Advice for a new turkey hunter

[Dhamilton1]

I have been having an exciting but also rough season as a new turkey hunter. Been able to hunt 5 times so far and have had birds gobbling within a few hundred yards each time. However, even though they've responded to my calls, none of them have gotten within eyesight let alone gun range. Have been trying to not over call and be patient and not move spots too much so I don't bump any birds. Unfortunately, I've have bumped birds on two occasions when I've tried closing the gap after they've gone silent for over an hour or not gobbled at all. Weather and work permitting I have 5 more days of hunting left. Any advice on what I could do different or better would be appreciated.

[Greg Massey]

The more time you spend with turkey's, the more you will learn, most all of us didn't kill turkeys our first time out in the woods with them, the more time you spend with them in the fields and woods, the rewards will come one day in killing you a gobbler.  Cadence and patience kills more turkeys. You have to listen to what that gobbler wants from you, aggressive or non aggressive calling. It's all part of learning to turkey hunt. I'm sure others on the forum will share tip's with you also on what to do in helping you.

[Gooserbat]

Make sure there's no obstacles between you and the bird before you call and it's typically easier to call one uphill or across level ground than down hill.  Also mid/late morning is prime time in the turkey woods.  Another thing is when the temps get warm they seek shade and open fields like hay Meadows and now pastures that hold bird earlier in the day may not hold birds but the edges of such is where to be.

[Wigsplitter]

Rule 1 patience— Rule 2 and sounds like you have this one covered hunt where the turkeys are!! Good luck keep after them it will happen!!

[High plains drifter]

Learn how to call, and get out there in the dark. Do a lot of scouting,talk to farmers. Learn where to find turkeys.

[Sanders153]

If at all possible, try to roost one the evening before with an owl hooter or locator call when they are heading to roosting trees. A visual of them is even better, if they don't spot you. Then the next morn, slip in there a good bit before they fly down, pick you a good tree nearby if available, and set up on them. Give some soft little yelps and clucks when they start waking up, and try to see what the Gobbler is wanting to hear that day

[Dtrkyman]

Close that distance before they go silent, where you call from is as or more important then the calling itself!

[sswv]

"Advice for a new turkey hunter"    DO NOT wear a strutting gobbler decoy on your head.     (sorry but I couldn't resist).
Anyway, learn the terrain, knows what's between you and them and, listen to the advice the others have offered. Good luck and be patient.

[guesswho]

Sort through the advice you receive on a turkey forum carefully.  Not getting a gobbler in gun range doesn't mean the hunt wasn't a success. 

[ChesterCopperpot]

Anyway, learn the terrain...

This! Learning a particular piece of ground intimately is invaluable. And you can do this regardless of how a particular morning plays out. When you know the ground and can predict how they'll use it you're at a tremendous advantage. Most times turkeys beat us they beat us with terrain.

Sort through the advice you receive on a turkey forum carefully.  Not getting a gobbler in gun range doesn't mean the hunt wasn't a success.

I'm with you. I don't think it sounds like he did anything "wrong." And he's been on birds every time out! Five hunts on birds, but no kills is not a failure by any means. Keep after 'em! They'll slip up and make a mistake sooner or later.


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[howl]

If it's the end of the season you can probably get an experienced killer to call your birds. They'll be tagged out And jonesin' hard. After they show you how it's done, go your own way except for maybe finding a turkey for them next season and tagging along to watch and learn.

[btomlin]

Just don't get discouraged.  Doesn't sound like you are doing anything "wrong".  They are answering you so you just haven't found the right bird yet. 

Sometimes all it takes is putting your coins in the opposite pocket and wearing a different cap to change your luck.  

[hunter85]

So I am still new to the killing parts but not the hunting part as I have had to learn on my own with no guidance. I have figured out after striking a bird or finding one on the roost don't move after you call to him if he answers you he know where you are and will probably come to you in his time I have bumped more birds than I care to count after them gobbling hard and going silent and a hour goes by with nothing to walk a hundred yards and hear putting or see him flying off

[Meleagris gallopavo]

All good advice.  One of the mistakes I made when I started was calling to them too much when they were on the roost.  A little soft talk to let them know you're there and stop.  I have yelped and clucked to them on the roost and they'll stay right there waiting to see a hen.  You never know if a gobbler is gonna come to you if you hear him.  The natural order of things is for the hens to go to the gobblers, which makes bringing gobblers to hen calls a little difficult to begin with.  If hens are on the ground you may be able to get them to come to you, which may mean bringing a gobbler in-tow.  I've had good success where I hunt calling hens that have gobblers with them.  Scratching leaves or making footfall sounds in leaves works really well if nothing else is working on a gobbler close enough to hear it, and they can hear better than we can.  I had 3 gobblers hung up in a field and every call I threw at them would result in gobbles cutting me off, but they immediately came in on a string when I started making noises in the leaves.  If you notice the gobbles moving back and forth in a certain area but not getting closer, pick an area to move to that's higher ground and when the gobbles are going downhill or the other way, move to the spot you want to get to bit by bit.  In other words, try to get to where he wants to go or between him and where he wants to go.  This can be applied to several situations.  Be as patient as you can in any situation because things can change in an instant.  But if you pick up on a repetitive pattern be prepared to move to take advantage of it and not continue to sit and expect that pattern to change in your favor.  Be still and alert at all times, any casual or sudden movement can be picked up and result in putts from a bird you never saw.  I tend to move very slowly and deliberately when I'm sitting in the woods.  Try to set up to take advantage of how you shoot left or right-handed.  Although it doesn't always work out the way I want, I try to anticipate where a bird will come from and leave that side as my widest angle to take a shot.  Some terrain allows for a turkey to come only from one angle, so take advantage of that.  I call a successful hunt a hunt I actually interact with the birds in some form or fashion.  One morning this year the only thing I did was call a lone hen to within 10 yards and was stoked about that.  The days I actually kill a gobbler are euphoric!  The only way to experience this is to go hunting at every available opportunity, and some opportunities have to be made.  Every minute you're in the woods turkey hunting you're learning, and learning is success in and of itself.   

[Happy]

My advise is this. Getting out there and working/gaining experience at it is the most important part. Second learn to use your calls to the best of your abilities but realize that is only a portion of what it takes to consistently kill turkeys. 3rd- pay attention to details. Try to know what your dealing with and act accordingly. Be aware of what's going on around you and become  as much a part of the woods as you can. After some time you will start noticing patterns and be able to take advantage of certain situations. It all really boils down to experience and time spent learning. A good turkey hunter is not made overnight. It takes time and you have to build from the ground up. So many these days want to get be at the top but don't want to climb.  Also I would leave blinds/decoys out of the picture for now. If thats something you want to delve into later then so be it. But in my opinion to truly become a good turkey hunter you gotta learn how to deal with them with the basic tools so to speak.
Good luck

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