Turkey tactics / gear

[tradarcher816]

I'm sure this has been covered numerous times, but I figured I'd throw it out there again. As I love to hunt turkeys, and have never been the most successful I don't mind asking questions. Here's a little of my history, and methods. I've never been taught how to turkey hunt and after deciding to take it up I had already drank of the "bowhunting koolaid". So I have never really taken a gun much. I have managed to get shots at a few and killed one with a compound. That really just seemed to lock in the "do it with a bow" mind set. Now I'm determined to bag one with my recurve. I have, over the last few seasons, lugged around a ground blind, decoys, calls, the whole shebang. I've tried setting up near where I hear gobbling and calling them in, and on days that I can't get one to fire off I've gone to locations that I've seen them and just blindly called. For others out there that chase the ol thunderchickens with trad gear what do you carry. What do you look for in a set up or what is your go to gear or tactic? I'm just a novice looking for guidance and I'm sure im not alone. Thanks guys

[Whip]

This will sound overly simplistic,  but the best tactic is to set up where the Turkeys want to go.  They can be patterned,  and you will have far better luck if you can figure out their favored travel patterns,  strutting zones,  etc.  

Combine that with the patience of Job, the best decoys you can afford,  and a very little bit of calling and you can do it!

[Dirtybird]

I think Joe hit the nail on the head.  Scout and scout some more.  Strutting zones, dusting bowls and feeding areas are all great places to wait on turkeys.  Sounds like you will be on your way with a turkey kill if the birds will cooperate with you this spring.

[archer66]

--be in the landing zone when they fly down....or at least very close to it.  Pop up blind and decoys are great for this. Get there VERY early.   If you've done your scouting this can be a very quick hunt.  If you're set up on an open field or in open woods call very sparingly and let the decoys do the work. If it is open and you're going to call decoys are a must because the gobbler will expect to see turkeys and will be hard to call in if he doesn't.   If its thick decoys are less necessary and calling should still be light  

Or
--be where they're going after fly down. Feed , water, strut zones, dust areas as mentioned above. In this situation I'll call a lot and I'll call loudly. I'll have decoys out and I'll listen very closely for a distant answering gobble. If I get one I call again and if he answers its on!!!

Or

--if you can hunt afternoons and evenings set up to catch them going back to roost.  I don't like to hunt the roost itself because I want them to feel secure there so I'll set up between where the spend the early evening and the roost.  

Scout, scout scout. Then hunt.

Lastly running and gunning is awesome where its safe.  Listen for gobbles and get yourself close then call em in or be waiting when they walk by.  Use terrain and cover to close the distance and stick one. Running and gunning tends to be much higher impact pressure wise and can result in pushing birds out of your hunting area.

Man I LOVE turkeys.

[monsterbuck]

Originally posted by Whip:


Combine that with the patience of Job, the best decoys you can afford,  and a very little bit of calling and you can do it! [/QB]

X2

[Bullchaser1]

turkeys usually frequent and roost in the same areas year after year. The others are right, getting ahead of them is key. I've killed quite a few birds, all of which are public pressured birds. My father taught me a long time ago silence can be the best call.  Get them to respond, maybe even fired up, and then shut up and get ready! Having a hunting buddy drop back behind you to call can really helps too. ( like an elk set up) best of luck and have fun!

[Kevin Winkler]

Ditto!
 

Originally posted by Whip:
This will sound overly simplistic,  but the best tactic is to set up where the Turkeys want to go.  They can be patterned,  and you will have far better luck if you can figure out their favored travel patterns,  strutting zones,  etc.  

Combine that with the patience of Job, the best decoys you can afford,  and a very little bit of calling and you can do it!

[old_goat2]

I used to hide my blind in the bushes off the side of the field where they would feed and strut thinking I was blending in. Went hunting with Tom Clum owner of Rocky Mountain Specialty Gear and he taught me to setmy blind right oout in the middle of the field where the turkeys were feeding and strutting. Have had better luck since I started this. And the better quality decoys the better they will respond, since u got the Avian X hens, I've had turkeys interacting with my decoys like never before!

[Longbow58]

Turkeys are definitely not freaked out by blinds.I used to brush them in that you could hardly shoot out of them...no more ,shot a few with minimal brush in jobs. I use trail cams to record movement and listen from afar. But I love to be out to scout starting in mid Feb. and record where I seen longbeards in the late season. Old logging roads and field edges are my favorites. Good decoys like Avian X work for me but are a personnel preference. Just have to get out and see what kind of mood they are in to make your plan.Good luck.

[tracker12]

Originally posted by Whip:
This will sound overly simplistic,  but the best tactic is to set up where the Turkeys want to go.  They can be patterned,  and you will have far better luck if you can figure out their favored travel patterns,  strutting zones,  etc.  

Combine that with the patience of Job, the best decoys you can afford,  and a very little bit of calling and you can do it!

Best advice I can give is what Whip here said.  If you hunt an area long enough turkeys really aren't that hard to pattern.

[Orion]

Agree with what joe said.  A pop up blind is a big help by hiding your movement.  I also often sit the entire day.  Toms move throughout the day.  They're particularly active about mid-day after the hens have gone back to nest. Of course, they are also moving around the last hour or so before dark going back to their roosts.  Just have to stay out there and after them.  Good luck.

[Goose smasher]

That is all great advice! Some of the best set ups I've ever done were done in a way that the first time I saw the bird he was already in range. Less worry about spooking him that way.I like to set up along travel routes when ever possible to take advantage of any natural movement that the birds are already doing to go along with the birds you call in yourself.Blinds don't bother turkeys so you can wait for the perfect shot. Good luck!

