After a few PM's and a great thread we had going I thought I would throw some basic technique out there as well as some gear ideas... I am confident in my turkey ability in that I have never had to hang a tag but I would love to hear some other folks chime in with ideas....
So, what do you need for turkey hunting?.... I will start at step 1... since this is CGN I will start with the gun..... In order to successfully hunt turkey the best setup is a 12 gauge shotgun with a "turkey" or "extra full" choke.... also, the majority of these setups are camouflage finished... Recently, the 3 1/2" shotgun shell came to light and is standard as an availability in all turkey guns... that being said, I have been very successful with 3" shells... The gun I have pictured below is mine... It is a rem 870 express with aftermarket camo stocks and a red dot site.... only shoots 3".... personal preference... research your own options.... keep in mind I took my first half dozen birds with a modified 870 and wood stock with a 3" shell....
Now.... second most imoprtant gear... camo... good camo... this isn't deer hunting.. .you aren't up a tree, you are at ground level... turkey have the same eyesight you would expect from coyotes or predators, unlike deer they see in full colour and are always on the lookout.... you should have either a blind or have a good camo outfilt... I prefer the outfit as I like to be mobile.... a BIG asset is a turkey vest.... why?... because it carries all of the other gear I am about to cover..... also, turkey vests have built in seats so no need to carry a stool etc...
Now, this is "optional" but I am a strong believer... decoys.... get 2 hens and a jake... set them up so that to an approaching tom they look like a jake is going to mate a member of the tom's harem... bring's 'em in every time.... also does wonders to keep the tom's attention away from your position...
OK... now the nitty gritty... calls... you will never be a good turkey hunter unless you can call.... they aren't like deer... they don't travel the exact same path every day... they are mobile.... you can't bait them and you will be hunting them during mating season so you have to call them in .... there are a few different types of calls you can / will use...
1- My fave and in my opinion a necessity.... the box call... there is no sound a turkey makes that you cannot replicate with a box call.... once you master it, it is the easiest to use.... not the easiest to use out of the box if you are new but a littole effort will have you doing clucks, purrs and cuts.... As an aside, I collect these... I have 12.... I just love these calls....
2- Another widely used call is the pot call... they can be made fom slate, aluminum or glass... they involve raking a "striker" across the surface in order to make a sound... these are also able to make every sound a turkey can make... This will invite argument, but I personally find thema bit harder to use than box calls... that being said, it is great to be able to imitate more than one "hen"... use a few calls at the same time to try and give a gobbler the impression that there is more than one hen available....
3- The easy yelper.... same as the two above... very easy to use... actually the easiest to use. That being said, you really can't get a good cut out of it.... I carry one because if you put it in a ziploc bag it is waterproof and easy to use.... not affected by rain... very good for first timers also.. I do recommend it....
4- The mouth diaphragm call, my personal nemesis..... They don't do cuts purrs etc.... they are designed to make yelps... Many people use these successfully... I don't want anyone reading this to think they are useless... great for when that big Tom approaches and you want both hands on the gun and want him to keep coming... it goes in your mouth so no hand or arm movement required... I have been trying for a while.... I still can't get it... but many others can.... JMOP I guess... I will keep trying...
5- Jake gobble... I love this call... many don't use it but when you have a gobbler responding and hanging up on your hen calls... throw one of these in... especially if you have decoys out... Tom will think that jake is trying to breed your hens and bust on the scene.... if you set your dekes up well he will see your jake trying to mount a hen and go berserk... which may cause you to have to sew your jake deke up with fishing line after cooking your newly shot tom....
.....
6- Crow call
Right before last light walk through the bush slowly... blow this every couple hundred yards and listen for a gobbler to call back... once he does you have him "roosted" and you have put a gobbler to bed.... the objectove of this is to sneak in to that same spot the next morning before first light, set up your dekes and call the gobbler in..... my fave form of turkey hunting....
OK, disclaimer... there are a few other turkley calls out there... pumpers gobblers etc.... these are the basics... some areas allow electronic calls for turkey... not mine... so I will leave it at that....
Other important supplies?.... of course, you have to maintain these calls... always carry call chalk as well as a sheet of fine grit sandpaper to maintain your calls.....
What else should you bring?....
GPS... roost that big bird the night before and mark the spot on your GPS.... just makes it damn easier to get to the next day....
Others (shown in pouch).... first aid kit, and anything else you need as replacements... batts for a red dot, knife for field dressing etc.... also. don't forget your hunting knife.... get the guts out and keep that bird....
In summary, turkey hunting is one of the most rewarding hunts out there.. to take a wary tom you need full wits, patience and skills....
