Just remember a Tom's nature is to lure the hens to him... not the other way around.....
Turkey Hunting Basics?
- Thread starter jlovie
- Start date
Just remember a Tom's nature is to lure the hens to him... not the other way around.....
- Location
- Central Ontario
It may be in his nature, but it almost never works that way while hunting
Always in his nature... you just have to improvise your set.... for example he may be laid back listening to the hens jibber jabbering and singing contentment assuming they are coming to him.... but throw a "satisfied" or courting jake call in the set and all of a sudden he will want to exert his dominance and burst on the scene....
You are absolutely right though... in order to be a good turkey hunter you have to hav e some imagination and be willing to try different scenarios....
Nobody has mentioned this yet...SIT STILL!!!! I've hunted (or tried, is it still called huting then?) turkeys for three years. Last year got my first and second. My secret? A blind, and maybe a bit more calling skill. I figured out that I can't sit still enough to fool these wary birds, so I tried a blind with great success. I had called birds in before, but got busted, in the blind I didn't have to worry about movement so much.
- Location
- Central Ontario
Superbad...I agree whole heartedly. Thats why I do as well as I do. If I'm hunting with a partner, I will set up the shooter with a jake gobbler (I hunt my own private property) and instructions to use sparingly. That often gets a hung Tom fired up. Hell, I've lost some jake decoy's to a pissed off Tom! lmao
Absolutely... these things have better eyesight than deer... I suspect your calling skill had a part in it...
Now... I don't blind hunt but I camo myself to the teeth and if I were to blind hunt I would ensure my blind was out a few days before hunting it..... don't expect to plop a blind down the same morning and be successful.... it happens as it happens with deer... but you have abetter chance if you let them get used to your blind....
If your are not sure of your calling just roost one the night before get very close within 90 metres or so sit down and wait, just yelp 3 time and shut up, with the hand you are not holding the trigger, just scratch in the dry leave, dont make another sounds just scratch every minute 10 seconds, the toms go wild and usually will fly down and run toward the scratchig, got a lot of 25+pounds this way... JP.
That can work... along with the fake turkey wing flydown..... so many ways to bag a bird... but you need to understand how they think and be able to replicate what they do.... good post JP...
I have a wing I sometimes use to simulate flydown in the field...
Biggest trick is finding the roost. If you roost a bird and the jake or tom is alone you have a chance. All the calls probably will not work if the jake or tom has a real hen to chase. A month before opener scout for birds and find out there roosting spot. If you know where they roost then that is around 75% of the battle. You can buy decoys and other stuff. A simple box call will work for you. Find a roosting spot and you are golden. Set up around 100 yards away and not close and open they hear your calls and fly down and seek you calls.
Number one thing DO NOT MOVE. If they see you are busted.
Roosts change... the roosting birds have no "nest"....
Use a crow call in the dark to get one gobbling from the roost. If you get a response set up towards where it came from. Don't overcall. I am guilty of it - I like the back and forth calling-response, however every extra call allows the bird to locate you. I have birds run by me before I get the gun up and sneak in and stand where I can't shoot because I over called and they saw me before I saw them. Once the turkey responds get the gun up and be patient. Point the gun in the direction the turkey is likely to come from not neccesarily the direction you hear it from, the turkey is not going through thick and tangled brush or obstructions. Spring turkey is one of my favourite hunts.
Yes, as others have mentioned once you are set up with decoys and have your camo on you MUST not fidget. Alot of times you don't see them coming, especially if you are hunting a field... all of a sudden they are right beside you having snuck along the treeline in your peripheral vision... if you move at all, they will be gone... they spook very easily and have excellent vision.
Adrian J Hare
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- NewLowell On. Can.
Get a copy of "Learning the Ropes of Wild Turkey Hunting" This dvd was put together to help new hunters gain 5 years and unsuccessful ones to use tags....
