Any help would be appreciated...

[GreatBritton]

Quick background...Its been about 4 years since I've hunted anything at all. We had someone we knew that let me hunt there property and when that went away I never learned how to hunt public land. Life got crazy and here we are. I have three boys and really want the outdoors to be part of our relationship and their growing up. That said, I've been reading forums, watching videos, etc for months and I'm having a really difficult time. We've been turkey hunting twice so far and I've tried to roost some birds another time. We've had zero luck. Not a single gobble at all. Any help and advice would be very much appreciated. We live in Franklin so anything in that region would be great. I'd love for my 8 year old to get his first bird this year. He's just wanted to come along so far but now's he's wanting to shoot one. Going to get a Mossberg 510 this week. It'll be his first gun. I might be more excited than him! Thanks for your help.


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[TheLBLman]

Good advise is to be patient, and realize what you see on a 45-minute video may have taken weeks of hunting to produce.

The best of turkey hunters often have days of neither seeing nor hearing a turkey.

Different localized areas can vary greatly from one year to the next in their turkey populations.
It's very plausible you could have been hunting in an area with few turkeys.
Yet, a couple weeks from now, that same area could be loaded with turkeys.

It can be feast or famine, especially very early in the season, imo.

Enjoy the journey, focus on that, more than so much emphasis on killing a turkey.

 

[MickThompson]

Turkeys are running for their lives the first few weeks of turkey season, especially on public land. The crowds usually thin some as season progresses, especially during the week. Some of my best hunts have come on very warm, humid days in early May, so hang with it. a miserable hunt can become a successful one in a matter of a few minutes.

With an 8 year old in tow, you need to focus on making it fun for him, not necessarily killing a bird. Bring plenty of snacks, water, and quit when he's ready.

Are you seeing any sign where you are hunting?

 

[GreatBritton]

Turkeys are running for their lives the first few weeks of turkey season, especially on public land. The crowds usually thin some as season progresses, especially during the week. Some of my best hunts have come on very warm, humid days in early May, so hang with it. a miserable hunt can become a successful one in a matter of a few minutes.

With an 8 year old in tow, you need to focus on making it fun for him, not necessarily killing a bird. Bring plenty of snacks, water, and quit when he's ready.

Are you seeing any sign where you are hunting?

Thanks for the encouragement. Im trying to make it fun for him and get caught up the fear that it won't be fun unless we get one. So far he loves downing a bag of jerky each time we go out.

I don't really know what to look for. We've seen some footprints occasionally, but that's about it.

My only experience with turkey previously was private property and it was almost like catching fish in a barrel. I've never heard or seen anything like it. I only did it a few times but, Im far more excited to actually hunt them and really get into it.


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[GreatBritton]

I have a friend who owns about five acres and he has them on his property occasionally. Im bow hunting and behind him there is a bunch of land that we are aloud to cross or shoot into if we need. Do you typically need more land to track the birds in or is it possible to just call them in to you? I know that's a question with a lot of variables, bit Im just curious if we should give up on that area and maybe just head to Haley Jaqueth.


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[MickThompson]

Turkeys are running for their lives the first few weeks of turkey season, especially on public land. The crowds usually thin some as season progresses, especially during the week. Some of my best hunts have come on very warm, humid days in early May, so hang with it. a miserable hunt can become a successful one in a matter of a few minutes.

With an 8 year old in tow, you need to focus on making it fun for him, not necessarily killing a bird. Bring plenty of snacks, water, and quit when he's ready.

Are you seeing any sign where you are hunting?

Thanks for the encouragement. Im trying to make it fun for him and get caught up the fear that it won't be fun unless we get one. So far he loves downing a bag of jerky each time we go out.

I don't really know what to look for. We've seen some footprints occasionally, but that's about it.

My only experience with turkey previously was private property and it was almost like catching fish in a barrel. I've never heard or seen anything like it. I only did it a few times but, Im far more excited to actually hunt them and really get into it.


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Don't get hung up on success=dead turkey. That's not what a successful trip to a kid is. You're on the right track- time with dad is what is most important.

As far as sign goes, look for tracks, poop, feathers, scratching, etc. The pursuit is what makes it worth doing.

Public vs private can be night and day difference. I usually try to get a few "pet" turkeys down before I work up the courage to tackle a wily veteran. But it only takes 1 bird on the right day.

Pm me the wma you are hunting and I will try to point you in the right direction.


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