Crawling, Creeping, moving

[Tom007]

I wanted to get this great forums take on "Moving in" on a gobbling Turkey that just won't come. I by no means want this thread to be controversial, I realize that everyone has differing hunting styles they employ. I myself have "changed position" on gobbling beards throughout my career. I always ponder what crawl, move, slither might cross the line of "stalking" a wild Turkey, which is not permitted in most states I believe. Most of the older 3 year or more Tom's in my hunting areas are call shy, very reluctant to come to calling on most days. With this said, changing calling positions on one of these guys is required if you want a chance on a reluctant bird. You watch a lot of video hunts, a lot of Tom's are taken when they "Pop their head up" from a ditch, crevasse etc. Guns pointed, noise, movement, this situation could get hairy in some cases. Being an ex Hunter-Ed teacher for 15+ years, I have "Know your target and beyond" imprinted in my brain, I always make sure it's safe when I click off the safety and pull the trigger. What's your thoughts on this, have you ever been in a "bad" situation moving on a Turkey? Love to hear your thoughts.....be safe, be well

[GuideGun]

I will preface my answer by saying hunter numbers are extremely low in my area, so running into another hunter isn't in the front of my mind while making a move on a bird. We always practice safe gun handling and identifying target and beyond it. But knowing I'm likely the only one making a play on a bird eases decision to make a play on a bird. I've crawled on a few and been successful that way, but that is absolutely last resort if I can't make a different move. I usually like to make some big circles and get behind a bird if he's hung up. Our woods are thick here so usually that is a viable option without being detected. I think most of the birds I've killed have required at least one move, a few a couple moves. It's a wonderful game of chess, especially when the gobbler is playing checkers.

[Tom007]

I will preface my answer by saying hunter numbers are extremely low in my area, so running into another hunter isn't in the front of my mind while making a move on a bird. We always practice safe gun handling and identifying target and beyond it. But knowing I'm likely the only one making a play on a bird eases decision to make a play on a bird. I've crawled on a few and been successful that way, but that is absolutely last resort if I can't make a different move. I usually like to make some big circles and get behind a bird if he's hung up. Our woods are thick here so usually that is a viable option without being detected. I think most of the birds I've killed have required at least one move, a few a couple moves. It's a wonderful game of chess, especially when the gobbler is playing checkers.

Yes, 100%. I too hunt mostly properties that have little hunter pressure, thus I feel the same when I move on a gobbler....thankfully, most of my chess games are with turkeys, not other hunters.......thanks for your thoughts....

[Teamblue]

If you want to be regularly successful where i hunt/hunted many times you gotta move.  One hairy situation comes to mind immediately when i was younger.  My dad called in 2 gobblers and shot one of them when i was at school. The next day i went after the other one and as you can imagine he wouldnt come to a call. He would respond, but wouldnt budge. I put down the turkey calls and broke out the crow call to keep tabs on him. He was lazily moving on a ridge north to south. Knowing the terrain, i made a huge circle getting in front of his path. Al the while keeping tabs with the crow call.  I sat down on a big tree and waited 20 minutes until he came walking in alone. After I shot the gobbler, a pair of tresspassers popped up behind me. They were hearing all the gobbles from across their property line and thought they could score on him.  They were crawling in behind me.  Was a really potentially dangerous situation.  I always try to sit at a big tree, bigger than my body after that. Sometimes you cant obviously.  Stalking in can be dangerous. But i think rifles for turkeys is even more dangerous.  Had a really close call with that as well.


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[Tom007]

If you want to be regularly successful where i hunt/hunted many times you gotta move.  One hairy situation comes to mind immediately when i was younger.  My dad called in 2 gobblers and shot one of them when i was at school. The next day i went after the other one and as you can imagine he wouldnt come to a call. He would respond, but wouldnt budge. I put down the turkey calls and broke out the crow call to keep tabs on him. He was lazily moving on a ridge north to south. Knowing the terrain, i made a huge circle getting in front of his path. Al the while keeping tabs with the crow call.  I sat down on a big tree and waited 20 minutes until he came walking in alone. After I shot the gobbler, a pair of tresspassers popped up behind me. They were hearing all the gobbles from across their property line and thought they could score on him.  They were crawling in behind me.  Was a really potentially dangerous situation.  I always try to sit at a big tree, bigger than my body after that. Sometimes you cant obviously.  Stalking in can be dangerous. But i think rifles for turkeys is even more dangerous.  Had a really close call with that as well.


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Wow, I'm glad that didn't get worse. Amen, glad your safe, thanks for sharing....

[Gooserbat]

I've killed quite a few because I made a move.  I'm not going to rehese every hunt but knowing that time to move is just as important as knowing when to sit still. Patience kills more turkeys than all else.  Experience has taught me that every once in a while it takes action.

[Tom007]

I've killed quite a few because I made a move.  I'm not going to rehese every hunt but knowing that time to move is just as important as knowing when to sit still. Patience kills more turkeys than all else.  Experience has taught me that every once in a while it takes action.

Amen Sam, it is hard to move on any Tom, extremely hard. Knowing when and how is the key....thx for sharing..

