Hey everyone....this April will be my first real go at turkey hunting in southern Indiana. I have been a couple times 10 years ago with my dad when neither of us had any clue what we were doing. Since then, my dad has taken one every year he has hunted. My job is usually busy in the spring so I never really have time to go when you factor in kids soccer and tee ball.
This year is the year and I am slowly trying to secure some items I think I might need. Was hoping to put a list out here and get some recommendations on what I am missing/don't need. Thanks ahead of time.
- Have - Remington 870 express (NWTF edition), 12 ga - 26 inch barrel VR with clip on fiber optic
- Need - Choke Tube. Looking for a Jelly head .665 based on friend recommendations to keep costs down.
- Need - Ammo recommendations, was thinking of trying the Longbeard XR #6 I read about here.
- Have - Vest someone gave me.
- Need - Crow call for locating? I also crow hunt some but have always had luck with decoys only.
- Need - Box call. Slate call and which one are good cheap ones? Do I need a mouth call?
- Have - Camo Leafy suit/face mask I sometimes use in Archery season for deer.
- Have - Sharp Buck knife for cleaning
Thats all I can think of....am I missing anything?
Sounds like you are off to a great start!!
1 - 870 is an excellent choice. I've shot one for 39 years.
2 - Jelly Heads, as with all other chokes, work great in some guns, not so much in others. I recommend that you get a minimum of 3 chokes to start out with, along with 3 types of ammo, and find out what your gun likes to eat.
3 - Longbeards are an excellent place to start. As with all other ammo, they work great in some guns, not so much in others. I recommend that you get a minimum of 3 types of ammo to start out with, along with 3 types of chokes, and find out what your gun likes to eat.
4 - Vests are personal preference.
5 - Yes on the crow call. Gobblers will shock gobble to that.
6 - Yes on the calls. You need a box, a slate and/or glass call, and a diaphragm. Start out with the cheap commercial ones, find out what you like and what you are good with, then work your way up to nice custom calls.
7 - Leafy suits give you an edge in my opinion. A little more realism. BUT, movement (or lack of movement) is the key to success.
8 - A good sharp knife is needed when you are successful.
:anim_25: :icon_thumright: :fud: :turkey:
Also, get yourself a good owl call. Gobblers hammer at them in the morning.
Or practice doing an owl call with your mouth. They are not that hard to replicate and you never leave it at home!
First reply is spot on.
Mouth call would be the first one I would say master. Maybe a slate. I would say here in N Florida I do 70% calling with my slate, 20% with a mouth call and the others 10% is varied. The mouth call is nice to give a little putt so he sticks his head up. Last call he'll ever hear! I hunt a lot when it is spitting rain and it is mouth call only then. My box call will work in the rain, I have not mastered it well enough for much but a yelp.
Don't know if mosquitos are an issue, but if they are, a Thermacell should be on your list. May not be a problem there.
I think the box call, slate and mouth calls will be the hardest ones for me to pick. Any suggestions when I go into say Gander Mountain on a good mass produced brand. Are there certain variants to start with like a "raspy hen" box calls vs lil strut? Or do they all make similiar sounds based on how you change the pitch?
This is what I had been looking at: http://www.gandermountain.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?pdesc=Hunters-Specialties-H-S-Strut-Raspy-Old-Hen-Turkey-Call-Combo&i=704300
You have time to order a couple calls. Check out Cane Creek calls. Their pro custom glass is a real nice call for about 35.00. The slate is good too but I prefer glass. I've killed a few birds with them. PM gooserbat for mouth call suggestions. Going this route will save you time and money. You can get a good call at gander mountain but your gonna buy a few to find it.
Hooks mouth calls work for me and are around 6 bucks a piece. mouth calls are cheap try a bunch of them to see what you like and what works for You!
I also use a 870 as my turkey rig, and it like's Hevi13- 2oz #6's. There is a $10.00 a box rebate right now for up to two boxes so that takes the sting out of the initial price. Before I switched to Hevi-13, I shot just regular 3" #6 federal's and they killed a bunch of birds and were really inexpensive shells. As far as chokes go, I currently shoot a hevi-13 choke. Before I switched to that I ahd a $20.00 Tru-Glo gobble stopper choke and it did just fine. I would still be using this choke, but I got a good deal on the Hevi-13 Choke and made the switch.
A great starter box call is the Primos box cutter. It's very easy to learn on, and it sounds great. I would put it up against some of the more expensive boxes I have purchased over the years.
Good Luck to you this spring, and be prepared Turkey hunting is HIGHLY addictive.
Toilet paper and a thermacell. In the event you ever need them they will be the most important thing in your vest.
I don't think I saw anyone say, but a small pair of binocs are awesome as well. Don't need to be real fancy.
Don't forget a pair of small clippers that'll fit in your vest, I personally like the ratcheting models. I would guess you'll definitely need to clip branches/vegetation from time to time.
There's definitely some great information here that will help you on your turkey hunting journey.
I'd suggest that you probably shouldn't rely on mouth calls until you get lots of practice in. Box calls and slates are easier to produce realistic turkey calls out of than anything. There's no need alerting the gobbler that something's not right if you can avoid it. If you get to where you can run a mouth call good, by all means go for it.
See what I mean>>>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrKgkX-D17M
Jim
Add gloves, facemask and a Thermacell and you're about set.
