mistakes

[cnette01]

When I first started turkey hunting over 15 years ago, I tended to move too much and too often.  Running and gunning does not work for me.  Note that I almost always hunt public land.  I started killing a lot more turkeys by locating areas that they were using, setting up before daylight, and being patient.  I will not move before at least 3 hours have passed unless I have been busted or someone else moves in on my setup.  As far as calling, I listen to the turkeys and do what they do.  If they are real vocal and call a lot, I do too.  If they are quiet, I call very little.

[memphistiger02]

Thanks for all the replies. This will be my first season hunting.

[bamagtrdude]

Welp, this'll be my 15th season hunting these deg'gum crazy birds, and I'm still screwin' up hunts!!    I'd say that definitely one of the biggest mistake that is made is - bad setup!  In fact, I called in 3 HUGE gobblers last year on a piece of land I was hunting for the very first time, and what I was trying to do was help my buddy who scored us the hunt a bird (I was the caller, he was the hunter, both of us had guns).  I just *KNEW* they were going to come thru the woods & hit this fire lane, so we setup along that lane & threw out the decoys real quick, setup my buddy in view of the dekes, and I sat up hill from him, next to a big pine - with a fallen down tree on my right side.  Guess where the birds came?  Straight to me, in the woods the whole time, on my right side!!!  Blocked myself right out of a shot.  Walked away with 0 birds in the bag.

I really believe you could be a below-average to mediocre caller, and yet limit out every year, if you pay more attention to your setup.  Sometimes, you have to hunt a bird a few times to get a "bead" on what's going on, but - setup is crucial.  This is the one area where your skills improve as you gain experience from hunting as much as you can.   

My buddy & I are going to be able to hunt that spot again, and our game plan is MUCH more tight this year.  My buddy's been practicing his calling, too, which will help if they come straight to me - he can yelp a little, and bring them into him, if we are in a similar position again.  Hoping to post pics on here in a few weeks of one of those birds from last year; that's the plan, at least! 

[surehuntsalot]

My success on calling in turkeys went up when I started calling less frequently. Even though I love to hear them gobble, once I know that he knows where I am at I dont call but about every 10-15min...

This is one thing that really sticks out for me,that I have learned over the years.You will get more birds.

a word of advice from an old man to the newer guys.....slow down,relax,enjoy the morning and the show.

[Huntnwork]

Stay put when you think you should move! Call every now and then and always give a spot another 30-40 minutes because turkeys don't stop what they are doing and make a beeline to you every time. I have stood up and stretched before fixing to go to try another spot only to hear wings flapping and watch a bird fly off to the next county....

[cluck]

To many hunters like to go out with friends or relatives and call'em up before season. Not a good idea. They start to know your call. And one more thing. If you hunt with a friend make sure he is able to hear the turkey gobble. I have two buddies and neither one can hear a turkey gobble at 75 yards and they are brothers. But they can hear a deer walking at close range. Its as strange as the things turkeys do.    cluck