Where is our fall turkey hunters at? I'm interested in seeing some more content about it as there is not much available online. Anyone have a good fall turkey hunting story to tell?
No good stories, I've only been at it for 4 years, only story I can tell is the first year I did it I heard more gobbles in that week and a half Fall season then I heard the entire spring season. Also had a flock of turkey pass by me within 3 ft. I think asked about books I've got a couple though it's not read them just yet I'll have to get back to you when I get on the computer and I'm able to dig them out and I'll give you the titles. Having surgery on my foot September 1st so I won't be Fall turkey hunting this year.
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Wow that sounds like an awesome fall. What state were you hunting at that time? Sorry to hear about your foot, I'm sure you will be getting after it this spring!
I used to be a diehard fall turkey hunter. I probably looked forward to it more than spring when I was younger. But I slowly got more into archery hunting for deer and would make a midday hunt or 2 a year for turkey. Then when the population really started going south I pretty much gave it up altogether. Fall turkey hunting can be so easy that it's almost unfair if you have a good population of turkeys and you're targeting young birds. And it can be trying to hunt a unicorn if you don't have many birds and you're targeting an adult gobbler!! It is a fun game and I miss the old days of hunting them in the fall.
If I see turkeys, while deer hunting, it's now a turkey hunt. I don't make a point to go out and do it. Should I? Maybe... but I like big bucks
Quote from: North Mountain Gear on August 23, 2023, 03:44:26 PM
Wow that sounds like an awesome fall. What state were you hunting at that time? Sorry to hear about your foot, I'm sure you will be getting after it this spring!
I was hunting NY it is the only state I have ever hunted for anything.
I started hunting at a very young age and began with hunting squirrels. A few years later I was allowed to Turkey hunt and this would be my first time hunting by myself. This was a fall hunt and I had no idea what to expect. My family and I never saw birds that morning but we changed locations that afternoon. I'll never forget that sound that I thought was a beagle barking. To my surprise I watched a long beard walking down the hillside towards me yelping. Little did I know I had a hen turkey in front of me that took flight when I shot and missed the gobbler. I was using an old Stevens side by side 12 guage and never used that second shot. I couldn't move as I watched that hen literally fly right over my head. It was the beginning of my obsession and I've hunted every fall.
There are several threads on old gobbler about fall hunting. I hunt just as hard in the fall as the spring. You will learn more turkey language in one fall season then 10 years of spring hunting. I target gobblers and if you think they are tough in the spring well, like farmboy said, some days it's like hunting unicorns. That would be only blue unicorns.... I love it.
Quote from: eggshell on August 24, 2023, 07:46:11 AM
There are several threads on old gobbler about fall hunting. I hunt just as hard in the fall as the spring. You will learn more turkey language in one fall season then 10 years of spring hunting. I target gobblers and if you think they are tough in the spring well, like farmboy said, some days it's like hunting unicorns. That would be only blue unicorns.... I love it.
This is spot on but don't let it discourage you from chasing gobblers in the fall. The sounds a mixed flock in the fall makes will definitely teach you alot. The gobbler fights are a sight to see watching 9 long beards establish thier pecking order infont of you.
For as much as I live and breathe to chase spring birds........ I've relegated fall hunting to the back burner. If the whitetail rut is lousy or if I arrow a buck, THEN fall turkey hunting is a thing for me.
Back when I did hunt fall birds seriously, I found that finding the birds was the hunt. A scattered flock of hens and poults became not so much sport anymore. And, call me weird....... I've only ever shot 2 fall gobblers. But only because I hate taking one out that didn't come in gobbling and strutting. I'll purposely spook gobblers when they come to me in the fall so I have one more to hunt in the spring.
I like to add interesting twists if I hunt the fall....... using a special call........using a sentimental gun.......something.......
The one book I can find right away is Fall & Winter Turkey Hunter's Handbook
by Steve Hickoff. Again, I have yet to read it.
About 6 Weeks ago or so,I made a large Turkey Dusting Pit up here in New York. I come back once a week to stir the top soil up again. The Big Birds have visited as there is plenty of Turkey Sign. And,I keep the surrounding area free of Limbs, and Branches of all Sizes. 3rd Week in October is the Fall Opening Day. Hope to bag a Fat Hen or a feisty Jake.
