New turkey hunter

[Ghostware]

I'm a deer hunter who saw some turkey on the new lease and wants to try spring turkey hunting for the first time.  Can someone explain to me the phases and timing of the turkey "rut" If there is one?


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[Gooserbat]

Gobbling activities peak.  Tom's become solitary and basically act like whitetails during the rut. 

[GobbleNut]

Comparing turkey hunting to deer hunting is like the old cliche of comparing apples to oranges.  Spring turkey hunting, in it's truest form, is fundamentally about using turkey sounds to try to lure a gobbler close enough to shoot.  Since the spring season in most all states is set up to coincide with the breeding season ("rut",.. if you will), you will be hunting the "rut" most all season long.  True, there are periods during any state's spring season when gobblers will be more susceptible to being called-in than they are at other times, but your approach is pretty much always going to be about finding a gobbler than is willing to come to a call.  That is the true essence of spring gobbler hunting.

(Many newer turkey hunters have been indoctrinated into believing that they need to use decoys, similar to waterfowl hunting, to successfully hunt spring gobblers.  That is all well and good,...for those that wish to pursue the sport that way,...but the reliance on decoys is a relatively new phenomenon, and many of us "old-timers" that started hunting spring gobblers before the advent of decoy-use prefer the "old method" of using only our skills with a turkey call to try to fool a gobbler).

I suppose the point I am trying to make is for new hunters to understand that spring gobbler hunting is not like most other hunting, especially not deer hunting.  There are many sources, and many experienced hunters here, that can lead you in the right direction.  My personal advice is to learn to use a turkey call proficiently, learn how to locate gobblers and how to "set up" to call them, what calls to make and when, ....and get after 'em!

 

[allaboutshooting]

I'm a deer hunter who saw some turkey on the new lease and wants to try spring turkey hunting for the first time.  Can someone explain to me the phases and timing of the turkey "rut" If there is one?


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Welcome to the sport. You've had good advice already. You should however know that turkey hunting is an addiction for which there is of yet no know cure.

Thanks,
Clark

[Gamblinman]

Welcome to the affliction.   

Gman

[Ghostware]

So is turkey hunting also where you have sunrise and sunset hunts? Or is there another preferred time of day?


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[Gamblinman]

Turkeys can be harvested at any time of the day.

Gman

[VA_Birdhunter]

I'm a deer hunter who saw some turkey on the new lease and wants to try spring turkey hunting for the first time.  Can someone explain to me the phases and timing of the turkey "rut" If there is one?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Welcome to the sport. You've had good advice already. You should however know that turkey hunting is an addiction for which there is of yet no know cure.

Thanks,
Clark

Clark buddy you are for sure speaking the TRUTH!  I'm consumed with it and have from the first time my dad took me with him at 8 yrs old.   To me its one of Gods true blessings!

God Bless

[headbanger]

As a hunter of many types of game I'll try to explain from MY perspective...
The sight of a strutting tom makes my blood course faster thru my veins...
The echo of a gobble either makes my legs work like a racehorse or weak in the knees...depending on how close I think the bird is...
The low hum of the drum and spit causes my senses to come to peak awareness...
The sight and sound of a flopping bird brings my adrenaline to a boiling point...

After years and years of chasing animals of differing sizes and descriptions....NOTHING compares to the absolute thrill of hunting the springtime, "rut" crazed wild turkey!

If the good Lord told me he was taking me home...I might just have to ask for one more spring!

[davisd9]

Comparing turkey hunting to deer hunting is like the old cliche of comparing apples to oranges.  Spring turkey hunting, in it's truest form, is fundamentally about using turkey sounds to try to lure a gobbler close enough to shoot.  Since the spring season in most all states is set up to coincide with the breeding season ("rut",.. if you will), you will be hunting the "rut" most all season long.  True, there are periods during any state's spring season when gobblers will be more susceptible to being called-in than they are at other times, but your approach is pretty much always going to be about finding a gobbler than is willing to come to a call.  That is the true essence of spring gobbler hunting.

(Many newer turkey hunters have been indoctrinated into believing that they need to use decoys, similar to waterfowl hunting, to successfully hunt spring gobblers.  That is all well and good,...for those that wish to pursue the sport that way,...but the reliance on decoys is a relatively new phenomenon, and many of us "old-timers" that started hunting spring gobblers before the advent of decoy-use prefer the "old method" of using only our skills with a turkey call to try to fool a gobbler).

I suppose the point I am trying to make is for new hunters to understand that spring gobbler hunting is not like most other hunting, especially not deer hunting.  There are many sources, and many experienced hunters here, that can lead you in the right direction.  My personal advice is to learn to use a turkey call proficiently, learn how to locate gobblers and how to "set up" to call them, what calls to make and when, ....and get after 'em!

Excellent post!

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[davisd9]

So is turkey hunting also where you have sunrise and sunset hunts? Or is there another preferred time of day?


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I start before the light and finish after fly up, unless I kill my daily limit before.

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[socalturkeyman]

It causes me to travel 8 hours in one direction every year just to hear one break the silence of the morning woods. I will hike ridges, wade rivers,crawl through mud, and walk out the sole of my boots for a chance to shoot one.

[allaboutshooting]

I'm a deer hunter who saw some turkey on the new lease and wants to try spring turkey hunting for the first time.  Can someone explain to me the phases and timing of the turkey "rut" If there is one?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Welcome to the sport. You've had good advice already. You should however know that turkey hunting is an addiction for which there is of yet no know cure.

Thanks,
Clark

Clark buddy you are for sure speaking the TRUTH!  I'm consumed with it and have from the first time my dad took me with him at 8 yrs old.   To me its one of Gods true blessings!

God Bless

Even after all these years I start thinking about the next season as soon as the one I've been hunting is over. I agree with you about the blessing.

Thanks,
Clark

[chatterbox]

I'm a deer hunter who saw some turkey on the new lease and wants to try spring turkey hunting for the first time.  Can someone explain to me the phases and timing of the turkey "rut" If there is one?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Welcome to the sport. You've had good advice already. You should however know that turkey hunting is an addiction for which there is of yet no know cure.

Thanks,
Clark

Clark buddy you are for sure speaking the TRUTH!  I'm consumed with it and have from the first time my dad took me with him at 8 yrs old.   To me its one of Gods true blessings!

God Bless

Even after all these years I start thinking about the next season as soon as the one I've been hunting is over. I agree with you about the blessing.

Thanks,
Clark

No truer words have been spoken. The moment I shot my gobbler, I was elated and sad all at the same time because I knew it was over for me until next spring.

[Devastator]

I'm a deer hunter who saw some turkey on the new lease and wants to try spring turkey hunting for the first time.  Can someone explain to me the phases and timing of the turkey "rut" If there is one?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Welcome to the sport. You've had good advice already. You should however know that turkey hunting is an addiction for which there is of yet no know cure.

Thanks,
Clark

your notta kiddn