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Turkey hunting tips from the newbie to pro; Tips copied from here and other forums
Topic Started: Jan 22 2008, 09:01 PM (201 Views)
Renegade
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Atikokan, Ontario
Patience.

Don't be afraid to be different. Give the turkeys a different sound.

I keep a set of calls (glass, slate, box and mouth), a change of camo, shells and a backup gun ( behind the seat). Everything fits in a small tool box (xcept the gun) and comes in handy if I forget any thing or one of my hunting partners forgets.

Glue the terminal cap of a 6 volt battery up in the nipple on the back of your deke. Then it will dance in the slightest breeze, and look much more realistic than a deke that stands statue still.

The one-word tip already given – patience – may be the single best technique/word of advise. After that I believe in: scouting to improve your odds; a good physical set-up blending yourself into nature as good as possible; the use of several different calls (mouth, slate, box, etc.) to determine what the Tom wants most; a comfortable seat and a rest against an appropriate tree.

Keep a close eye on the tree tops as you move into the woods in the early morning darkness. Look for that familiar silhouette. There is nothing more embarassing than setting up your dekes and settling into position, only to have a tom gobble from 20 feet straight above you, then fly of the other way.

It has been said before by many much better than me......but don't call too much. If he answers, he knows where you are. Use your calls to keep him excited, not to make him gobble just so you can hear him. Too much stimulation and he may lock up.....expecting the overly vocal hen to come to him.

When locating turkeys with a turkey call don't chase after the first gobble. The second response gobble means commitment. If he only gobbles once and does not respond again you could be wasting your time.

Learn the lay of the land! Scout your hunting area wenever you have the time to do so.
Learn how to scout for turkey sign like dusting areas and strut zones. Drag marks in theleaves will indiciate a strut zone in the woods.

Let the bird tell you what kind of calling he likes, and then give it to him. If he
responds well (gobbles and begins moving your way) to loud and aggressive calling, keep giving him the agressive stuff. If he likes it soft, keep it soft. Never change what your doing if it is working. Going from aggressive to soft or vice versa, on the same set up will hang a bird up almost every time.

If mornings are cold - glass and slate don't always sound their best. Keep slate warm by putting it next to your ski when walking into the woods. Also diaphragm users - on those cold mornings, warm up your cheeks and the call on drive to hunt, get loose, and ready to do battle.

While calling, if you make some notes you are not proud of, follow them up with a cluck. This kind of hides a bad squeek/yelp.

If a gobbler sounds off, be ready to cut him off, he gets just as excited as we do.

Before your setup is final, sit down where you plan on sitting. It never looks the way you think it will while you are putting out the deeks.

Expect an afternoon turkey to come into your calls with the sun at his back. He wants the visual advantage.

Pick a COMFORTABLE place to sit. There is nothing like sitting in pain while a gobbler struts his way in slowly and you cant move an inch. Also don't start working a bird until you are settled into a spot

Patience would be second to POSITION for me. Patients is of great value but if you aren't in a good position it won't matter. The best caller in the world can't be sucessful if he is in the wrong place. The worst caller that has ever set foot in the woods but has scouted out the area well before season and knows where the birds are and knows where to set up will bring home more birds.....if he knows when not to call.

Remember you don't have to be a world class turkey caller. Some of the worst callers I've heard, were live hens calling to the old boss tom.

Don't be afraid to leave a gobbling bird. If he's gobbling but not working your way, he probably has company. Slip away from him and try to strike another bird somewhere else. You can always return to the spot you left him at. Give him a couple hours or so and ease back into the area, he won't be far from where you left him but he may be alone by then.

FULLY IDENTIFY YOUR TARGET!! ALWAYS THINK SAFETY FIRST!!!!
Find a tupperware dish & lid that fits your slate calls and glass calls. Then prepare your calls (scratch pad, glass condition, sandpaper aluminum) for the hunt and put them in the tupperware. Then when you need em, you don't have to look for your call conditioning equip, just open and call! They also keep wood pot calls from absorbing moisture in foul weather.

Keep your calling soft and low when the birds begin to get close.

Don't be afraid to make a bold move to get into position to kill a gobber. Turkeys make noise walking in the woods, don't be afraid to make a little noise in moving. Sometimes that stimulates the bird into coming in. Sometimes your moving makes him think the hen is closer and gets him looking closer.

