Have been hunted a multi thousand acre public tract the last three seasons. I have been lucky to harvest a bird 2 /3 trips, but the friends I'm with have not been as lucky. Plenty of birds around but very hard to get them to commit sometimes very hard just to get a gobble out of them. Best thing I have found is to find sign in the woods and wait as long as possible. Bought a trumpet and a scratch box still waiting on them to come in. Hoping maybe some unique calls that many other hunters may not be using will help. It's a ton of land but there are roads and trails everywhere which makes walking in far to get away from others not much of an option. Looking for tips to try up out groups success rate and have better hunts.
The best thing you can do is get familiar with as much ground as possible where you plan to hunt. The more you know about the land your hunting the easier it will be to move on turkeys and not get busted. You can learn a good deal about an area by using mapping software but until you put eyes on it and walk around in it many times your just guessing if the best set up is in the direction of the gobbling turkey or back behind you 150yds.
Your ability to move around an area undetected greatly increase as you'll be familiar with things like forest understory, and other obstacles that will make travel difficult and/or noisy. You'll spend less time bumbling through briars and more time with your back against a tree.
Great info there for sure. You have had great success yourself here for sure. Obviously pass on the tactics you used to your group, and expand on them. Using different calls other than pots and boxes is a great idea. Believe it or not, push-pins are my deadliest calls. They are not used to hearing them, especially good sounding ones. Good woodsman-ship, quality set-ups, and soft LIMITED calling on pressured birds works for me. Last but not least, natural sounds like wing-beats and leaf scratching is a major part of my routine. Try these, you'll be surprised at your results. Good luck, you are already having success, it will only get better.....
Thanks for the tips. I do use scratching and carry a wing with me but probably should focus on more subtle callings. Regarding knowing the spots very well do you think it's best to hunt spots I know there are turkeys and try to learn what they are doing or keep bouncing around to spots in hoping of finding a fired up gobbler. I've done a lot of scouting boots on the ground and e scouting but there's so much land it would take a lifetime to hunt and learn all of the property well.
Quote from: cwhitfield96 on January 31, 2024, 09:04:09 AM
Thanks for the tips. I do use scratching and carry a wing with me but probably should focus on more subtle callings. Regarding knowing the spots very well do you think it's best to hunt spots I know there are turkeys and try to learn what they are doing or keep bouncing around to spots in hoping of finding a fired up gobbler. I've done a lot of scouting boots on the ground and e scouting but there's so much land it would take a lifetime to hunt and learn all of the property well.
I hunt the sign ie; scratches, droppings, strut marks etc. where there is FRESH sign, there will be birds. It's always best to concentrate where you know there are turkeys. Sounds like you already put time in, now all you need to do is enjoy your hunts......
Always take your "A" game!!!
All good advice ..... every turkey is different
But i will agree that if have a difference between you and the rest of the hunters around you .... you have an advantage.... i hunt public ground 90% of the time .... get to know where your hunting as well as the turkeys do. Spend alot of time off season listening and watching.
Good luck and enjoy your time in the woods
I hunt public 100% of my time across a couple states. So, for what it's worth....
Only by investing the time will you learn the ground tactically and discern their habits. Short of a clearcut, not much changes year to year in the big timber come springtime.
Keep a journal, take notes, write down the details of every hunt where you engaged turkeys, as well as those days you didn't hear one.
After a while, you see the trends. You will begin to take notice of the repeating patterns. But ultimately, as famed turkey author Jim Spenser once quipped, "sit down wrong, and you're beat," so pay attention to the ground around you every minute of every hour.
I've said this countless times over the past 30 years...if you don't know the land, they will beat you every time.
Quote from: paboxcall on January 31, 2024, 03:40:43 PM
I hunt public 100% of my time across a couple states. So, for what it's worth....
Only by investing the time will you learn the ground tactically and discern their habits. Short of a clearcut, not much changes year to year in the big timber come springtime.
Keep a journal, take notes, write down the details of every hunt where you engaged turkeys, as well as those days you didn't hear one.
After a while, you see the trends. You will begin to take notice of the repeating patterns. But ultimately, as famed turkey author Jim Spenser once quipped, "sit down wrong, and you're beat," so pay attention to the ground around you every minute of every hour.
I've said this countless times over the past 30 years...if you don't know the land, they will beat you every time.
Great info from a person on public who lives it for sure....
Thanks guys I will plan on putting my focus into really learning a few good areas I know hold turkeys.
Quote from: paboxcall on January 31, 2024, 03:40:43 PM
I hunt public 100% of my time across a couple states. So, for what it's worth....
Only by investing the time will you learn the ground tactically and discern their habits. Short of a clearcut, not much changes year to year in the big timber come springtime.
Keep a journal, take notes, write down the details of every hunt where you engaged turkeys, as well as those days you didn't hear one.
After a while, you see the trends. You will begin to take notice of the repeating patterns. But ultimately, as famed turkey author Jim Spenser once quipped, "sit down wrong, and you're beat," so pay attention to the ground around you every minute of every hour.
