This will be my first spring turkey hunting season, and I was wondering if anyone had any good beginner tips? What do you guys generally pack in your turkey vest? Any help is greatly appreciated.
Thanks
The most important thing you can do is read pages 188-212 of "The Wild Turkey And Its Hunting" by E. A. McIlhenny free on Google Books. Next, find some turkeys. Next choose a decent caller and learn to yelp and cluck presentably (I suggest Real Turkeys II or III CD from Lovett Williams to teach you what they sound like). Finally, go to a gobbling turkey and use the information you learned from pages 188-212. Anything else you will learn as you go. Enjoy.
Thanks silvestris for your reply! Will do. :thanks:
I think a good box call is one of the easiest calls to learn and a very versatile call (it will yelp, cluck, cutt, purr, and cackle well)... As most of us mature into turkey hunting, the diaphragm call is probably favored by most of us, but I still find myself using that box call an awful lot...
If I were going to purchase a name-brand call, I would go with Lynch or the Primos Heartbreaker... If you can afford it, a custom call is a bit more money, but you do get what you pay for. But a box-call would certainly be a top priority.
And as fun as it is to get a bird fired up and gobbling... Once a birds responds to your call, less is better as far as calling goes. If you call too much, he will expect you to come to him, and you are trying to entice him to come to you by being just a bit flirtatious while still playing hard to get...
Make sure your camouflage matches your surroundings, and a good face-mask is important.
Turkeys can pinpoint your location from sound from hundreds of yards out... I am constantly amazed how after a couple soft clucks, a bird will come to my exact location from long distances (with no decoys set). When hunting with someone else, we do not talk, or whisper, and we try to keep farting to a minimum.
Turkeys have excellent eyesight. If you can see them, they can most certainly see you. If for whatever reason, I feel the need to switch positions on a bird I see, I wait until there is a physical barrier between me and the bird.
A full choke will do just fine, but a turkey choke will probably perform a bit better. Pattern your gun (I use cheap target loads to do this) to find out where your gun is shooting. Once you know where your gun shoots, shoot one or two rounds that you will be using in the field to make sure you have a good pattern.
Lead #6's will work just fine, but the heavier than lead tungsten #6's or #7's do perform a bit better (although I doubt they have made a difference on the last 6+ birds I have killed).
A turkey hunting vest is a nice convenience, but certainly not a necessity. I might want to put a season or two under me before I decided if or which vest I wanted (although there is a good deal on Wingsupply for a cheap beginning vest right now).
Decoys are another item I might wait a season or two to purchase. With both decoys and calls, you will tend to get what you pay for... A bit of knowledge about turkeys and turkey hunting might aid you in these purchases.
Here is a list of things that I would recommend a beginning hunter either have on their body or in their pack:
1. Camouflage clothing including face-mask, gloves, and hat.
2. Shotgun with appropriate choke and gun-sling.
3. Appropriate turkey hunting loads. (I put three in the gun, and 3 or 4 in the vest).
4. Box call, or other turkey call you can run.
5. Binoculars.
6. Toilet paper.
7. Water/snacks.
8. GPS.
9. Patience... Lots and lots of patience.
There is a ton of other stuff you can take, but I would start there...
Thanks so much for all the information Marc :). I can't wait to hit the woods and get a good gobbler!
I will add a cushion. If you don't get a vest you will need to cushion your rear somehow. Some can do without but most don't. Any old foam cushion with a strap to throw it over your shoulder or handle to tie it to you will work. Camo of course is best.
I started with a camo boat cushion and that was better than sitting on the cold wet ground. I graduated several seasons later to a light sturdy folding chair. Much better, specially when there is high grass and wet ground. You will stay more alert, have better vision, and have an easier time holding your shotgun for long periods. :morning:
Thanks guys :)
What to put in your vest has been discussed a bunch. My advise is to bring a positive attitude to the woods and don't put pressure on yourself to kill one. Break your day into little wins that keep changing. Example; "this morning I want to hear one gobble". Once you have won that battle be happy you have a good clue the general area he is in. Next win might be "I'd like to be within 250 yards of him". If you get there, congrats the day is already a success and you are truly "playing with the house money". From there you can pick another win or goal perhaps something like "if I can get him to gobble at me". If he does it's another victory for you. Next one you might consider obtaining "let me try to not spook him".
You get the idea......
Keep things simple, move slow and give the bird enough time to kill himself. If you go around trying to kill him you will lose that game. Let the bird make the mistakes and take the risks. You play safe and try and win the little battles and in the long run you will win the war.
