Post by: Marc on March 26, 2020, 02:49:43 PM
Post some of the mistakes that beginning (or experienced) hunters frequently make:
1) Over-calling. Sometimes if a bird is coming in fast to aggressive calling, I will continue, but more often than not, it seems to me that over-calling will make that Tom expect the hen to come to him. I do not think there have been many (if any birds) that did not come in cause I did NOT call enough, but I am certain that I have made birds hang up due to over-calling.
2) Moving from an area too quickly. I have encountered a number of times I planted myself for a bit on a responding bird, and got up to leave (cause he stopped responding), only to realize that the bird was close... Possibly due to having more patience, or maybe due to being more lazy, I have in recent years encountered more and more birds which gave an initial gobble, and then approached completely silent right into gun range.
An example which illustrates of both of these issues, a couple years back I was hunting with my young daughter... After several hours of hunting she was ready to go home (or look for pine cones, or something else). We had some birds off the property and some distance away that had been gobbling, but not moving any closer. After a 1/2 hour of occasionally calling to these birds and them not moving, I talked my daughter into breaking out our lunch and snacks (hidden between a couple downed trees). We kept the noise level down, but ate our lunch, and observed some wildlife with the binoculars in relative silence (no calling) for about 1/2 hour...
As we packed up to leave, I told my daughter to try her call one more time, and those birds answered right on top of us (we had no idea they were there). They came out from a tree-line (3 jakes and a tom), and my daughter got to see her first turkey harvested.
3) Sound and movement. These birds see and hear differently than we do. Sitting and fidgeting for long periods will likely frighten unseen birds... As will talking, or clanging calls and gear together.
If I am going to sit for a long period... I try and either choose, or make an area that hides me from any extraneous movement I might make. I will sit behind a log or rock that hides me while I eat or stop to rest (and listen) for a bit. I generally make a series of calls before taking such a break (and hope for the best). I might even move or cut some brush to make a natural blind for extended periods of sitting.
Also, organize your gear so that it does not "clang" or "bang" together when removing or replacing it. Turkey hunting is not a good time to watch a YouTube video while waiting for a bird to come in.
4) Avoid calling at birds you can see (if you can). There will likely be some disagreement on this subject. But I feel if I can see the bird, he can see me; and if I call when he can see me, he can pinpoint me. If a bird I can see is leaving the area, I wait until he is behind and obstruction before calling. There are exceptions to this though.
But calling at a bird that you can see that is coming towards you, is a mistake... Let him come until he isn't, or until he is in range. Sometimes un-alerted birds will approach at a painfully slow pace. Just breath, relax, and let him keep coming.
5) Moving your gun to the bird before he is in range, or not moving it when he is in good range. I know some will disagree with me on this, but having taken some inexperienced hunters, they often want to move their gun to the bird long before the bird is in range. If you can see the bird, he can see you. Let that bird get into good range, and then worry about getting the gun on him... Or wait until he (or they) are behind an obstruction before moving.
And, unless the bird comes in behind me or to my far right (as a right-handed shooter), I have found that when I do move my gun to a bird in good range, I have a brief moment to get off a clean and ethical shot. If I have to make a large gun movement to the bird, I do so quickly and decisively, and have generally found that there is a brief moment that the birds head comes up, and gives me a perfect opportunity to make a quick/clean kill-shot.
I personally have witnessed and attempted to move my gun to a bird too early and ruined the situation... I have also witnessed and have been guilty of letting birds in good range walk without attempting to make that decisive gun movement.
Please post up those mistakes or misconceptions you have made or witnessed!!! For the new hunters and the old guys....
Post by: CMBOSTC on March 26, 2020, 02:53:52 PM
Post by: Pluffmud on March 26, 2020, 03:16:50 PM
Post by: GobbleNut on March 26, 2020, 03:44:39 PM
The one point you make that should be emphasized is the one regarding calling to a bird that is in sight and closing. If a gobbler is on the way, why continue to call to him,...especially if he is obviously coming to you? I have watched waaayyy too many videos where the hunter/caller did not get a gobbler because he did not know when to shut his yapper.
