Newbie, overwhelmed by calls!!

[jhoward11]

Turkey hunting is Extremely fun but frustrating at the same time.  Learning to call, when to call and when to be quite is just part of the Battle.  I believe SETUP is 75 to 90% of turkey hunting.  If you are hunting areas that hold birds, you are in the game.  Scouting is a very BIG part of the Setup process.  If you see birds, know their travel routes and know where they tend to go, you can plan your Setup accordingly and you will up your odds of getting birds within range.  As others have said, learn to use the calls you have WITH CONFIDENCE (Practice, Practice and Practice some more).  Get a small tape recorder and listen to yourself until you have the Confidence that you sound like a Hen.  Scout early next spring!  Know where the birds are and where their travel routes are.  Put these 2 things together and your Frustration factor will go way down and your Fun factor will climb exponentially.  Remember FUN doesn't always mean Killing a Bird, that is Icing on the Cake.  Good Luck!

Exactly..... I would add, to be very patient. When I first started, I had no one to teach me, and I was all over the place. When you think you should move, stay put. Try it another 30 min. You are going to have to put in some time and learn on the job, but each year gets more enjoyable with learning and being successful. Good Luck

[kayl]

Thanks for all the advice guys! I know scouting is important, but due to family and work I can't be out at sunrise or sunset very often. I've got some ideas of where they're frequenting right now, but we're still over a month out. I'm going to keep scouting midmorning and afternoon, it's better than nothing, right?

[runngun]

Absolutely!! Just go every time that you are able to be in the woods.  A LOT of turkeys are killed on up in the morning, lunch time. And someone posted earlier that push pin calls are not realistic,  that is FALSE!!! There's some very good push pin calls made. Take your time and learn all the different sound and cadence/rhythm. Confidence is very important, calling and shooting. You can do it!!!!

Have a good one, Bo

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[Lcmacd 58]

Get proficient in whatever call you decide on .... "buck fever" is REAL even when Turkey hunting.....

[sixbird]

If I could give one piece of advice it would be, buy a recording of undisturbed turkeys such as "Tree Top Turkeys" and just listen, listen, listen. Listen to the different hens, different cadences, different voices. Try to mimic one or two that you like or CAN mimic.
The tv shows or Youtube videos CAN be helpful but you generally only get short clips and not all of them are good callers (not that you HAVE to be to kill turkeys). In addition you get the very end part of the calling episode, which is different from striking them or working them.
All of that said, you can be a pretty sad caller and still call them in. Don't worry about perfection. Hens aren't perfect.
You'll get 'em. Just have fun. Enjoy the songbirds, the sunrise, a gobble in the morning or a turtle crawling by. Then, suddenly, a gobbler will be there in his glory. It's a journey. Don't miss the attractions along the way...

[kayl]

Put it all together today with my 11y/o for the youth hunt! We set up in a field that's held turkeys midmorning and had gobbling from the roost shortly thereafter. Spent an agonizingly long time waiting for flydown and then even more time waiting for him to stop being hung up at 75 yards and come in, but she got her shot and dropped him! I used the copper and slate Mike Yingling call I won here last year, a primos diaphragm, and a cheap primos slate. Cutting hard at him and cutting off his gobbles was the key. It was awesome to put it all together and get our first bird ever on public land without outside help!!!

[Zobo]

Put it all together today with my 11y/o for the youth hunt! We set up in a field that's held turkeys midmorning and had gobbling from the roost shortly thereafter. Spent an agonizingly long time waiting for flydown and then even more time waiting for him to stop being hung up at 75 yards and come in, but she got her shot and dropped him! I used the copper and slate Mike Yingling call I won here last year, a primos diaphragm, and a cheap primos slate. Cutting hard at him and cutting off his gobbles was the key. It was awesome to put it all together and get our first bird ever on public land without outside help!!!

Awesome!!! Be honest, it was the Yingling call that sealed the deal,lol! Congrats!!!

[Lcmacd 58]

Learn to be proficient with your calling under pressure
Spend as much time as possible in the woods listening

[Sir-diealot]

Put it all together today with my 11y/o for the youth hunt! We set up in a field that's held turkeys midmorning and had gobbling from the roost shortly thereafter. Spent an agonizingly long time waiting for flydown and then even more time waiting for him to stop being hung up at 75 yards and come in, but she got her shot and dropped him! I used the copper and slate Mike Yingling call I won here last year, a primos diaphragm, and a cheap primos slate. Cutting hard at him and cutting off his gobbles was the key. It was awesome to put it all together and get our first bird ever on public land without outside help!!!

That's great, congratulations to the young lady! Now you have to get one!

[BennieGobbler]

Totally cool. Time is the best advice you can get. Relax and give them time!!


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[Haggstromjohnd]

So much info it's overwhelming at times ... Keep it simple?