How Do You Turkey Hunt?

[Zobo]

Chester, only using one drone is putting yourself at a severe disadvantage

[Tail Feathers]

No dekes or blinds, locate a bird the morning of the hunt either by sound or get a visual.  I'm in no hurry and may not make a call until 2 or 3 hours into the hunt.   I usually don't call until I think I have found what I think is the killing spot.   I don't try to force the issue by constantly calling.   I figure if I don't kill him today I'll kill him tomorrow, so no need to let him hear every sound I can make on every call I have.  I hear enough of that from other hunters.  When I do kill him I treat him with as much respect as you can after killing something.  I don't high five, dance around, jump up and down and yell like a little leaguer who just hit his first home run.  I like to sit a few minutes and just take it all in, in case that's the last time I get to experience it.

Some wise old turkey hunter stole Ronnie's log in.  Cause Ronnie just puts out a couple of badonkadekes and they turkeys come running in.

[GobbleNut]

My hunting strategy is quite simple.  I try to find a gobbling bird, either on the roost or on the ground.  I then approach and initiate a conversation with him.  He will either oblige, or not.  If he does, we see where our relationship ends up.  If he doesn't, I will move on to find another gobbling turkey and repeat the process until I find a gobbler that wants to play the game my way. 

Most of the time, wherever I hunt, that will happen at some point.  If it doesn't happen, even though I will be disappointed, I am fine with that.  I have killed enough turkeys in my life that killing one any other way just doesn't mean that much to me.  As I have said in the past, if they don't want to play the game my way, they can just stay in the woods and, just maybe, they will make some more turkeys in the future that will.   

[Gooserbat]

I usually keep things simple and light.  A hand full of mouth calls, a box call, and a pot maybe two.  I carry two strikers. I carry an owl hooter and a crow call.  I don't use a decoy very often because I don't like to carry one around. I use onX like a trucker uses a CB.  I'm kinda a map nerd as it allows me to see the lay of the land before I set foot on it.  However it's not a substitute for actually getting my feet on the ground.   The things I do and the things I carry are proven for me.  The biggest thing is you have to learn when, where and how often to call and be patient because you are on turkey time not your time.

[Yoder409]

How I hunt depends on the day.........the bird.........the location............

My OVERWHELMINGLY preferred method is to get in semi-tight on a perspective dance partner at 0-dark-30 in the morning and sweet talk him to me right off the limb.  If/when that doesn't work.......miles go behind me (at a leisurely pace) as I attempt to locate another willing bird.  My gun is on my shoulder, my shootin stick/walkin stick in my right hand.  One box, one slate, one striker, one diaphragm. 

I am, however, not too proud to use a blind or a decoy on a field bird now and again or on a rainy day.  I'd rather be in a blind on a rainy day looking out the window than on my couch looking out the window.  But I do NOT need to kill another gobbler bad enough to take a complete soaking over it.

 

[Happy]

I hardly ever even attempt to roost one. So I get were i want to be before daylight and hope to have one in earshot. If not I try to find one. Once one is located I try to call him in and kill him. I won't shoot one I haven't called in and I keep it an estimated 40 yard and in affair. No blinds or decoys.
Not gonna give much info other than that as I am getting to the point of where I feel like there is enough info out there already and it's high time people figure it out for themselves and if they want it bad enough they will. If successful I like to sit back and enjoy the moment, maybe eat a snack and then clean him up as much as I can and take some pictures for when I am old and senile.

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[guesswho]

No dekes or blinds, locate a bird the morning of the hunt either by sound or get a visual.  I'm in no hurry and may not make a call until 2 or 3 hours into the hunt.   I usually don't call until I think I have found what I think is the killing spot.   I don't try to force the issue by constantly calling.   I figure if I don't kill him today I'll kill him tomorrow, so no need to let him hear every sound I can make on every call I have.  I hear enough of that from other hunters.  When I do kill him I treat him with as much respect as you can after killing something.  I don't high five, dance around, jump up and down and yell like a little leaguer who just hit his first home run.  I like to sit a few minutes and just take it all in, in case that's the last time I get to experience it.

Some wise old turkey hunter stole Ronnie's log in.  Cause Ronnie just puts out a couple of badonkadekes and they turkeys come running in.

  Dang, busted!

[NCL]

As mentioned above it depends on the location. The private property I have access to hunt is small and it is a sit an wait location, so mostly will set out a decoy or two. The public land I hunt is huge so it is more of a walk and stalk area so no decoys. Have a blind but have never used it. Started using TSS/Hevi shot a few years ago when lead was outlawed for upland hunting.  Care much more about the hunting experience than the kill.

[Yoder409]

I hardly ever even attempt to roost one.

Same.

Around here, it's VERY uncommon to get one to go from the limb at night, anyways.  And, besides.......... I've hunted the same (roughly) square mile for over 40 years.  I know where the roosting areas are and where they ain't, by now.  I make my best guess in the AM and if I'm right, then, good.  If I'm not.........let the hiking begin.