Now, there may be points in a gobbler's approach where he is getting off-course a bit and needs some subtle hint that he is headed the wrong way, but that can be accomplished by whispering (or other soft, encouraging sounds) rather than yelling at him that he needs to adjust his heading.
All of us want to chat with a gobbler that is on his way, but there is a time and place for that,...and there is a time and place for shutting the heck up!
...I also agree entirely with Pluffmud's post that there are most certainly times where calling aggressively is a better choice than calling passively. You just have to realize when it's time to do one or the other,...and if you are doing one, when it's time to switch to the other....
Post by: bbcoach on March 26, 2020, 03:54:27 PM
Post by: silvestris on March 26, 2020, 04:19:47 PM
Gobblenut, when are the proper times and places for each?
Post by: GobbleNut on March 26, 2020, 04:46:51 PM
“but there is a time and place for that,...and there is a time and place for shutting the heck up!”
Gobblenut, when are the proper times and places for each?
Good question,...to which I wish I had the answer for every gobbler I've ever worked. :)
I do know that if a gobbler is coming straight to me at 60 yards I should pretty definitely shut the heck up!
Post by: Marc on March 26, 2020, 06:18:35 PM
“but there is a time and place for that,...and there is a time and place for shutting the heck up!”
Gobblenut, when are the proper times and places for each?
Bird in sight moving towards me... I am shutting up...
Another hen comes into play... Things changes things rather quickly. A lot depends on where the hen is compared to me and the bird, is the tom reacting to the hen and changing direction? But, with another hen in the game, I will often call when I would normally stay silent.
A hen behind me, and a tom in front... I am going to stay quiet... A tom in front, and a hen behind him, I might start calling back to the hen.... Especially if that tom starts to change direction, or even if the tom is some distance away and the hen is moving towards both of us.
I have made some good calculations that worked out well, and some poor guesses that left me cursing.... Which is why I look forward to each hunt. ;D
Post by: EZ on March 26, 2020, 06:54:50 PM
Post by: Greg Massey on March 27, 2020, 01:48:37 AM
Post by: Paulmyr on March 27, 2020, 03:00:23 AM
Two things that haven't been mentioned yet that will RUIN a hunt, 1. Never ever setup with the sun in your face, always at your back. Pick an area that is shaded, if possible, with the right amount of cover. Always think about where the sun is and where it's goingAlthough I agree with this tactic is not always feesable. There could be a number of reasons. Fields, property lines, or a number of factors can keep me from having the sun at my back. If I am on a ridge in mourning and a turkey gobbles down in the valley to the east of me. I will not be giving up the high ground on order to get the sun at my back. I will pick the the best place I can find preferably in the shade and set up.
Post by: Harty on March 27, 2020, 06:01:24 AM
Big mistake IMO is impatience and others have alluded to this. Hunters often move too soon,try to get too close,shoot too soon,and move through the woods too quickly and loudly. Need be patient,Patient,PATIENT.
Post by: Hooksnhorns on March 27, 2020, 04:42:55 PM
I think that calling to a gobbler on the limb is something that could go both ways. Generally, if I think he’s alone and no hens around, I may only cluck once or twice. NEVER in response to his gobbles. Only in the space of time in between them. Never respond to him on the limb. Now, having said that, if he has hens, the ballgame changes. If he has hens, I’ll respond passively to them. I may after a few gobbles respond to him to let him know I’m interested. Also, I like to be the first hen on the ground. If I’m outta sight of em, I’ll cluck a few times and fly down and take my wing and tap the leaves like a walking turkey and scratch. Reaching around the tree behind me.
Nothing works all the time and nothing is a deal breaker. Even if you shoot and miss a gobbler ( worse case scenario) you still could get a 2nd shot and kill him. So, never chisel anything in stone when it comes to turkey hunting. Have fun and Enjoy this great creation our Father has given us to chase and always give a gobbler respect. To me, there’s just something special about turkeys.
