turkey hunting help

horatio1226 · December 06, 2008, 06:24:00 PM

I am going to hunt some turkey in the spring. I have never hunted them before. What do I need? Thanks for the advice!
Brian

stick hunter · December 06, 2008, 08:19:00 PM

my first suggestion would be a short bow with a STRING TRACKER!!!!! Oh and lots of patience!

Guru · December 06, 2008, 08:53:00 PM

Brian, Did you do a search of the Pow Wow for turkey info? Lots of great info bud....

horatio1226 · December 06, 2008, 09:05:00 PM

Thanks Curt! Don't know why I didn't think of that!

woodchucker · December 06, 2008, 09:07:00 PM

I would suggest a simple box call.(and lots of patience LOL)

Turkeys can pinpoint sound so well that a Gobbler can literaly walk up and put his head in your pocket. I would suggest not using a decoy and set up on the tip of the point in the field in the picture you posted that you were deer hunting in. You want to yelp untill the tom comes into the field,then immediatly SHUT UP!!!!!

The tom will expect to see a hen in the field.If he sees a hen (or a decoy) in the field he will stand his ground and gobble and strutt untill the hen comes to him. If he does not see a hen,he will still gobble and strutt,but if the hen does not come back out into the field he will get frustrated and move to where he heard the hen (you) calling from. The point you were deer hunting in would be an ideal spot. The tom can see almost the entier field from there. It will probly also put you in the closest possible range of him. When he gets in front of you and is in range,wait untill he is fanned out in full strutt and his back is turned to you and his fan is blocking his vision. Then,draw your bow and drive a broadhead right into his back just above the base of his fan.

I've killed about a dozen turkeys with the bow over the years this way,and missed about a dozen or more too!!!!! I have used this set-up many times to get new hunters thier first bird with a shotgun also.

Good Luck Brian!!!!! If I can get a chance I'd love to run up and help you out to find the perfect set-up location.

ishiwannabe · December 06, 2008, 09:31:00 PM

Try to get a hold of some videos. Gets calls NOW and start practicing. Learn the calls, what they mean and when to use them.
I would say practice, but I know you.

You are always shooting.
Another thing to consider is some sort of locator call...coyote howler, owl hooter.
Full camo, blind, etc.
You should have a ton of turkey on the River road property...

horatio1226 · December 06, 2008, 09:54:00 PM

There is turkey there Jamie. I have a box call already and have started practicing. I didn't know if I should be looking for decoys or not. I can't wait for turkey season already. I had a turkey almost walk right into my blind this fall.

Let me know when you want to come Chuck. Love to have ya'!

woodchucker · December 06, 2008, 10:43:00 PM

One of the reasons that I recommend a box call is because it is "hand operated".....

If you have a box call or a peg & slate,you must put the call down to use your bow. I have used mouth calls for years (and still do) but you always are tempted to give "just a little cluck" or "maybe just one more purr".....which could just possibly turn the whole game plan insideout LOL.

With a hand held call,the minute you see the tom,you stop calling and put the call down. Now the waiting game begins.....

Also, In April,the toms will start gobbling. You want to get out and scout!!!!! Look specificly for "strutt zones". These are easy to recognise,they look like rail road tracks and they are made by a tom's wing tips as he drags them across the ground. Look for them along field edges,on top of small hills and knobs,(in both fields and woods) and along benches or shelves along mountainsides.

When you find a strutt zone you have found the "near perfect" set-up location.The place where a tom WANTS to go and strutt so that he can impress the ladies!!!!!

I have a strutt zone up to my Dad's that has been used for years. I have either killed or missed a tom EVERY time that I have hunted there in the last 10 years. It is in the upper corner of a field and about 10 yards from the hedgerow. Any tom that I call out of the woodlot below that doesn't see a hen when he walks out into the field,makes a bee-line for that strutt zone. (and promptly gets shot.or rather,shot at!!!!!)

bushytail · December 07, 2008, 08:09:00 AM

A blind is a big help.I think the hardest thing about turkey hunting is getting your bow drawed back without being seen.Double Bull Blinds are good blinds although a little $$$.

horatio1226 · December 07, 2008, 08:53:00 AM

Where can I buy a string tracker?

twosheds · December 07, 2008, 09:16:00 AM

You might check 3Rivers, or the Nocking point. Tripper

drewsbow · December 07, 2008, 09:25:00 AM

Brian : I have a string tracker I will send ya bud :0)

horatio1226 · December 07, 2008, 09:30:00 AM

Drew, you are TRULY the man!!!

Does anybody use decoys?

horatio1226 · December 07, 2008, 09:31:00 AM

What kind of broadheads should I use?

The Baron · December 07, 2008, 09:33:00 AM

I think any sharp, fixed blade broadhead will work very well. The key is putting it in the right spot. I've attached a couple illustrations to help you get that right (most 3-D turkey targets have the vitals in the wrong spot!). Study the photo and use that mental x-ray image for your shot.

We could fill hundreds of pages with advice on turkey hunting, and still never cover all the little details. I can offer some tips that I think will help:

1. Get some turkey hunting videos. You will learn a lot from seeing how they setup and call. The Primos "The Truth" series are very good, as are the HS "Cuttin' 'n' Struttin" series.

2. Buy a ground blind. It will be VERY difficult to shoot a turkey with a bow if you are not in a blind. You could also build a permanent blind in a good spot, but ground blinds are nice because they're portable and keep you dry if it rains.

3. If you are hunting from a ground blind, you won't need full camo. But make sure you have a face mask/face paint and gloves. If you will be out moving around, make sure you have full camo. And remember even if you are covered head to toe in the finest camo, if a turkey sees you move you're busted.

