double team

[turkeyaddict]

When turkey hunting is described as a one man game, I totally agree. However, from time to time I'll hunt with a good friend and it seems we hurt each other more than help. Tell me your strategy when hunting with someone else, not a youth, but an experienced hunter.

[g8rvet]

I hunt with family members sometimes.  Not where they need help, just because  one of us is a guest on a quota hunt or sometimes we just feel like it.   I don't really like it a lot, but is a nice change of pace.  We may be starting out together and only hear one bird, so we head to it together. 

Has worked pretty well for us.  Works best with my left handed brother or my left handed nephew. We can cover nearly 360 if we set up correctly.  I have called in a bird for my brother twice - not designed that way, he can certainly call on his own, it was just the direction and way the bird came in was right for me to call and him to shoot.  Would have been the other way around had the bird worked us differently.  I have had fidgety young uns cost them a bird, and once cost me a bird (nephew was trying to get in position to shoot a bird on my side, we had a talk about that, not ugly, but STICK TO THE PLAN!).  We usually pick a tree when we sit down and the which ever side of it each of us will cover.  Then we know what we are doing ahead of time.  First guy with a shot squeezes the trigger.  I can think of at least 5 longbeards that have died to a tag team by some combo of us.  That does not count calling for them when they were kids. 

I think it works best when it is someone that you are as happy if they kill it as if you did. My brother had one that kept skirting them just out of range.  We sat up, I called, he never made a peep. The bird skirted my right at the edge of an ethical shot.  Did not know my brother was sitting about 30 yards from me. He died.  Worked out really cool for me as I ended up looking right down my bro's barrel as he squeezed the trigger. 

[Chris O]

I don't mind hunting together with another person. You sound like multiple hens and calling from different directions. And you cover more of an area with 2 Guns

[Happy]

The only time I hunt with someone is when I am assisting them in trying to get a bird. I have nothing against it but I am much more effective running solo.

[turkeyaddict]

What got me thinkin about it is I have the next 2 days off to hunt with my nephew. I called in his first for him when he was a kid, then life happened and we were separated for a few years. He's 21 now and has killed several on his own... I'd be happy for either of us to kill a bird, but my luck with another adult never has worked out. G8rvet, I'm left handed or at least I shoot left handed... may have been missing a big advantage all these years.

[Happy]

What got me thinkin about it is I have the next 2 days off to hunt with my nephew. I called in his first for him when he was a kid, then life happened and we were separated for a few years. He's 21 now and has killed several on his own... I'd be happy for either of us to kill a bird, but my luck with another adult never has worked out. G8rvet, I'm left handed or at least I shoot left handed... may have been missing a big advantage all these years.

Kinda funny you mention that. I have a hunt lined up this Sunday to take a friend hunting.  14 years ago I called in the first one for his son and now he wants to go. This fellow has only killed two in his life but he owns a cabin on agorgeous chunk of ground that always has birds.

[turkeyaddict]

but he owns a cabin on agorgeous chunk of ground that always has birds.

sounds like a great friend to have

[Happy]

It's nice property but I only hunt it with him. Not because I am not allowed but because it's a respect thing. I have plenty of my own spots.

[g8rvet]

What got me thinkin about it is I have the next 2 days off to hunt with my nephew. I called in his first for him when he was a kid, then life happened and we were separated for a few years. He's 21 now and has killed several on his own... I'd be happy for either of us to kill a bird, but my luck with another adult never has worked out. G8rvet, I'm left handed or at least I shoot left handed... may have been missing a big advantage all these years.

It is a big advantage if you sit with a righty.  Both face the bird, righty on the left, lefty on the right.  Then either can swing around to a pretty big field of fire. 

[Ontario_caller]

Double teaming birds has got to be one of the most effective if not the most effective way to harvest birds, especially the tough ones.
When a silent hunter can be placed between a bird and an a good caller in a situation that affords the caller ease of movement it doesn't get any better.
When you can move in and out , side to side and such and pull that tom right into the shooters wheelhouse it's priceless.
To that tom you sound exactly like a real hen moving around back there.
Lastly I would not use this tactic on public ground as it could get dangerous.
I hunt big tracts of private timber with exclusive permission and my hunting partners and myself use this method a lot.
Guides do it on a regular, day in and day out.

[Marc]

Have a game plan, and some means of communicating silently...  Talking, even whispering in my opinion can be detrimental (sometimes they do not run away, but I do feel that human whispering can make birds unnecessarily cautious and prevent them from coming in).  Having discussed some basic hand signals before the hunt is appropriate.

Typically when I hunt with someone, I am taking them hunting, and not planning on shooting unless their are two good birds to shoot.  Figure out who will be doing the majority of the calling, and who will have priority on shooting before you go out (flip a coin if you must).

The single biggest advantage and best method of hunting with two hunters, is to have one guy walk away from the birds while calling...  If the birds try to circle around, the call must try and keep the shooter between himself and the birds...   When the birds get close to the shooter, the caller SHUTS UP, and the shooter might make a couple of quiet clucks or purrs...

Biggest disadvantage of two hunters is over-calling.  Designate someone in charge of calling....  There are times when two callers calling can help, and times when it seems to me it can hurt...  If birds are some distance away, I might try two callers revving it up to get the birds worked up, and then stay relatively quiet (with a few clucks, purrs, and subtle yelping).

[turkeyaddict]

Thanks for all the advice guys. Had a great couple days with my nephew. We finally got on some birds Saturday and was successful. We were setup just close enough to communicate. I called to the bird and he stayed quiet. When the bird came in, I could hear him drumming but couldn't see him. Turkey skirted me at 50 yards but gave my nephew a clean 40 yard shot!! Learned a lot and can't wait to try it again!! No doubt the main thing was he never called. Bird couldn't get close enough to see the hen he'd heard without being in range of the 2nd shooter.

[Gen.27:3]

I have some success double-teaming birds too. But it's also so rewarding to get it done on your own.

[Takeaim1st]

Have used the "Double Team" method many times. Actually  I enjoy it as much as hunting alone. I have always conducted team hunting practicing the same method as described by ( Ontario_Caller ). There is always a designated shooter and likewise a designated caller. It is important that each participant sticks to the parameters for their assigned position for the duration of the hunt, this is a very important safety practice. If you conduct successful  hunts using this method you will find that being the "Caller" is more enjoyable than doing the shooting. Stay safe, be safe and, have a great season.

[MK M GOBL]

I do this a lot, rarely am I on a solo hunt, usually after another hunters tag has been filled I'll work on mine. But I offer the "Let's Go" on these hunts, I am the caller and make the plan as to how we set, my rules. And I am the backup if it doesn't work out for the shooter. More than 2/3rds of the birds I call are killed by the hunter(s) with me. I like to watch the game happen, I still do like to pull the trigger don't get me wrong but calling them in for another hunter is just as much fun for me.

MK M GOBL