I should add........ I love to kill spring birds !!!!   But I have no ego, no fear of tag soup and nothing to prove to anyone but myself.  A more accurate description of how I hunt might be that I'll occasionally kill a gobbler while I'm on relaxing, woods hikes .....taking pictures of wildflowers and scenery. 

[RutnNStrutn]

I usually fire up the drone three hours before daylight. It's got a heat register and I look to see which way the birds are facing anticipating the direction they'll pitch. I crawl in with a bag full of decoys on my back and a full fan hat on my head to my Redneck blind—I'd like to thank my sponsor Redneck Blinds. I set my decoys—four full strutters, a half strutter, a posturing jake on an R/C truck, seven feeding hens, two breeder hens, and a funky chicken bearded hen with fishing line tied to her tail—102yds from the blind because my choke and load don't open up till about 97yds. When they get to gobbling on the limb I hit a fly down cackle on a batwing cut diaphragm through an elk bugle tube. I've had them fly down in Vs like Canada geese from a good three mile to get into the setup and at that point it's raining hellfire with the Keltec KSG and 4oz of TSS #16s. If that don't work I move to shooting them off the limb of an evening.


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Sent from deep in the woods where the critters roam.

[Wvdanimal]

You probably won't hear many people agreeing with me on my style. I'm aggressive,  very much so. I call alot, I call loud, and I kill alot of birds in different states.  I'm not afraid to move ridges over or circle a bird instead of waiting for him. One of my best friends is the old school type who sits half a day in one spot and makes about 3 soft calls total and that works for him too. Just not as often

[RutnNStrutn]

Ronnie just puts out a couple of badonkadekes and they turkeys come running in.

Sent from deep in the woods where the critters roam.

[RutnNStrutn]

I am a self-taught turkey hunter who cut his teeth on public land Osceolas. Now I hunt almost exclusively private land.
I don't have much luck roosting Easterns or Osceolas, so I seldom try. Rios and Merriams are a different story. If I roost a bird, I get in tight the next morning when it's still good and dark, set out a decoy and enjoy the show. Whether I kill one off the roost or not, it's always an amazing experience!!
If I don't roost one, I go to pre-scouted areas, owl call at first light and listen for gobbles. If one sounds off, I'll work him. Usually without success. I've only killed a handful of birds right off the roost.
If I don't get one on the roost, I walk and glass, owl and crow calling trying to strike a bird up. Occasionally I do a quick set up and some blind calling. I've killed a lot of birds like that.
When the gobbling slows way down later in the morning, I go to feeding and strutting areas. I set out a deke or two, and wait for the birds in my Gobbler Lounger, doing periodic blind calling. I've killed a lot of birds that way too.
I probably call too loud and too often, but I can't help but think to myself that there's a gobbler walking by just out of sight that would come in if he hears me. It might be dumb, but that's what comes to mind.
I very rarely hunt out of a blind. I almost always carry at least one decoy, but don't always use them. I haven't killed a bird over a decoy in 3 years. I've killed a lot of birds over decoys on some very memorable hunts!!
If none of the above works, I've always got binoculars. I've had a good amount of success on spot and stalk hunts. If you can't call 'em, crawl 'em!!! I don't care what any purist thinks of that. It takes a whole lot of skill to move on a turkey(s) and get in position for a shot. I love the challenge and occasional success of spring turkey hunting.
Most of all, I love greeting the dawn on a cool, crisp morning, watching the woods wake up, and hearing gobbles. If I get a gobbler, that's just icing on the cake.

Sent from deep in the woods where the critters roam.

[Neill_Prater]

I've observed through the years that the way one hunts is generally a reflection of one's personality. I'm not a loud, boisterous, aggressive person, and my hunting style reflects that. I can get aggressive if the situation calls for it, but am normally pretty laid back, especially as I age.

I don't hunt from a blind, yet, but would if health issues prevented me from doing otherwise. I use decoys, but sparingly, and less and less as I get older. Just one more thing to screw around with and I aim more for simplicity now. I've killed a few birds I don't think I would have without the use of dekes. I've not gotten a shot at few birds that I maybe would have if I had used a decoy, and I have spooked a few birds by having them deployed.

I seldom roost birds, but will often try and spot one in the late afternoon, knowing he will be in the vicinity come morning. I have a tendency to overthink things which sometimes results in a game plan that works, but more often doesn't. If I'm rested and not constrained by the clock, I can be extremely patient, sometimes too patient, because I would often be better off covering more real estate.

I am not a purist. I purchased a 20 gauge for my everyday gun and happily shoot the $10 shells because they are effective. I have killed several birds without uttering even a cluck. Being in the right place, at the right time is a gift, and I will take advantage of it.

At 70, I am more and more appreciative of the fact that although sometimes challenged by health issues related to the aging process, I am still able to participate. I anticipate the opening day of each season, and find myself a bit saddened at the closing.

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[Zobo]

Neill_Prater that's such a very honest and impressively thoughtful answer to this thread's question, awesome!