Recent posts

#1

LEARNING TO TURKEY HUNT / Re: "Sitting down to a tu...

Last post by bwhana - Today at 07:58:01 AM

One of the best hunting things my dad taught me growing up was to shoot left and right handed. I don't have to move much no matter which side a bird comes in and makes setting up even easier.  Over my hunting career, I've actually taken more animals left handed even though I'm right handed and for unknown reasons, I'm more accurate with rifles at long range shooting left handed.

#2

LEARNING TO TURKEY HUNT / Re: Calling VS Experience/Wood...

Last post by Davyalabama - Today at 07:51:13 AM

Both are important. It's 100 percent both and it's not an either or thing. To over emphasize one at the expense of the other is foolish.

Having said that the better your calling, the more you'll realize the importance of calling and it's ability to completely change a birds mood, make him do things he didn't want to do and wasn't going to do just a minute or seconds earlier.

And if youre sitting over decoys or crawling behind a gobbler decoy then yeah you're right calling isn't very important to your success at all.

I think too many times people want either/or, the #1 thing, this over that, turkey hunting can't be narrowed down to these type of things.  Now, you have to have birds, period.  Then, you can't narrow it down to why, in #1 simple things for everyone.  There are too many variables even to this. 

Woodsmanship vs calling vs knowing birds vs etc., etc., etc.  That's what keeps me coming back year after year, what worked on one bird, may not work on another.  A big boss turkey isn't the next big boss turkey, we may have to change strategies, locations, time of day, etc. 

We can't even agree on turkey guns or shells, it doesn't fit the same parameter.  You may be hunting decoys in an open field, can't get them close enough, fine, use your decoys and 100 yard shells.  I believe out West, they even use rifles in some instances.  I'm a woods hunter, I use old guns passed down to me (I'm taking memories with me when I grab a gun) from two people that were very important in my life.  I would rather have those old guns and lead shot versus anything new and more capable (or so you think). 

It's me vs the turkey, no holes barred, I bring everything I can to the table, he brings everything he can to survive.  I'll say this, I sure am glad it isn't winner takes all.  I die or he dies.  I would have been in a pine box or on his dinner table a long time ago. 

It isn't #1 thing, it's did you hunt him fairly, even that is a topic for discussion.  So many rabbit holes to go down when chasing these fine birds.  I do it, because it's in me, it's something I enjoy, I'm passionate (to a point) about, it's not something I have to brag about (this wasn't always the case) I tell maybe one friend and my wife and FIL when I kill a turkey, that's it, sometimes on a forum for people that don't know me, thanking God mostly.  However, after last year, that will stop too, the part about mentioning anything on a forum. 

There are books written on this subject, many books, some by some great authors and turkey chasers, they can't even nail it down to one specific thing.  Some of the authors I've read, I know were some mighty fine chasers in their day, too.

#3

General Forum / Re: Scouting or just trusting ...

Last post by Yoder409 - Today at 07:51:06 AM

I still scout my private spots but probably more just because I'm itching for turkey season. Hunting on public out of state it's just scouting while I hunt.

Same.   Yep.

#4

Welcome Posts for new members /Introduce Yourself / Re: I know it’s not turkey….

Last post by Tom007 - Today at 07:50:13 AM

  

#5

LEARNING TO TURKEY HUNT / Re: "Sitting down to a turkey"...

Last post by Bowguy - Today at 07:48:53 AM

As a right handed shooter, I try to setup on the right side of a tree with my left shoulder pointed where I expect the turkey to show up. This gives me the best chance to swing if he comes right of where I expected.



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This is correct. Point your left shoulder if righty toward the bird. That allows swinging each way some. Lefty is opposite.
Practice adjusting at home on a lollicolumn or backyard tree. . First I'd move my feet than maybe "sidewinder" my butt for a slight adjustment. If you need to err, remember easier to swing way left for a righty as the gun stays cheeked. Swinging right (on righty) pulls the gun away from your body making the shots harder.
If you need to cheat to cover more area, remember this.
Gobblenut has a great point as well!

#6

Turkey Pot Call & Strikers Classifieds / Jimmy Schaffer Georgia Heart P...

Last post by ncwoodsman - Today at 07:45:43 AM

Georgia Heart Pine Aluminum over glass pot call with Dymondwood Striker. Sounds fantastic, just have too many pot calls and need to thin the heard. He only made a few of these from 100 plus year old Georgia pine. $75 TYD

#7

Welcome Posts for new members /Introduce Yourself / Re: I know it’s not turkey….

Last post by Turkeybutt - Today at 07:42:33 AM

 
Sit back and enjoy

#8

Turkey Pot Call & Strikers Classifieds / Darrin Dawkins Stoned Aluminum...

Last post by ncwoodsman - Today at 07:40:29 AM

Sounds great, just thinning the herd. $50 TYD

#9

Trumpets / Wingbones Forum / Re: Now that Nashville is over...

Last post by Spurtaker - Today at 07:35:48 AM

Looking good


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#10

LEARNING TO TURKEY HUNT / Re: "Sitting down to a turkey"...

Last post by Tom007 - Today at 07:32:43 AM

Agreed...all good advice. Follow it as closely as possible to maximize your chances.

One point I would add...and it took me a few decades to realize...is that there are times when standing, rather than sitting, is your best option. The old mantra of "sit with your back against a tree" that has been pounded into our brains over the years just isn't the best approach all the time.

More and more, my first consideration is whether the circumstances at hand are such that I am better off standing rather than sitting. I very often now pick out a tree/bush with just the right density and limb structure and tuck myself in behind it. Generally speaking, the sight-line advantages that come with being three feet higher can be significant in a lot of situations. In addition, I also find that adjusting my body and ability to swing my gun to a gobbler's approach is much easier, and the movement involved in doing that is less likely to be detected.

Also, if you are calling from behind something, it is reasonable to assume that an approaching gobbler will be more likely to come on in looking for that hen behind that obstacle than he would otherwise...at least, that has been my experience. 

Of course, where you hunt and how you hunt definitely comes into play. Most of the time, I hunt in a manner where my interactions with a gobbler are brief. That is, I strike a gobbler, judge whether he is going to come looking...and if he is, I set up quickly and he usually arrives in a time frame where standing up for a few minutes is not an issue...even for an old dude. 

On the other hand, if you are hunting in situations where staying in one spot for a length of time is the best approach, then the standing set-up is, without question, not the best choice. The point being is to consider, in every encounter, whether there is an advantage to a standing or sitting strategy based on the specific circumstances. 

Very good info here. I've recently harvested a few Tom's standing behind a large tree in some cover. My success here definitely adds another way for me to set up on a gobbler. The most important thing I do BEFORE I set up when I'm prospecting for a Tom is I stop and survey the woods before I call. What I mean here is I pick a set-up spot before I call at that location. I never stop and call in open woods/saplings with no real good "hiding/setup trees". I've learned over the years that you better be ready to sit when you here that gobble, a bad set-up is surely going to lead to a busted Tom.