Post by: ManfromGreenSwamp on March 27, 2020, 05:31:52 PM
Take only good, clean, ethical shots of the head/neck at the right moments and distances would be my 0.02
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Post by: GobbleNut on March 27, 2020, 08:06:36 PM
Don't hunt turkeys where there are no turkeys :)
:) :) Of all the mistakes to be made, this is definitely the worst! Unfortunately, I think there have been a few times when I have made that one!
Post by: MK M GOBL on March 27, 2020, 08:13:46 PM
Cell phone is on silent, turned off or stays in the truck. First did this to myself and ruined a hunt while the gobbler was in sight but still out of range, well that ringtone sent him running... Next time I had a youth hunter with me and somewhat the same, set in the timber bird working and mom called to wish him luck... whoops.
Now it is an every hunt thing I ask, not been an issue since. Had a few friends it happened to them too.
MK M GOBL
Post by: guesswho on March 27, 2020, 08:20:02 PM
1. Don't be afraid of the turkey. I've seen guys that just freeze up when they engage a a turkey. Afraid to do anything, turkey loses interest and walks off. Then after the fact the hunter is full of woulda, coulda, shoulda's. The worst thing that can happen is you mess up and spook him. No biggie, try him another day. Mistakes are nothing more than learning experiences.
2. You will here patience, patience, patience. Patience kills turkeys. I agree with this to a point. But patience has saved as many birds as its killed. You can patience yourself out of a kill pretty quick. I lean towards patiently aggressive.
Post by: WildTigerTrout on March 27, 2020, 11:08:08 PM
Post by: Loyalist84 on March 28, 2020, 12:54:54 AM
Post by: GobbleNut on March 28, 2020, 09:53:42 AM
You will here patience, patience, patience. Patience kills turkeys. I agree with this to a point. But patience has saved as many birds as its killed. You can patience yourself out of a kill pretty quick. I lean towards patiently aggressive.
Couldn't agree more. Don't pigeon-hole yourself into thinking that the only way to kill a gobbler is to be patient to the point of not being willing to change your tactics to something different when needed. The one sentence "you can patience yourself out of a kill pretty quickly" is right on target.
While there are definitely times when patience is a virtue and should not be discounted, there are also times for "action" rather than patience. Unfortunately, much of the intuition needed to know when to do one or the other is a function of experience.
Of course, doing one or the other is, to a degree, tempered by where and under what conditions one is hunting, as well.
Post by: silvestris on March 28, 2020, 10:43:53 AM
Post by: tlh2865 on March 28, 2020, 10:45:20 AM
My advice,
2. You will here patience, patience, patience. Patience kills turkeys. I agree with this to a point. But patience has saved as many birds as its killed. You can patience yourself out of a kill pretty quick. I lean towards patiently aggressive.
Patiently aggressive is really well put. I feel like the need for extreme amounts of patience can be mitigated to a large degree by putting yourself in a position close to the bird in the direction he wants to move to begin with. And realizing based on how he reacts to your setup that your initial guess on being close enough and in the proper direction may have been inaccurate.
Post by: guesswho on March 28, 2020, 11:34:21 AM
Couldn't agree more.Uh-oh!
Post by: Bearcat1997 on March 28, 2020, 03:08:04 PM
Sit still. I mean REALLY sit still!I couldn't agree more
Post by: Bowguy on March 28, 2020, 03:41:38 PM
You must hunt where the birds are. Very often new folks think calling is some magical thing. Think more towards coaxing, at least initially/basically. If the birds already wanna go there, you’re there before them, they don’t see you set up, a few soft yelps, clucks or even scratching leaves may be all you need to be the best “caller” in your neck of the woods. On the other hand a contest caller in a bird less area is calling nothing.
Post by: Tom007 on March 28, 2020, 06:03:53 PM
Post by: ol bob on March 29, 2020, 10:12:54 AM
Post by: Bearcat1997 on March 29, 2020, 11:57:28 AM
Post by: guesswho on March 29, 2020, 02:42:12 PM
Post by: Bowguy on March 29, 2020, 03:23:12 PM
Asking total strangers on a turkey forum for advice can be a big mistake.Wish we had a like button for that one. This site has some good guys though your post got me laughing
Post by: Happy on March 29, 2020, 07:10:02 PM
Post by: strum on March 29, 2020, 08:39:38 PM
Speaking of which, anybody got a good location east of the Mississippi for turkeys ? Not asking for specifics just the state,county, gps coordinates, and easiest access to where I am guaranteed to hear a gobbler in the morning.
