Turkey Hunting 101

[mrpenguin]

Hello Gang,

I'd like to get a thread going devoted to turkey hunting to get us ready for the Spring season!  

Specifically:

1. Calling techniques (timing, kinds, methods...)

2. To blind or Not to blind (that is the question)

3. Shooting (best form for the ground, where and when to shoot)

4. Arrows (lighter?)

5. Tracking techniques (use stringers?

[el_kirk]

I'll be watching this one closely.

Haven't hunted turkeys since I was a kid in Texas.  Didn't know what I was doing then and not much has changed.  

Two things I've picked up on here...
 1.  A lot of folks seem to favor 3 and 4 blade broadheads for the increased cutting surfaces.
 2.  Taking the right shot is important.  Seems like in most of the posts I read folks advocated  shots where the bird was facing away.

I'm kicking around buying a turkey tag this year.  

Kirk

[GingivitisKahn]

I'm interested as well.  Last spring was my son's and my first time.  I was excited when my hen yelps were almost immediately answered by yelps from over there and there and way over there.   The excitement waned a bit when as soon as I realized it was just a bunch of rookie turkey hunters yelping at each other in the early morning woods.

Edumacate me!

   :D

[coaltroll]

Well I am another one that has not hunted turkey with a bow but want to. Planning a trip to SW Colo around May to hunt with my uncle. We really need some of the turkey experts to come on here and help out us turkey beginners.  

[Covey]

I'm interested in how and how many decoy's everybody use's. Tom's, jake's, hen's, etc... and there blind setup. Thank's Jason

[adeeden]

I'm far from an expert but I have hunted turkeys for along time so I will throw out a couple tips/observations from hunting heavily pressured private land birds.

#1 Most people way over call, both to often and to loudly.

#2 spread those decoys out! I have had much better luck using multiple decoys spread out over 10-12 yards! I see guys using the standard Trio (jake and pair of hens) and it always seems there within just a a few feet of each other.

[Mike Bolin]

Turkeys have been educating me for the last 3 seasons. 2 shot opportunities with 2 extremely clean misses!
One day they come in quiet to calls and rush to the decoys and the next day they stand at 45 yards gobbling their heads off! Next day, they see the decoys and run like the'd seen a ghost!
Not much help, but man it's fun!
Mike

[Chris Shelton]

well I have been hunting these critters for a while, almost 5 years, and out of the 5 years 3 of those years have been with a stick.  Have I killed a bird?  Nope, but boy am I good at getting close, lol.  I have spent the last two years self filming, I believe that if I can succeed I will be the first person to ever take a spring gobbler fromt he ground with a recurve, without a blind, while filming myself.  And it has definatly been a learning curve.  I have learned that the mountains are the easiest way to get close, but the hardest way to get a shot.  Practice, practice practice, with your calls.  And I also suggest getting all types of calls.  Each and every one has there own place and time.  

1.  Box calls are basically all around, but I mainly use them for long distance calling/windy weather calling
2.  Slates are great for mid distance
3.  Mouth calls are a must if you are not in a blind

One of the biggest peices of advice that I have realized myself is that even though they are big birds, you are trying to hit a grapefruit sized target, so practice accordingly.  

Again since I have never even killed a turkey I am far from a expert, but these are just the things I have learned over the past 3 years of traditional turkey bowhunting, good luck

[mcgroundstalker]

I don't think going with a "lighter" arrow would be a good idea for turkey. Wing bones and feathers can do a good job of stopping a broadhead arrow. Use your deer set-up with ten plus grains per pound draw weight.

A string tracker has been used a lot. One of our Mods. (Guru) did a how-to on that some time ago.

Best Of Luck!

... mike ...

[n.c.swamp buck]

I have ben hunting them for a few years and was able to connect last season.One thing I changed last year was when it got hot later in the day I stayed in the woods while alot of the other hunters went to eat lunch.2nd i moved around a little while calling then dug in when I got a response.3rd get in shape I did alot of walking last year public land only.I see alot of guys calling 10yrds from truck. Get out pack a lunch and plenty of water take your best deer hunting buddy. And most of all have fun

[bdawg]

good to see all the turkey hunters.dont see many trad hunters in my area.some good advice being posted,picking up a few tips.will be watching this thread.season cant get here soon enough.

[Sean B]

Well, I gotta jump in here.  I love turkey hunting more than anything else, but I guess that also depend on what time of year that  you ask me.  I've hunted turkeys successfully for 30+ years.  I tend to disagree with the masses on certain aspects of it.  I don't really believe that there's a such thing as over calling.  I've spent many hours listing to live hens that wont shut up. with that said, I think that there's a time to call alot, and a time to go easy, you have to take the birds "temperature". Usually in the early morning the Toms will be henned up.  I've had great success calling and arguing with hens. a hen like a good fight, and will seek out an intruder, bringing that ole Tom right in behind her. Mid morning for me is the golden hour, just after about 9 am.  the toms are out looking after breeding their morning hens. a few yalps, clucks and a sort purr on a mouth diaphragm will usually do the trick. You can only hunt birds till noon, so I don't know much on hunting them after that. I also hunt a lot of public land. knowing not how to sound like a turkey hunter really helps here, as does woodsmanship.

