First time Turkey hunting ever!!

[NEKVT]

So After about 5 years of streight working and missing most hunting seasons I am finally living in my house and about to try turkey hunting this year. I am in North eastern VT and I havent done much scouting because I have been so busy. I have turkey around the house in the fields I see all the time. I am using a Single shot break open 12 guage with a turkey choke and have a simple push button call that my dad has had lying around. I have been reading up and watching videos on tips and calls but I honestly am not sure what I am doing.

I have one small field that I am considening trying that has a large round brush / rock pile in the middle where I am thinking of sitting and facing the wood line. For northeastern VT am I better off doing that or staying in the woods a bit? I go out in the morning before sun up and hear them everywhere around me and they seem to respond to yelps from my call. Please any advice would be great , as I said I have never done this before and really dont know anyone that has that can show me the ropes.. I am no stranger to hunting and hunt all deer seasons, espically archery.

Thanks

[NEKVT]

I would also like to add that I do not have a lot of hardwoods and though I am sure I can get permission many of the "Prime" fields around my property are posted. The reason I have not yet even tried to get permission is that 1. I would like to take a bird on my own property, and 2. I havent had time to track down all of the non present land owners. The Regular non-youth turkey season will start next weekend.

[Borat]

Welcome to Old Gobbler, NEKVT.

A couple things-  If you've been able to identify a field that they frequently vist, try to pinpoint where they access the field from and where they like to hang out when they are there.  I personally would not use your brush/rock pile in the middle of the field, as it does not offer you the ability to move on the birds once they are in the field with you.  You always need to set up and think about having a back up plan, just in case they don't finish on the initial set up.

Also, you said in your post that you are yelping to the turkeys.  If I'm not hunting my turkeys, I'm definitely not calling to them.  Let the turkeys be turkeys and leave them alone until you're ready to go kill them.

One recommendation I have for you- The "I have been so busy/ I haven't had time" mentality will often leave you eating tag soup or with no place to hunt.  I don't have much sympathy for these folks and will often let them struggle, because if they don't care enough about ensuring they are successful, why should I?  Everyone is busy.  Passionate hunters know how to prioritize time.  Not trying to be rude, just want you to look at it from every angle.

Good luck and let us know how your season goes.

[NEKVT]

Well if I hadent been building on my house literally 24/7 the bank would have taken my home....

I do think there might be a roosing tree nearby as well, But Ill keep the brush / rock pile thing in mind, as I agree i would be stranded.

[jakebird]

Id like to add that since youre just starting out, dont expect success to the point that u get discouraged. Consider every outing a success if you walk away with new insight. The road to success is paved with many small victories and lots of mistakes that you will learn from. This is a great site and a ton of helpful info is available to you here from a lot of very experienced hunters. Ive heard very little bad advice here. If you search back through archived pages of past posts, u can probably find a tip or an answer to every question you can think of.  Take some time and study as much of it as you can. Try to master one call at a time. A good slate or pot call is easy to learn and sounds very realistic. Invest in a couple quality decoys and good camo. Pattern that gun and know its limitations. Above all, be persistent. You will be successful sooner or later and when you do, you will be hooked for life. Best of luck and keep us posted! Welcome to Old Gobbler!

[NEKVT]

Oh yes, I do enjoy just beoing out.. and as with bowhunting I spend a ton of time scouting /  learning. I am just new to turkeys. I cammo taped my shotgun last night to keep glare down and now I plan to work on patterning this week with cardboard cut outs of turkeys i made. First taking some shots with cheap ammo before really sing waht I can do with the more expencive turkey loads. I am excited to learn and dont expect a quick and easy sussess, I was just hoping to get some info on a reasonable place to start.

[NEKVT]

Also, I wanted to say, I am not a big decoy fan, as people around here can get kinda crasy, and I would rather not have people shooting at me collecting or putting out decoys.