4. Get a decoy, or two. Stick with a hen or a hen/jake decoy. Avoid the full-strut type decoys until you are only interested in shooting boss toms. The full strut decoys can sometime spook off subordinate birds.

5. Buy a couple calls and practice. The easiest calls to use are the little push-peg calls. You can operate them with one hand and they sound pretty good. I really like a slate call with a wooden striker. Won't work when wet, but they are pretty user friendly and can make a wide variety of sounds/volume levels. It is important to be able to make some basic calls, but don't think you have to be an expert caller to get a turkey. Just a few clucks at the right time can be all you need. Box calls are excellent too, but they are loud and you must resist the temptation to overcall with them. If you are able to use a mouth call, that is the absolute best call for an archer, because it is hands free. You don't need to be an expert with it, just a few soft yelps and some clucks.

6. SCOUT. This is, hands down, the most important item. Get into the woods as many mornings as you can before you hunt. Start a few weeks before the season. Don't bring your turkey calls, just spend time sitting before dawn and listening to the birds gobble on the roost (some mornings they don't gobble much, at all). Learn where the turkeys roost. Slink around with a good pair of binoculars (and full camo!) and shadow your turkeys. Where do they go after they come down from roost? Do they travel the same route each time (read: ambush!). Do they head to a field to feed/strut? Where do they enter/exit the field? The more you know about the property and where the birds will be on it, the higher your chances of success.

7. Buy a crow call. Blowing a crow call often gets a tom/jake to gobble. It is called a shock gobble. This is a great way to get a fix on a bird's location without having to make hen sounds.

8. Remember you can't stalk a turkey! You must either call them to you, or be on their travel path. A turkey's eyes or outstanding, especially in catching movement. Stalking a turkey is nearly impossible, and it can be dangerous if there are other hunters around. If you see a turkey and want to try to get it, try getting ahead of where it is going and doing some calling.

9. Calling - less is more. There is a time and a place for loud aggressive cutting and yelping. But, more often than not the soft yelps and clucks are more effective.

10. Believe. Believe there is a turkey coming to your call, and a turkey just around every corner. In the videos, they often come in gobbling and strutting. That is awesome when it happens, but just as often they will slink in quietly and seem to appear from nowhere. Just because you do not hear a gobble in response to your calls, doesn't mean a tom is on the way!

11. Patience and perseverance - the two most valuable assets in a turkey hunter. It's nice if you are a champion caller and a can shoot through the eye of a needle at 20 paces, but if you give up easily the turkeys will beat you every time. I can't remember how many times I've dragged myself out of bed dreading another ass-whoopin', and walked out carrying a tom and a smile. :D

12. Turkeys will very rarely cross water, fences, deep ditches, etc. to come to calling. Know the property you hunt and never set yourself up with a barrier like that between you and a gobbler.

13. Read some magazines. A lot of the turkey hunting magazines how some good, basic articles to help you get started.

14. Get there early. If you are hoping to get a bird right off the roost, don't be afraid to be setup well before dawn. I'd rather be an hour early than 1 minute late.

15. Hunt. Don't pack it in and go for breakfast at 8am because you didn't get a bird right off the roost. and if you are just too tired to get up, have to work, need to watch the kids, or whatever... don't hesitate to go out at 8am, or 9am, or 10am. Every minute of legal hunting time is valuable and you can't kill a turkey if you aren't out there. If killed just as many turkeys at 11am as at 7am.

16. Stick and stay. If you are setup where turkeys might be, stay there. Bring a snack. Have a nap. Just be there. Call softly every 10-15 minutes, and make some louder yelps every hour. Turkeys don't have watches and have a funny way of showing up later than expected. They can show up early too.

17. SCOUT! (get it?)

18. Enjoy the journey. The spring turkey woods is a magical place. Soak it all in and remember you will come home empty handed more often that not.

19. Don't hunt one bird. I have seen too many friends do this - you see a nice tom and spend the rest of the season determined to kill him, only to end up putting your tag in your photo album at the end of the season. If you have more than one good place to hunt, don't get too hung up on one particular bird.

20. If it is raining, set up on the edge of the field. Put out a decoy or two, and call softly every 10-15 minutes. Turkeys come to fields in the rain, so be patient. If you have seen birds/tracks in the area, they will be there eventually.

21. Don't forget to take photos and post them on TradGang.

I could go on forever. Best is to get just out there and learn from your mistakes. As long as you don't make the same mistake twice, you will eventually succeed! GOOD LUCK!

horatio1226 · December 07, 2008, 09:48:00 AM

Thanks Baron. I appreciate your time!

ryped · December 07, 2008, 10:00:00 AM

I've set up blinds out in the field about 30 yards from the edge when there are round bales in the field with the assumption that the birds will think the bale is another bale and shot birds. It doubles the range to allow shooting 360 degrees around the blind. Is there any reason that tactic couldn't be done when no bales are in the field?

adkmountainken · December 07, 2008, 10:33:00 AM

Brian,
i will make ya a wing bone call, little tuff to learn but very fun to use and its about a traditional call as ya can get!

Bowspirit · December 07, 2008, 12:46:00 PM

Brian,

Those Snuffers you shoot seem to be the primo choice turkey head among traditional bowhunters.

acolobowhunter · December 08, 2008, 05:02:00 PM

My 2 cents worth.
I use a double bull blind and 2 hen decoys then a jake mounted on a hen. This just drives a tom crazy. Many times I have had a tom come in and just kick the tar our of the jack decoy. I have a box call, but really like the slate the best. I also use diaphram calls. I use a good 2 bld. bh. and shoot straight up from the drum stick (legs) and they just flop right there. I like the photos from one of the other guys. When strutting they look bigger than they are. Just ask me, I have went home with just feathers a few times.