How to turkey hunt? I have asked this question many times over during seminars. So what's your answer?? Friends? Parent? Grand Parent? Who was that most influental person who taught you the most about Turkey Hunting?
For myself I am self taught mostly, Wisconsin never had turkeys to hunt when I was young, after re-introduction a friend and I got interested in hunting them, I started by reading, watching VHS Video Tapes (Primos "The Truth" was first) went to seminars and learned a lot from our barn birds. But really had no one I knew that ever turkey hunted. I think this is one of the reasons I hunt with so many others looking to learn how to hunt turkeys, doing Learn to Hunt Programs, Mentor Program, Youth Seasons and such and why I got into doing Turkey Hunting Seminars/Clinics.
MK M GOBL
Myself. I come from a family of passionate deer hunters but nobody else turkey hunts. I started at the ripe age of 14 in 1994 armed with knowledge I got from hunting magazines. It was a long learning curve!!
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Myself. I also have a lot of family that deer hunts but no else turkey hunts. I went turkey hunting for the first time in the fall of 2009 with very little knowledge, I did manage to call in and shoot a hen within the first 2 hours. I have been hooked ever since and learned a lot along the way.
As a young kid turkey season started in my state. No one knew anything about em and those that knew a little wouldn't tell you anything. Eventually a fellow in my archery club would never volunteer information going fwd but said "next time try this". In a couple years I started succeeding. Different day n age. I'd have kept at it w zero input. Guys today don't know how good they have it w the generation before so willing to help.
Self taught. My uncles were mainly deer hunters and hunted for the meat (we were poor and they were not wasting money on something to kill a 20 lb animal). They did teach me about woodsman ship and the basics of all hunting (sit still and quiet). I read all the outdoor magazines I could find and watched as many turkey hunting shows that were on T.V (didn't have youtube then). Bought a cheap slate and glass pot and an old box call and just tried to repeat what I heard on the shows. After two years, I finally got my first one as I was packing up my gear and was planning on heading home because nothing was gobbling. I had my back against a huge PA oak tree and he came in silent and let out a gobble about 10 yards behind me. Talk about exciting.... When he went past me and got to about 15-20 yards, I shot him and have been hooked every since. My advice to all who are new to this sport and haven't got one is DONT QUIT..... IT WILL HAPPEN
I got a little teary eyed when I saw this post. My father showed me the ropes. He passed away last Thursday. It won't be the same this spring.
Quote from: darron on March 12, 2019, 09:34:57 PM
I got a little teary eyed when I saw this post. My father showed me the ropes. He passed away last Thursday. It won't be the same this spring.
My condolences to you and your family. Good luck this spring brother
I would say self taught but that's not entirely true. I was taught by none other than Mr Tom Wiskers and his descendants
My dad and a very good friend. My dad was an old school wait them out type Hunter. My friend was a run and gun guy. The lessons leArned from both men and the different approaches to spring turkeys shaped me to be the Hunter i am.
We, as a family are self taught. By we I mean my parents and myself. We started in 1965. I was only a kid but was included in everything. I credit a man name George Lofton for getting us interested in turkey hunting. He was our neighbor in Mulberry Florida and was in his 60's then. I was always fascinated with his turkey calls and his stories. He was one of those old timers with that southern draw that could keep your attention for hours around the campfire , which is a real challenge with me. It may have all been lies, but if they were, they were good ones that caused me to think about turkey hunting almost non-stop. My parents would even let me go with Mr. George if they were unable to go. His Wife Violet would fry up chicken the night before so we would have lunch in the woods the next day. I even got to kill a handful with Mr. George. Man, I would give almost anything to get to go on one of those hunts again with Mr. George, or one of those weekend hunts with my parents. My Mom still turkey hunts but my Dad is no longer able, but he told me the other day that they plan on coming up for a few weeks again this spring season. His eyes still light up like they did so many years ago when me or my Mom kill one and bring it back to camp.
Self taught, I was in my early 30's and started reading about turkey hunting and it's history in South Carolina. I read several books and articles on the subject, i.e. Henry Davis & Archibald Rutledge, bought a box call and went to the woods. I first turkey hunted in the spring of 1980 and hunted both the spring and fall seasons here in SC from 1981 - 1990. I have turkey hunted each spring season since 1990 - no fall season since and I'm still learning and trying to figure out how to do it!
I started on my own then got cleaned up by THattaway. Also my friend Jeff started helping. I asked a few guys and no one really seemed interested in sharing so I just decided to do it. After a bit I learned a lot by messing up then I was fortunate to meet Mr. Theron and Jeff.
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Myself really. My Dad started taking me just as turkey hunting was becoming a "thing" locally. He had no idea what he was doing, I didn't either, so we just learned together by making tons of mistakes.
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Quote from: darron on March 12, 2019, 09:34:57 PM
I got a little teary eyed when I saw this post. My father showed me the ropes. He passed away last Thursday. It won't be the same this spring.