YES I do
Common mistake : Telling Happy where to hunt.
Post by: Marc on March 30, 2020, 01:11:06 AM
My advice,
1. Don't be afraid of the turkey. I've seen guys that just freeze up when they engage a a turkey. Afraid to do anything, turkey loses interest and walks off. Then after the fact the hunter is full of woulda, coulda, shoulda's. The worst thing that can happen is you mess up and spook him. No biggie, try him another day. Mistakes are nothing more than learning experiences.
2. You will here patience, patience, patience. Patience kills turkeys. I agree with this to a point. But patience has saved as many birds as its killed. You can patience yourself out of a kill pretty quick. I lean towards patiently aggressive. \
I have watched hunters waiting for the perfect opportunity with the stars and the moon aligning... Sometimes you just gott'a pick up the gun and shoot if the bird is in range.
I have also watched some videos in which the bird is in good range, and then leaves with haste, and a desperation shot is fired and missed. Take the opportunity when you have, and let it go when you lost it. Go home and have some Wild Turkey when that happens...
\
Sit still. I mean REALLY sit still!Still... Meaning you do not lift up your arms to yawn and stretch. AND QUIET. When I am hunting with someone there is very little verbal communication (unless we decide to move, and someone leads and makes a game plan). That sharp turn of the head to look at that unexpected gobble is a killer. For the hunter, not the bird.
I'd rather have messy and accomplished rather than neat and unsuccessful..
Post by: tlh2865 on March 30, 2020, 04:39:40 PM
Then I swung to the opposite extreme frustrated that birds wouldn't come to me and would move towards any bird that gobbled at me. This is after striking him while calling so I would often bump the birds on the way to him.
Not hen calling to locate birds without an immediate plan to act if one gobbles was a big lesson learned.
Post by: GobbleNut on April 01, 2020, 09:13:02 AM
Yes, turkeys have a fundamental "rhythm" to their calling, but within that rhythm there is often much variation. Cadence in calling is good, but too much of the same cadence over and over again is not natural.
Turkey voices also vary a lot. Don't get stuck on trying to imitate the old "contest caller" box call yelp. and then keep doing that over and over again. That is a good fundamental sound to have, but it is also not the cure-all in turkey calling. Mix up your calling sounds when things aren't working for you. Try different call types, tones, pitches, and volume.
Turkey voices vary. Sometimes gobblers want to hear a certain,...and, at times, unique,...sound to get their attention. Sound like a turkey, but don't always sound like the same, repetitive turkey when calling,...and especially when that sound is not working for you.
Post by: Marc on April 02, 2020, 04:26:52 PM
On a recent hunt, I was reminded of several things regarding terrain.
Acoustics in the woods, especially with hilly terrain can be quite deceiving. A bird across another ridge sounds quite loud... As he drops down to come towards me, it actually sounds like his considerably further. Then all the sudden "BAM!" there is a gobble that is right in front of me as he clears that next ridge.
Utilize the terrain to your advantage... If the terrain is too steep or too thick, sometimes you might choose a further location with a more accessible route for the bird. You might be able to get right above that bird on a steep drop-off, but he is more likely to walk further to get up a more gentle slope.
Post by: eggshell on April 02, 2020, 04:44:49 PM
Two mistakes I have made:
Hunting a gobbler that's smarter than me, gotta know when your outmatched and find a dumber one
Telling the noisy guy at the diner where I'm hunting and how active the birds are.
Well, dang both these make me look like a dumbarse....well I did sign up on old Gobbler, wait I'm old I can just blame it on senility. :funnyturkey:
Post by: GobbleNut on April 05, 2020, 08:53:55 AM
I usually don't make mistakes the turkeys just are too dumb to follow the plan.
Two mistakes I have made:
Hunting a gobbler that's smarter than me, gotta know when your outmatched and find a dumber one
Telling the noisy guy at the diner where I'm hunting and how active the birds are.