 I was never a big fan of decoys.  out of about 85 turkeys, I've killed 2 over decoys.  I'm not saying that they don't work, but I've had birds hang up as soon as they have seen them.  I did kill one last year over a "statue".  It held a longbeards attention long enough to stick an arrow in him. It was the first time that I've used one in over 10 years. I'm going to give them another chance this season.  If you are going to use them, a hen facing you with a jake in tow.  A gobbler will confront the jake in front, and usually off to the side.  Be mindful of gun hunters.

I use the same arrows that I use for whitetails.

A blind is personal preference, theres a time and place for them.  If you run and gun(bow), a portable blind can be cumbersome. I don't really like to hunt turkeys like deer.  I like to go find them, again, there are exceptions.  a set up in one spot after 9 am can produce good results when a Tom is looking for a new girlfriend.

If possible, the best time and place to shoot is when a bird is fanned out with its tail to you.  It gives you a good bullseye....so to speak.  after the shot, get on him, there wont be much blood.

With all that I've said, each situation is different. each turkey id different.  One day a bird will be call shy, the next, you can get him with just a few yalps and a purr on a mouth or slate call.

I don't mean to sound like a know it all, but I've spent a long long time in the turkey woods, and I've had a lot of trial and error over the years....good luck to all.

[elkken]

I think turkey hunting can be much like elk hunting using many of the same calling tactics.

I started about six years ago using a very simple plunger type call ... this is turkey 101. I can use a slate call and box call pretty well but like elk you do not always have to sound good. Tempo and timing are just as important. I have not tried to use a mouth call.

Most of my hunting has been from blinds with decoys but I have done some run and gun but again using a decoy when I get close. Turkeys have exellent eye sight and drawing your trad bow without being seen is a real challenge.

Like elk bugling some days turkeys gobble like crazy and the next day they don't. Some days they run in strutting and drumming and some days you can see them out there and they just ignore you. Being a seductive hen is the best bet most of the time.

Killing one is not as easy as you might think. They are tough and have a relatively small kill zone. I use my regular deer set up and a three blade head. I aim for the wing butt. I have bow killed five and lost none ... knock on wood ... two of them required some really good tracking, thank you Randy and Jay. When hit they like to haul a$$ and hunker down in the thick stuff. But sometimes they just tip over.

I hunt private ground so I'm sure the turkeys I hunt are a bit earier than some but they are still a real challenge with trad gear. Scouting and finding their roosting spots makes it much easier for good set ups. They seem to be in the same areas year after year just in different numbers. We hunt the roosting areas in the early morning and still hunt mid day on foot. We use crow calls, gobbles, and a peacock call for locating them. But some days you could use pots and pans and they would gobble.

One of my turkeys is posted in the "what do you look like" along with my good buddy Jay. I shot it last year with a BW PLV longbow.

[Chris Shelton]

o I left out something VERY important, if you are using a decoy on public land, use common sense!

[Sean B]

Also, if any one would like to trade an Easterns hunt for a Merrieums, Rio, or an Osceola, send me a PM.  I'd love to get a slam.

[Sean B]

Thats a great point Chris.

[pdk25]

Great thread.  I'm definitely looking for info.  I will be hunting hogs and turkey this spring in S.C., but I have never hunted turkey before.  I've got lots of questions, some of which are probably answered elsewhere.  I have a package of 3 bladed magnus bull-head blades.  Has anyone used them.  They are for head/neck shots.  I would think that this might be tough without a blind and I'm not certain if I will be using one.  What experience does anyone have with these?  Would I be better off with a big snuffer?  I have some trouble shooting out of smaller blinds, and I'm not certain which bow I will use.  I've got an old red wing slim line pro that is 48# and 58" which I might use.  Then again, I might use my 62" vortex that is 60#.  Opinions?  Best advice for quickly learning the basics of calling?  I know that I won't be an expert overnight.  Thanks in advance.

[Gehrke145]

Keep the decoys close to the blind, I'm talking feet!  Also change up the decoys, totally different decoys if your hunting the same group of birds.  This last year was the first year I've tried it and had several long beards under 10 yards.

[sj_lutz]

Well, I sure won't claim to be an expert, but here's a couple things I've learned / observed.

Scout as much as you can before the opener.  I don't do any sort of calling when scouting, I want to get a feel for what the birds like / tend to do without any outside influences.  

Where you see birds in the fall isn't necessarily going to be where they are in the spring.  Likewise, an area where you don't see any in the fall could be overrun with them in the spring.

A stand of pines in a hardwoods area is a good spot to check for roosts.

In my area, they tend to like the north side of ridges, and once on the ground, tend to move from east to west.  They're more likely to be on the ridges than in the valleys.

Decoys seem to be a 50-50 thing, and they seem to work better earlier in the season.

If it's rainy or windy, look in open fields for birds.

If you're in a blind, be careful of overcalling.  I suspect that Mr. Tom becomes leery of a hen that doesn't move all morning.  

If you're gonna "run and gun", learn how to use a mouth call.  

Hit em high, watch em die; hit em low, watch em go.

[Roy Steele]

I only spring hunt and have gobbler hunted sence 1980.