The Longbeard 6's should do you nicely in that gun. That choke too. :icon_thumright:
It doesn't have to take a lot of equipment. But practice calling, invest in a good CD of real turkeys to get the cadence and sounds down.
It's a blast! :turkey2:
First off WELCOME to OG! You have been given some excellent advice. I want to add, don't go overboard to start with. Turkey hunting can get overwhelming to start because of the gun, shells, choke, calls, decoys, vest and the list goes on. You have a GREAT gun in the 870. Get a choke and shell combo that works well in your 870 then get a box call and/or pot call and practice, practice, practice. You will learn, as we all have, from mistakes you make. This forum has a wealth of knowledge, so come back often if you have additional questions.
Thanks everyone for all the advice. I have picked up a few more items with some of my extra Christmas loot. I was able to score a Jellyhead .660 from a member here for a great price. I also ordered a Gibson Crow call today from midwest turkey supply.
I think I'll relax now until March. All I have left is some shells and calls. I have a KNight and Hale mouth call i got with my buck knife one time. Tried it out and was able to make some sounds ok. I was salivating like a wild dog though and spitting everywhere.
I was doing plock plock plock, cholk cholk cholk and pot pot pot.
As far as Binos small cheap pair is fine for hardwoods hunting I rarely use unless I'm out west then its a must Thermocell is a must money well spent there for comfort
If you can't master the yelp, clucking and purring on a mouth call can be great for getting that old tom to come those last few yards.
As far as shells go I've been shooting an 870 express super mag with a jellyhead choke for quite a few years and I've had excellent luck with the hevi shot magnum blend 3 1/2's. I get a pretty impressive pattern with this combination so that's what I've stuck with.
When I started turkey hunting in the early 70s a friend said that there was nothing more pitiful than a neophyte turkey hunter. He was right. You are about to find out what you are made of if you approach it right.
Quote from: Cut N Run on February 13, 2015, 03:27:07 PM
I'd suggest that you probably shouldn't rely on mouth calls until you get lots of practice in. Box calls and slates are easier to produce realistic turkey calls out of than anything. There's no need alerting the gobbler that something's not right if you can avoid it. If you get to where you can run a mouth call good, by all means go for it.
Jim
This advice is right on. New hunters see guys that are great on mouth calls and think that they can do the same. Making realistic turkey noises on mouth calls takes a lot of time and practice,....and some people never get it right no matter how long they try. Mouth calls can be a great aid in turkey hunting,...or they can be a disaster if put in the wrong mouth. Learn to use one by practicing over time and keep it in your pocket while hunting until you get it right.
In the meantime, get a good pot call or box call (or both) and use those. The learning curve in getting them right is much less than that of mastering mouth calls.
Something I haven't seen suggested. Pick up a turkey chair...you'll thank me later after a long sit. Primo's and Browning both make one, as well as Cabela's. If you are a large man, I like the Browning Strutter MC.
Gman
Quote from: silvestris on February 14, 2015, 09:56:49 PM
When I started turkey hunting in the early 70s a friend said that there was nothing more pitiful than a neophyte turkey hunter. He was right. You are about to find out what you are made of if you approach it right.
The one thing I do have going for me is the fact that I have deer hunted religiously for the last 10 years after a break for college and drinking. No way to hunt in my 20s when I was going to bed at 7am every morning :z-dizzy:
I have had the opportunity to learn a bunch about watching turkeys from the stands each morning and feel like for my first year I have a plan of attack going into it. It appears that Turkeys are like Deer in some regards that you can pattern them from what I have witnessed. In the last 4 properties I have hunted, it appears that they have roosted in very specific places and have come down off the roost to the same locations each morning.
That so far is my main plan I am going with, scouting to find out where they are roosting and coming ff the roost. The place I have deer hunted 2 years now has had the same group taunting me each fall, coming off roost into the little 10 acre plot in the middle of the woods.
I am hoping to sit on the edge of the plot this year....
Good plan?
My recommendations are as follows.
Choke tube: I have a Remington 870 Express Super Mag 12 gauge with a Primos Tight Wad ($25) and the Long Beard XRs in number 5 shot. Great, great patterns at 40+ yards.
Box Call: Spring Creek turkey calls. Mike hand makes the best calls I have ever heard for a fraction of the cost. Under $40. I have a black walnut over maple and a custom Brazilian cherry over Eastern red ceder that is phenominal.
Last year was my first season and I tagged out on public land alone. I swear by my gear.
Welcome to the lack of sleep and excuse to buy calls!!!
Gun and ammo wise you are good. I would suggest that you stay away from production calls. I would get a Spring Creek box and a nice slate/glass call off the classifieds. These calls will cost a few dollars more but you will be getting a call that will be played by the maker and they will know if it sounds good or not. I also think a WildTalker's Spitten' Feathers cd is great to listen to in order to prepare for the spring. As you listen, record yourself and listen to it. Also, get outside and practice.
I think you are covered gear wise. I would spend as much time on the forum reading posts and topics pertaining to advice and tips. Lastly, ask questions. The members of the turkey hunting community want to talk and share information about turkey hunting. We have to talk to each other because no one else will listen to us. (especially our wives when the topic comes to turkey hunting)
Good luck and enjoy.