For me, hunting in the fall has always been about big game...and hunting in the spring has always been about hunting gobbling and strutting longbeards. Part of the problem for us western hunters (for me, at least) is that there are just way too many game species available that are only hunted in the fall...and they take away the focus on turkeys. Way back when, I fall-hunted a few years (and killed a few birds) but it just has never held the same thrill for me as the spring gobbler season.
Quite honestly, I started hunting the spring gobbler season when the season was initiated back in the 1960's only because it was pretty much the only (what was considered to be "big game") hunting available in those days around here. Never in a million years (to use the cliche) would I have thought or known that spring gobbler hunting would get the grip on me that it has since those early days! Even though I tried to find the same appeal in fall hunting, I just have never been able to kindle that flame. Good on those that have found that flame for themselves. Go get 'em! :icon_thumright:
I have only hunted a couple of times in the fall and for myself i really didn't care for it ... I agree with some others i was in the getting ready for deer season mood ....
Now if fall hunting is something you enjoy doing by all means go hunting if you have a fall season...
In the fall I'm primarily a deer bow hunter. However, if I do turkey hunt it's generally a "one and done"...as in one day then back to bow.
Quote from: quavers59 on August 25, 2023, 06:08:41 AM
About 6 Weeks ago or so,I made a large Turkey Dusting Pit up here in New York. I come back once a week to stir the top soil up again. The Big Birds have visited as there is plenty of Turkey Sign. And,I keep the surrounding area free of Limbs, and Branches of all Sizes. 3rd Week in October is the Fall Opening Day. Hope to bag a Fat Hen or a feisty Jake.
Never heard of making a dusting pit before, you'll have to tell me more sometime. Seeing that the season starts so late hopefully my foot will let me put it in a bit by then and I'll be able to hunt after all. I have to see what the doctor has to say though.
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I love fall hunting as much as spring. Even if I'm bow hunting I've got calls with me. I've killed a few gobblers in the fall and it's a blast. Birds are super vocal and fun to watch that time of year.
Hello, first time posting here. I have hunted the fall season here in mid coastal Oregon for many years. I'm especially excited this year. I purchased a new shotgun, sight, choke and ammo. So, I can't wait to try it out.
Our season this year is a daily bag limit of 2 turkeys either sex with a yearly limit of 2 turkeys either sex and it runs from the first of September to the end of January, so deer and elk season can be hunted and still have a ton of time to turkey hunt. I save one tag for a tom and one for what ever I come across. I like eating turkey, so the last week I will take what ever I can.
Quote from: North Mountain Gear on August 23, 2023, 12:37:30 PM
Where is our fall turkey hunters at? I'm interested in seeing some more content about it as there is not much available online. Anyone have a good fall turkey hunting story to tell?
A fall story,
Slipping along a finger ridge I saw a gobbler feeding out of range on a parallel ridge, waited for him to get out of sight, set up against a big white oak and gave 2 deep clucks. No response, waited awhile and then gobbler yelped to him, still nothing. Waited another hour and nothing snuck in, was about to get up but I Jake yelped several times and heard a yelp come up from the bottom.
I repositioned, yelped back and heard an immediate answer yelp. This went back and forth and finally saw a Jake coming up, when almost in range he went off the side out of sight, then got behind me on my offside and could hear him going back and forth looking for the turkey and yelping.
I switched the gun to left handed and slowly turned, still couldn't see him but could hear the yelps.
A tree had fallen over into another tree, both still in the air but it bent the 2nd tree over so it had a 12 foot long horizontal section, he had walked up the slanted tree onto the horizontal tree and was walking back and forth from one end to the other yelping once in a while.
This was straight behind me and even left handed it had me cranked around, when he got to the closest open spot I shot him and had a good ending to a very fun hunt.
Don't know what became of the original gobbler, only thing I can figure since he didn't fly over to my ridge and come running in was he must have been one of those very old uncallable hermit gobblers.
I love fall hunting just as much as spring. Sometimes the action is nothing short of incredible, particularly if you're lucky enough to get in the middle of a gobbler flock!
Quote from: PALongspur on August 26, 2023, 04:17:54 PM
I love fall hunting just as much as spring. Sometimes the action is nothing short of incredible, particularly if you're lucky enough to get in the middle of a gobbler flock!
