Tips and tricks

[ScottTaulbee]

I was reading a post on here the other day and someone mentioned the wealth of accumulated knowledge on here that is mostly wasted. I've hunted these birds for 22 years and I continue to learn from you guys and the birds themselves every year. What are some things you guys would like to pass on to new combers or old pro's alike?.


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[GobbleNut]

Good topic, Scott.  I wouldn't say the knowledge here is wasted so much as that some of us are not all that good at putting what we have learned here to good use!   

In answer to your question,...and this applies to our newer hunters more-so than our experienced guys,...is understanding that turkey hunting is often more about "hearing" than it is "seeing".  Most hunters start out hunting game that is hunted mostly by sight, and I think they tend initially to hunt turkeys that way. 

For me, personally, realizing that finding turkeys first by relying on hearing them rather than seeing them was a real key to becoming more consistently successful in hunting them.  To take that one step further, my success was even more compounded by realizing that I could induce them to gobble to let me know they were there,...even when they were not visible. 

If I was to name one single factor,...that is, outside of the basics of learning to use a turkey call and applying that calling,...I would say it was understanding the importance of using my ears rather than my eyes.

[Greg Massey]

 To be successful it all has to do with preparation. Good calls and understanding your calls and using cadence. Having a good understanding of basic woodsman skills can play a big part in how you apply your tactics in hunting these gobblers. Turkey hunting gear, like a satchel/vest, gun, shells calls and snacks all play a part in how much time you can spend in a day chasing gobblers. Scouting, finding gobblers, and patience all play a part. More turkeys are killed from 10:00 - 3:00 more so than any other time of the day.. We all have tips and tricks, and believe me I have tried it all on a smart old gobbler and at the end of the day came out of the WOODS mad, cursing and wanting to cry all the way back to the truck. But the next day I'm back hunting gobblers again... 

[Tom007]

Good topic, Scott.  I wouldn't say the knowledge here is wasted so much as that some of us are not all that good at putting what we have learned here to good use!   

In answer to your question,...and this applies to our newer hunters more-so than our experienced guys,...is understanding that turkey hunting is often more about "hearing" than it is "seeing".  Most hunters start out hunting game that is hunted mostly by sight, and I think they tend initially to hunt turkeys that way. 

For me, personally, realizing that finding turkeys first by relying on hearing them rather than seeing them was a real key to becoming more consistently successful in hunting them.  To take that one step further, my success was even more compounded by realizing that I could induce them to gobble to let me know they were there,...even when they were not visible. 

If I was to name one single factor,...that is, outside of the basics of learning to use a turkey call and applying that calling,...I would say it was understanding the importance of using my ears rather than my eyes.

This is fantastic advice, god gave us 2 ears and 1 mouth for this reason, listen, listen, listen. What I can share with you that changed the game for me is really 2 things. The first is Soft, limited calling. I started to realize that it is rare to move through the woods and hear a hen "hammering" away. Soft and infrequent calling is more natural in the woods IMO. The 2nd thing is how I move through the woods. I used to be a "D-9 in a China Shop", moving like a freight train through the woods. Now, it takes me several minutes to move 100 yards. These 2 tactics that I learned by "Listening" have increased my success ten-fold. I also leaned early on to take advice like you see above from GobbleNut and the steady, courteous, and extremely knowledgeable members on this forum. You will quickly learn who these people are from their posts. Good thread....

[ScottTaulbee]

Good topic, Scott.  I wouldn't say the knowledge here is wasted so much as that some of us are not all that good at putting what we have learned here to good use!   

In answer to your question,...and this applies to our newer hunters more-so than our experienced guys,...is understanding that turkey hunting is often more about "hearing" than it is "seeing".  Most hunters start out hunting game that is hunted mostly by sight, and I think they tend initially to hunt turkeys that way. 

For me, personally, realizing that finding turkeys first by relying on hearing them rather than seeing them was a real key to becoming more consistently successful in hunting them.  To take that one step further, my success was even more compounded by realizing that I could induce them to gobble to let me know they were there,...even when they were not visible. 

If I was to name one single factor,...that is, outside of the basics of learning to use a turkey call and applying that calling,...I would say it was understanding the importance of using my ears rather than my eyes.

