Reaction to pressure

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ZSV
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Reaction to pressure

Unread postby ZSV » Fri Apr 24, 2015 6:57 am

Besides becoming call shy how else do turkeys react to pressure? Will they avoid over-hunted areas like a deer would?

I'm waiting to hunt late season and have been scouting the hunters a little. Most of them park where there are trails that go to different clearings in the timber that the DNR has made. I'll still check these areas out in the afternoon, but plan on spending most of my time in the timber where others probably haven't been.


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matt1336
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Re: Reaction to pressure

Unread postby matt1336 » Fri Apr 24, 2015 8:02 am

Yes they adjust. I like to sit over dusting areas in the late season, calling very little.

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mauser06
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Re: Reaction to pressure

Unread postby mauser06 » Fri Apr 24, 2015 9:08 am

I've found turkeys to be turkeys....some care...some you can shoot at and miss and call them back in that day...the next day...the next week...


Thing with turkeys is they can't really smell you...if they don't bust you...or you bust them...they have no idea you were there...

I do believe calling in an area can make them call shy in its own...if a girl called you to the same area and every time you went you couldn't find her would you keep going back?


I've seen some roost elsewhere...I've seen some stay tight lipped and silent...I've shot a bird and had 3+ still coming and had to sneak out of there so I didn't spook them hoping dad could get in there on his days off...

Just depends...that's why I like to run n gun and hunt big woods where I can run ridges and jump ridges and go until I find one that wants to play...that's just me...sitting on a farm field and whacking one just doesn't interest me much...hunting the heavily hunted woodlots/farmland at home means just that.. They spend 90% of the day in wide open fields and I believe pressure is the reason...they can see what is out there...what's coming..and if there really is a hen calling...

Debating on decoys this season and "giving it a try". I'm sure there are fun and action packed exciting hunts to be had hunting like that...

I just grew up running and gunning and learned to hunt like that...


Talk about pressure...there are guys here that I think DRIVE spring turkeys...once in a while it'll sound like WWIII...and a couple trucks and a handful of guys around them...that's my guess is to what's going on...

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hunter10
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Re: Reaction to pressure

Unread postby hunter10 » Fri Apr 24, 2015 12:13 pm

Pressure affects turkeys but like previously stated. some turkeys are just dumb and others are like a mature buck. When pressure gets high in the turkey woods ive noticed birds do a few things

1. reduced or no gobbling on the morning and night roost
2. dont use their strut zones as often
3. stay in the woods or go way way out in a field and stay for hours
4. less acceptance of sounds under their roost tree and bust easier (hunter sneaking in to setup)
5. dont respond well to calling
6. hang up on the decoys and stay outside gun range
7. stay on the roost longer in the morning
etc


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