Turkey Hunting

[DocPeters]

Hello everyone,

So I'll be heading to Va soon and shortly after i get there it will be turkey season for bow...i've never hunted turkey before..or even with a bow for that matter, so this will be my introduction to bow hunting!!!any tips/hints/references or anyone in the Portsmouth area even who could show me the ropes/ someone who could teach me how to bow hunt so i can eventually move to bigger game! Thanks guys!

[Friend]

Harvesting a turkey with traditional equipment may be a far more sizeable challenge than attempting to pursue whitetails.

Finding a seasoned mentor should prove most invalueable.

Best of luck!!

[centaur]

Turkeys have tremendous eyesight, and can see colors, and if they don't like what they see, you will hear 'putt, putt' and they will be gone. Trying to fool a flock of turkeys to within bow range is difficult at best.
My luck with fall turkeys has been through ambush and/or stalking. Turkeys like to follow routes and can be patterned, and if you can find a good ambush point and have the patience to wait them out, you may get a shot. If a turkey sees you draw, move, or breathe heavily, they will probably leave the country, so be prepared to be frustrated a good bit. If you can consistently kill turkeys with a bow, you are doing pretty well. As Friend said, turkeys can be tougher than deer. You are setting the bar pretty high for your first bowhunting experience. Good luck.

[maineac]

Way to start your traditional hunting with a challenge.  Good luck!

[raghorns]

I took a nice gobbler on Missouri's opener in April on the first day of the season and it was my first trad turkey hunt. I was also blessed the second week with gobbler #2. Talk about setting the bar high.

Here are a few things that helped me...set your blind up at least 25 yards out in the open (not too much grass or brush, they feel safer when they can watch for predators) ...keep your decoys in close (12 - 15 yards / the kill zone is small)...don't over call...have fun!

Let us know how your hunt goes, good hunting,
Lyle

[toddster]

I have been chasing Eastern turkeys with the stick and string for 15 years, and have only harvested 6.  Like said before, tukeys have extrordianry eye sight,and see colors rather well, there hearing is great too.  If they could smell like a whitetail no one could kill one.  that being said, they can still be harvested.  some tips I have learned.  If setting up on a turkey and using decoy's put them in shade and have them facing you at about 15-20 yards.  When bird comes in they face one another, giving you great quarter awar or behind shot.  In the Fall, a Tom will gobble but rare.  Stick to calling with yelps, clucks and purr's.  If you see a flock, decided whether you can get between where they are going without being seen, if so, set up and cluck softly and wait.  If not might want to use the classic bust technique and yelp to get the brood back together (works, but never liked it because they are more keyed up).  You can shoot turkeys from stand.  If you pattern the turkeys and know where they move, get on a travel route like deer, and here is a tecnique I use alot on decoy shy birds.  I put a piece of thread on a bush opposite of me, when they feed in I pull the line just enough to get it to move, they will key in on bush and allows you to get a shot.  One last tip, that works for me and few buddies I got there turkeys with this one here, I use my hat in the morning to sound like a fly down, and when i get turkey's close to me, I scratch the leaves with my gloves, like a turkey.  This work's as well as a call, when they are feeding.  Hope this helps, as dry as it is keep a look out for dusting areas, too.