Turkey Hunting

[4dogs]

I want to go turkey hunting. Don't know anything about it, never been. Can anyone recommend a good instructional cd for calling? Good books or dvd for learning ins and outs? I just don't know where to start. Thanks.

[SAM E. STEPHENS]

I would say just surf the web and look up on YouTube , watch and read anything and everything you can. A good pop-up blind and some decoys and basic calling will get you along very well. I love to turkey hunt with a stick bow and have been at it a while and am still learning stuff every time I go after them. I do like to shoot them with big broadheads like the big Simmons TreeSharks or a big Snuffer or a Centaur BattleAx. My Shaggie suite also will fool the old long beards , try it all til you find what works best in the area your hunting....Good luck..

,,,Sam,,,

[4dogs]

Never even thought of YouTube...thank you Sam.

[Recurve7]

I agree with Mr. Stephens.
Watch videos and practice your calling technique. I suggest a box call first. Then you can graduate to other calls. And, a BLIND is a must, at least for me thus far. I use same bow and broadheads that I use for deer.
Good luck

[BWallace10327]

Check out the National Wild Turkey Federation Website.  It helped me alot.

[Sam McMichael]

I have never had success with turkeys. It seemed that I would call, but when the bird got close, it would suddenly be quiet and never approach to a shooting distance. A very accomplished turkey hunter suggested that I call too much. He thinks they were getting close enough to see me but not being seen by me. I think he may be right. Less may be more sometimes. I feel box calls and friction calls are easier than mouth calls for new hunters.

[Cory Mattson]

Hunting the American Wild Turkey - by Dave Harbour - out of print - find a used copy - best book on turkey hunting IMO - I read it in the 70s - and went to "hunt" wild turkeys right away with plenty of success.
Cory<><
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[Arctic Hunter]

Scout....find the field he's using, leave him alone that day, and set up before he gets there the next day.

Turkeys can be predictable, especially lone Toms visiting the same strut zones every day. If they aren't getting bumped by other hunters off the roost, they likely will be back to that spot around the same time you saw them there. Like calling any other animal, it helps a lot to already be where they want to go.

This requires very little calling. It's not quite as exciting as running and gunning (forgive the expression), but it's a very effective tactic, especially with a blind.

I learned a lot from the Primos videos when I first started. I have several of them. And was lucky enough to have an accomplished buddy that taught me a few tricks.

[K.S.TRAPPER]

Arctic hunter nailed it spend the extra time and pattern the birds. Find out we're they roost, water and feed you can almost set your watch by them if you do it right.

Practice your calling, soft calling with a slate or mouth call. There not noisey and you shouldn't be either, spend some time listening to real birds not hunters on TV shows.

Get a blind, don't bye into it has to be exspesive stuff. A lot of guys are going to try and sell you on them but get a big one with lots of room and practice out of it at turkey sized targets.

Don't call to much, I've killed birds and only had to call a couple times to them. Less is always better play hard to get works much better.

Decoys, I've killed them over everything but there making such good decoys now and I have seen a huge difference in the way the birds act around them. If I had the choice I would spend the money on good decoys. IMHO

Have fun!!!

 

Tracy

[centaur]

Don't discount spot and stalk, or ambushing them. If you watch the birds for a day or two, as mentioned above, you can pattern them and then either ambush them or put the sneak on them. I have called birds, but have had more success by ambushing or stalking them. If you will be hunting those eastern Colorado cottonwood creek bottoms, it is a really fun way to hunt.

[4dogs]

Thank you guys, very much. I have a lot to learn and you guys have provided me with a lot of places to start. Its really hard to draw for turkey in eastern Colorado so I will end up in Wyoming, Nebraska or Kansas for the next couple years at least until I get some points built up. I don't know if its from reading all the stories here or what but I have a huge itch to hunt turkeys and white tails. Never hunted either. Always elk and mule deer, rabbits,grouse, squirrels and such. Thanks again.