Don't over pack. Take some water and a snack and stay as long as you can. Hunt hard and have fun
Learn to call with a cadence, not just barking out calls.
Get a butt cushion and learn to set on it instead of moving around.
Pattern your gun and know what your range is.
Hunt where There are turkeys.
Remember it's a lot harder to call them across fences, creeks, ditches, and down hill.
Remember patience and sitting still kills more birds than trying to sneak close and "make it happen"
- Try to eliminate as many potential hang ups between you and the bird as possible when you start working them. Some of the most common would be creeks, thick brush, and fences. It can be a number of things
- Don't get in a huge hurry and if you think they MAY be able to see and/or hear you, then they probably can. If you get in a huge hurry you can bet that more turkey will see you coming before you see them. A lot of times you may not even know it.
Had a old guy tell me it's like this. When you had a girl friend and she answered you every time you called you where content. But, the moment she doesn't answer your next couple calls you get curious and want to see what's up. Moral of story dont answer his gobbles but once or twice then shut up.
Quote from: dirt road ninja on February 28, 2015, 10:36:10 PM
What to put in your vest has been discussed a bunch. My advise is to bring a positive attitude to the woods and don't put pressure on yourself to kill one. Break your day into little wins that keep changing. Example; "this morning I want to hear one gobble". Once you have won that battle be happy you have a good clue the general area he is in. Next win might be "I'd like to be within 250 yards of him". If you get there, congrats the day is already a success and you are truly "playing with the house money". From there you can pick another win or goal perhaps something like "if I can get him to gobble at me". If he does it's another victory for you. Next one you might consider obtaining "let me try to not spook him".
You get the idea......
Keep things simple, move slow and give the bird enough time to kill himself. If you go around trying to kill him you will lose that game. Let the bird make the mistakes and take the risks. You play safe and try and win the little battles and in the long run you will win the war.
this is great advice. start small and try not to put too much on your plate in the beginning. if you do, you're just set up for failure. turkey hunting has a much steeper learning curve than other types of hunting, but eventually you will find the rhythm that works for you and once you put everything together it is just so rewarding.
as far as what to bring, others have covered it in this thread. no need to go out and spend hundreds of dollars on camo, nitro shells, red dots, etc. i use an old 870 with lead #5s and i am fortunate enough to usually harvest a few birds every year. learn the cadence of the yelp, be still and be patient, and everything else will work itself out. good luck this spring. is it april 1 yet???
I will add, learn to sit still. I mean REALLY sit still.
Lots of good info posted above. There are things that can only be learned by your own mistakes. You will make plenty!! We all do. Just learn from them and don't get depressed. You'll find yourself making less and less every year. Don't be afraid to try your own ideas either.
One very imporntant thing..do NOT try to get one tree closer to set up. You won't make it 90% of the time. Fact!
Quote from: Bigspurs68 on March 01, 2015, 11:44:52 PM
Lots of good info posted above. There are things that can only be learned by your own mistakes. You will make plenty!! We all do. Just learn from them and don't get depressed. You'll find yourself making less and less every year. Don't be afraid to try your own ideas either.
One very important thing..do NOT try to get one tree closer to set up. You won't make it 90% of the time. Fact!
I typically do not make the same mistakes, but I am sure good at finding new ones to make... Part of the fun of turkey hunting is the learning experiences...
I sure agree with you on that tree thing... I look at the prospect of getting just a bit closer to that bird, as I do with taking the shot... If I am thinkin' to myself, I think I can make it, I stop myself... I need to be thinkin', "I know I can make it."
My first bird was a jake... I killed it on my own, learning turkey hunting with no help from anyone, except books and magazine articles... The learning has been the fun part to me, and no bird will ever be as exciting as that first jake I took, after working most of a season to earn it...
Having that learning curve under me, possibly makes it a bit easier for me to share what I have learned, and I have been surprised at the amount of information I have gleaned off this site myself. It has become overwhelmingly evident that I have a long ways to go before I could consider myself a seasoned hunter.
Lots of great advice given regarding gear and tactics. I'll add a few tips regarding your setup (once you are ready to sit down and work a bird). Early on in my turkey hunting days I didn't give this aspect of the hunt as much thought as it deserves. What you choose to do at this point in the hunt can make a big difference in whether or not you close the deal on the bird.
