Turkey Advice

All IN · 02-26-2004, 09:18 PM

This will be my first year for hunting turkeys. I've heard a lot and know what im doing but I was just wondering if theres any tips you guys can give me. I've scouted an area for the last couple months that contains a few good looking birds. Give me your thoughts, thanks.
Rob

Amahnee · 02-26-2004, 09:20 PM

Butterballs are $1.59 lb. at Safeway.

All IN · 02-26-2004, 09:24 PM

One thing i've heard is to wear a round hat because if you wear a baseball style hat the birds will notice the unfamiliar movement. True, false?

tramp · 02-26-2004, 10:19 PM

When you got a hot bird coming in, make like a bush and DON'T MOVE.
DO NOT make any sudden movements. DO NOT over call.
Absolutily total camo maybe even a blind if you prefer, but DON'T MOVE.
Wear any kind of camo hat that you want but if a bird is coming your way, DON'T MOVE.

One more thing, when that tom is about 10 yards away and gobbling his fool head off and your heart is pounding up to your throat and your about to pass out from holding your breath, wwwhhaacckkkk him good. STB :grin:

Jimmy Carl Black · 02-26-2004, 10:26 PM

Do you all use 3-D camo as a rule? How critical is calling them in? Just thought I'd throw these questions out there since the topic is up. I'm going to try it this year and do not know what I'm doing.

sliverpicker · 02-27-2004, 04:57 AM

The style of hat DOES NOT matter. The cap I wore last spring wasn't even camo, just a dull tan. I took one bird with shotgun, and a second with a bow.

The flavor of camo is "hunters choice". Try to match your camo with the season, less green early when most of the brush is still without leaves, more green once it's leafed out. But if you have just one camo outfit, wear it!

Set up with your back against a tree wider than your body, if ones available. Protects you from somebody shooting you in the back, and helps you blend into your surroundings.

If you have a bird gobbling, and it sounds like he's coming, SHUT UP! Let him come and look for you. If you were calling earlier, he knows exactly where you are, so there's no need to keep hammerin' him with calls. If he goes silent, DON'T PANIC. More than likely he's still there, a good chance he's struttin' and drummin' just out of sight. Like mentioned above, DON'T MOVE, keep your ears open, you might hear him drumming.

If you're positive the tom can't see you, rake some dry leaves with your hand 3 times. It will sound like a hen feeding. Have your gun up and ready long before the bird comes into view. If you need to make adjustments, wait until his head is behind a tree or his tailfan. You can move your gun SLOWLY side to side if he's in sight, but only if he's walking! If he stops to look around, don't move, the periscope will pick up the movement.

Take the first available shot opportunity from 15 to 40 yards. Most of the birds I've killed were 15 to 30 yards. Don't let the bird get too close, your pattern will be so tight you can actually miss his head and neck with a shotgun.

One more bit of advice. If you're hunting public land, and you suspect another hunter might be working the bird that's gobbling, back off and find another Tom. Show sportsmanship and hunt ethically!!! I've had hunters walk right between me and the turkey while I was calling. [img]graemlins/icon_argue.gif[/img] Nobody gets that turkey if that happens.

So have fun and enjoy the HUNT! Good luck.

sliverpicker

nitrobass · 02-27-2004, 06:17 AM

By far the biggest issue in killing a turkey is finding a place to hunt them. Public land is crowded, birds are smart, and you have to work for them. Private land is nice but honestly the birds can be "less than challenging" depending on the place. I've shot plenty of turkeys both on private and public and the public land birds were much harder. Especially if the private land is small the birds can be like oversized chickens.

The advice you're getting is very good. Camo is necessary but its not as important as where you set up. If you're calling the bird in and keep things in between you and him until he's in range then the worst camo out there will be fine.

The Bloodletter · 02-27-2004, 06:45 AM

Where I'm from (Douglas Co.) we call em' portch chickens. Down south they are as thick as hair on a dog's back. If you have the time head down there. I believe these birds evolved from a strain of retarded brood stock, and you stand a good chance for spot and stalk. I've heard all the theories on calling but have had the best sucess spotting them and setting up an ambush or full on assault and have done it with bow and blunderbus. They are wary so don't do anything stupid. You can call them if you like but I get bored easily. Now there's some uncommon advice!

danger · 02-27-2004, 08:24 AM

Depends on what you want to do. Amahnee is right, if you just want a turkey, go buy one at the store, and if you just want to SHOOT a turkey go hunt some private chickens like our local sportsman Bloodletter, now if you want to HUNT turkeys and are interested in the challenge you are in for an addicting sport.