Well, dang both these make me look like a dumbarse....well I did sign up on old Gobbler, wait I'm old I can just blame it on senility. :funnyturkey:
As has been apparent since way back in the T&TH days, we are obviously two peas out of the same pod, eggshell! :)
Post by: eggshell on April 05, 2020, 09:00:17 AM
Post by: GobbleNut on April 05, 2020, 09:45:21 AM
Yeah Gobblenut, I think your right. Maybe someday I'll make it to NM or you can come by Ohio. Hey whatever happened to that long haired guy from Ga?
I'll PM you on it so as not to derail the thread here....
Post by: LaLongbeard on April 06, 2020, 06:20:56 PM
1. Trying to learn how to hunt from watching YouTube hero’s
2. Taking advice from pseudo experts that don’t know much more than the person they are attempting to help, but feel compelled to add their nonsense to anything turkey hunting related because at some point they stumbled upon a Gobbler and killed him, or they heard one Gobble once.
Choose your expert wisely lol.
Post by: strum on April 07, 2020, 06:52:10 PM
Most common mistakes I see are
1. Trying to learn how to hunt from watching YouTube hero’s
2. Taking advice from pseudo experts that don’t know much more than the person they are attempting to help, but feel compelled to add their nonsense to anything turkey hunting related because at some point they stumbled upon a Gobbler and killed him, or they heard one Gobble once.
Choose your expert wisely lol.
This as spot on as anything ive heard yet!!
Im no expert. matter of fact far from it. but I have spent 10-12 years learning my area, making every mistake there is, finding
new spots to hunt, making more mistakes, learning to call less, learning to talk with the birds, making more mistakes. Through all this I feel I get a little better each year. You guys have taught me quite a bit too I must add.
Post by: Prohunter3509 on April 07, 2020, 08:15:13 PM
There is quiet and there is turkey quiet
Post by: strum on April 19, 2020, 06:52:15 PM
When ever I think I need pee i dont wait I pee. Why
Every time I think ..aww ill wait a bit ..Bam a gobbler starts hammering. Or a hen walks in.
Then im trapped . cant move cant pee .
Happened in Alabama deer hunting once to me .. a doe comes in and beds 30 yards from my tree .. she never saw me in my stand but after an hour my eyeballs were floating . I lasted as long as I could and finally stood up and went as quiet as i could in my bottle. of course she saw me. ran off. blowing me like crazy. hunt was over.
Post by: mtns2hunt on April 19, 2020, 08:18:11 PM
Post by: DMTJAGER on April 26, 2020, 09:34:14 PM
When you are set up facing the direction you feel is the most likely direction a turkey will approach you when you call them in ALWAYS, ALWAYS if at all possible set up in an area that the cover allows you to near instantly shift your position or at least swing around with as little effort as needed or is humanly possible to be able to see him and shoot a gobble that has gobbled and based on his gobbling now is coming in to your calls from behind you.
This year I was hunting land I had never set foot on before and saw turkeys strutting out in a medium sized field while roosting them the evening before our first hunt. We had no luck calling one off the roost and set up on the field waiting for golden time of after 9am when the toms have bread the hens and they left to go lay eggs and now the toms are alone and looking for hens and very susceptible to calling.
Sure enough about 9:15 heard a Tom gobble about 300-350 or so yards farther away along the edge of the the field to our right. We picked up and circled around to get closer to him and was able to get about 20' from the field edge and I was glassing the field trying to find him when he gobbled what sounded like a 200 or less yards to our right, as I was deciding what to do he gobbled again and he was definitely getting closer.
Unfortunately I had my son and I literally sit right there about 10'-15' in from the field because we were facing a pretty good opening facing the field and the brush at the fields edge to our sides was near impenetrably thick , unfortunately I gave no consideration to the very heavy brush directly behind and to the right side of us. Once we were seated I gave a few soft yelps and purrs and before I finished calling he gobbled again undoubtedly sounding even closer.