Exactly. Fall flock talk after a good break is a real treat.
Quote from: Dougas on August 25, 2023, 11:03:09 PM
Hello, first time posting here. I have hunted the fall season here in mid coastal Oregon for many years. I'm especially excited this year. I purchased a new shotgun, sight, choke and ammo. So, I can't wait to try it out.
Our season this year is a daily bag limit of 2 turkeys either sex with a yearly limit of 2 turkeys either sex and it runs from the first of September to the end of January, so deer and elk season can be hunted and still have a ton of time to turkey hunt. I save one tag for a tom and one for what ever I come across. I like eating turkey, so the last week I will take what ever I can.
Wow! Your season is very long, I wish I could have that ;D Here it's only 1 week, including one weekend. Do you hunt merriams in Oregon?
Quote from: crow on August 26, 2023, 01:47:32 PM
Quote from: North Mountain Gear on August 23, 2023, 12:37:30 PM
Where is our fall turkey hunters at? I'm interested in seeing some more content about it as there is not much available online. Anyone have a good fall turkey hunting story to tell?
A fall story,
Slipping along a finger ridge I saw a gobbler feeding out of range on a parallel ridge, waited for him to get out of sight, set up against a big white oak and gave 2 deep clucks. No response, waited awhile and then gobbler yelped to him, still nothing. Waited another hour and nothing snuck in, was about to get up but I Jake yelped several times and heard a yelp come up from the bottom.
I repositioned, yelped back and heard an immediate answer yelp. This went back and forth and finally saw a Jake coming up, when almost in range he went off the side out of sight, then got behind me on my offside and could hear him going back and forth looking for the turkey and yelping.
I switched the gun to left handed and slowly turned, still couldn't see him but could hear the yelps.
A tree had fallen over into another tree, both still in the air but it bent the 2nd tree over so it had a 12 foot long horizontal section, he had walked up the slanted tree onto the horizontal tree and was walking back and forth from one end to the other yelping once in a while.
This was straight behind me and even left handed it had me cranked around, when he got to the closest open spot I shot him and had a good ending to a very fun hunt.
Don't know what became of the original gobbler, only thing I can figure since he didn't fly over to my ridge and come running in was he must have been one of those very old uncallable hermit gobblers.
I like your story. I imagine the jake on the horizontal tree... What a dream.
Quote from: Farmboy27 on August 23, 2023, 04:26:55 PM
I used to be a diehard fall turkey hunter. I probably looked forward to it more than spring when I was younger. But I slowly got more into archery hunting for deer and would make a midday hunt or 2 a year for turkey. Then when the population really started going south I pretty much gave it up altogether. Fall turkey hunting can be so easy that it's almost unfair if you have a good population of turkeys and you're targeting young birds. And it can be trying to hunt a unicorn if you don't have many birds and you're targeting an adult gobbler!! It is a fun game and I miss the old days of hunting them in the fall.
This is pretty spot on. Fall hunting can be brutal in a low populated area. Feels like your chasing ghosts. Sometimes you find fresh sign, but you just missed them, and who knows when they Will come through that spot if at all again.
The spot I deer hunted last fall had a huge Turkey population compared to past years.
If you where in the hardwoods, you were going to here a bird.
Called them in on two occasions while deer hunting.
Hunting a Fall Gobbler is tough... they won't make a peep if they dont feel like it and they can be nomadic.
Aside from opportunistic shots (walks by while deer hunting, saw one on a field edge etc...) they can be pretty tough.
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Tagged out yesterday. I decided this year that two hens in the hand is better than not going out very often because of long term responsibilities I have to attend to. I would post a picture, but I can't figure out how to do it. Everything seems to go well but the pic won't show up when I down load it.
I guess it did work after all.
This was the maiden voyage for my new gun (SA20 Mossberg 20 gauge simi-auto), new red dot sight (Vortex Venom), new choke by Truglo, and new ammo (Apex TSS #9) and the sling that I made out of paracord. Everything worked flawlessly. It was the first time I used a red dot. I started out with a bead on my 12 gauge and did well. Went to a scope on my 12 gauge and did well. I really like the red dot much better than the former options.
Congrats on a couple fall birds. Fresh turkey is hard to beat on a fresh plate.