I agree, killed a bird last year on a piece of public that sees tons of pressure on the 3rd week of season by hearing a group of 3 toms walking in a holler below me, I sat down behind a tree on the other side of the hill, gave a couple yelps, and scratched the leaves. Kept tabs on them by hearing the leaves and a crow started dipping at them, when the first one popped up at 10 yards, I rolled him. Your ears are extremely important, and not just for a gobble!


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[Tom007]

To be successful it all has to do with preparation. Good calls and understanding your calls and using cadence. Having a good understanding of basic woodsman skills can play a big part in how you apply your tactics in hunting these gobblers. Turkey hunting gear, like a satchel/vest, gun, shells calls and snacks all play a part in how much time you can spend in a day chasing gobblers. Scouting, finding gobblers, and patience all play a part. More turkeys are killed from 10:00 - 3:00 more so than any other time of the day.. We all have tips and tricks, and believe me I have tried it all on a smart old gobbler and at the end of the day came out of the WOODS mad, cursing and wanting to cry all the way back to the truck. But the next day I'm back hunting gobblers again... 

Tips from one of the best!

[ol bob]

Best advice I ever got was from a famous old timer that told me, don't hunt where there re no turkeys.

[guesswho]

Don't push the issue.   You don't have to kill him in the first 30 minutes of daylight.   Adapt to the situation and let the turkey do what he wants to do instead of trying to make him do something you want him to do.   And learn to make fun of your mistakes while at the same time making mental notes of why you didn't kill him on that last set-up.  Turkeys will hand you your rear end more times than not, but he will also leave you with an experience to help better prepare you for round two. 

[Greg Massey]

Don't push the issue.   You don't have to kill him in the first 30 minutes of daylight.   Adapt to the situation and let the turkey do what he wants to do instead of trying to make him do something you want him to do.   And learn to make fun of your mistakes while at the same time making mental notes of why you didn't kill him on that last set-up.  Turkeys will hand you your rear end more times than not, but he will also leave you with an experience to help better prepare you for round two.

WELL I GUESS, us old timers should be charging for our turkey hunting experiences and knowledge. Like these call builders ... 

[Hook hanger]

Best thing I can pass on! Quit jumping up and down and screaming like its your very first rodeo! Especially if it is on video or if its a jake.

[silvestris]

Best thing I can pass on! Quit jumping up and down and screaming like its your very first rodeo! Especially if it is on video or if its a jake.

The cardinal rule is never let them know that you exist.  Whooping and hollering after a kill violates that rule.

[Sir-diealot]

Lot of things to learn here, I still credit many of you for helping me to get my first turkey. I still respect ya'll for offering the help y'all did when I got here.

[Tom007]

Lot of things to learn here, I still credit many of you for helping me to get my first turkey. I still respect ya'll for offering the help y'all did when I got here.

You deserve it my friend.....

[Sir-diealot]

Lot of things to learn here, I still credit many of you for helping me to get my first turkey. I still respect ya'll for offering the help y'all did when I got here.

You deserve it my friend.....

Thanks Tom

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[ScottTaulbee]

I was doing some more thinking and i just remembered what I'd consider to be the number one reason for my success over the years. Confidence. Having confidence in yourself, your calls, and your ability has helped me kill and call in a pile of birds for others. When I sit down to a turkey, in my mind, I'm eating that bird. And it seems to make me stay focused, give my best calls, and use every sense I have to get him. And if it doesn't work on that bird, that day. Then I've gained a bunch of intel I'll use on him the next day. And I'll go find another one. I had one hang up a couple years ago about 80 yards out, National forest land, open woods on top of a ridge that made a horseshoe, with a finger ridge off it, I was in the curve of the horseshoe because I figured he'd come right around there and be at 30 yards, him being an old gobbler, came up the thick stuff and hung up on the finger ridge. I was sitting behind a tree and could see him to my hard right. After him being hung up about 10 minutes, I kept my cool, had confidence in my calls and my set up and gave him the best fighting purr I could on my pot call, he broke and came running and I got him at 30 yards when he hit that curve. There's not a doubt in my mind if I would have had second thoughts about any of that, I'd have not gotten that bird. He was the only one on that mountain while 6 were gobbling on the next mountain over. Sticking to my guns and having confidence kept me from chasing the others and brought that bird home.


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