His next gobble told me unmistakably he had left the field and was now in the woods coming in to my sons right side but farther back into the woods than we were I had my son pivot to his right but the brush he was facing was so thick he could hear the Tom walking and drumming but couldn't see any part of him and the Tom was actually no more than 20 yards from him. As I was seated about 10-12 feet to the side of my son I could clearly see the Tom and could have shot him easy. The Tom remained for about 2-3 minuets gobbling and drumming but then walked directly back the same path he walked in offering my son no shot.
Once the Tom was best guess 100 yards away I had us move up closer and in a better position and I called again and he instantly gobbled back but he would never come into range and after about 30 minuets he left.
Had I set my son up to be able to if need be shift and shoot a full 180*-200* to his right he would've killed that Tom.
They don't always fallow the script and do what the last 15-20 Toms I killed did. I know you can'y always be able to set up so you can shoot from most directions but when you can either allow for it or end up having a big old paint brush Tom at 20 yards and no shot.
In my defense in 31 years of turkey hunting I had never had a Tom I called in leave a field go into the woods and come to my set up from behind.
Post by: High plains drifter on March 13, 2021, 11:56:03 AM
When I was starting out some of my first mistakes were calling to any bird that gobbled from wherever I set up to start the morning. That would mean a lot of times calling to birds that would respond to me from 300 + yards but would never travel that far.LI also made that mistake my first 10 years. I learned to sit tight, and wait.One time I shot a gobbler from inside a beaver dam. It takes several years to learn the way to set up.
Then I swung to the opposite extreme frustrated that birds wouldn't come to me and would move towards any bird that gobbled at me. This is after striking him while calling so I would often bump the birds on the way to him.
Not hen calling to locate birds without an immediate plan to act if one gobbles was a big lesson learned.
Post by: silvestris on March 13, 2021, 01:58:19 PM
Post by: Paulmyr on March 13, 2021, 09:12:34 PM
Post by: Paulmyr on March 13, 2021, 09:32:41 PM
The confident one moves in sets up and calls expecting the Tom to show up. The other hesitates, his lack of confidence shows in his calling and his decisions of where to set up, should he call, should he be silent. Should he call softly or loudly. Am I being to aggressive or not aggressive enough? You get the point.
I guarantee the confident hunter will kill that bird with a much higher percentage than the guy who is unsure of himself.
Post by: Tom007 on March 13, 2021, 09:36:17 PM
Post by: macobb on March 22, 2021, 11:26:21 AM
1. If we are trying to get a response be ready to setup before calling, (have a setup picked out before).
2. If I tell you Im about to call you need to get some distance between us to be able to hear better.
3. If you think you hear a gobble point at it as long as were not already working a bird.
4. If you shoot a bird and he is not alone do not move a muscle until the other turkeys are out of the area
Post by: HillclimberWV on May 19, 2021, 06:12:58 AM
4. If you shoot a bird and he is not alone do not move a muscle until the other turkeys are out of the areaIs the purpose of this rule not to educate the other birds. Ive seen some people hang tight on videos and others immediately jump and run after the bird.
Post by: silvestris on May 19, 2021, 10:39:49 AM
Post by: Turkeyman on May 20, 2021, 06:57:30 AM
If you shoot right-handed, point your left shoulder in the direction where you think the gobbler should appear; vice-versa if left-handed. That is about all you can do. That gives you maximum swing if you surmised correctly.
Years ago I took my DIL's brother turkey hunting for the first time. I was feeding him all kinds of advice while we were walking along. Raised a bird not too far away, found a good setup tree. Told him to sit having his left shoulder pointed at the bird. Sat behind him a bit. Bird came in presenting a perfect shot...he just sat there. Bird leaves...I asked him why he didn't raise the gun and shoot when he had the opportunity. He said couldn't because he was left handed.
Post by: MJinCP on October 29, 2021, 02:31:08 PM
Post by: GobbleNut on November 01, 2021, 09:46:50 AM
Long time shooter, first time hunter. Just starting out at 62 years young, and this post is helpful. Thank you. I'm at that sponge stage, where all the info is new, and there's a lot to gather. Appreciate the input very much.
Welcome to the addiction! This is a good place to be in the "sponge stage". :D You will learn a lot from those here. You will undoubtedly get a bit confused by some of the seemingly contradictory information, but that is primarily due to the fact that you are getting it from a lot of folks from different parts of the country who hunt in totally different circumstances.