Darron, I really hate to hear that. I'm sure this years hunts will be full of awesome memories, I hope for every tear they bring, they also bring a smile.
Hell, I'm still learning. Been hunting them since the early 80's. I'll generally run into a few dumb ones every year that just want it. I wish I had it figured out.
Myself with many regrets my dad used to go all the time when I was young, my grandparents owned several hundred acres down in Eldon MO, and he and my cousins would go every spring I always had better things to do and missed out on years of spring hunts when I finally wanted to go, the farm was long gone so now I'm in my 40's trying to put it all together, if I'd only known can't go back but boy wish I could!
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Darron sorry to hear about your loss, my Dad's not gone but we don't get a chance to hunt together anymore good luck brother this spring
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Quote from: guesswho on March 12, 2019, 09:50:04 PM
We, as a family are self taught. By we I mean my parents and myself. We started in 1965. I was only a kid but was included in everything. I credit a man name George Lofton for getting us interested in turkey hunting. He was our neighbor in Mulberry Florida and was in his 60's then. I was always fascinated with his turkey calls and his stories. He was one of those old timers with that southern draw that could keep your attention for hours around the campfire , which is a real challenge with me. It may have all been lies, but if they were, they were good ones that caused me to think about turkey hunting almost non-stop. My parents would even let me go with Mr. George if they were unable to go. His Wife Violet would fry up chicken the night before so we would have lunch in the woods the next day. I even got to kill a handful with Mr. George. Man, I would give almost anything to get to go on one of those hunts again with Mr. George, or one of those weekend hunts with my parents. My Mom still turkey hunts but my Dad is no longer able, but he told me the other day that they plan on coming up for a few weeks again this spring season. His eyes still light up like they did so many years ago when me or my Mom kill one and bring it back to camp.
it always makes me smile when you talk about your family Turkey hunting together. You never try to put yourself in the spotlight. Respect for you sir
Mostly self taught. Most of the old timers were closed lipped. No one ever admitted to hearing a Turkey gobble until he was dead in the back of their truck and they were telling how they killed him. This was in the late 70s and early 80's in the Florida Parishes of SE Louisiana.
Quote from: darron on March 12, 2019, 09:34:57 PM
I got a little teary eyed when I saw this post. My father showed me the ropes. He passed away last Thursday. It won't be the same this spring.
Sorry for your loss, I lost my dad back in 2006 and can tell you he is still on every hunt with me, keep your faith he's with you.
MK M GOBL
I continue to learn through magazine articles, videos and friends who grew up in a hunting family. And a whole lot of trial and error. Lot's and lot's of error!
I started turkey hunting because of NWTF's Turkey Call tv show. Tv, magazines, listening to other hunters, and mostly just trying to kill turkeys taught me what little bit I know. I still get taught something every spring.
Self taught. A lot of my family hunted deer squirrels and rabbits but there were virtually no turkeys anywhere we hunted. I remember my uncle telling me about walking up on a flock of turkeys while squirrel hunting one October. I had read a lot and saw a few of the Primos vhs but had never seen a Wild Turkey. I knew the place were he saw them and I spent every minute I could trying to find them again that winter never did. But the next spring I started back and found a couple Gobblers, but didn't know what to do with them, after weeks of hunting I called up a Jake and killed him and it's been an obsession from that day. My Uncle hunted with me for awhile but eventually gave it up. I kill turkeys now in places a mile from were he grew up and hunted his whole life without seeing a Turkey. Looking back it has been a long road and the odds seemed insurmountable at times but I wouldn't trade those years of struggling if I could.
I hunted by myself early on (1982) and had no clue what I was doing. I probably learned how to play the game from reading Dave Harbour & Ben Lee's books, then paying attention to what I saw and heard in the woods. I involuntarily took some time off chasing turkeys from a lack of places to hunt, but kept working on calling skills. I called in several gobblers for others on their land before I ever killed my first.
The person who helped me hone my skills the most is my best friend E.P.. He's killed a few world slams and usually takes all turkey season off work to fill his N.C. tags then travels to hunt other states. Turkeys usually die when we hunt together.
I've also learned an awful lot of what not to do from the turkeys themselves.
Jim
I started in the early 80's with my Dad. He's more the runner gunner type while I'm more the type to settle in and stay all day if I know one is nearby. He always picks at me and tells me I'll stay 2 days straight on one as long as I have a candy bar and a bottle of water. I'd say I got my calling ability from him, but don't know where the patience came from.
My father took me every day with him until I was about 12 and then he started sending me on my own away from him. He was a guide down in SW Florida from before I was born until I was 20. I watched him with clients nearly all season and learned a lot, but the real jail edge came when I was on my own. Learned you can't call them with your bare voice, I can't hoot for crap, I can ambush like a Navy Seal, slate calls always get wet early in the morning, and that I like to take the path of least resistance.
Me, myself,and I. With some real guidance from my Cuz the Judge I am forever spur/hooked!
