RoosterTim
New member
Who's ready to go chase the smartest dumbest birds in the world? I am for one.
Turkey Hunting
- Thread starter RoosterTim
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RoosterTim
New member
Wildcat: Have you seen any of them break up yet? I don't know what this cold snap will do to their schedule but I was seeing quite a few in smaller groups and now nothing. The opener will not get here soon enouph.
Gove County Britts
New member
I am going for the first time ever and have no idea what i am doing hopefully i will find someone who knows how to call
BritChaser
Well-known member
Jury Duty May Keep Me Away from Turkey Opener
I am usually in a pre-dawn set up on opening Wednesday, but I got a summons for jury duty. So we will see when I actually make it out.
I am usually in a pre-dawn set up on opening Wednesday, but I got a summons for jury duty. So we will see when I actually make it out.
BritChaser
Well-known member
Walmart has good mouthcalls that are easy to use and cheaper than other calls. Also, a mouthcall keeps your hands free for gun handling. Good luck!
I'm a little concerned about the weather. Was seeing mating groups out and about, and even seen a group of mature toms in full strut last weekend on the way home from a fishing trip. However, I haven't been seeing hardly any this past week. I went and looked at the trial cam photos yesterday... lots of deer, a coon, and one jake. Yep, just one. He may be with a group, but they're not on the camera. I have my feeder on the other side of a fence though to keep the cattle out of it, so it may take awhile for the birds to re-route to the feeder.
Can't go wrong with a good 'ole box call. Yelps and clucks alone will usually get them in, and you can produce both with a box call.
I use a slate friction call, along with a few diaphragm calls to imitate the sound of a few different hens, and then drop the slate whenever they get in range. Whatever call you get Gove, you can find more than enough training tips on youtube. :thumbsup:
Edit: Your wife will probably be pissed if you start practicing calling in the house Gove, just fyi.
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henhenROOSTER!!!
New member
Can't go wrong with a good 'ole box call.
Edit: Your wife will probably be pissed if you start practicing calling in the house Gove, just fyi.
:10sign: (all I added was this 10-Sign - the txt is a short extract from wildcat, to which I say a hearty "AMEN")
Edit: Your wife will probably be pissed if you start practicing calling in the house Gove, just fyi.
:10sign: (all I added was this 10-Sign - the txt is a short extract from wildcat, to which I say a hearty "AMEN")
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cheesy
Well-known member
Not two hours after I purchased my first call and decoy, an Ole' Yeller slate, I had a tom strutting in my decoys. Of course, I was so green I wasn't smart enough to sit with the gun pointing into the decoys, when I shifted, he flew and that began my turkey hunting career at age 19 or 20.
A couple days later, I had a perfect set up in some light brush that went down to a field where I had been seeing them. I was set up pefectly so they'd come up the little clearing and into my decoy. A couple clucks and yelps from ol' yeller, and here 4 jakes come running in, right through the heaviest brush, exactly opposite where I was planning.
After those two hunts, I figured this turkey hunting is going to be easy, I've already called in 5 turkeys in 2 days, with zero experience.
It was two years later that I finally shot one. The rest I hunt are for revenge.
A couple days later, I had a perfect set up in some light brush that went down to a field where I had been seeing them. I was set up pefectly so they'd come up the little clearing and into my decoy. A couple clucks and yelps from ol' yeller, and here 4 jakes come running in, right through the heaviest brush, exactly opposite where I was planning.
After those two hunts, I figured this turkey hunting is going to be easy, I've already called in 5 turkeys in 2 days, with zero experience.
It was two years later that I finally shot one. The rest I hunt are for revenge.
After those two hunts, I figured this turkey hunting is going to be easy, I've already called in 5 turkeys in 2 days, with zero experience.
It was two years later that I finally shot one. The rest I hunt are for revenge.
LOL!
Those turkeys can be rather elusive at times. But it sure is a rush when you get a group strutting in on your position! :thumbsup:On another note, how do you guys typically set up? I'm usually hunting out of a blind in my primary spot, and have one of those low-to-the-groud chairs for hunts out of the blind. It works really well because you can use your knee for a rest.
Having a hen and a jake decoy has always worked well for me, but most videos you see folks are usually just using hen decoys.
RoosterTim
New member
I used to set up alot like you do wildcat with a blind in my primary spot and then move if I have to. I lost my blind to a wind storm and never replaced it so I just got used to sitting down in good cover. I've tried all kinds of decoy sets and with jakes and breeding pairs and a strutter but I found the lone hen or two hens are the best set up for the flint hills. I think my best set is a feeding hen and a upright hen.
I think I am going to punt on the strutter because I have had Tom's come toward it and then see him and run the other way. I think there are too many hens to be picking fights is my guess. Tom's seem scared of it.
I think I am going to punt on the strutter because I have had Tom's come toward it and then see him and run the other way. I think there are too many hens to be picking fights is my guess. Tom's seem scared of it.
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cheesy
Well-known member
Not because I know what I'm doing, because I totally don't, but dad and I seem to do a lot of running and gunning, with no particular 'spot' to set up. If we're out at daybreak, we'll try to hear them on the roost, and get as close as we can without scaring. Usually have a pair of hens, or hen and a jake as decoys.
When they don't cooperate off the roost, we'll try and get in front of them to place the decoys and call them in that way.
I've never had luck just randomly calling around, hoping to get one to answer. More than anything, its probably because of lack of confidence in my calling, and I haven't tried it very much. I always try to visually see the birds, and then get in front of them.