[jakebird]

Granted, people can get kinda stupid at times, and although i've had guys sneaking toward my decoys, i've yet to have anyone shoot at them. I mentioned them specifically because you seem geared toward field hunting. You may find the birds will hang up on you when they respond to the call. In an open field, they expect to be able to see the source of the calling. Decoys give them that visual confirmation. In the woods, they arent nearly as critical. Obviously they arent foolproof and sometimes birds will be suspicious or go the other way, but in my experience that is the exception. The rule is they work well most of the time, and unless i was setting up an ambush, i wouldnt hunt a field without them. jm2c

[NEKVT]

Thanks for the great advice. You know actually I would like to hunt the woods instead as most of my property is wooded. I just assumed my best chances for turkeys in the spring were in fields. So you think even though I dont have nearly anything as far as mast producing trees (I know its spring and no place has masts yet anyway) I might have decent luck heavely wooded fur and maple stands or trees? I do here a LOT of drumming off in the hardwood maple.

[jakebird]

This time of year, previous fall's mast is pretty much irrelevant. Turkeys are feeding on emerging green shoots and grasses and heavily on insects. If they find acorns or other nuts that havent rotted, they'll eat them, but its not a preferred food right now. Its a no brainer that the birds roost in the woods, and if youve been watching, they probbaly arent spending all day in the fields, anyway. They typically return to the darker timber midday. Hunting the field edge early, then moving into the woods later in the morning might be a good plan. Turkeys are more visible in fields, but not necessarily any easier to kill there. I hunt about 60 percent in the woods and 40 pct in or along fields. I think i enjoy the woods more. Alot more options to move, and less boring than staring at an empty field when they dont show up like i planned. 

[NEKVT]

I agree, much more peacefull in the woods too.
One spot i am thinking od they cant be going into a field early morning because there isent one around. Do you think i could use that spot in the woods for early and late morning? we can only hunt till noon here.

[jakebird]

Woods hunting is the meat and potatoes of turkey hunting, imo. The woods is always a good bet. Scouting and listening will reveal their patterns. Listen to a tom gobble on the roost and pay close attention to which direction he travels. Often they move directly toward a favored strut zone, and it isnt always a field. A south easterly facing spur ridge or a small clearing or woods road is often a good spot. Birds like to get some morning sun on those feathers, helps them look good for the ladies.   your hens will be nesting in there somewhere, too.. The gobblers will hang near those places in late morn in the last place they saw and heard hens, when they get lonesome. Also when it is very warm and sunny, they will seek shade near water. Cool hollows with a spring seep, pines, etc. You have a lot of options when you hunt in the woods as opposed to sitting at a field edge. Both can be deadly, you have to make the call based on your scouting. Good luck!

[NEKVT]

Thats music to my ears as I have one huge pine I have seen signs of roosting in in the past.... In front of it a small stream.... I read somplace they dont like crossing the stream and can actually force them in other directions. anyway... there is a bunch of thick alders on the other side of the stream. I am getting some thought on better ways to hunt this spot, I would rather not hunt fields if i can help it... we have a lot of lazy hunters that will drive and watch fields also, I know i am the only one in those woods because its my property.

[larry9988]

turkeys a very visual bird, that sometimes makes field hunting hard. one advantage to field hunting is that i can see how birds are responding to my calling and gives me clues to when and how much to call. also helps keep me still longer when i can see birds. i like woods hunting also. birds seem to be less suspicious and must approach closer to find the other "turkey" they hear. i always like to set up when possible so the bird will be in range when it should be able to see the other turkey, such as a curve in a road or maybe a small rise in the woods. as was stated earlier do not tie yourself down by hunting the rock pile. it will take away too many options you may need to play. you should hunt the roosted turkeys in the woods, if the are roosted there and maybe move to the field later in the morning if that is where they are going to strut and feed. just listen close and let the turkeys tell you what they are doing and where they are going. if not successful on the first couple of mornings, by listening and observing you will figure out what they are doing and that should boost your chances for success.

[Siwash]

Well if I hadent been building on my house literally 24/7 the bank would have taken my home....

I do think there might be a roosing tree nearby as well, But Ill keep the brush / rock pile thing in mind, as I agree i would be stranded.

Hunting is not a priority in life... never should be! it's a luxury to hunt.. good for you for working ahrd and taking care of the more important things in life..

Good luck... i'm pretty new to it too, and it takes years before you become proficient