As stated earlier, don't push your luck and try to get too close before sitting down. Once you are ready to sit, observe your area. You want to pick a tree that is wider than your silhouette if at all possible. You will also want to be in the shadows if at all possible. Look for terrain features or cover around you that will make it impossible for the gobbler to see you until he is nearly in range. You might be tempted to think it's great if you can clearly see 75 yards all around you, but you will eventually be dumbstruck at how well a bird can pinpoint your exact position from afar with only a few calls made. If he doesn't see a hen where he knows one should be, he will often become suspicious. This is why I like to choose my setups in a manner that he will nearly be in range of me before he expects to be able to see the "hen" he is looking for.
Once I sit down, the first thing I do is look for landmarks that are near the effective range of my shotgun. That way when the bird comes in you already know whether or not he is in range based on his relative position to these landmarks. Once he crosses these points he is dead to rights if you do your part. If at all possible, you want to avoid having to make quick range estimations during the heat of the moment as gobbling bird is working your way.
Now that you're setup and working a bird he may come right in, or if its not your day, work off away from you for various reasons. Another scenario that often plays out is that he will start working your way, your heart will be beating out of your chest, and he suddenly shuts up and you don't hear another peep from him. If this happens wait him out. Once you've decided he's moved on, and you are ready to get up, I recommend that you sit another 20 or 30 minutes beyond that point. I've had times early on that I thought the gig was up and stood up to move on, only to see the gobbler busting butt running away from me. If I had only sat a few minutes longer..... As someone else said PATIENCE,PATIENCE, PATIENCE
Good luck this season! You'll likely be hooked for life after that first gobbler responds to you!
ODT
Read as much as you can, and apply what you read to your experiences in the field. Don't get overwhelmed, because you will hear a lot of conflicting information. That doesn't mean that one is right and the other is wrong, it just means there's more than one way to kill a turkey. As an example, I read an article years ago asking some well known turkey hunters (can't remember names now) about their preferred tactics. The first guy talked about how over calling is the number one mistake, and he calls as little as possible. The very next guy said he is determined to be the most aggressive hen in the woods.
After having a few years and a few birds under my belt, it is my belief that you have to venture out and develop YOUR style. Learn your strengths, and use those to kill your birds. The best hunter I know can maneuver on birds like no one I've seen. I don't have that talent, so my style is different than his. He's killed them all across the country, but if I hunted his way I'd bump far more than I'd kill.
A big step for me was having the confidence to try new things. I started off scared to screw something up, and finally got brave enough to start applying more of the tactics I'd practiced. My success rate improved greatly, and I learned a lot about what not to do, too. Over the years I have learned what works for ME in various situations, and I try to play the game in favor of my strengths.
To sum this gibberish up for a new hunter: 1. You'll have to be able to talk at least a little turkey, so practice calling. 2. Woodsmanship is extremely important. Never underestimate them, pay attention to everything, and try to be stiller and quitter than you thought possible. 3. Apply the knowledge you gained from research/conversations, and determine what works best for you. 4. Continue to perfect YOUR style, and become addicted!!
Best of luck!
Find a mentor. Get a call, a simple call like a paddle call or box call and get good at it. Knowing how to use one call well will serve you much better than marginally knowing how to use three calls. And as said don't over call. I know it's fun when he gobbles every time you call but that won't kill birds.
Also scout and know the area your hunting. If you need to cut a bird off or. Set. Up on adjusting area scouting will pay off.
Lastly have fun. If your not having fun then what's the point.
Quote from: silvestris on February 28, 2015, 12:50:19 PM
The most important thing you can do is read pages 188-212 of "The Wild Turkey And Its Hunting" by E. A. McIlhenny free on Google Books. Next, find some turkeys. Next choose a decent caller and learn to yelp and cluck presentably (I suggest Real Turkeys II or III CD from Lovett Williams to teach you what they sound like). Finally, go to a gobbling turkey and use the information you learned from pages 188-212. Anything else you will learn as you go. Enjoy.
Wow that is the first time I have ever read any of "The Wild Turkey and Its Hunting". I have heard Tom Kelly mention it in some of his books but never took the time to check it out. Really good and very true observations and advise.
Quote from: Old Dominion Tom on March 05, 2015, 04:14:34 PM
Lots of great advice given regarding gear and tactics. I'll add a few tips regarding your setup (once you are ready to sit down and work a bird). Early on in my turkey hunting days I didn't give this aspect of the hunt as much thought as it deserves. What you choose to do at this point in the hunt can make a big difference in whether or not you close the deal on the bird.
