I know there are threads upon threads of advice for new turkey hunters, so I am going to try to make this a bit different.
What would be one piece of "outside-the-box" type of advice you could give to a newbie?
In other words, instead of the typical - get out early and scout, or be sure to remain as still as possible, or pattern your gun ahead of time (just a few).
What is a good piece of advice that only comes from years of experience?
Thanks in advance.
If your tired, sleep in! Some of the best hunting is after 10:00 am.
Never assume he isn't coming in !!!!!! Use all your senses when sitting still...waiting for him to show up!! :gobble:
Don't convince yourself of anything. Being confident in your hunt and set-up makes the hunt more enjoyable if nothing else.
Sometimes there is that one gobbler that you have to pull out the deer hunter in yourself to kill. (I might have ambushed one or two that were driving me nuts!)
I wish I could capture a successful hunt on film because there's so much to learn from battle with a tough bird.
I'd imagine battling a tough field bird and having eyes on him and video him and studying every part of it. The body language, the gobble frequency, his reaction to different calls, every part. Being able to pause that and break that down to show a new turkey hunter could be priceless.
Pay attention to detail! Sights, sounds and reactions can give you a lot of valuable information. That squirrel that just stared barking just out of sight may be barking at what your looking for. Lot's of critters will tell on a turkey, deer, crows, squirrels ect. can pin point a bird for you. Also listen for more than just a gobble or yelp. Some sounds that are guaranteed turkey go unnoticed to a lot of hunters. Drumming, walking, scratching, stretching of the wings are a few examples.
Patience has been the cause of many a gobblers demise.
find a girl whose father has a BIG farm........... :z-winnersmiley:
Quote from: saltysenior on February 15, 2013, 12:22:40 PM
find a girl whose father has a BIG farm........... :z-winnersmiley:
Good advice...however, I'm pretty sure my wife would not be impressed by this tactic.
Just because he doesnt want to play at first light, doesnt mean he wont want to in a few hours...
I know this sounds strange, but sometimes scent contol can work in turkey hunting! Heres my example, I have one spot that birds love to roost, but the deer love the spot too. I have had it happen more times than not that I spook the deer going in and screw up my chances with the those birds. The does start stomping and blowing and it puts the gobblers on edge. I have to actually hunt the wind there and do my normal deer hunting scent control ritual to have a chance at those birds.
Another thing that a lot of people preach is to get as close as can be to the roosted birds. I have had more bad luck with that than good. I set up on a bird that was close to 200 yards out, but the woods was wide open, and I thought I could get a little closer. I couldnt believe he could see me from that far away, but he did and flew down and across the lake to the other side where I couldnt get to him!
Don't start Turkey hunting it's way to addicting!!! :z-guntootsmiley: :z-guntootsmiley:
In the right situations, say a grown up hay field, don't be afraid to get on your knees and crawl. I've snuck in range of a few non responsive birds ;D
Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk 2
Try unconventional calling, aka sound effects. The most well known is leaf scratching but using a wing or your hat to do a flydown or even stretch and flap your wings. I also sometimes spit and drum with my voice. Scraping a wing on a tree is also a handy sound. Remember when leaf scratching to mimic the cadence of a turkey. One long, two quick...sound effects work especially well on pressured birds.
Quote from: jakebird on February 18, 2013, 07:07:27 PM
Remember when leaf scratching to mimic the cadence of a turkey. One long, two quick...sound effects work especially well on pressured birds.
What cadence does two or more birds feeding sound like? :D
Trying to call a turkey with the sun to his face is a big problem causer that alot of people overlook. If you are hunting steep terrain, or other obstacles that prevent him from circling with the sun to his favor, they may hang up way outta range or simply walk away.
I've brought many henned up ol' toms to the gun in the late afternoons by using excited hen talk then switching to an assemblely call and really raising a ruckus. Pulls the hens with the toms right behind them. I've pulled birds great distances in open country with tactic.
Quote from: jakebird on February 18, 2013, 07:07:27 PM
Try unconventional calling, aka sound effects. The most well known is leaf scratching but using a wing or your hat to do a flydown or even stretch and flap your wings. I also sometimes spit and drum with my voice. Scraping a wing on a tree is also a handy sound. Remember when leaf scratching to mimic the cadence of a turkey. One long, two quick...sound effects work especially well on pressured birds.
I've killed more tough birds with the above tactics than with convincing calling...It's somewhat like a stage play...You set the stage and then make it sound like a real interaction between turkeys. The more stuff you throw in to make things sound convincing, the more convincing you'll be...
That being said, sometimes convincing is just scratching in the leaves...Just imagine what that gobbler is thinking...If you were him, what would you be listening for? Maybe a few quiet calls? Maybe an enthusiastic hen and a competing gobbler? Maybe a hen fight and a competing gobbler nearby? Maybe a wing dragging from a strutting gobbler?
It takes experience to get the timing down and to gauge when a gobbler is feeling uncertain about his chances for that hen he's hearing. Try all of it...
I had a buddy who would call and get the gobbler all wound up, then turn to me and say "Now let him find us..." He wouldn't call again...It worked more than not.
It's all about making that gobbler unsure about his chances...
Quote from: EMSDJ2 on February 16, 2013, 11:55:32 AM
Don't start Turkey hunting it's way to addicting!!! :z-guntootsmiley: :z-guntootsmiley:
AMEN :z-winnersmiley:
Quote from: critter_sniper on February 15, 2013, 12:35:01 PM
Quote from: saltysenior on February 15, 2013, 12:22:40 PM
find a girl whose father has a BIG farm........... :z-winnersmiley:
Good advice...however, I'm pretty sure my wife would not be impressed by this tactic.
:z-winnersmiley: best info on this site!!
I have killed several gobblers by using my own secret weapon, a nap. 3:30 in the morning gets old a few weeks into the season and I found that if the birds aren't wanting to gobble very well on certain days, I set up in an area that I know has birds, call, then lean back against the tree and snooze for a bit but leave my ears on. This allows the birds time to come find me without my temptation to keep calling.
Quote from: FullChoke on March 14, 2013, 11:16:40 AM
I have killed several gobblers by using my own secret weapon, a nap. 3:30 in the morning gets old a few weeks into the season and I found that if the birds aren't wanting to gobble very well on certain days, I set up in an area that I know has birds, call, then lean back against the tree and snooze for a bit but leave my ears on. This allows the birds time to come find me without my temptation to keep calling.
This works! Nothing beats the rush of waking up to a Strutter!
Then it is up to you: :fud: :newmascot:
If you are working on a roosted bird and he pitches out away from you slip as quickly as possible to his roost and try to call him back. It works great sometimes as in there are few absolutes in turkey hunting.
If you can do it without getting busted, change loctions. Many would be suprised how effective this can be some times. Just dont get caught!
Quote from: Daman on March 14, 2013, 11:42:44 AM
Quote from: FullChoke on March 14, 2013, 11:16:40 AM
I have killed several gobblers by using my own secret weapon, a nap. 3:30 in the morning gets old a few weeks into the season and I found that if the birds aren't wanting to gobble very well on certain days, I set up in an area that I know has birds, call, then lean back against the tree and snooze for a bit but leave my ears on. This allows the birds time to come find me without my temptation to keep calling.
This works! Nothing beats the rush of waking up to a Strutter!
Then it is up to you: :fud: :newmascot:
Amen to that Brother! The whole reason I get out is the quiet and serenity of the woods!