Let's start with this post and share our experience / ideas... I am looking to learn too... end of April / beginning of may is fast approaching....
So, what do you need for turkey hunting?.... I will start at step 1... since this is CGN I will start with the gun..... In order to successfully hunt turkey the best setup is a 12 gauge shotgun with a "turkey" or "extra full" choke.... also, the majority of these setups are camouflage finished... Recently, the 3 1/2" shotgun shell came to light and is standard as an availability in all turkey guns... that being said, I have been very successful with 3" shells... The gun I have pictured below is mine... It is a rem 870 express with aftermarket camo stocks and a red dot site.... only shoots 3".... personal preference... research your own options.... keep in mind I took my first half dozen birds with a modified 870 and wood stock with a 3" shell....
Now.... second most imoprtant gear... camo... good camo... this isn't deer hunting.. .you aren't up a tree, you are at ground level... turkey have the same eyesight you would expect from coyotes or predators, unlike deer they see in full colour and are always on the lookout.... you should have either a blind or have a good camo outfilt... I prefer the outfit as I like to be mobile.... a BIG asset is a turkey vest.... why?... because it carries all of the other gear I am about to cover..... also, turkey vests have built in seats so no need to carry a stool etc...
Now, this is "optional" but I am a strong believer... decoys.... get 2 hens and a jake... set them up so that to an approaching tom they look like a jake is going to mate a member of the tom's harem... bring's 'em in every time.... also does wonders to keep the tom's attention away from your position...
OK... now the nitty gritty... calls... you will never be a good turkey hunter unless you can call.... they aren't like deer... they don't travel the exact same path every day... they are mobile.... you can't bait them and you will be hunting them during mating season so you have to call them in .... there are a few different types of calls you can / will use...
1- My fave and in my opinion a necessity.... the box call... there is no sound a turkey makes that you cannot replicate with a box call.... once you master it, it is the easiest to use.... not the easiest to use out of the box if you are new but a littole effort will have you doing clucks, purrs and cuts.... As an aside, I collect these... I have 12.... I just love these calls....
2- Another widely used call is the pot call... they can be made fom slate, aluminum or glass... they involve raking a "striker" across the surface in order to make a sound... these are also able to make every sound a turkey can make... This will invite argument, but I personally find thema bit harder to use than box calls... that being said, it is great to be able to imitate more than one "hen"... use a few calls at the same time to try and give a gobbler the impression that there is more than one hen available....
3- The easy yelper.... same as the two above... very easy to use... actually the easiest to use. That being said, you really can't get a good cut out of it.... I carry one because if you put it in a ziploc bag it is waterproof and easy to use.... not affected by rain... very good for first timers also.. I do recommend it....
4- The mouth diaphragm call, my personal nemesis..... They don't do cuts purrs etc.... they are designed to make yelps... Many people use these successfully... I don't want anyone reading this to think they are useless... great for when that big Tom approaches and you want both hands on the gun and want him to keep coming... it goes in your mouth so no hand or arm movement required... I have been trying for a while.... I still can't get it... but many others can.... JMOP I guess... I will keep trying...
5- Jake gobble... I love this call... many don't use it but when you have a gobbler responding and hanging up on your hen calls... throw one of these in... especially if you have decoys out... Tom will think that jake is trying to breed your hens and bust on the scene.... if you set your dekes up well he will see your jake trying to mount a hen and go berserk... which may cause you to have to sew your jake deke up with fishing line after cooking your newly shot tom....
.....
6- Crow call
Right before last light walk through the bush slowly... blow this every couple hundred yards and listen for a gobbler to call back... once he does you have him "roosted" and you have put a gobbler to bed.... the objectove of this is to sneak in to that same spot the next morning before first light, set up your dekes and call the gobbler in..... my fave form of turkey hunting....
OK, disclaimer... there are a few other turkley calls out there... pumpers gobblers etc.... these are the basics... some areas allow electronic calls for turkey... not mine... so I will leave it at that....
Other important supplies?.... of course, you have to maintain these calls... always carry call chalk as well as a sheet of fine grit sandpaper to maintain your calls.....
What else should you bring?....
GPS... roost that big bird the night before and mark the spot on your GPS.... just makes it damn easier to get to the next day....
Others (shown in pouch).... first aid kit, and anything else you need as replacements... batts for a red dot, knife for field dressing etc.... also. don't forget your hunting knife.... get the guts out and keep that bird....
In summary, turkey hunting is one of the most rewarding hunts out there.. to take a wary tom you need full wits, patience and skills....
Let's start with this post and share our experience / ideas... I am looking to learn too... end of April / beginning of may is fast approaching....
