Lets talk turkey

Lionhill

Lionhill

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Location
South Okanagan
I'm going to try for my first BC Tom this spring for the season starting April 15th.

Total newbie at this, so if there are some premium websites for info, I'd appreciate them. What terrain to look for, call sites, and such.

I'm considering the Rock Creek area, so if you have any suggestions for a spot near there - I'd be very appreciative for the PM.

Thanks if you can help.

LH
 
One suggestion, is to start practicing with your calls, NOW.
Drive your family nuts! :D
Take them to work, the mouth call is a blast.
Practice in the car, roll down the windows and get weird looks.

Seriously, good calling is very important. Some calls come with tapes, use 'em.
 
Well, here is my very limitted advice borne from last years hunt.

Used:
a box call(Can't remember the brand)
Crow call to locate
Collapsing decoy(Intruder Jake)
Full break-up including face cover
Gunnutz purchase Mossberg with Undertaker choke
3" Tungsten round
Red Dot

I suspect your terrain is alot like the foothills out here. I looked for good Pine cover with open areas, on top of the Hills. They typically escape by flying down hill so look for long chutes that will accomidate a bird of this size. I was advised here(CGN) to locate Turkey in the evening when they are roosting(Good advice)

PB210024.jpg



My Jake was up an hour before dawn and climbing. He travelled out in the open, along the ridgline; in the sun. I kept to the valley and in the trees. After an hour of jogging, I got below him on the Western slope of the hills(I was able to keep track of him becuase he was gobbling the whole time). I had to climb about halfway up the hill before I found a large clearing in the pines. I threw up my Deke(parallel to my position under a tree) and called him down.



turkeyhunt010.jpg


He only came in around 16lbs but I was not going to pass on my first bird. I saw another hunter with a Tom that went 23lbs. I'm hoping one of my buddies gets drawn this year so I can go out and call for him.
 
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John Y Cannuck said:
One suggestion, is to start practicing with your calls, NOW.
Drive your family nuts! :D
Take them to work, the mouth call is a blast.
Practice in the car, roll down the windows and get weird looks.

Seriously, good calling is very important. Some calls come with tapes, use 'em.
Click to expand...


YUP....Calls ROCK!! You will, without a doubt, drive your family INSANE!!

Box call is the best, and easiest..mouth calls can be effective when they're in to close to move.

Good calling is important, but "perfect" is not a requirement. If you sit and listen to turkeys, they make some really phucked up noises... they can't even call right sometimes!

Camo Camo Camo. Be a master at being a bush!
Pre-hunt evening scout works well...but not necessary. I've taken them almost every way possible.. calling them, sneaking up on them, runnin and gunnin etc.

Still have to nail one flying though.... and knock one out of the roost!:D
 
I'd say all your need is a box call for your first time. A slate call wouldnt hurt either. Make sure you get atleast one decoy. A jake decoy and hen decoy work the best for me. The toms come running and circle my jake decoy. I usually shoot before they gang beat my jake, but he's definatly taken a beating over the years. Some nice battle wounds :)
 
I hunted Toms last year in BC, I have to say it was a good experience. I use diaphrams calls, box, and locator calls. It is also a very very expensive, turkey dinner (if you live in the Lower Mainland) once you add up all the cost involved to get to a good turkey place and bagging one.. Hell you're better off buying 10 large frozen turkey at costco then do a road trip for just 1 turkey.

That being said if you're into hunting I guess you could also do the spring bear hunt at the same time. ;)

Full cammo is needed turkeys have excellent vision and can see in colour. No shiny stuff, and a face mask or camo face paint is needed.

Gobble Luck!
 
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Lionhill! Are you hunting Merriums? I heard there were Easterns located to the west and doing well.Merriums are I think the purtiest.
Good boxcall and a slate will do all that needs doing. Given only one I'd pick a long box. Diaphrams sound very realistic once you get used to them but YUCK when you take them out of you mouth and then throw them back in next weekend;)
Longbox cuts the wind and carries for along ways. Yelps and cutts are best done on a box. Boxcalls can be tuned to gobble very well and soft purrs can rival a slate if you do your homework and practice.
The slate or glass surfaced "pot" calls are king of the cluck and purr sounds. These calls yelp very well but don't give the volume of a longbox. That said, do your locate and long range calls with the box then finish up with a pot.
More traditional is the wingbone. But you need to get some wingbones first;). These calls are amasing when you get used to using them. Basicaly the sound is made with your lips and the wingbone call works like a trumpet to amplify it.
Ther's other calls to like tube calls, scratch boxes, push pins. trumpets and the list goes on. Can't go wrong with a boxcall;). Most important is practice and also knowing when to call and when not to. Most new hunters call themselves right out of a turkey by calling too much. Time under the tree is the teacher
 
Oh if I could recommend one more item.