Simply stated, the basics of turkey hunting are pretty much the same everywhere. However, you will eventually come to the realization that you have to "customize" your approach to turkey hunting based, to some degree, on the places and conditions under which you hunt. You will learn those basics here, but also understand that an equally important step in your future success is to "learn your turkeys" where you are intending to hunt. The "book learnin'",....and your specific "turkey-woods learnin'" go hand in hand. :icon_thumright:
Post by: aclawrence on November 01, 2021, 08:27:33 PM
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Post by: eggshell on November 02, 2021, 06:02:06 AM
Post by: West Augusta on January 13, 2022, 09:38:27 PM
Don't forget to load your gun!!!
That happened to me on my first turkey hunt.
Had never been turkey hunting before, I bought some calls and went to the ridge.
Called in three 2 year olds. I waited for them to pass and "planned" on shooting the last in line.
CLICK. I've never been the same. LOL
The addiction had a firm grasp on me.
Post by: Tclipse01 on January 29, 2022, 04:59:50 PM
Understanding terrain...
On a recent hunt, I was reminded of several things regarding terrain.
Acoustics in the woods, especially with hilly terrain can be quite deceiving. A bird across another ridge sounds quite loud... As he drops down to come towards me, it actually sounds like his considerably further. Then all the sudden "BAM!" there is a gobble that is right in front of me as he clears that next ridge.
I made this mistake last spring and it almost cost me a bird. I was calling across a ravine to a gobbler, and stood up to close some ground. As soon as I stood up, the tom and three hens came popping out of the ravine on my side, about 30 yards away, too close to move for a shot. The hill had blocked the sound incredibly well, sounded like they were 100+ away in some pines.
I stood still and managed not to bust them, let them pass, backed out, and re-set about 200 yards ahead. Had some good luck and got the bird, but man would I have been kicking myself all season for that one. Lesson learned.
Post by: Ches. on February 07, 2022, 12:32:51 PM
- Don't call loud
- Limit my calling if the answer on the roost, although it's fun to banter back and forth with him.
- Call more to the Hens than to the Tom's if you think he has a bunch of hens. I find it easier to get the hens to come to you than to get the Tom away from them.
- Sit it out, 10:00 - 2:00 can be a great time of day. However, I like getting out there 30 minutes prior to light just to listen, that's the fun time of the day for me.
- I don't use decoys anymore, everyone has had different experiences with them. I am not going to say what is right or wrong.
But, I toss all this if a hot Tom starts to come in on a string. I have shot and missed, only to get the same bird fired up and come in 10 minutes later. Go figure.
Ches.
Post by: TRG3 on February 09, 2022, 10:26:03 AM
Post by: Prospector on May 22, 2023, 03:53:59 PM
A nap in my turkey lounger is just part of a nice spring morning in the turkey woods. At least on two occasions, I've been awakened by toms putting the hurt on my decoys. My advice would be to realize that turkeys have all day to wander in their territory and may show up an hour or so after your last call, so stay 20-30 minutes past when you have the urge to head for the truck...and enjoy your nap!GOLD!????????
Post by: Prospector on May 22, 2023, 04:26:50 PM
And- what’s effective in one place may not be in others. An example of this is “when he s henned up, call aggressively and challenge the boss hen or hens”. This is one of the tried and true and you hear it all the time. For some reason though it just doesn’t prove effective where I hunt/ or perhaps I’m not effective at it. Either way, aggressive calling to the hen or hens just moves her away- even if she’s calling back! Now I have had limited luck by taking a softer approach eg not trying to override her. Doesn’t mean it’s not an effective tactic where you are or in your hands. Time and experience in your own area will show you which tactics you employ or adopt are effective- and, guess what? None will be 100%! It’s why it’s so beloved….
Post by: Lcmacd 58 on May 24, 2023, 07:03:17 AM
Post by: Tom007 on May 24, 2023, 02:10:18 PM
Post by: Haggstromjohnd on June 10, 2023, 09:55:42 PM