  Goose smasher

[2bird]

just posted this in another thread but here is my 2 cents, patterning turkeys works good too...

strutting toms work good, the reason turkeys hang up a lot is because the hunter is calling wrong. in early season you need to set up so your strutting tom's fan is facing where the real tom is roosted (he will try to sneak up on him) then you need to make happy content calls, not excited hen calls. what this does is threatens his dominance, he is less likely to leave hens he has for a mystery hen but he will leave those hens if he thinks another tom is stealing his lady’s... YOU should set up 20 ish yard BEHIND your decoys, so if he hangs up it will be right in front of you not 30-40 yards away... using this tactic I have had many toms and small jakes come out of their roost and sprint a 250 yard b-line to my decoy to whoop him...

If you over call or get too excited calling that tom will expect that hen to come to him (this is a lot of the reason for hang ups) and you have a good chance of the boss hen pulling that tom away from you(another reason for hang ups or the bird that just leaves). nice clam purrs and soft yelps will get the toms attention and when he see another bread with "his" hens he almost can control him self and will storm over there to show him who's boss (most of the time anyways). once you got his attention, STOP calling but just a few little purrs here and there, remember your not trying to seduce him your trying to piss him off that another tom has his hens. Now in late season when the hens leave the toms but they are still looking more exciting yelping and such can be very productive but in the early season this is the way to go (for me anyways). For me this is also a good way to do it when your in a area where the birds have a lot of hunting pressure because most of them are use to hearing a bunch of crazy yelping and know to stay away (educated). I hope this helps...

Now don’t make fun of my awesome computer drawling skills lol but here is a little picture of what I’m talking about, nothing is fool proof when turkey hunting but this has always worked good for me.

[2bird]

[KYArcher]

I have not harvested one with the bow yet but have killed many with scatter gun. But I agree with Whip. I haven't hunted them with the bow for a few season but plan to this spring. I plan to try and pattern some birds and hunt from a blind. Also plan on buying some new decoys. Good luck to ya!....KY  

[R. W. Mackey]

I never hunted South Carolina, do you have any crops in your area. If so I would spend some time before season scouting the fields for sign or birds. Pastures or cut overs work about the same, they all provide food and nesting areas for the hens.
  As most have said, I try to set up a blind in an area where they spend most of the day. This may or may not be close to
Where they roost. Plan on spending the day, you never know
When they will show up. I call about every 15 min. A little more aggressive in the morning and progressively softer as the day goes by.  I always use two decoys, a Jake and a hen, DSD are my choice. It doesn't make a difference on what hen pose you use. The only reason I use a hen is because I am making hen sounds. The Jake will get you 90% of your shots. A grown Gobbler will just not allow a Jake to be near a hen. They will come in trying to kill it, very exciting.
  Now for the last part, you didn't say how good a caller you are or what type of calls you use. I'll just say this about a mouth diaphragm call, unless your very, very good on one, you will spook more birds than you will ever call in. Get you a good
Custom made box and a Pot call, slate, glass whatever and learn to use them. Nothing sounds as good as these calls. Learning when to call and what call to make, is the art and science of this great sport.
  Good luck to you.

RW

[Msbow]

I also haven't killed a turkey with trad gear but I'm bound and determined to get one this year. The few I have killed all were after 12:00 p.m. From what I understand some states you can't hunt in the afternoon. If I could give you advice it would be basically what RW said plan on staying all day. It's great hearing them gobble in the morning. When the gobbling drops off they are still around just not as vocal or not at all vocal. Pack a lunch and hang out all day. Just because he's not gobbling back at you doesn't mean he can't hear you. I can't tell you about decoys I'm still trying to figure that out myself. Good luck and hope you get a chance at a good'n!

[JuniataTuscarora]

I hunted them with my recurve the last two springs but I haven't been too determined about it. So Ive resorted to the shotgun and then had success after the first few days of the season. Last spring I scouted and knew there they were, sat there in my hub blind from 5-12. Never heard a gobble but did hear a drum, at 9 yards....They never gave me a sign they were around, bow was on my lap and two strutters at 9 yards as I was sitting there texting a buddy. Moral of story is stay ready. If I had been ready I could have got a shot. After I got my bow up they already moved out of my shooting lane and never gave me a good shot. Just always be ready even If your not hearing anything!!

[Friend]

Hunt public land over 90% of the time...Gave up on setting up on gobbling birds on public land 20 years ago...walk past vocal birds to setup at their typical destination.

Thirty-two bow kills(no gun harvest) may sound impressive to some, however I contend that is not. I typically hunt two days on and one day off the whole season...lots of time in the field and even more mistakes. These birds have a much more advised strategy in avoiding me and I have missed more than twice as many as I have harvested.

Confidence in your set-up should provide the ability to exercise enhanced patience and enable to further the enjoyment of the hunting experience.

No plan is close to fail safe when it comes to pursuing gobs. The challenge of strategizing becomes complicated when it comes to hunting a critter that doesn't even know itself what it is going to do next. Frustration is often encountered.

All the best and enjoy the hunt.

[Charlie3]

I am also a turkey noob. Last year was the first time I went. I used a pop-up blind and had a friend call for me...we also put out 2 decoys 10 yards from the blind to entice a close shot. I've been told most greenhorns overcook the calling, so keep it to a minimum. My first hunt we gobbled once at the first hint of daylight, and a tom flew down right away. We yelped just once and he came in on a rope to the decoys. I thought I made a good shot but sadly we failed to recover the bird. I will try calling myself this year and hopefully shoot better. I'll admit I never thought it would be near as fun as it was, but gosh was it ever. They are pretty birds and an early spring morning is a great time to get outside.