Self taugh,started Fall hunting. Had to travel out of state to Spring hunt.
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As a kid my dad, brother and uncles introduce me to hunting in general.. back in those day's hunting was a way to put extra meat on the table along with creek bank and pond fishing. After i became old enough to drive and have my own car, a older friend of our family was a turkey hunter and he got me started turkey hunting. He taught me the basics and the rest i learned on my own.. You have to remember as a kid growing up on a farm we had to worked. Getting to go hunting with dad , my bother and uncles was as excited as getting to got to town twice year ... love those old memories... and I've enjoyed it all hunting , fishing and turkey hunting. I process all my deer's and turkey along with dressing all the fish i catch ... I know a lot of new hunters can't even field dress a deer or process the deer or turkey themselves .. they want to take it somewhere and pay a processor ... guy's i learned a long time ago pulling the trigger is the easy part , next is taking the time to care for what you kill.... Those of you who always take your deer to a processor 3 or 4 times a year i feel sorry for you , i save that processor money and buy me new gun every year along with some new turkey calls ...ha ha ha ...
I returned home from an all expense paid trip to Southeast Asia in February of 1970. Like a lot of other returning G.I.s, I was more or less trashed inside and out but, I did , by the grace of the Lord , get to come home. Some of you will know what I mean by saying , ( I was lost, empty and, just didn't fit in for a period of time ). I went down to the local un-employment office to apply for benefits, another fellow that had returned home had told me I could draw unemployment funds off of my time in service. The manager of that office was an older guy and He told me that I was able to work , to get out and find a job. I looked across the desk at that individual and had thoughts that have no place here on this site. I knew I would be locked up if I acted on my thoughts and feelings. Just a few days after that experience I just happened to bump into a friend that I had went to high school with and He told me to apply at a large coal mining concern that was located in the next county over. Coal mining was the only industry in the area so that's where a lot of fellows earned their living. I was hired and went to work . Later that spring the same friend that had encouraged me to apply at the mine where He worked ask me if I wanted to go Spring gobbler hunting with Him when the season opened. I believe it was the first ever open season for the county and/or part of the State
I thought that was a novel idea. My friend gave me a single Reed mouth call and, I would practice with it while driving to and from work. I tried to learn to use it for a while and about all I could get out of it was a lot of salivating and sounds that certainly were not in any turkeys vocabulary. I kept up the practicing sessions for a couple of weeks and finally could produce a recognizable yelp. Opening weekend came and we went to an area that I was totally unfamiliar with. My friend parked , well before daylight, then gave me directions to an area that was not too far from where He would be. Daylight broke and the cows started sounding off . I thought I heard a turkey gobble way off in the distant valley. I was completely clueless about turkey hunting but, I knew plenty about ambushing so I decided to just keep quite and observe the situation. Time passed and I heard the distant gobbler sound off several more times. The coffee I had drank earlier that morning was giving me the urge to relieve myself so I stood my shotgun on the ground and leaned it on a huge oak , I took a couple steps or so away from it and went about the task at hand. After relieving myself of the coffee I finally got up enough courage to make my first ever turkey call , I got about two yelps out and a gobbler just about blew my hat off not more than thirty yards from me. I don't know how He got there without me scaring Him,but I hadn't been moving around much. Well, now what a situation I found myself in. A gobbler, the first one I had ever seen and with that big noggin all blown up snow white and the red and blues all mixed in, what a sight to behold. My shotgun still leaning against the big oak about three or four steps away. I had a major adrenaline dump, hilarious to think about now, my knees were knocking. I stood motionless as long as I could, then decided my only choice was to try and out draw that Bigboy. By now He had closed the distance to about 20 yds. and I was beside myself. Well, everyone knows how that attempt at out drawing that bird turned out. What that whole incident did do was to infect me with a passion that has never left me after all theses years. Also, I gained just a bit of wisdom, I pee with one hand and hold my shotgun with the other. Roll over laughing.......
I taught myself for the most part. I watched each and every video from Primos, Knight and Hale and Drury. And the good old trial by fire. Nobody I knew turkey hunted or hadn't been doing it long.
all self taught, read every article and watched every video I could fine, been doing it for over 40 yrs
Dad and I learned together, a man with one deaf ear and a kid who moved way too much. Started in '80. Fumbled aplenty and toms were like ghosts and haints for a good many years. Have been blessed to have known some good men and some who were hunters over the years so I try to pass on what I can, pay it forward.
Who taught me? Nobody.
I can tell you exactly how I learned.
I got interested in turkey hunting, because I was learning to deer hunt. The farmer that gave me permission to hunt his land said he'd wish I'd come in the spring and get rid of his turkeys.
I had the 1942 Outdoor Life 'Cyclopedia to guide me (http://genesis9.angzva.com/?p=1076). It was the only book I had that anything related to turkey hunting.
