kdxdude
Well-Known Member
I am no expert, but I have hunted turkeys for goin on 30 years now. A couple of years ago a fellow member here was seeking advice & I sent him the following PM. I saved it in my messages & thought I would share it here as I have seen a couple of posts regarding 1st timers turkey hunting. Hope this helps someone. Good luck & God Bless.
1st timer help
Remember the 1st rule of turkey hunting is there are no "ABSOLUTES" when it comes to dealing with turkeys.Everything I type are from my experiences.
Roosting- In the mountains I have found that the birds prefer to roost in Hemlocks or tall pines. Early season, birds will usually roost in hollers above water (usually). If ya hear two birds gobbling, 1 is high on ridge & 1 is low on ridge. Go to the high bird every time. Reason being, he is higher up so his gobbles can be heard by hens from farther away, which means there is a good chance he is by himself. Mtn. birds will usually get on a steep slope in the evening so they can just pitch off the side of a ridge and land on a limb. Usually they'll just glide off of the limb when flying down. Sometimes you'll hear em flap their wings, or you'll hear their wing tips brushing the limbs as they glide down.
Feeding habits- I have food plots where I hunt & am amazed every year how the birds will still scratch the woods down looking for acorns (red oak & white oak). Early season they'll usually fly down in the oaks & feed & make their way up to the grassy areas by late morning-early afternoon. When things start getting greener, the birds will usually eat the grass pretty good. When it gets warm enough for bugs to thrive in the grasses the turkeys will feed on the grass & bugs. When they aren't gobbling & ya can't find em anywhere, I hunt em like I do deer. Sit in the feed sign, make a couple of clucks every 30 mi or so & scratch the leaves from time to time. There is a rhythm to scratching the leaves, long-short-long. Place your hand in the leaves, rake back to you about 7-8 inches (long), then bout 4 inches (short), then 7-8 inches (long). Your imitating the turkey scratching. Pay close attention to that when your watching the videos. That is my most productive turkey call. I have killed more birds by scratching the leaves than I have with any turkey call. When it is raining birds like to go to fields, so they can see predators since they can't hear them in the woods. Decoys are very good to use in a field during rain. I don't like to use decoys in the woods as I want that Gobbler to be vocal & looking for the hen. If he sees the decoy before you see him, he may come in quiet & you had no time to prepare. If he is coming to calling & he can't see the hen, they will usually give a cluck when they are close & sometimes they gobble all the way to the gun.
Travel Patterns- Different areas birds will do different things. I hunt the mountains & like I said about feeding they will fly down in woods & then make it up to the fields. I know the birds on my property well, I start watching & scouting when deer season is over. I go & listen in the usual roosting places for gobbling.
Middle & West TN birds may fly from their roost into the middle of a field & stay 300 yards from the woods waiting on a hen to come out to them. Believe me, it happens, I wasted 5 days trying to kill a particular Mid Tn bird. He had been hunted a lot & a friend asked me to help him try to kill him. A far as I know that bird is still alive. However, I have had luck on birds like that you just have to be more patient than they are. You may see where they roosted that morn, watch em all day, then try to get between where they are & where they roosted. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it don't.
Reactions to weather- Aaaahhh, the age old question. Why will a bird gobble his head off one day, then be stone quiet the next? I have no idea, but that is a question I am gonna ask God when I get to meet him. I have seen, more than once, 2 identical days (temps, wind, barometric pressure, clear or rain) & 1 day they will gobble like crazy & the next day they won't or vice-versa.
I have seen birds gobble or not in all types of weather. During rain or fog, they will sometimes stay on the tree a little longer. Keep in mind, that no "ABSOLUTE" rule here. They seem to gobble best IMO on warm clear days. One of my most favorite times to hunt, is when you get a mid-morning or mid-day shower & then the sun pop out real bright & the humidity is real high. They seem to like to gobble on my place when it's like that.
Calling- the most overrated part of the turkey hunting game. It is marketed by call manufacturer's who are trying to make $$$. I wiil tell you how I do it. I usually don't use a locator call (owl or crow) as I have been scouting & watching my turkeys for months now. When I am walking in I try to be as quiet as a bobcat & if I hear an owl or crow, I freeze & listen. They usually gobble at crows here in Bradley Co. & owls in Ocoee & Tellico. I don't know why, that's just the way it is. I get in the area where my birds have been feeding & hanging out. I usually take my hat & slap it on my thigh 4-5 times trying to imitate a turkey flying down. I will scratch the leaves (long-short-long) a few times, I will give a cluck or two & then I let the turkeys tell me how to call. Always start out calling soft & very little. There is a saying called "Taking their temperature."
Start out soft & slow & give it awhile. If they ain't resonding get a little louder & a little more aggressive. If they ain't nothing happening, move a little to your next area & repeat the process. Sometimes you may have to circle all the way around a mtn. moving & calling & see if you can get one to respond. They don't always gobble at ya either, they may just give a cluck or just come in quiet. If ya have a hen start yelping at ya, do the same calls & rhythm that she does just be a little louder & a little more aggressive than her. She might get mad & come looking for a fight & draggin Mr. Tom right in with her.
Turkey hunting is my #1 passion. I love it. In the past, I would hunt everyday of the Season. Taking my sons & friends & family. The Lord has blessed me with the health to pursue the turkey & I have been blessed to be a part of many great hunts. I wish you the best & if ya have anymore questions, just ask. I don't know everything, which is why I always refer to Rule #1. Turkeys aren't that smart, but they are scared to death of everything in the woods. A turkeys eyes are incredible, but you can get away with some movement sometimes. That is where experience comes in, on when to move & when not to. Whew, that's a lot of typing for me. Good Luck & God Bless.
