lets here about some of your turkey tactics
- BigHunt
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lets here about some of your turkey tactics
lets here about some of your turkey tactics that has helped you through out the years to bring in those wherry ol toms.
some of mine are just simple things like not over calling, just doing what the hens are doing, scratching in the leaves to mimic a hen feeding, using a crow call or hawk scream to locate the tom, not using a turkey call telling the tom that im coming to him! i also like to use my hat or a wing to mimic a hen flying down in the mourning...works GREAT when toms are by them selves, also not rushing into a situation just sit back and wacth first before i make my move. using a decoy as little as possible.....scouting before season to know exactly were there at to better your odds, and the most important one of all to me was learning patience ...took a wile but once i mastered that then it was game on and bad news for the turkeys
some of mine are just simple things like not over calling, just doing what the hens are doing, scratching in the leaves to mimic a hen feeding, using a crow call or hawk scream to locate the tom, not using a turkey call telling the tom that im coming to him! i also like to use my hat or a wing to mimic a hen flying down in the mourning...works GREAT when toms are by them selves, also not rushing into a situation just sit back and wacth first before i make my move. using a decoy as little as possible.....scouting before season to know exactly were there at to better your odds, and the most important one of all to me was learning patience ...took a wile but once i mastered that then it was game on and bad news for the turkeys
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- PLB
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Re: lets here about some of your turkey tactics
Not over calling!!!! Took awhile to master this but once you know you have a Tom interested, shut up and let him commit!! I love to hear them gobble as much as anyone, but if they're coming, let them come!!!
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Re: lets here about some of your turkey tactics
Public Land Beast wrote:Not over calling!!!! Took awhile to master this but once you know you have a Tom interested, shut up and let him commit!! I love to hear them gobble as much as anyone, but if they're coming, let them come!!!
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X2. Ive messed up many many times...
- BigHunt
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Re: lets here about some of your turkey tactics
Darin wrote:Public Land Beast wrote:Not over calling!!!! Took awhile to master this but once you know you have a Tom interested, shut up and let him commit!! I love to hear them gobble as much as anyone, but if they're coming, let them come!!!
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X2. Ive messed up many many times...
X3
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Re: lets here about some of your turkey tactics
Over calling has messed me up more then anything, BUT, Also falling asleep after some run and gun, has about the next 25%.
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- BigHunt
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Re: lets here about some of your turkey tactics
woody283 wrote:Over calling has messed me up more then anything, BUT, Also falling asleep after some run and gun, has about the next 25%.
that's another good one ! staying awake ...i too have a problem with staying awake after a long walk or stalk
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Re: lets here about some of your turkey tactics
Might sound stupid but I have had this work on 'call shy' birds several times. If a bird is really answering good but a ways off and not getting closer, I get up and walk at a steady clip 100 yards or so directly away from the bird while cutting loudly. I then back track 50 yards or so (or all the way back to original spot depending on situation and terrain) and set up, no decoy and stay silent after backtracking, this is important. Good to be very familiar with the ground and know where you will be setting up, not stumbling around. I have had them literally come running and also seen them slipping in 15 mins or so later and start to circle, if you don't backtrack smart birds will stay out of range of the last place they heard the call when they circle.
Another good twist to that strategy is to gobble when you are at your farthest point from the bird, then you can use jake or jake/hen decoy when you set back up. If they come in they will be ready for a fight.
A different way of doing this is to slip up to within 150 yards of the gobbler, give him a couple soft calls, then slip up another 30-50 yards and plop down, only works with quiet walking and the right terrain. Pick your spot to sit down before you make the call. Also the bird has to be very vocal so you know right where he is, but not willing to come to the call. You can't call again after moving forward on the bird, otherwise he will most likely just hang up again or circle out of range.
Helps if you are hunting the same birds over and over to get to know their habits before trying these tactics.
Another good twist to that strategy is to gobble when you are at your farthest point from the bird, then you can use jake or jake/hen decoy when you set back up. If they come in they will be ready for a fight.
A different way of doing this is to slip up to within 150 yards of the gobbler, give him a couple soft calls, then slip up another 30-50 yards and plop down, only works with quiet walking and the right terrain. Pick your spot to sit down before you make the call. Also the bird has to be very vocal so you know right where he is, but not willing to come to the call. You can't call again after moving forward on the bird, otherwise he will most likely just hang up again or circle out of range.
Helps if you are hunting the same birds over and over to get to know their habits before trying these tactics.
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- Brandon
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Re: lets here about some of your turkey tactics
master the pure, cluck and as mentioned already leave scratching. If I have a bird around 80 yards or so this is all I do.. soft calling. A person coulndt hear it 40 yards... a gobbler will no problem.
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Re: lets here about some of your turkey tactics
My strategy is to get to know what the birds are doing and where they are doing it. I spend a week or two before season getting up and listening to roosted birds on one farm then Ill drive to the next farm and see where the birds are in the open fields. The next morning I'll swap the rotation, Ill listen where i glassed and glass where I listened the previous day. Then i can piece together where the birds are going and where they are coming from. I love to setup in the wide open field with a blind and decoys. If you can get up on a small hill or change in elevation in the field so that anything that comes out can see the decoys, I find that to be a great way to coax birds out off the wood line and into the field with you.