I went to the sporting goods store in Sharonville, Ohio and asked for some help. It just so happens that a fellow that I later found out was Dick Kirby pressed a Quaker Boy box call into my hands along with some Ben Lee cassettes and told me the rest was up to me.
My first turkey hunt (http://genesis9.angzva.com/?p=1069)
Takeaim 1st, I know the feeling brother....thanks for serving our country, thank you ALL that served. I started hunting turkeys in 1983. I joined a local NWTF chapter which at the time, had more members than the state level chapter. The only two chapters then in the whole state of NY. Now, they trip over each other. Being really "green" a couple of members graciously invited me to go pre season scouting with them. First day out, they delivered a "angry" old boss hen right in my lap and after that I was hooked. I remember that day like it was yesterday. I then proceeded to be on my own and made a lot of "rookie' mistakes like we all have. I have now passed the tradition down to my kids. I can't imagine what is any better then to call a bird into the gun of your child....priceless.
My dad - we learned together really - had no idea what we were doing, must have been around 1977, northwestern PA, heard a turkey gobble on some land we hunted and said, we ought to hunt 'em - a lot of mistakes between then and now...
I started in 1981 at twelve years old. Self taught. My dad was in the oilfield and worked as a pumper. He had to make daily rounds all over southwest Ms checking the wells and doing reports. He would drop me off at a place I would want to go and designate a time to meet me back there while he made rounds in the area. I cut my teeth in the Homochitto National forest. I roamed the hills and hollars hunting and enjoying myself. Everything from squrrels to deer to turkey. Whatever season that was in. You cant do that with a kid now the way the world is. Man I was a kid at a good time.
Books, magazines, early Primos hunting videos and you guys are still teaching me.
A good friend about 20 years ago. We still make out to hunt together a couple times a year.
I pretty much learned all by myself. It was tough and I learned a lot of stuff the hard way. The people I hunted with early on didn't know any more than me and sometimes way less.
My dad taught me about hunting and the outdoors. At the time when I started, I think he had 7 or 8 birds under his belt so we sort of learned and are still learning together.
I also had an older gentleman and his son take me under their wing for one spring back in college. I learned a lot that year.
Most of it has been learned through trial and error on my own, reading various books, and being on several forums.
Like so many others have said... mostly self taught. I have a brother that is a year and a half younger than me.... we kinda learned together. We compared notes when we hunted on our own....and as years went on we both had friends to talk turkey with
my daddy, my uncle, and the man that I refer to as my mentor.....all have passed on so I am on my own and trying to teach others now.
My grandpa and Dad instilled the deer hunting bug in me from a young age. I picked up turkey hunting after my grandpa gave me an old Ben Lee box call that he had and it was all game over after that.
Turkey hunting was 100 percent self taught by me along with ducks and anything else hunt able except deer. My Dad introduced us to deer hunting because we had to wait till age 16, his rules. But I took the MN gun safty class in mid sixties, that was my only introduction to hunting. Everything else was self taught, but mother nature is a great teacher. It took a lot of years before there was a hunt able turkey population in central MN. So I was a late starter to turkey hunting, but I am working hard to make up for lost time. Tomorrow I fly to Florida to continue working on that lost time, enjoying seeing and hearing mother nature beautiful world.
Wilbur Primos, Cus Strickland, Knight and Hale.... I watched hours of footage on old cassettes and couldn't understand why those birds didnt come strutting in to me like they did on the videos. Another huge influence was Mike Battey.... had a couple CDs of his, listening to the sounds of fall birds. I played that thing so much...I can still hear his voice. No one in my family hunted so I hooked myself and was self taught. Growing up in MO in the late 90s sure helped, as we had an abundance of birds. I am still learning to this day.
I learned the basics from an uncle and a cousin, but they weren't real serious about turkey hunting. I learned a lot from Turkey and Turkey Hunting magazine, I read every issue cover to cover from about 2001 until they stopped printing it.
I started in the early 70s. I was 16 and had been going grouse hunting with some of the guys who hunted our farm. Turkey hunting had just opened in 1968 and no one around had ever hunted them. There was one old guy that had hunted in Va. mostly in the fall. One of the grouse hunters one day after our gird dog flushed a big gobbler said to me, "You should try to hunt those turkeys". I decided I would and looked into how to get a permit. It was a drawing for 500 permits in the whole state. Bingo I got one, yeah. So I asked the old Va hunter how to hunt them. He went into his house and came out with an old Rhodes snuff box call and handed it to me and said good luck kid. That's all the instruction I ever got. The season was just three days long and wouldn't you know I called in a gobbler on my first try, but I was so dumb I didn't know it was a gobbler because all I could see was a head and part of his neck, so I didn't shoot. After that I went to seminars the wildlife agency put on and I hunted. I hunted for three years before anyone in our area ever tried hunting turkeys. So I literally had no mentors. It took me 3 or 4 years to kill a bird (three day seasons for a novice does not breed success). What did happen was I became the go to guy in our area, and I helped whenever I could. I have been on more first hunts and kills than I can remember. Sad thing is some of those I taught turned and stabbed me in the back by poaching birds on our farm. Most of my fondest memories are those hunts where I mentored someone to their first gobbler.