As stated earlier, don't push your luck and try to get too close before sitting down. Once you are ready to sit, observe your area. You want to pick a tree that is wider than your silhouette if at all possible. You will also want to be in the shadows if at all possible. Look for terrain features or cover around you that will make it impossible for the gobbler to see you until he is nearly in range. You might be tempted to think it's great if you can clearly see 75 yards all around you, but you will eventually be dumbstruck at how well a bird can pinpoint your exact position from afar with only a few calls made. If he doesn't see a hen where he knows one should be, he will often become suspicious. This is why I like to choose my setups in a manner that he will nearly be in range of me before he expects to be able to see the "hen" he is looking for.
Once I sit down, the first thing I do is look for landmarks that are near the effective range of my shotgun. That way when the bird comes in you already know whether or not he is in range based on his relative position to these landmarks. Once he crosses these points he is dead to rights if you do your part. If at all possible, you want to avoid having to make quick range estimations during the heat of the moment as gobbling bird is working your way.
Now that you're setup and working a bird he may come right in, or if its not your day, work off away from you for various reasons. Another scenario that often plays out is that he will start working your way, your heart will be beating out of your chest, and he suddenly shuts up and you don't hear another peep from him. If this happens wait him out. Once you've decided he's moved on, and you are ready to get up, I recommend that you sit another 20 or 30 minutes beyond that point. I've had times early on that I thought the gig was up and stood up to move on, only to see the gobbler busting butt running away from me. If I had only sat a few minutes longer..... As someone else said PATIENCE,PATIENCE, PATIENCE
Good luck this season! You'll likely be hooked for life after that first gobbler responds to you!
ODT
Tacticalduder, these posts are all great advice and you need to read them over and over and when you get thru, read them again...but especially Old Dominion Tom and Mabren 2 posts...they explain it like it is. I will add a simple little trick have been doing for years now and if you find yourself almost killin him and things just are not working out as planned...try this on the next hunt. When you get that first box call and are learning all these calls that have been thrown at you...there is one that will put as many birds thrown over your shoulder as any one out there...the CLUCK. Remember that one...only one note...simple to do...once you hear it you can do it with your mouth and it will work with most birds. Many times when I get in the woods that I have been hunting for years and know where the birds hang out, travel, etc.and sit down in one of my favorite spots, wait for the morning to break, and hear a faint gobble 100's yds away, I will let him gobble a few times and then time it with a cluck thrown in right at the end of his gobble...only one cluck. Next time he gobbles, do same thing...cut him off just as he is ending that gobble. Keep repeating this as he gobbles and then stop...no more. Now, what has happened, he heard that cluck you can bet your life on, BUT because you did it right at the end of that gobble...or just before the end...he cannot tell exactly where you are sitting...just the general direction... and he won't forget. He may not come in immediately or he might...but later in the morning...sometimes 2 or 3 hours...he will begin gobbling again and will be getting closer. As he does, cut his gobbles off again with that cluck...but be sure not to over do it...you want him to know just the general area of where you are at and come looking for you. As he is getting real close and that heart is pumping out of your chest....just have that gun up pointed in his direction and what ever you do...don't make a sound...and if you have perfected the soft purr...that will probably be the last sound you will make just before you pull the trigger. Silence is golden many times in hunting that old gobbler and he is always looking for that hen with those gobbles, and that hearing he has is so pin-point that he can many times determine if things just aren't right...and will drift away as has been stated. Maby it was the calling too much or why is he not coming to me...whatever, just could not close the deal. Well, that one soft cluck...just once in a while..not too much...make him kill himself as has been stated. Give this a try as you start your new venture and remember nothing is a sure thing when dealing with this ole bird....they will make all of us feel like we have just started out many times ....and leave you scratching your head...but that is why we keep coming back for more...it never gets old...gets in your blood and feel like you have got to be there every morning till the last day...now, you have got that itch..start scratching it. Good hunting..keep us informed thru the season.
Be where the turkeys want to be. Dont be to serious. Have fun with it.
Quote from: silvestris on February 28, 2015, 12:50:19 PM
The most important thing you can do is read pages 188-212 of "The Wild Turkey And Its Hunting" by E. A. McIlhenny free on Google Books.
I'll tell you what, that was worth the read... Thank you for posting that little tidbit. I believe there is something in there for the new hunter, as well as the experienced...
Here is a link to the book that I found:
http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc2.ark:/13960/t90866m77;view=1up;seq=1
Interesting perspective about a waiting out a tom when he is breeding a hen... Never tried it, never considered it. I always figured once a hen joined him, I was pretty much kaput.