1st timer help
Remember the 1st rule of turkey hunting is there are no "ABSOLUTES" when it comes to dealing with turkeys.Everything I type are from my experiences.
Roosting- In the mountains I have found that the birds prefer to roost in Hemlocks or tall pines. Early season, birds will usually roost in hollers above water (usually). If ya hear two birds gobbling, 1 is high on ridge & 1 is low on ridge. Go to the high bird every time. Reason being, he is higher up so his gobbles can be heard by hens from farther away, which means there is a good chance he is by himself. Mtn. birds will usually get on a steep slope in the evening so they can just pitch off the side of a ridge and land on a limb. Usually they'll just glide off of the limb when flying down. Sometimes you'll hear em flap their wings, or you'll hear their wing tips brushing the limbs as they glide down.
Feeding habits- I have food plots where I hunt & am amazed every year how the birds will still scratch the woods down looking for acorns (red oak & white oak). Early season they'll usually fly down in the oaks & feed & make their way up to the grassy areas by late morning-early afternoon. When things start getting greener, the birds will usually eat the grass pretty good. When it gets warm enough for bugs to thrive in the grasses the turkeys will feed on the grass & bugs. When they aren't gobbling & ya can't find em anywhere, I hunt em like I do deer. Sit in the feed sign, make a couple of clucks every 30 mi or so & scratch the leaves from time to time. There is a rhythm to scratching the leaves, long-short-long. Place your hand in the leaves, rake back to you about 7-8 inches (long), then bout 4 inches (short), then 7-8 inches (long). Your imitating the turkey scratching. Pay close attention to that when your watching the videos. That is my most productive turkey call. I have killed more birds by scratching the leaves than I have with any turkey call. When it is raining birds like to go to fields, so they can see predators since they can't hear them in the woods. Decoys are very good to use in a field during rain. I don't like to use decoys in the woods as I want that Gobbler to be vocal & looking for the hen. If he sees the decoy before you see him, he may come in quiet & you had no time to prepare. If he is coming to calling & he can't see the hen, they will usually give a cluck when they are close & sometimes they gobble all the way to the gun.
Travel Patterns- Different areas birds will do different things. I hunt the mountains & like I said about feeding they will fly down in woods & then make it up to the fields. I know the birds on my property well, I start watching & scouting when deer season is over. I go & listen in the usual roosting places for gobbling.
Middle & West TN birds may fly from their roost into the middle of a field & stay 300 yards from the woods waiting on a hen to come out to them. Believe me, it happens, I wasted 5 days trying to kill a particular Mid Tn bird. He had been hunted a lot & a friend asked me to help him try to kill him. A far as I know that bird is still alive. However, I have had luck on birds like that you just have to be more patient than they are. You may see where they roosted that morn, watch em all day, then try to get between where they are & where they roosted. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it don't.
Reactions to weather- Aaaahhh, the age old question. Why will a bird gobble his head off one day, then be stone quiet the next? I have no idea, but that is a question I am gonna ask God when I get to meet him. I have seen, more than once, 2 identical days (temps, wind, barometric pressure, clear or rain) & 1 day they will gobble like crazy & the next day they won't or vice-versa.
I have seen birds gobble or not in all types of weather. During rain or fog, they will sometimes stay on the tree a little longer. Keep in mind, that no "ABSOLUTE" rule here. They seem to gobble best IMO on warm clear days. One of my most favorite times to hunt, is when you get a mid-morning or mid-day shower & then the sun pop out real bright & the humidity is real high. They seem to like to gobble on my place when it's like that.
Calling- the most overrated part of the turkey hunting game. It is marketed by call manufacturer's who are trying to make $$$. I wiil tell you how I do it. I usually don't use a locator call (owl or crow) as I have been scouting & watching my turkeys for months now. When I am walking in I try to be as quiet as a bobcat & if I hear an owl or crow, I freeze & listen. They usually gobble at crows here in Bradley Co. & owls in Ocoee & Tellico. I don't know why, that's just the way it is. I get in the area where my birds have been feeding & hanging out. I usually take my hat & slap it on my thigh 4-5 times trying to imitate a turkey flying down. I will scratch the leaves (long-short-long) a few times, I will give a cluck or two & then I let the turkeys tell me how to call. Always start out calling soft & very little. There is a saying called "Taking their temperature."
Start out soft & slow & give it awhile. If they ain't resonding get a little louder & a little more aggressive. If they ain't nothing happening, move a little to your next area & repeat the process. Sometimes you may have to circle all the way around a mtn. moving & calling & see if you can get one to respond. They don't always gobble at ya either, they may just give a cluck or just come in quiet. If ya have a hen start yelping at ya, do the same calls & rhythm that she does just be a little louder & a little more aggressive than her. She might get mad & come looking for a fight & draggin Mr. Tom right in with her.
Turkey hunting is my #1 passion. I love it. In the past, I would hunt everyday of the Season. Taking my sons & friends & family. The Lord has blessed me with the health to pursue the turkey & I have been blessed to be a part of many great hunts. I wish you the best & if ya have anymore questions, just ask. I don't know everything, which is why I always refer to Rule #1. Turkeys aren't that smart, but they are scared to death of everything in the woods. A turkeys eyes are incredible, but you can get away with some movement sometimes. That is where experience comes in, on when to move & when not to. Whew, that's a lot of typing for me. Good Luck & God Bless.