Pretty much, me, myself and I.
My dad never hunted spring birds............really didn't know anyone much else who did. I just went at it and spent a few semesters in the school of hard knocks. I caught on fairly quickly and danged, but if I don't STILL improve a wee bit every year...............disproving the old dog/new tricks thing.
My dad got me started and I'm sure glad he did.
He started while in college and got bit hard. He hasn't killed one in a couple years and I'm going to do my best to get him in close come Friday morning.
My awesome father taught me everything he knew and I've built upon that foundation like it's meant to be. Growing up in Pa I remember my dad only taking me in the fall season. He had a "kid" who was pointing a gun at him in a brush pile during spring season and he flat out quit spring gobbler hunting. I can't remember him killing a gobbler or hunting for them. But the man was magic with a Pa slate pot call and acrylic corn cob striker. I miss him every year turkey season comes around so I could tell him how many more turkeys there are these days!!
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Mississippi public land turkeys have taught me, and are still teaching! Would've loved to had a person to teach me, but the few I knew back then wanted no part of introducing me to it. This is my 24th year turkey hunting and I learn plenty every year. There just isn't a better sport/hobby/obsession/addiction...
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Self taught. Determination and persistence are the only attributes I had. I hunted for years as a youngster on the woods behind our house growing up. Life got pretty crazy for a few of my latter teen years and then when I finally got the money together to get a turkey gun, shells, a pot call and diaghram,I started again. Managed to get on a property that had birds and killed my first on opening day. Almost 20 years later I am still using the same gun.
My father introduced me to hunting early on. We hunted fall birds in the late 70's. Around '78-'79? I met Jim Clay at a mutual frind's picnic near Winchester, Va. I was 14 or 15. We talked hunting, turkeys, and calls. Jim showed me a call(s) that he was making at the time, and how to put it in my mouth without gagging. He gave me a couple to practice with and use, and wished me luck! (They weren't in "Perfection Calls" wrappers yet...lol)
My father never hunted spring much, if at all. I went off to college and found lots of public land and turkeys in the spring of '84. Ain't been right, since! My father died of an illness in Feb '85, so I never got the chance to show him what fun this spring hunting was (I believe he's with me on my hunts, but he just lets me pull the trigger...lol).
Great reads! And yes our mentors fathers etc are with us always.
Birds had successfully re established in Wisconsin and the first season was set to kick off. I attended a NWTF seminar . There was a lifelong turkey hunter from Mississippi who had moved up to live with his daughter helping teach the course. He was 75 at the time. I stayed around after and asked him a lot of questions. He had to get going so he gave me his phone number. It developed into an 18 year friendship before he passed. Man what a mentor! He so shorted the learning curve. Take some tobacco with me on opening day of each season and leave it in the woods in honor of his memory and all the others who taught me about the great outdoors
Self taught first several years with not much success might I add! A guy I worked with took me under his wing and showed me the ropes and hunted with me to get me started. My success went way up as he was and still is the best turkey hunter I know! We continue to hunt /camp together every year for a week and I so look forward to it. Turkey hunting is kinda a one man game as the book says but.... I dearly love and cherish those hunts with friends and family those are my favorites. 25 years in turkey hunting I've sure seen changes— I've even managed to get the guy that taught me shooting better shells than we used to— old habits die hard!
Self taught. When I first started turkey hunting I had to go 200 plus miles south to even find a huntable population. I live up in north central MN. Watched some old VHS videos and thought that would be neat to try, so a buddy and I tried it and we have been hooked for life ever since. Back in the the early 80's you where lucky to get a tag every other year as our turkey numbers were very low back then. Was a rather slow learning curve when you only get out every other year or so back then. Started traveling to other states then so I could hunt every year. I'm still learning and loving it.
Myself
Self taught (trial and error, YouTube). When I was younger I used to go pheasant and raccoon hunting with my grandpa, but he had no interest in Turkey hunting. Life got in the way and I stopped going hunting for almost 20 years. 6 years ago I decided to go deer hunting with my brother in law and his friends and loved it. The following spring I decided to try turkey hunting. I never saw a tom that spring, but after hearing some gobbles I was hooked. Now I'm back into pheasant hunting again and I go deer hunting each winter, but turkey hunting is by far my favorite.
