First time in rough terrain

[HawkeyeGobbler]

Being from southeastern Iowa, I am a flatlander. Never really knew what some of you folks were talking about running the ridges etc of different states' more varied terrain. Well this year I will be hunting some ground in our Northeast corner, the driftless area. So called because the drifting glaciers missed this spot, so it is full of bluffs, caves, deep ravines, and timbered ridges.

I have been scouting the area and about halfway up a VERY steep face of a ravine that ends up as a bluff up top, I have seen a lot of sign. There is a relatively flat spot that cuts up the side where I've seen them and lots of sign. Thing is it looks almost like a road going up, the flat spot is only probably 10 to 12 feet wide, either side and you are again going sharply up or down.

The place I am hunting, I can hunt the very bottom of the valley (where a small stream runs through) or I can hunt the tops of the ridges. The ridges are heavily timbered but the bottom is more sparse especially around the stream.

The biggest hill area I have hunted was either a terraced field or a few gently sloping hills. Typically we call them out or set decoys near the timbered fingers in ag fields and if you are in the right place at the right time they have no problem coming out.

Would you hunt the bottom if they are strutting down there? Or hope to intercept one, by calling on one of the few flat spots on the hill face? Or would you want to set up top on the ridge.

[mgm1955]

From another flatlander, good luck!

[MickT]

All we hunt around here is terrain. They will often roost at eye level with the crest of the ridge or just below. Those benches on the hillside are where you want to be in middle TN. I would start on top since you can hear better from there and work down towards them.


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[Yoder409]

I would start on top since you can hear better from there and work down towards them.

This.  Yep.

Welcome to how the other half lives..............  lol !!!

From the sounds of things, what you are hunting is what we call "gently rolling hills" here in PA..................  ;-D

[HawkeyeGobbler]

Thanks guys. My concern is that while there are a lot of trees they are mostly small (or maybe I am just too wide, thats entirely possible) so sneaking/hiding will be tough. Plus one wrong move and ill be tumbling...

If i set up ok the flat path type area is that where they will want to strut? Its not the top of the ridge but sound would still carry a good ways. I should add that once you crest the ridges, there is not as steep or as much of a downhill on the other side. It goes down a few yards but then immediately it turns into DNR planted/managed ag field. Its not "flat-ridge-flat-ridge," its more like all flat but you are down in a trough.

[MickT]

They may strut on the benches or they may head to the fields. If you start out on top and they decide to go to the field, you are in a good position. If you are even or below them and they get to the field, you will have a harder time getting them back on your terms.


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[HawkeyeGobbler]

Thanks MickT.

Random question that is real specific to this area...

Trout stocking season began a week ago. There won't be as many people as were out this weekend the next few but I would assume slightly higher traffic than normal. Do you think this would concentrate birds on the ridges near the top of people are bumping them when they are lower down the valley?

[Gooserbat]

As others have said, start at the top.  It's easier to call one up hill than down.

[MickT]

Turkeys are strange. They can be super sensitive to hunting pressure and completely oblivious to normal people activity.


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[tha bugman]

feel the burn!  First time I hunted rough terrain...I thought.." you want me to go where now?"     Benchs...there not just for sitting anymore!

[Kylongspur88]

As others have said, start at the top.  It's easier to call one up hill than down.

This is true. I don't know why but it is.

[MickT]

It's because you can see down hill easier than uphill in most cases. They get to where they can see where the calling is coming from and all they see is a camouflaged lump at the bottom of a tree 65 yards away instead of the hen they expected.


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[appalachianassassin]

As others have said, start at the top.  It's easier to call one up hill than down.

This is true. I don't know why but it is.

I killed one today that I called 150yds downhill. I agree, however, uphill is typically an advantage.

[Marc]

Start high and work low...  It is a heck of a lot easier to cover ground working downhill (although more difficult to carry that dead bird back up a long steep hill).

•   Higher ground gives you a better vantage point for seeing and hearing.
•   Turkeys tend to be easier to call uphill.
•   It is easier to move downhill to a bird rather than around and above one.

You can use the terrain to your advantage to move closer to a bird in steep terrain.  I use tree and brush-lines as well as the geography of the country.  On flat ground you can only use the vegetation.

If you do decide to move down to a bird, make sure he is not moving towards you uphill...  Nothing more disheartening to work down towards a bird, only to have him gobble above you.

Sound in the hills is deceiving.  A bird that sounds way off can be right over the next ridge, and a close bird can sound a lot further off...  Generally, I feel I have a fairly good feel, but I have bumped a lot of birds that sounded a long ways off, and have found myself sometimes forever moving towards a bird that sounds reasonably close.  I suppose that rocks, trees, and air movement can dampen or amplify sound in different ways.

As a side note, having bumped my share of turkeys,  I feel that in escape mode they tend to run uphill and fly downhill.

[MickT]

Another thing I have noticed- hens will often roost lower than the gobbler but won't vocalize until close to fly down.

I have blundered right into the hen roost coming from below while moving towards a bird on roost.

If you can get tight to him and aren't completely out of his way, he may just swing by to pick you up on the way to his hens.


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