2013 Sprig Turkey tips.

[AnotherDeerDown]

It seems to me, through conversation with other turkey hunters and experience, that turkeys are getting harder and harder to lure. perhaps my calls are to few or far between or perhaps this late in the season most turkeys have mated and are just not interested. I have no trouble getting responses however that only lasts a short while. I hunt from a blind with decoys ( usually 2 or 3 hens and a strutting tom ) about 15 yards out with shake gobbler calls and box turkey calls. A lot of people are telling me now not to call at all but to be patient and wait or to hunt in full camo in plain sight while feathering.

If anyone has any turkey tips, id love to get some responses!!

 

[phinton81]

Keep it simple man,

Your setup would likely intimidate all but the most dominant toms in your area. 2-3 hens, a strutting tom and every type of call available is massive overkill as far as I am concerned. Blinds are great but cut down on your decoys, maybe try a solo hen or hen/jake combo. Forget the gobbler call and just give out small yelps/clucks and cuts.

I have had my greatest success mid/late season as the number of other hunters drops off significantly and toms/Jakes roam more as they've likely bred quite a bit.

Be sure to scout many areas, many hunters just keep going back to the same spot over and over. Check out many locations during the last few hours of daylight and if you seem some birds head back in the morning.

You still have two weeks

Patrick

 

[Ruffian]

I found this year that the big gobblers would not come no matter what call you used. You basically had to wait along their morning path to get one. Jakes on the other hand would come running right at me. Do not keep calling every time you get a response, let them wander towards the call. If you call too much or often you will spook them. I always go out early in the morning but this year I got both in the late afternoon. Late in the season is always best since all hens are nesting and less hunters out.

 

[CanuckR]

I am with ruffian. I got a jake fairly early in the season, came blasting right in to a call and a single jake decoy. Then as the season went on I could get tons of gobbling, but they would NOT leave the cover of the forest. Atleast until a bit later in the morning, closer to 8am or so. Even then they didnt seem to care about my calling they just hung out and strutted around with their hens.

I filled my second tag today. After sitting in a spot for a while I decided to take a short walk to where I could hear all the gobbling coming from when I got into position. I spotted them and was able to move closer using some woods as cover. I then just sat down and let them walk past me. I find the hens are very curious. They could hear me and maybe sort of see me moving around. They all came over to investigate, The hens and 1 jake got really close, and I could tell they were aggravated at me, they were clucking and carrying on, it made the toms seem to want to come and take a look. Luckily the 3 toms followed them. That was that.