Fall Hunting

[Brantley]

Anyone have any experience roosting fall birds? Do locator calls work just as well in the fall?

[fallhnt]

I dont use locator calls much in the Spring but my locator strategy for Fall is yelping LOUDLY after dark or before light. They will respond giving up there location. Scouting is your best option for longbeards if that's what your after  Yes ,they gobble in the Fall along with spit and drum. Fall is a absolute best time to turkey hunt. Good luck

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[birddogdoc]

fallhnt...thanks for that info.  Do you use dogs or what is your hunting strategy for Fall turkeys? 

[rifleman]

I used to hunt them a lot in the Fall.  I'd pack a lunch and stay all day not coming out until dark.  Usually I'd roam around in an area that had sign, calling frequently.  If i got tired of walking I'd go to an area with grapes, dogwoods, or lots of sign under oaks and set against a tree and call.  I have had them walk right in on me usually in the afternoon.  I also had a dog that I trained and that was far more fun as that fella could cover a lot of ground and a heck of a lot of satisfaction from having a dog you trained to do his thing.  He helped my brother and I get birds for maybe 2 Fall seasons.  He then became ill.  Fall hunting can be a quick proposition or maybe days without a bird, just depends.

[fallhnt]

Can't use dogs in IL or MO but I stopped trying to bust Fall flocks 20 years ago. Yes you will hear lots of desperate calling but get in a big flock in late Fall or Winter and your going to hear lots calling. All I ever got out of a flock bust was to hear calling. Big deal. I want to kill when I take time away from my family. So in the Fall if you hunt an area long enough you will find the birds use the same spot year after year and i hunt public ground.I have ruined good roost areas by gunning them after the birds hit the ground. I'm a bow hunter so I like to be close but I like to gun hunt turkey in Fall too. So use caution when gunning roost sites. I will use decoys and calling just like Spring. When the birds come in its fun to watch them interact with the decoys. A feeder hen gets beat up lots too. Most of the time I use 3 hen decoys in Fall. I get better reaction from family flocks vs a lone hen decoy.A brood hen will stay clear of a lone hen,who has nothing at stake,most of the time. Same thing with gobbler flocks. Decoy and call.I roosted 8 last fall,I heard gobbler clucks in the evening but WHAT a hunt in the a.m. Fighting gobbling  running around ECT. After I shot my bird they came back gobbling looking for there buddy. I blew a shot on bird 2 but killed a hen out of a family flock the next weekend for bird two. FYI most people will think a roosted gobbler flock is hens if the don't know they are gobblers and if they don't gobble. They use soft clucks and very few yelps. Hard to hear if your to far away.Fall turkeys get me cranked up. As a bonus I shoot deer that get to close while turkey hunting in Fall. Bucks seem curious about turkey decoys but does ,not so much. Good luck.

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bow kill2 with one shot
.410 my new Fall passion
gun hunts are single decoy hunts due to another passion. Care to guess
blood and feathers after a bow kill
my 2 with 1 aftermath
same tactics when my buddy hunts
My buddy Doug of Spoon River Turkey Calls with a Fall longbeard. Same decoy results and you know he calls