I've said this countless times over the past 30 years...if you don't know the land, they will beat you every time.
:icon_thumright:
Love this one. Well said.
Tips.. Look, listen, scout and don't call before the season.
I lost a piece a few years back and been on public ever since. Best thing that ever happened to me. Put in the time scouting and more then likely you'll be in the game. However... "Always" have an alternate plan(s) in place.
2/3 is a pretty good batting average. It sounds like yer on you way.
Quote from: cwhitfield96 on January 31, 2024, 05:53:34 PM
Thanks guys I will plan on putting my focus into really learning a few good areas I know hold turkeys.
I have my spots and become more familiar with them every year. I'm always trying to add new territory to my list of places likely to hold turkeys as well. Always be looking for new spots to investigate. Take your time in the areas your confidant in and learn them foremost and always be looking for new turf You can never have too many cookies in the cookie jar for when plan A/B/C etc. don't work.
Something they haven't heard 100x maybe?
Scratch box
Push pin
Wingbone
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A hunt from a few years ago, me and buddy had been chasing this bird hard all season, he stayed close to the main road open hardwood creek bottom, would gobble good but could see you coming from every direction, my buddy got of on a Thursday built a blind to hide in and bird came in behind him and he missed. I thought there would be no way to kill him now! It was the 3 days after my buddy missed him and the last day of our season. I made a plan, get there at noon, only yelp 3 times every 30 minutes, 12 three yelps put the call down, 12:30 three yelps put the call down. At 1 I made three yelps but right as I did the wind blew and I thought I was again to yelp as soon as the wind let up! Three yepls and he gobbles right behind me, as soon as I swing around the tree his head popped up, I am so proud of that bird, last day of the season, 29 thousand acres and I didn't see a soul that day!
Quote from: cwhitfield96 on January 31, 2024, 09:04:09 AM
Thanks for the tips. I do use scratching and carry a wing with me but probably should focus on more subtle callings. Regarding knowing the spots very well do you think it's best to hunt spots I know there are turkeys and try to learn what they are doing or keep bouncing around to spots in hoping of finding a fired up gobbler. I've done a lot of scouting boots on the ground and e scouting but there's so much land it would take a lifetime to hunt and learn all of the property well.
you have been successful so your obviously doing something right. I've found soft calls like clucks, purrs and single yelps and scratching work well on tough birds along with patience. As far as staying to the ground you know or bouncing around. Play it by ear if you go out one day and want to see some new ground go for it. If you want to up your odds by hunting the ground you know do that. Neither way is wrong if your enjoying your hunt.
I definitely want to tag a bird but having fun is most important to me I love playing the game. Last season I killed a bird opening morning about 20 minutes into season. But the same trip second day I was with my buddy and we went to a new spot and found a hot bird around noon. He was across a river with a steep bottom. We worked him for a couple of hours including putting a move on him by going many hundreds of yards and crossing the river. We had him at 60+ just needed to be set up a little closer to get a shot. I would say I had more fun playing the chess game and getting close than shooting the one that came right in off the roost!
I've had good luck with using a wing bone to birds that have had a steady diet of pot calls and mouth yelpers.
Learn the terrain. Scout the gobbling birds.
IMHO......... it's more a matter of sounding like a hen and saying things a hen would say than it is what call you're using to say it with. There's a very large portion of the folks hunting public ground (as well as private...) that just don't sound like a hen or say what a hen would say.
Quote from: Yoder409 on February 14, 2024, 10:14:52 PM
Learn the terrain. Scout the gobbling birds.
IMHO......... it's more a matter of sounding like a hen and saying things a hen would say than it is what call you're using to say it with. There's a very large portion of the folks hunting public ground (as well as private...) that just don't sound like a hen or say what a hen would say.
This is very solid advice. I pretty much only use a mouth call. Many of the birds I've killed have been called to all season but I've learned what to say and how to say it.
Repositioning on birds is another tactic I'm using constantly. Many people preach patience but in my opinion a hen calling every 30 minutes from the same location is not natural. Sometimes he's willing to come to one location but not another. Often times when you find that location he will make you seem like the best caller in the world.
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Sometimes a gobbler is just not going to die that day regardless of what you do or the calls you use. Changing up your approach and the calls you use is something all of us seasoned turkey hunts do in trying to be successful on pressured birds. If it's meant to be his faith that day more than likely and kind of a call would have worked in calling him to the gun... It's your job to do the rest / shoot ... Never overlook the POWER OF ADRENALINE ...
My only option is Crowded Public. Now is the time to Scout-( Boots on the ground). Get some Boxes + Slates and take at least 4 total in. ALOT of Hunters on Public are staying right with the Mouth/Horseshoe Calls. Use that to your advantage and hit the Gobblers with some Box Calls.
Quote from: quavers59 on February 23, 2024, 07:21:29 AM
My only option is Crowded Public. Now i?s the time to Scout-( Boots on the ground). Get some Boxes + Slates and take at least 4 total in. ALOT of Hunters on Public are staying right with the Mouth/Horseshoe Calls. Use that to your advantage and hit the Gobblers with some Box Calls.
+1