[Ol timer]

Well since we both live in NJ the stalking on a Turkey is a no no, but in other states not so much. I have more of a problem with inexperienced turkey hunters staking me and walking in or past my location when running a call. Many years ago I had a hunter sneak in behind me shotgun pointed at me when I jumped up he pulled up and said I'm sorry. That should never happen turkey hunting, as far as moving on a Turkey that deserves careful understanding of the woods your hunting private or public.

[GobbleNut]

I will preface my answer by saying hunter numbers are extremely low in my area, so running into another hunter isn't in the front of my mind while making a move on a bird. We always practice safe gun handling and identifying target and beyond it. But knowing I'm likely the only one making a play on a bird eases decision to make a play on a bird. I've crawled on a few and been successful that way, but that is absolutely last resort if I can't make a different move.  I think most of the birds I've killed have required at least one move, a few a couple moves.

This is a pretty good synopsis of my situation and how I feel about it.  I would add that, wherever I am hunting, I am always on the alert for any evidence that someone else might be in the area.  That includes evaluating any noises I hear, including evaluating any turkey calling I might hear as to its authenticity, or any unusual/unidentified movement around me. 

Quite honestly, it is hard for me to fathom how anybody gets shot in a true "mistaken for game" hunting accident. Yes, I know it happens on rare occasions,...but I just can't understand how it happens.  Personally, I think the chances of it happening are akin to the "being struck by lightning" possibilities. 

Nevertheless, each of us should evaluate the situations and conditions which we find ourselves in at any given time,...and make good choices as to what we do in each. ...Don't stand under the tallest tree in a thunderstorm!... 

[Tom007]

I will preface my answer by saying hunter numbers are extremely low in my area, so running into another hunter isn't in the front of my mind while making a move on a bird. We always practice safe gun handling and identifying target and beyond it. But knowing I'm likely the only one making a play on a bird eases decision to make a play on a bird. I've crawled on a few and been successful that way, but that is absolutely last resort if I can't make a different move.  I think most of the birds I've killed have required at least one move, a few a couple moves.

This is a pretty good synopsis of my situation and how I feel about it.  I would add that, wherever I am hunting, I am always on the alert for any evidence that someone else might be in the area.  That includes evaluating any noises I hear, including evaluating any turkey calling I might hear as to its authenticity, or any unusual/unidentified movement around me. 

Quite honestly, it is hard for me to fathom how anybody gets shot in a true "mistaken for game" hunting accident. Yes, I know it happens on rare occasions,...but I just can't understand how it happens.  Personally, I think the chances of it happening are akin to the "being struck by lightning" possibilities. 

Nevertheless, each of us should evaluate the situations and conditions which we find ourselves in at any given time,...and make good choices as to what we do in each. ...Don't stand under the tallest tree in a thunderstorm!... 

Well since we both live in NJ the stalking on a Turkey is a no no, but in other states not so much. I have more of a problem with inexperienced turkey hunters staking me and walking in or past my location when running a call. Many years ago I had a hunter sneak in behind me shotgun pointed at me when I jumped up he pulled up and said I'm sorry. That should never happen turkey hunting, as far as moving on a Turkey that deserves careful understanding of the woods your hunting private or public.

Amen my friends. Hopefully we all never get caught in a bad, unsafe situation. Yes, most Turkey hunts require moves/re-sets. That's what makes it fun.. All we can do is be safe, good luck this spring....

[Greg Massey]

Back in my early years, i made some moves on turkeys. But i can't really say one tactic was better than just sitting and having patience. Sometimes in the moving tactic i would either bump deer or the turkey and he would go silent because of my trying to move on him and partly not knowing all the terrain. Back in those days we didn't have all of these map options. Again i always try to watch my setup and my surroundings in hopes that nothing will happen to myself or someone else. My objective is hunting gobblers and not people. People do have to realize and think , not everyone hearing is as good as it's needs to be and i'm sure this could also play a bad part for some in making a bad judgment or mistake in thinking he's hunting a real gobbler and in turn is hunting YOU. So i agree to make sure of your target and practice safety at all times.  As I've gotten older the crawling, creeping, moving is not so important, i just like to bring him into my bubble and if successful i will carry him out over my shoulder. If i'm not successful, i will get to hunt HIM another day. PLAYING THE GAME IS WHAT I ENJOY THE MOST WITH GOBBLERS... NO i'm not DEER HUNTING , that season has already closed and it's SPRING turkey season. Hunting the way you want and can still hunt is my suggestion.

