New member, new to hunting

[Safetyfast]

Made it 40 years without ever hunting.  My son started convincing me that we needed to start and we took our hunter safety class last season.  We've been on a couple of bird hunts, fall turkey and deer once.  Only success has been dove.  We're looking forward to learning to turkey hunt this spring.  We're in East TN, and plan to try Cherokee National Forest and maybe a couple of private fields if we can get permission.  I've been lurking here and trying to drink in the information. 

[renegade19]

good luck!   

[Huntnwork]

Have you been scouting yet? Do you know what the terrain of the wma is ? Get a map of the place or google earth the property and see where your Forrest openings or fields are located and get there and look for droppings or dust bowls and scratchings. These will be areas the turkeys are visiting often.

[Safetyfast]

No, we haven't done any scouting yet.  We need to do that.  First day we can hunt is youth day on March 22. 

[sonofabuck]

   I'm new to the OG forum as well.  Lots of good info here.  I have noticed there are quite a few Tennesseans on here.  Maybe somebody near you will offer up some good tips for you and your son.  Any time spent afield with your kids is a success.  If you judge success by taking an animal, hunting will be a disappointment for you.  The kill for me and my kiddos is just icing on the cake.  Hope you get to spend many days afield with your son.

[Safetyfast]

  I'm new to the OG forum as well.  Lots of good info here.  I have noticed there are quite a few Tennesseans on here.  Maybe somebody near you will offer up some good tips for you and your son.  Any time spent afield with your kids is a success.  If you judge success by taking an animal, hunting will be a disappointment for you.  The kill for me and my kiddos is just icing on the cake.  Hope you get to spend many days afield with your son.

You are correct, but if he doesn't kill a turkey soon, I'm afraid he'll not want to keep going. 


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[d.winsor]

One thing to remember about hunting public land, if you hear a gobble and move toward it, then you hear a hen, just set where you are and when the bird hits the ground give a call then be quiet.  If that hen was a hunter and bustes the turkey or if the turkey doesn't like something,  it might move to your direction.

[Byhalia]

Patience....lots and lots of patience. all in good time things will come together.
Then you will have the disease like the rest off us !   

Good luck to you and your son !!!!   

[redleg06]

Best piece of advice for someone new to this -  You can make up for A LOT of deficiencies as turkey hunter (or any type of hunter really) if you do your homework by scouting and learning where they WANT TO BE.  Get out there early before the season and figure out where they like to be and when they like to be there.

You dont have to an expert to call a bird to a place he wants to go to anyway. 

[tomstopper]

  I'm new to the OG forum as well.  Lots of good info here.  I have noticed there are quite a few Tennesseans on here.  Maybe somebody near you will offer up some good tips for you and your son.  Any time spent afield with your kids is a success.  If you judge success by taking an animal, hunting will be a disappointment for you.  The kill for me and my kiddos is just icing on the cake.  Hope you get to spend many days afield with your son.

Bingo..... Hope you and your son have a great season. Just try and get out and do some scouting and practice your calling and it will come together. When your son hears that gobble, he will be hooked......