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I am self taught, meaning I got really lucky on my first hunt and thought I was a pro. Then reality sunk in and I really had to hunt hard and make a million mistakes. Effort and stubbornness got me through the first few years along with a bunch of videos. Not many turkey hunters around here then. Then I hunted with a real turkey hunter, My buddy Joe and I learned so much from him. He made me a confident turkey hunter, so I made him a one of a kind pot to thank him. One of a kind call for a one of a kind friend and serious turkey man. Al
Quote from: MK M GOBL on March 12, 2019, 09:09:09 PM
For myself I am self taught mostly, Wisconsin never had turkeys to hunt when I was young, after re-introduction a friend and I got interested in hunting them, I started by reading, watching VHS Video Tapes (Primos "The Truth" was first) went to seminars and learned a lot from our barn birds. But really had no one I knew that ever turkey hunted. I think this is one of the reasons I hunt with so many others looking to learn how to hunt turkeys, doing Learn to Hunt Programs, Mentor Program, Youth Seasons and such and why I got into doing Turkey Hunting Seminars/Clinics.
MK M GOBL
You and I are birds of a feather! Here in MN I never heard of wild turkeys until the mid 90's, although I know they were around in the far southeast MN much earlier than that. I honestly don't recall what motivated me to give it a shot. I think it might have been a television hunting show. I didn't know anyone who hunted them, so I watched videos and read books. It quickly became my passion and it wasn't too long before I was hunting 2-3 states each spring. I also joined a NWTF committee, and have participated in numerous MN Hunter Education seminars and mentor hunts. I've got 3 school-aged kids and all of their activities so my active participation in the turkey community and number of hunts each year is down for the time being, but I'm still out there every spring in MN, and now my oldest is joining me!
A little guidance in the beginning from a cousin and self taught the rest of the way. I have been turkey hunting for 12 years, and I still learn something new with every hunt. The easterns in west central Alabama has to be some of the hardest birds to kill in my opinion. If it gets any harder, I have a whole lot more to learn!
Kenny Morgan taught me over many years.
I remember being at a camp out on a friends farm early on in high school and hearing that mans dad had left early in the morning on a turkey hunt to LBL. This was the mid 80's. I had done some bird hunting and a wee bit of deer hunting and was just starting to get into duck hunting. I'd never heard of anyone hunting turkeys. We surely didn't have any in my county. There was a small fraternity of guys that hunted them at LBL and Ft Campbell. They didn't exactly advertise it and so I didn't really have an urge to do it because the birds were so rare. In later years we ended up having quite a few of them in my area. I resisted getting into it because I loved duck hunting and figured I didn't need another vice. Finally after thinking about it for years....I began chasing the birds with gusto in about 2000. Maybe I resisted because inside I knew it would be an all consuming desire. Which it turned out to be. I think my first year I hunted almost every other day. I didn't quite know what I was doing. I didn't have a hunting partner. I read all I could and watched early videos. I learned alot from reading/watching Harold Knight and David Hale. I had a friend at this point who grew up on a tobacco farm. His dad still lived on the land farming and was absolute death on turkeys and deer. My friend studied wildlife biology and was/is about the sharpest hunter I've ever known--even though we didn't and don't hunt much together. I picked his brain every chance I got (I'm sure he started avoiding my phone calls, haha). Towards the end of that first season....I actually worked up a gobbler in a creek bottom. Watching him work while spitting and drumming and knowing that I was about to bag him was the thrill of a lifetime. I still get worked up about that first bird. It has been a big learning curve and I'm by no means an expert--but the experiences of being out in Creation at a different time of year and following these wily birds is something I'm very happy I decided to experience and follow.
Got my start by myself and a 45rpm record then experience took the lead along with countless books and videos.
A friend took me turkey hunting a couple of times some 30 years ago. While we set up on gobblers on the roost, we never called in a bird nor did I see one. The next year, I got a Ben Lee tape, a box call, and practiced but still only took a tom about every third year for the next decade until I read an article by Ray Eye about emphasizing the peck order as a way to entice gobblers in. I tried it and now usually fill all three of my Illinois tags even through it may take a few days over three different short seasons to accomplish.
I taught myself. Growing up on a farm in Southern Wisconsin after chores I would be in the woods all the time. I took my first Tom at 13 and have been hooked. I am proud that I have been able to pass this same passion to my boys.
I was "tutored" back in the 1960's via the pages of Sports Afield, Outdoor Life, and Field and Stream from the likes of Colonel Dave Harbour and a few others. Since there were literally no mentors available at the time, the practical lessons in the field were strictly between me and Old Tom. Unfortunately, he was a strict disciplinarian, and if I made a single error in applying that tutoring, he would give me an "F" and send me home with my tail tucked between my legs.
It took about ten years before I finally passed the test,...and I've been getting even ever since. ;D
My cousin and a buddy got me started. For actual teaching it was a Primos Master the Art DVD, a Scott Ellis DVD, Shane Simpson youtube videos and other knowledge I've acquired from places like this and the real world.
Grandfather
Father didn't hunt, but I met up with a couple of country boys from eastern Oklahoma that I was fortunate to get to hunt with. One of them had a wildlife biology degree and managed a game ranch in Texas for many years later. The other fellow was a veterinarian and had spent several years training race horses. Looking back on the hunts we shared I was lucky to get to be around both of them. A book that I found full of information is called the Turkey Hunters Digest written by Dwain Bland from Enid, OK. I met him once at a Backwoods Show in OKC and visited with him. Wish I could have hunted with him. Have not missed a spring since I started in 1983 and feel like I'm still learning.