Thanks. Knowing I made good choices for me with the equipment is as good as the turkey dinners they will provide.
Yess, good job :icon_thumright: Fun to see turkey pictures :icon_thumright:
Thanks. it's fun to take turkey pictures.
Nice pic and turkeys, good job
I see 4 good wing bone calls coming from those girls
I have shot a few while bowhunting deer, too many other things to hunt in the fall for me, fall is about archery big game!
On my last leese in Illionois I would pass shots on toms, would rather they were still around come spring!
Quote from: Will on September 06, 2023, 07:59:20 PM
I see 4 good wing bone calls coming from those girls
So do I!
There's no Fall turkey season in North Carolina. About 20 years ago they had an experimental "Fall" season in winter in 5 northern counties that bordered Virginia, where hens, jakes, or gobblers were legal. Tagging a Fall bird would cost you a spring Gobbler tag (we get 2 tags, period). I hunted the lease in Granville County, had hens come in under 20 yards, had a pair of jakes just about get in my lap, but saw no longbeards. My grandfather always taught me that it was counterproductive to kill your egg layers and killing jakes was just stealing longbeard gobblers from your own future. I never even took the safety off. I love hunting spring gobblers enough that I'd feel like I was screwing myself to spend a tag on small or immature birds. I just love hunting the spring gobble too much. Plus, if I was going to half freeze my @$$ off, why not just deer hunt instead? N.C. did away with the experimental Fall season and we went back to spring gobbler (& bearded hen) only. I don't mind a bit.
Jim
The turkey population has absolutely been exploding in my state and my area in particular, for the last 15 years. You can not go more than a few miles and not see turkeys. My front yard has 4 to 20 turkeys of all sizes, toms and hens. I drove 4 miles to my parents house out in the country today and saw 7 large flocks on the way. They have 10 to 40 turkeys in their back yard at any given time on their country property. The fish and game encourages the taking of hens near towns and agricultural areas as they really tear things up and leave a big mess behind. I hunted a private property where the owner would allow me to hunt spring gobblers, but only if I killed two hens in the fall. If I killed a fall gobbler or a jake on his property, then no spring gobblers for me on that property. We have a few hunting units that you can purchase 9 addition beardless tags. So, that's your over the counter fall tags (2) and 9 additional tags for beardless only for a total of 11 fall turkey tags and with the 3 spring tags you can get 14 turkeys in one year. I killed 3 toms in the spring and the 2 hens this fall. I won't hunt my parents property because they enjoy watching the turkeys and they stay away from the house for the most part. In states where turkeys aren't so plentiful, hunting hens and multiple gobblers make little sense. Similar to killing does and cow elk. Here, the deer and elk populations are very low. So, hunting does and cows makes little sense, however, in states where deer have over run the state, it makes more sense.
Sounds like turkey paradise, isn't it.
Yes it is. There are times when I can't find a turkey, but those are very few and far between. When I was young, I would see 50 to 100 black tailed deer in a day during hunting season and 3 to 6 herds of elk in a day of hunting and maybe 1 turkey in a year.
Now, I see about 20 deer in a season and 1 to 5 elk in a year, but, tons of turkeys. So, the tables have switched. For a guy who loves to hunt, at this point, turkeys fit bill.
Went up to Missouri with my brother in law, him for deer, me for my first fall turkey. Hunted hard for a week without much luck until the last day, he called while I was hunting a different area saying he had seen some turkeys crossing the road in a far corner of public. Made my way across the conservation area, got close to where I thought the birds would be hanging out in a large field. Stripped my shoes off and waded the creek and sure enough, a group of birds was 200 yards away feeding calmly. I had left my calls across the creek so I did my best version of a keekee run with my mouth and they started running straight down an access path towards me. I didn't have good cover so I drew my bow and waited for them to pop up on my side of this knob. Next thing I know I have 6 turkeys 3 steps from me, I picked out the largest one and released. Watched her fall 10 steps away. First fall bird, first bird with my bow, and first (probably last) hen. Wingbones in the making!(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20231114/ffab840901fdc5500aa6c05513b9d722.jpg)
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Congrats on your firsts! This is a first for me too. First time I have seen a turkey hunting success photo barefooted. Job well done!
Nice job and congrats on your first fall turkey, good hunting
Good job buddy! You did what you had to do to get it!