When i am running and gunning I dont like to call that often. I like to check open spots from a distance and see if I can find a bird out in the open doing his thing. Then I try to use elevation changes to make a sneak and get within 75-100 yards of him. Then I start soft and begin to heat up the calls as I get a response from him. I really like to fall back and set the gunner up in front of me, like you would do on a tandem elk hunt.
My most successful tactic is the blind in the open and get there early.
When i am running and gunning I dont like to call that often. I like to check open spots from a distance and see if I can find a bird out in the open doing his thing. Then I try to use elevation changes to make a sneak and get within 75-100 yards of him. Then I start soft and begin to heat up the calls as I get a response from him. I really like to fall back and set the gunner up in front of me, like you would do on a tandem elk hunt.
My most successful tactic is the blind in the open and get there early.
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Re: lets here about some of your turkey tactics
I spend some time before my hunt dates driving around and patterning different birds. Figuring out when they are at certain areas and which direction of travel they are going. They are pretty easy to pattern.
When hunting I like to drive around and glass spots where I have seen Toms, if they are there, and if at all possible, I set up in the direction they already want to travel... Pulling them somewhere they don't want to go is tough. If there with a hen its even tougher.
I heard some mention not over calling... I agree to a point.
I set up a lot where I can see the birds at long distance as I call and get to watch there reactions... In most cases subtle calling is best. But sometimes it takes heavy calling to get them away from a hen, or to keep there interest. As someone mentioned, no reason to call to a bird coming in.
When hunting I like to drive around and glass spots where I have seen Toms, if they are there, and if at all possible, I set up in the direction they already want to travel... Pulling them somewhere they don't want to go is tough. If there with a hen its even tougher.
I heard some mention not over calling... I agree to a point.
I set up a lot where I can see the birds at long distance as I call and get to watch there reactions... In most cases subtle calling is best. But sometimes it takes heavy calling to get them away from a hen, or to keep there interest. As someone mentioned, no reason to call to a bird coming in.
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Re: lets here about some of your turkey tactics
For me, scouting is first. Finding multiple roost's is very important. Early mornings with an owl call helps me narrow it down. Once I have an idea of direction of roost, I wait til they are in the fields then go in to look for dung below the trees as well as flight feathers. I typically spend 2-3 days per roost figuring out the travel pattern then tack my entry and set up. Set up is usually between the roost and feeding location. Calling very little, because I know they are already headed that way.
Calling depends on what phase they are in. If they are in "establishing dominance" phase then gobbling is my choice. If they are actively searching, then purrs and clucks. If most of the hens are nested, then subtle calling making him look for me.
Usually, I have 5-6 roost's in the pocket before the season.
Keep in mind, I have numerous family members who hunt as well. I have learned more by helpin others fill their tag, than I have hunting them alone.
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Calling depends on what phase they are in. If they are in "establishing dominance" phase then gobbling is my choice. If they are actively searching, then purrs and clucks. If most of the hens are nested, then subtle calling making him look for me.
Usually, I have 5-6 roost's in the pocket before the season.
Keep in mind, I have numerous family members who hunt as well. I have learned more by helpin others fill their tag, than I have hunting them alone.
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Re: lets here about some of your turkey tactics
Crazy tactic i came up with by accident. We cant hunt past noon here in MA in the spring which sucks. So we generally just watch the birds fly to roost so we know where they are the next morning. If you have a gobbler thats roosting with 3-4 hens from break them up right at dark! It works about 75% of the time. They wont get back together at night and that tom will be pissed when the sun comes up becasue he wont have his girls with him! Set up where you broke em up just like you would in the fall .The toms around here come usually come screaming back in to find his girls.
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Re: lets here about some of your turkey tactics
PalmettoKid wrote:Might sound stupid but I have had this work on 'call shy' birds several times. If a bird is really answering good but a ways off and not getting closer...
Seems like every turkey I have ever encountered has had that mentality . Good tip. Keep them coming guys, I need all the help I can get!
Is there a preferred time to drive around and look at fields?
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Re: lets here about some of your turkey tactics
My tips are for when it's time to take the shot.
Don't shoot a tom in full strut his neck and head are not exposed enough.
Don't shoot if the birds walking straight at you with thier head down it to small of a target.
Raise your gun when the bird is behind something like a tree our rock.
Raise your gun when a tom is in strut facing away from you he can't see through his fan. When he turns around give a few putts when he lifts his head then shoot.
Don't shoot a tom in full strut his neck and head are not exposed enough.
Don't shoot if the birds walking straight at you with thier head down it to small of a target.
Raise your gun when the bird is behind something like a tree our rock.
Raise your gun when a tom is in strut facing away from you he can't see through his fan. When he turns around give a few putts when he lifts his head then shoot.
- BigHunt
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Re: lets here about some of your turkey tactics
bowhunter15 wrote:PalmettoKid wrote:Might sound stupid but I have had this work on 'call shy' birds several times. If a bird is really answering good but a ways off and not getting closer...
Seems like every turkey I have ever encountered has had that mentality . Good tip. Keep them coming guys, I need all the help I can get!
[glow=red]Is there a preferred time to drive around and look at fields?[/glow]
mainly mid mourning to mid afternoon...
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