Cousin taught me turkey and deer hunting. Polished what he taught by reading everything I could. Been on several guided hunts and learned a tremendous amount from the guides. Cost of the hunt was well worth the knowledge. Now it is this forum and several others I subscribe to. Still learning tho.
Me, myself, and I, and you all...
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A whole lot of trial and error, magazine articles, and two older friends at a hunting club I use to be a member of. I'd tell them about my hunts and they'd give advice on where I messed up or things to try next time. I've only killed turkeys while hunting solo which has been really tough but very rewarding. By no means do I consider myself a good turkey hunter but I get better every year, learn something almost every time I go, and have become somewhat obsessed.
My cousin. And I will forever be grateful...a gift I could never repay...
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My grandfather was an avid hunter. He introduced me to turkey hunting when I was 12. Looking back, I don't recall a lot of turkey hunts, but the first turkey I ever got was in the fall, which ended up being a combo kill when we both shot at the same time. We went out a few times in the spring, but with little success. My Uncle, also helped me out and let me tag along with him a few times. Once, I was able to drive, I really started getting into it, but because of baseball practice on Saturday's I didn't get out as much. The more I got into it, the more I searched for information to help me improve. I needed guidance with my calling, and bought a Primos CD on turkey calling, and listened to that everyday and followed along. Once I started getting the hang of it, I was all in. Today, me and my buddy go out every chance we get. I'd do anything to go back in time to hunt with my granddad and Uncle if I could.
it" my Dad's fault.
That is a awesome story you got MK.
My fathers best friend took me under his wing
and thought me everything I know but I have
hunted with Preston Pittman and Eddie Salter
before and have learn a little something from
each one of them as well.
Danny
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School of hard knocks! It really didn't take me long to kill a bird but I made a pile of mistakes in the process!
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Quote from: Gobspur on March 18, 2019, 09:58:23 PM
Me, myself, and I, and you all...
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Same here. In fact, I'm quite surprised to see how many guys replied that they are pretty much self taught.
I've learned a few pointers from a friend that turkey hunts, and all over the internet, but what LITTLE I know is pretty much from my own experiences. I wish I had more time to explore new to me land and was able to hunt areas with better populations of turkeys, but I enjoy the challenge nonetheless.
The self taught mistakes make better memories and stick in your mind better anyway..... at least that's what I'm saying. :toothy12:
I started hunting them in my early 30's, and I made a lot of mistakes my first 10 years.Once I learned to call, and stay out of the open, I started getting gobblers.Then I started scouting, and glassing, and talking to farmers.I watched more experienced hunters, and now I'm better at it than the average joe.I tag out on cobblers every year, for the last 12, and the reason is,I learned from screwing up.I watched videos, tv shows, met a few very good hunters, who have me some valuable tips, plus I had a lot of free time.You have to get out there at o dark thirty, and don't use any light.Shoot lead bb' s always, copper platted.Be very careful, when you move around, and wear gloves, and a facemask.Dont take a long shot.Stay close to water, and pick the right day to hunt.
Pretty much self taught.
Had a few people that told me what I was doing wrong but not while hunting.
Took me about 6 years to learn how to use a mouth call and another 3 to kill my first turkey. Started in 1986.
Pretty much self taught. I used to do a lot of duck hunting in my younger days,but then life happened and I didn't get out that much.Turkey hunting had always interested me. I took my son a couple times, not knowing what we were doing but we kept at it. I started hunting with my friend Nick. He was a deer hunter but never hunted turkeys. Together we began to figure it out. After about 7 years came the day I called in a flock and Nick shot a jake. Happy as s---t! Since then I have a couple under my belt. Still learning and still love it. As always thanks to the members of this forum for their invaluable information and tips.
Self taught. One cousin kinda sorta turkey hunted, but not really into it. We had them growing up in missouri and I fumbled around and killed one in when I was 14, completely hooked my. I read everything I could get my hands on and even bought tame turkeys to have in the yard to listen to and learn how to call better.
Learning with my 15 year old son as we go and loving every minute!!
Taught myself by time in the woods and making mistakes. Started hunting in the Mtns of SC in the mid 60's. Not many turkeys and times have changed as back then there were few turkey hunters and those that did hunt didn't want to help you at all
Self taught. Watched every Turkey hunting VHS I could get and any magazine that had Turkey hunting in it.
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I was self-taught. Read books, and watched a few VHS videos... Mainly books.
I learned in college, and was in a turkey-rich environment. I was lucky enough to knock on doors and get access to some incredible properties with really, really high turkey populations. I still had a rough time with far, far more failures than successes. I killed some birds despite myself though.
With a background in duck hunting, learning how to make basic turkey sounds on a turkey call came fairly easily... Being able to put the call down when a turkey was gobbling did not come so easily.