Primos Mastering the Art of Turkey Hunting DVD came with a free mouth call.

I thought it was a great introduction and instructional video to calling in Toms. :D

I must what that dvd 60 times before I went on my hunt, drove my wife mad. ;)
 
Calls are great but I find the box and slate calls far more practical than the mouth calls, that being said I seem to choke on mouth calls and then vomit my face off.I have seen people with mouth calls that make me jealous, they can shoot with both hands instantly and still call, so If you can do it, then do it. I have been raising "domesticated" eastern's for 3 years and now I can do the calls without any call at all. I got a coyote two years ago with my Gobble and a tom this year. The most important things I have found are territory and camo. The birds are relatively easy to pattern,( I see them every day) and after that a good decoy and an attempt at a call will go a long way. I always have had my best luck hunting on the edge of an open space, I find it one of the few ways to get them to come in relatively straight. I have also got lucky and filled my tag walking home up the trail but I wouldn't put any money on that approach.
 
Lazy Ike...... beautiful country!

I can't help but laugh everytime I hear about practising with the Turkey Call ( I was in a Bobcageon grocery store with mine in my mouth , going around making people crazy! ) what a hoot! Good luck and most of all have fun!
 
No Apology necessary. I grew up in Alberta, those photos are heart warming.

I am still lurking at the NWTF, so no not yet.

How was the eating on your turkey? I hear that preparation is everything?

I may be talking crazy here, but I'd really like to take one with a .17 HMR rimfire. Most the the hunters I speak to can get to 75 yards, but not much closer when stalking. The .17 HMR makes a 100 yard shot possible - but do they pause for long enough to make a head/heart shot?


LH
 
Lionhill said:
No Apology necessary. I grew up in Alberta, those photos are heart warming.

I am still lurking at the NWTF, so no not yet.

How was the eating on your turkey? I hear that preparation is everything?

I may be talking crazy here, but I'd really like to take one with a .17 HMR rimfire. Most the the hunters I speak to can get to 75 yards, but not much closer when stalking. The .17 HMR makes a 100 yard shot possible - but do they pause for long enough to make a head/heart shot?


LH
Click to expand...

I would definitely recommend a head or neck shot. You'll lose to much meat with a exposive round like the HMR. I know guys that have taken turkey with 22 WMR or 22 LR. You shoot the breast it won't be enough to kill the bird these birds are thick, it will fly away.
 
Lionhill said:
No Apology necessary. I grew up in Alberta, those photos are heart warming.

I am still lurking at the NWTF, so no not yet.

How was the eating on your turkey? I hear that preparation is everything?

I may be talking crazy here, but I'd really like to take one with a .17 HMR rimfire. Most the the hunters I speak to can get to 75 yards, but not much closer when stalking. The .17 HMR makes a 100 yard shot possible - but do they pause for long enough to make a head/heart shot?


LH
Click to expand...

I brined mine for a day, then covered it in dbl smoked Back Bacon and cooked it over chunks of mesquite and Alder . It was very good.

You may want to check your regs re 17 hmr, I'm pretty sure in Ab it was shotty only.

I shot my Jake @ 15 yds. A red dot and a good choke put 3 bb's in the neck and head with no wastage.
 
Lazy Ike said:
I brined mine for a day, then covered it in dbl smoked Back Bacon and cooked it over chunks of mesquite and Alder . It was very good.

You may want to check your regs re 17 hmr, I'm pretty sure in Ab it was shotty only.

I shot my Jake @ 15 yds. A red dot and a good choke put 3 bb's in the neck and head with no wastage.
Click to expand...

Checked: Rimfire is good in BC. That brine recipe sounds great!

LH
 
Balkan said:
please suggest a good box call
Click to expand...

Quaker Boy waterproof box call & push pin call work for me. They work wet or dry which is nice. Mouth calls are my favorite, but some people find them hard to get used too. Practice as much as you can off season. Best way to learn is to get out & listen to the turkeys. Best of luck with your hunt.

George
 
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