HANG IN THERE TIME WISE. If you have to be done hunting at noon, don't give up at 11:30, it can all happen in 10 minutes, so keep plugging and giving it your all!

If its raining hard when you get up, go anyway, if it lets up or quits, thats the time to be there, the birds are usually very active and willing then.

Hard to beat a good turkey hunting vest to carry all your goodies in!!
Never be afraid to call to a bird across water. If you can cross it then do so. If you can't what do have to lose. One of my best birds flew across ariver to me.

PATTERN YOURE GUN EVERY YEAR EVEN IF YOU BEEN USING THE SAME
ONE FOR EVER.

DONT GET SKYLINED GOING TO A ROOSTED BIRD. HERE IN EAST KY. I FIND
THAT A LOT OF BIRDS ROOST JUST UNDER THE TOP ON THE RIDGE. I HAVE
BOGGERED A LOT OF BIRDS BY GETTING SKYLINED. COME TO THINK OF IT
IVE BOGGERED A LOT OF BIRDS IN A LOT OF WAYS.

When your Dad says, "Don't move"..............Listen to him!!

Go pee before you get all set up, you may not get a chance later.

If it is raining, look for a low grass field, they will go to it every time in a good rain.

The Spit-n-drum sound will give away a strutting tom that is not gobbling every time.

If you hunt with dekes don't place them to far from your set-up. Some toms will stop 30 or 40 yards from them and and go into strut and wait on them to come the rest of the way. Once the dekes don't go to them they will loose interest and leave. When I use dekes I set them 10-15 yards from my set-up.

FACE YOUR DECOY AWAY FROM THE DIRECTION OF THE TURKEYS
ANTICIPATED APPROACH (FACING YOU). WHEN HE CANT GET THE DECOYS
ATTENTION HE'LL WORK AROUND TO THE FRONT OF IT GIVING YOU A
GOOD SHOT.

When hunting with another person I always move 50-75 yards back from the shooter. I like to call from the set up then if the bird acts like he is going to committ thats when I sneak a few yards back and call again, this makes him think he is losing his hen. This will drive a tom crazy. Works on a bird that wants the hens to do all the walking.

If there are multiple birds coming to your setup, don't move after the shot to retrieve a downed bird until all the other birds have left the area on their own. This helps to keep from educating them anymore that they already are.

Set up in the shade if at all possible.

Scout more, call less.

A lot of hunters never scout. Come hunting season they walk thru the woods banging on a call, and rely upon hearing a gobbler reply. And if they can kill a bird this way and enjoy themselves doing it, fine. But, IMO, its more rewarding to match wits with 'olTom. And have my scouting, planning, and prep's pay off.

When choosing your setup spot, do your best to get in the shade.The sun will magnify any movement greatly. Another tip is on calling. If you get a turkey to answer you, even one fairly close, get up and move toward his location and then go silent on him. He will often come part of the way to you without much delay, so be ready.

When you have permission to hunt on private property be sure to be good stewards of the land that has been entrusted to you. Be good ambassadors for our sport and leave it better than you found it.

1) LISTEN TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN DOING THIS LONGER THAN YOU
HAVE.
2) TAKE WHAT YOU SEE ON HUNTING VIDEOS AND TV WITH A GRAIN OF
SALT BUT ALSO PAY ATTENTION TO EVERY HUNT YOU WATCH ON TV OR
READ ABOUT AND FILE IT IN YOUR BRAIN. IT MAY HELP YOU SOMEDAY.
3) THE ABSOLUTE BEST WAY TO LEARN IS TO ASK QUESTIONS AND GET
YOUR OWN EXPERIANCE IN THE WOODS.
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Posted Image Love2Hunt
Great White Hunter in Mississauga!

Great advice Rene

Thank you :cheers:
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Posted Image fishnhunt
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The North shore of L. Erie

Some real good info there.
Thanks
:goodpost:
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Posted Image Chris Kittleson
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Good post Rene. :cheers:
Bowhunter4ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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Waiting for the Fall

Owner/Videographer

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Zinger
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Excellent job Rene, Alot of good advice For somebody who is just getting into Turkey hunting, and better, a reminder for the ones who have been doing it for awhile.
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Posted Image Coyotechaser
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Team Ontario Trophy Bucks

What a great read! :allright:
Political Correctness is a doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical, liberal minority,and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a bowel movement by the clean end

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