Hunting Field Birds

[valerio024]

Our season in Ohio opened on Monday. I have been able to get out a few times. I hunt a large field primarily. I saw toms both mornings and lone hens as well. The first day the Tom strutted in one spot for an hour and a half. He wouldn't respond to calls at all and only gobbled once. The second time I saw two toms but they were following hens (100ish yards behind) and while they responded they wouldn't break away from the hens. I've been running a DSD Jake and DSD lay down hen and another feeder hen. Any tips for hunting field birds? 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Uncle Tom]

Valeri024, read my post above on Strange Encounters

[Ozarks Hillbilly]

Field birds are great if you like to watch a turkey strut. Some of them have a pattern of where they prefer to enter or exit the field. If you see such a pattern you can set up there and wait on him. Or who knows something in him may click at anytime and you may have to shoot him in self defense. If that doesn't work go find another turkey

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk

[dirt road ninja]

Decoys will work but in my opinion you'll need to get them in range of where the tom feels his territory is threatened. Sometimes they'll break out from 300 yards, but most of your success will be getting the birds inside of 100 yards to challenge them. I also like strutter dekes in big fields, seems to trigger them better.

[davisd9]

I have a love/hate relationship with field turkeys. They are what I cut my teeth on turkey hunting and what I have hunted the most. It really depends on how you want to hunt them. As suggested decoys will work well in most cases. If you do not want to use decoys or just sit and wait them then you need to hunt the woods around the fields. You do not need to be deep and may be where you can shoot 10 yards or so into the field but you also do not want that area open where he can look in from the field and strut out of range. My heart is strong on field turkeys but woods birds are sometimes needed to instill confidence and have a little fun.

Decoys can make field birds really easy at times, but trying to kill them without can really make you a better hunter, but expect frustration and dirty words toward them.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[MK M GOBL]

I pretty much hunt fields, and I use my "lil Puffy" White Headed DSD (Jake) Strutter I Gobblerized for most of these hunts. I do set a Jake as a sub and set my decoys to match timing in breeding season. I hunt more to a biological/behavioral strategy and play the dominance game on them. Knowing entry/exit points and what to look for in a field if unknown and where to make your sets.

I always say there is a lot to hunting decoys "right", at times they are like magic and other will frustrate you to no end, I have played the game hundreds of times and learned my craft well.

They are tools in the shed.

lil' Puffy has been doing some work!


MK M GOBL

[1iagobblergetter]

Thats pretty much all i do is field hunt. If you know Turkey's are frequenting the area use a couple of decoys,call sporatically,and a whole lot of patience usually works for me.
Also don't think that if they arent gobbling it's pointless. You can go from feeling that way to toting a gobbler out within a blink of an eye hunting fields. Alot of times they hear your call,will come in at the pace they want to, and will slip in silent. Patience and persistence....Goodluck....

[Ctrize]

 You odds will increase next week when you can hunt all-day and more hens go to lay. Use all the mentioned tips.I would get a blind and set up in that bowl or wherever they like to spend the most time.