The last one I shot, dad and I were going to set up on a field that we knew they had been using, at daybreak they were gobbling a couple fields south of where they should have been. We set up on the property line, put the decoys out, and sat back in the brush of the field edge. A few clucks and yelps and they started gobbling and coming to us. We ended up with a pair in the decoys, and on the count of three we each had our bird.
When they don't cooperate off the roost, we'll try and get in front of them to place the decoys and call them in that way.
I've never had luck just randomly calling around, hoping to get one to answer. More than anything, its probably because of lack of confidence in my calling, and I haven't tried it very much. I always try to visually see the birds, and then get in front of them.
The last one I shot, dad and I were going to set up on a field that we knew they had been using, at daybreak they were gobbling a couple fields south of where they should have been. We set up on the property line, put the decoys out, and sat back in the brush of the field edge. A few clucks and yelps and they started gobbling and coming to us. We ended up with a pair in the decoys, and on the count of three we each had our bird.
RoosterTim
New member
Cheesy, you and I got the same tactics. However, I usually like to put em to bed if possible and work from there. I've hunted turkey for about 10 years now and have two of my grand slam (I want to finish it) and I don't think I know more now that when I started. The only thing I'm sure of is that they are the dumbest smartest birds ever and when you think you have them figured out they change, go the other way and laugh at you.
I'm with you I hunt them out of revenge and pure hate.
I'm with you I hunt them out of revenge and pure hate.
I think I've gotten as many turkeys out of the blind as I have in the blind. However, it's near impossible to draw back on a turkey with your bow if you don't have some kind of cover (by the way, I've shot way more turkey during firearm than I have during bow season, so don't go thinking I'm Ted Nugent or anything). I don't think blind hunting is superior in any fashion when it comes to actually killing turkeys, but you sure can sit in there and throw back some cold ones while you're waiting for them.
I'd like to get my grand slam eventually as well. Not only is it an accomplishment in turkey hunting, but it's a built in excuse to vacation in Florida. :thumbsup:
I'd like to get my grand slam eventually as well. Not only is it an accomplishment in turkey hunting, but it's a built in excuse to vacation in Florida. :thumbsup:
Toad
Active member
Blinds are helpful when hunting with kids or fidgety adults.
Last Spring I took my daughter turkey hunting with me twice. The first time we just tucked into the brush in a PRIME spot, but the turkeys veered off at about 80 yards. She got so anxious when the birds came into view that she just couldn't sit still enough. She was 5 so I can't really blame her... She REALLY wanted to go again, but I knew it would take a miracle...
The second time we went I bought a pop up blind. BINGO! It worked like a charm. She was able to squirm around, dig in the dirt, eat a granola bar, play with a caterpillar that was crawling up the blind wall, and use the slate call. We had a bearded hen walk right in front of us with no idea we were there. Then we still had time to discuss whether or not to shoot, get her earmuffs on, load the gun, and shoot the bird. I'm now a big believer in pop up blinds. :thumbsup: When we go this year we will definitely be using it again.
Last Spring I took my daughter turkey hunting with me twice. The first time we just tucked into the brush in a PRIME spot, but the turkeys veered off at about 80 yards. She got so anxious when the birds came into view that she just couldn't sit still enough. She was 5 so I can't really blame her... She REALLY wanted to go again, but I knew it would take a miracle...
The second time we went I bought a pop up blind. BINGO! It worked like a charm. She was able to squirm around, dig in the dirt, eat a granola bar, play with a caterpillar that was crawling up the blind wall, and use the slate call. We had a bearded hen walk right in front of us with no idea we were there. Then we still had time to discuss whether or not to shoot, get her earmuffs on, load the gun, and shoot the bird. I'm now a big believer in pop up blinds. :thumbsup: When we go this year we will definitely be using it again.
So, I missed a Jake this evening. Worse feeling ever to watch an arrow whiz right over the little fellas head. He wasn't too startled though, and just ran across the creek bottom and up to the other side. I took one more center-of-mass shot with one of my deer broadheads at probably 45 yds., but missed just barely low. Today just wasn't my day. They were right on time though. The trail cam indicated their earliest arrival to be 4:30, latest arrival to be 6:30 - they showed up right at 6:00.
I had a single hen decoy up, and it seemed like they payed no attention to it. I wonder if the breeding really hasn't got into full swing because of the weather. I also know there are many more turkey than the two Jakes on the property I'm hunting. Yet, they're the only two that ever show up on the trail cam. The other morning I heard at least four mature gobblers in the roost going to town, but I never could find them when I was sneaking around the property after I left the blind looking for them...
Anyone else been seeing turkeys around? Are they still in their winter flocks? If you've hunted them, have they payed any attention to your hen decoys? I'm kinda stumped. I honestly think the weather and high wind has something to do with their activity.
I had a single hen decoy up, and it seemed like they payed no attention to it. I wonder if the breeding really hasn't got into full swing because of the weather. I also know there are many more turkey than the two Jakes on the property I'm hunting. Yet, they're the only two that ever show up on the trail cam. The other morning I heard at least four mature gobblers in the roost going to town, but I never could find them when I was sneaking around the property after I left the blind looking for them...
Anyone else been seeing turkeys around? Are they still in their winter flocks? If you've hunted them, have they payed any attention to your hen decoys? I'm kinda stumped. I honestly think the weather and high wind has something to do with their activity.
RoosterTim
New member
I had been seeing mating groups to and from work in the middle part of March but now all the turkeys seem to have disappeared. I'm not sure what is going on but I think they have moved back into winter flocks due to the chilly weather. Hopefully this next week of 70's and 80's will bring them back out along with some mushrooms!
Indeed! We're supposed to get some moisture up this way over the next few days, so hopefully those Morels will be out and about!