Turkey hunting is not something I've much contemplated before, they weren't around when I was a kid and as an adult the prospect of still hunting has never much appealed to me. Until now that is, when I'm old and inactive enough to be at least mildly interested. There's still the local reputation of wild turkey meat being not at all enjoyable to eat of course, and when you look at a single decoy with a $250 price tag that too seems unencouraging. Still, it's hunting you can do in the spring and I have most everything I need already, just really need the special tag. What I want to know is, are decoys really necessary (or any use) and how necessary is it to call them in? I was disgusted to learn that I can get an electronic call box that does something like 6 calls perfectly but they're illegal here and I would have to use a slate box setup that requires the use of both hands whereas I'm after a bird that will bolt if I raise a finger. And yeah there are cheap sets of 3 decoys that can be had for around $50- if I can even find wild turkeys (they mostly hang out in protected areas like nature preserves here). Any comments are welcome.
Gimme some real life hints about turkey hunting
- Thread starter Big Bad
- Start date
I use decoys with stellar results. Early season a jake and hen have worked well for me. You tube is a good resource. I follow Dale Outdoors and there are hours of videos about turkey decoys and the setups. Proper placement is key. Have fun!
Like most hunting, conditions vary widely depending on your location. Around here, you'll see people chasing them out of their gardens using a broom.
I like eating wild turkey, but the flavour probably varies alot depending on what they are eating. And of course, the quality of the cook is far more of a determining factor....
I like eating wild turkey, but the flavour probably varies alot depending on what they are eating. And of course, the quality of the cook is far more of a determining factor....
You don't need high end fancy decoys. The foamers you are talking about will easily attract birds. And you don't even need decoys, especially if visibility is limited.
Call less, call softly. If you hear a hen calling, try and mimick her.
If you have a gobbler coming, stop calling. Excessive calling can cause a gobbler to shy away or hang up out of range. Curiosity has killed as many gobblers as anything else.
Be still, be patient, be well hidden.
You don't need a fancy choke and high price shells. Old imperial 2.75" #4-6 lead shot though a full choke will kill any out to 40 yards.
Scouting ahead of time and trying to locate birds roosting the night before can really turn the odds in your favour.
Call less, call softly. If you hear a hen calling, try and mimick her.
If you have a gobbler coming, stop calling. Excessive calling can cause a gobbler to shy away or hang up out of range. Curiosity has killed as many gobblers as anything else.
Be still, be patient, be well hidden.
You don't need a fancy choke and high price shells. Old imperial 2.75" #4-6 lead shot though a full choke will kill any out to 40 yards.
Scouting ahead of time and trying to locate birds roosting the night before can really turn the odds in your favour.
canadian hunter312
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Brant County
No big investment required at all to hunt turkey. Use the bow you may already use for deer or a cheap single shot is fine. No camo required, just build a natural blind or use existing cover. As for calls, in the spring you will have much better odds if you call. Box and slate calls don't need to be new, used work just fine. As for decoys, they definitely are not a requirement and in pressured public areas decoys often scare more birds than they attract.
If you don't want to buy calls, wait for the fall hunt when they're flocked up and much easier to pattern. Just sit and wait....
If you don't want to buy calls, wait for the fall hunt when they're flocked up and much easier to pattern. Just sit and wait....
canadian hunter312
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Brant County
Forgot to touch on eating them. As with many other wild game they tend to be lean so you really need to avoid overcooking. Take it out at 158-160 degrees and let it finish cooking to 165 while it rests.
Deep fried whole bird is delicious, but you'll get better results breaking the bird down and cooking the legs and breast separately. Breast are done at the 165 mark while the legs are high collagen and need low and slow to 180 degrees to break it down into silky smooth tender yumminess.
Deep fried whole bird is delicious, but you'll get better results breaking the bird down and cooking the legs and breast separately. Breast are done at the 165 mark while the legs are high collagen and need low and slow to 180 degrees to break it down into silky smooth tender yumminess.
I have had the most success in the late morning. I will go out early and call and move around a bit and usually a few hours later after the tom is done with the hens near him he will come looking for the one he heard earlier... And take a Thermacell for the bugs.
Oh yes turkeys are plentiful and over-tame here too-- where they can't be hunted. A trio of gobblers closed a major nature trail a few km from me over the weekend, because they were running at the birdwatchers who wanted to see some birds. Mind you, the closure was done by the infamous National Capital Commission, an unelected body who take fantastic delight at closing things, it's like a fetish with them.
You don’t need anything special to hunt turkeys but patience.
If you find areas they have frequented, roosting areas or a place you find signs of strutting especially, you can patiently wait there. They are creatures of habit. Calling and a decoy can increase your odds but are not required.
Getting out is more than half of it….
If you find areas they have frequented, roosting areas or a place you find signs of strutting especially, you can patiently wait there. They are creatures of habit. Calling and a decoy can increase your odds but are not required.
Getting out is more than half of it….
Learn to call to locate and pull them in. It's the main way your going to get their attention. I don't use them but I know others who use crow/owl calls to locate in the early morning and late evenings. I've not had much success with cheap decoys (The kind that don't hold their shape well), Spend some money on ones that can at least hold their shape correctly or they are more a hindrance then an advantage. But really they aren't 100% needed they just increase the odds. I like to use a couple of Hens, and a Jake (young non mature male) decoys. Turkeys aren't the smartest animal, so get your calling down to a decent quality and it shouldn't be to hard to get the job done.
While I think we need to end the modern pesticide use, as it's ruining the bug world so drastically that it threatens us all. Remove the bottom rungs and things above start to collapse. But they state the chemical's are found in their liver, so I'm assuming just don't eat the liver and you'd be fine? But sucks to see this is an issue to begin with.
cdn1canhunt
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- southwestern ontario
Scout and map out gobbler roosting areas before the season. Decoys are ghey! Hunt in the woods and make the toms look for you the lost hen. Learn how to use a mouth call.
Play hard to get when dealing with a Tom looking for love. Many new hunters call too much because they like the fact that a gobbler is responding. Stop calling and shut up for a bit. You can also call quieter or softer to make it seem the hen is going away from the Tom. That may make him move closer to close the gap.
I have 3 DSD decoys. Jake, laydown hen and feeding hen. Expensive decoys are not at all necessary, but I like the way they look and feel, and I can afford it. They are tough because I've let several Toms beat the crap out of my Jake for several minutes just for the show. You'll be fine with $20 crappy tire decoys or no decoys at all. Practice calling.
I'd shoot just as many birds without decoys, but I like to put gopros in my decoys to capture up close footage.
I have 3 DSD decoys. Jake, laydown hen and feeding hen. Expensive decoys are not at all necessary, but I like the way they look and feel, and I can afford it. They are tough because I've let several Toms beat the crap out of my Jake for several minutes just for the show. You'll be fine with $20 crappy tire decoys or no decoys at all. Practice calling.
I'd shoot just as many birds without decoys, but I like to put gopros in my decoys to capture up close footage.
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