[Happy]

For me personally, killing a turkey that I called up is where it's at. No blinds, no decoys, no fanning. One of the states I hunt allows the use of rifles. I don't like it and find it a huge safety issue as well. That being said, I move. it's a cat and mouse game to me. If I wanted to sit on my rear end for hours at a time, I would just deer hunt. For me, it is a game of calling and positioning. I ain't gonna "crawl" up and shoot him as that isn't my idea of fair play at this stage of my hunting career. I will, however, try different angles and approaches and try to find what mental game i need to deploy and what setup i need to kill him. I have covered 100 yards in an hour, and I have covered that same distance in  less than a minute. All depends on how I read and play the situation. I remember a turkey I killed early on in my journey to where I am today. I had a gobbler coming from a good distance out. A hen intercepted him and ruined that. Something snapped in me that day, and it's the only time I got mad at a turkey. I spent the next 4 hours on my stomach in a field that had 6" grass. I managed to use rolls in the field, small shrubs, and anything else I could find to my advantage. I watched him strut, breed, and collect more hens until he finally gave me an opening, and I was able to move within 25 yards of him and kill him. Now I won't kill one like that anymore. It isn't my game, and I ain't judging anyone but myself. I am only gonna kill them by capitalizing on them reacting to something I am doing. However, that turkey is one I am never going to forget. I worked darned hard for him, and he definitely checked the box of pure woodsmanship being his undoing.

[ferocious calls]

Reposition when required.
In my younger days I would keep tabs on the local birds each morning and evening for a month before the season, bare woods. I would hunt with the camcorder and try to call every Tom in the area into range often several times in the same morning. Repositioning was vital and was required often.

Since I started making my own calls the need to reposition has been less. Or I'm getting old. 

[Tom007]

All very solid replies, thanks so much for sharing, love the various view points here.....

[Tom007]

For me personally, killing a turkey that I called up is where it's at. No blinds, no decoys, no fanning. One of the states I hunt allows the use of rifles. I don't like it and find it a huge safety issue as well. That being said, I move. it's a cat and mouse game to me. If I wanted to sit on my rear end for hours at a time, I would just deer hunt. For me, it is a game of calling and positioning. I ain't gonna "crawl" up and shoot him as that isn't my idea of fair play at this stage of my hunting career. I will, however, try different angles and approaches and try to find what mental game i need to deploy and what setup i need to kill him. I have covered 100 yards in an hour, and I have covered that same distance in  less than a minute. All depends on how I read and play the situation. I remember a turkey I killed early on in my journey to where I am today. I had a gobbler coming from a good distance out. A hen intercepted him and ruined that. Something snapped in me that day, and it's the only time I got mad at a turkey. I spent the next 4 hours on my stomach in a field that had 6" grass. I managed to use rolls in the field, small shrubs, and anything else I could find to my advantage. I watched him strut, breed, and collect more hens until he finally gave me an opening, and I was able to move within 25 yards of him and kill him. Now I won't kill one like that anymore. It isn't my game, and I ain't judging anyone but myself. I am only gonna kill them by capitalizing on them reacting to something I am doing. However, that turkey is one I am never going to forget. I worked darned hard for him, and he definitely checked the box of pure woodsmanship being his undoing.

For me personally, killing a turkey that I called up is where it's at. No blinds, no decoys, no fanning. One of the states I hunt allows the use of rifles. I don't like it and find it a huge safety issue as well. That being said, I move. it's a cat and mouse game to me. If I wanted to sit on my rear end for hours at a time, I would just deer hunt. For me, it is a game of calling and positioning. I ain't gonna "crawl" up and shoot him as that isn't my idea of fair play at this stage of my hunting career. I will, however, try different angles and approaches and try to find what mental game i need to deploy and what setup i need to kill him. I have covered 100 yards in an hour, and I have covered that same distance in  less than a minute. All depends on how I read and play the situation. I remember a turkey I killed early on in my journey to where I am today. I had a gobbler coming from a good distance out. A hen intercepted him and ruined that. Something snapped in me that day, and it's the only time I got mad at a turkey. I spent the next 4 hours on my stomach in a field that had 6" grass. I managed to use rolls in the field, small shrubs, and anything else I could find to my advantage. I watched him strut, breed, and collect more hens until he finally gave me an opening, and I was able to move within 25 yards of him and kill him. Now I won't kill one like that anymore. It isn't my game, and I ain't judging anyone but myself. I am only gonna kill them by capitalizing on them reacting to something I am doing. However, that turkey is one I am never going to forget. I worked darned hard for him, and he definitely checked the box of pure woodsmanship being his undoing.

Back in my early years, i made some moves on turkeys. But i can't really say one tactic was better than just sitting and having patience. Sometimes in the moving tactic i would either bump deer or the turkey and he would go silent because of my trying to move on him and partly not knowing all the terrain. Back in those days we didn't have all of these map options. Again i always try to watch my setup and my surroundings in hopes that nothing will happen to myself or someone else. My objective is hunting gobblers and not people. People do have to realize and think , not everyone hearing is as good as it's needs to be and i'm sure this could also play a bad part for some in making a bad judgment or mistake in thinking he's hunting a real gobbler and in turn is hunting YOU. So i agree to make sure of your target and practice safety at all times.  As I've gotten older the crawling, creeping, moving is not so important, i just like to bring him into my bubble and if successful i will carry him out over my shoulder. If i'm not successful, i will get to hunt HIM another day. PLAYING THE GAME IS WHAT I ENJOY THE MOST WITH GOBBLERS... NO i'm not DEER HUNTING , that season has already closed and it's SPRING turkey season. Hunting the way you want and can still hunt is my suggestion.

Great stories, thx