing them with no kills……but a ton of success! Boy I’ve had some chances with some good ones too! I don’t think anyone has led you wrong here and I have gone through everything mentioned! Stood up on many birds, have had them come with everything from little to no calling, aggressive and stupid crazy calling, silent birds, birds that wouldn’t shut up and gobbled at everything, a nap, decoys, no decoys, a few arguments with hens that couldn’t find me at 10-15 yards! Sooo much fun!
I am trying to find better setup spots. A spot where a bird will be in range when I see him….that’s for woods hunting. Im gonna have to sit on a field at least a few times. For me, hunting public land, I feel like I can go sit in the woods, make my presence known, and if a bird hears me, a bird WILL COME!
Sounds like you enjoy just being out in the woods just like me! Good luck and Have fun!

 

[Gut_Pile]

Try new tactics if nothing seems to be working on one. For instance, I stalked up on a flock twice the other day and could not pull a gobbler out for a decent shot as the hens pulled them away when I called. Third time I got close and knew I had nothing to lose, I pulled out the gobbler full strut fan and crawled up to where they could see it. Most intense shot ever as the first gobbler that saw it came charging me.

Try new tactics...just not this one