It sounds like you have a spot with birds on it, if it is around the Dufur/Friend area plan on 20000 other hunters there, if the spot is more remote go for it and continue to scout as the birds will be moving for several more weeks. The best advice I could give, is know where the birds are roosted and be near, 150yds, at daylight. When the robins and squirels start to wake up, cluck and yelp a few times real light, and that tom might fly down in your lap.

Dan(ger)

BrianMaguire · 02-27-2004, 09:13 AM

Here are the tactics I use. Basically you either get out well before sunrise do some hen calls. When you get a gobbler to gobble move in real close so when he flies out of the roost you can call him in for the kill. You have to get in while it is still dark.

If you can't get in before dark try calling him for location and then stalk him like you would a deer or elk while bow hunting. It helps if you have a couple of buddines and each of you works a flock from a differnet direction. I got my limit last year on public land on the second day and have taken a Turkey every year for the last 4 years (on public land).

I use a 3D camo setup but 2 of my buddies were in regular cammo last year and both bagged Toms.

[ 02-27-2004, 10:14 AM: Message edited by: BrianMaguire ]

danger · 02-27-2004, 12:59 PM

Sounds like you are going to get varied opinions on what the best techniques are for killing turkeys. I have even seen guys making drives for them like deer. Yes this and the many other turkey killing tactics are fine, but that is nothing compared to the challenge of trying to call one to you. Trying to out smart him and work against nature to have them come to you, maybe not as effective of a killing strategy, but it is vastly more challenging and satisfying.

I have also taken five birds on public land, doing it the right way.

PS I've had at least five birds screwed up by guys "sneaking up on them," one guy spooked the bird up and shot at it as it flew away(right over my head), breaking both of it's legs and ruining the chance for anyone to take that bird sportingly. Go hunting, not killing.

Dan(ger)

[ 02-27-2004, 02:03 PM: Message edited by: danger ]

All IN · 02-27-2004, 01:12 PM

Thanks for all the advice guys, really helpful.

BrianMaguire · 02-27-2004, 02:20 PM

Have fun and most importantly be safe when you hunt. I hunt part of the White River for Turkeys and have for many years. Back in the day when you had to draw the tag you could call them in, and you still can. I called a Tom in last year but with so many people it is getting down right dangerous and maybe even foolish to set up and call.

The Tom I called in the year before last I was working from before sun up. The previous evening I went out calling to see if I could put some turkeys to roost (day before opening day). I had a doe come crashing right up to me. She was not happy that me being a turkey and letting every predator in the area know where I was and her.

Anyway the next morning I moved into a Tom I had roosted. I sent up and got him going, gobbling up a storm, he flew down and started strutting slowly into me. About this time I hear a large branch break directly behind me 20 or so yards, I am all dressed up in 3D cammo so no one is going to see me. I think its another deer mad at all the commotion. So I wait, the bird shut up so I gave a soft him call and he let out a whaler of a gobble 15 yards away behind some sage and started strutting again. Then I here some hen calls directly behind me. It was no deer but other hunters who like to call set up directly behind me and had no idea I was anything other than a hen with a tom. I can't move for fear of getting some #4 shot in the back of the head at short range. The tom comes out so I shoot him before he comes into view of the other hunters and they shoot right past me.

The short of it is be safe, in some areas calling in birds can be flippin dangerous and down right dumb. If you have an area devoid of other hunters, good bless you and call all you want. There is great satisfaction in the accomplishment but I caution to use the technique in the White river area.

[ 02-27-2004, 03:27 PM: Message edited by: BrianMaguire ]

gotZem · 02-28-2004, 05:38 AM

Yep, have to agree with BM- Safe is very important! Know a guy that had his decoy shot at 10 times with a .22 by some other "hunter" (killer as far as I'm concerned!) and the guy even hit it 8 out of 10 shots- with a rifle? You see, turkey hunting is just that- hunting! If you like 'em "fat and farmy" tasting, go buy a Butterball. Otherwise be a real hunter and go do some real homework and find a "wild turkey"! It's the best hunt you'll ever hunt! You'll never miss another spring hunt as long as you live. Oh, and join your local NWTF chapter so you can help trap and relocate those farm birds to an area where they can be "hunted". The Fort Vancouver Gobblers are having a banquet tonite at the Inn at the Quay. There are still a few tickets available at the door. Doors at 5:00pm and Dinner at 7:00 pm. Tickets are $50 and $65 for couples Lots of fun to be had! You have a nice day!
GotZem!!