I'm self taught. Iv'e called in every bid that I've ever killed. I have learned an awful lot from my mistakes over the years, but in my opinion, those mistakes are more valuable than a person telling me what to do.
I would consider myself self-taught, although I read everything turkey hunting related I could find for a period of time. I started back in 1976 and knew no turkey hunters, plus there were very few calls available anywhere. I bought a Lynch box call and that peg and slate call, which sounded terrible. But turkeys didn't mind! Then I bought the only diaphragm call available...the Ben Lee lead frame job...I'm sure some of you remember that. With all the excellent calls available nowadays, plus the plethora of excellent information via videos, etc., there's absolutely no reason for a beginner turkey hunter to not be reasonably successful...except for his lack of what I would call "turkey woodsmanship". That comes with time and experience.
Me and my buddies taught ourselves in the mid 80's when we were teenagers. Our Dad's never Turkey hunted because there just weren't any here in central Ky. As kids we were always in the woods and I honestly probably didn't see my 1st Turkey till I was in my early teens bowhunting and I was born in 1971. Don't know for sure but seems like I remember the Ky Fish & Wildlife making a push to introduce Wild Turkeys in our area in the early 80's.
Had a buddy warn me not to start, it would cut into my spring red fishing. He was right.
Mostly learned from the turkeys and they still school me on most days. But Tom has to be right every day and I only need to be right once. It is all relative, as my son and nephews have grown they think I know a lot about it, even when I tell them I don't. They just see the beards and have eaten the birds with me. Fun to watch them become good turkey hunters on their own. Probably had little to do with me and more with what they are figuring out on their own. That is the fun of it.
My brother taught me what he could before he passed away last year. Got some good info from the hunting public also. This year will be the first year I'll go after some turkey on my own.
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Self taught/magazine educated. Grew up in the Bronx until I was 14. At age of 10 the movie Jeremiah Johnson was release and I knew after watching that movie I would be a hunter. At age 14 my mother died and we moved to the Appalachian Trail area of Maryland were I still reside today. Not many people hunted turkeys back than and turkeys were scarce back in those days. I learned mostly from articles in hunting magazines along with a lot of trial and error.
Quote from: Hatchet Jack on March 27, 2019, 11:42:26 PM
Self taught/magazine educated. Grew up in the Bronx until I was 14. At age of 10 the movie Jeremiah Johnson was release and I knew after watching that movie I would be a hunter. At age 14 my mother died and we moved to the Appalachian Trail area of Maryland were I still reside today. Not many people hunted turkeys back than and turkeys were scarce back in those days. I learned mostly from articles in hunting magazines along with a lot of trial and error.
Buddy of mine where I grew up in Central FL-he and his family were from Lon GuyLand (that is how it sounds to me when they say it). Great Neck I think. Anyhow, he attached on to my brother and I and we took him hunting and fishing everywhere, he was like 5 years younger than us. We treated him like a little brother, picked on him a bit, stuck up for him a lot with the other kids, etc. Now he is a grown man that runs a hunting website and is as hard core as any hunter I know. And a dang good hunter.
My Dad didn't hunt so my grandpa would take me when I was young. It wasn't like grandpa would teach you, when we got to the woods we went our separate ways. Grandpa didn't hunt them like most, he was strictly there to kill for the meat. My uncle was/is a great turkey hunter. He was good to talk to but my family did not hunt together. I was strictly on my own. My uncle did give me a copy of a Ben Lee tape and that's how I learned to call. I had one mouth call and used it till it fell apart. I tried to rebuild it but broke the frame. I will say the turkeys taught me a lot as well. I didn't live in turkey country, just cotton country for miles with no timber for miles. Until I was old enough to drive, I usually got to hunt two Saturdays a season. I guess I was just blessed to have the opportunity to get to go and back then we had an abundance of vocal turkeys. Over the years I've been able to introduce some to turkey hunting and call in several First turkeys for people. Now my circle of turkey hunters is pretty small. That's what makes OG such a great place to "hang out".
My Father-In-Law took me, taught me, and called in my first few gobblers. I have since called him in a bird or two and just this year took him to FL for his first out-of-state turkey ever and his first Osceola.
My cousin always took me turkey hunting when I was younger my dad loved deer hunting but never turkey hunted.
I have a tip, for people learning to turkey hunt.Don't hunt with people who have no clue as to how to hunt them
I hunted with this older guy when I first started, and he really wasn't very good. He was a road hunter, and a poacher, and really had no skill.When I got out by myself, I learned how to get big gobblers. Then I started watching these guys from back east
They didn't know it, but I learned a lot from them. They were very secretive about their hunting, but unbeknownst to them, they taught me a lot, so thank you, to them.
The school of hard knocks!! I'm a self-taught turkey hunter, who got a few pointers from friends.
Me........a good neighbor got me hooked. Other buddy made me teach myself to mouth-call, be patient and told me to hunt everyday. Been very successful.....never give up....you won't shoot em from the breakfast table!