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How did you learn to turkey hunt?

Never have turkey hunted yet, but looking at getting into it in the next few years. Chester Co a good area for turkey?
 
Started back as a kid in the mid seventys , very few birds in West Tn. Hooked up with Gerald Lovell, one of the first true turkey hunters in this area, as well as the best. He took a young kid, and started fooling with me, and I was hooked. He taught me more in one season then I could have learned in ten. Most turkey hunters here in west Tn. have never know the days of few turkeys, and I remember if you heard one gobbler in a season you had really done something. If you found a track, you kept your mouth shut. Thanks TWRA, and Gerald is long gone, but always there with me. Thanks Gerald.
 
Still learning myself after 13 years. My dad and I got in it together. Got permission to hunt some land that had a few birds and we took one of by dads buddies from work. We watched him and went from there. Videos, seminars, hunting buddies, and a huge love for the sport have helped me to be successful.
 
Dang Ruger I dont know if i taught anything.



Alot of errors taught me. Still learning though and not sure if I will ever master it.

Is there a way to teach anyone really?

I do know this. I love turkey hunting I think it was meant for me to do it. Took me a long time to make my first kill but from the first hunt I knew it was meant for me.
No I didnt have anyone to take me to teach me. I started going just to take my son. I would take his play pen and a box call and me a book. Got tried of listening to him crying for his dad when he left to go hunting so off we went. After he got to big for play pen then we went hunting some of the best hunts in my life time was with him scraping on his box call and not a dang turkey within a 100 miles of us because of his calling but it sure was fun. I only hope he does that with his kids if not I sure will.
Anyways if I had to say who taught me, honestly it was people from this site and asking probably the most stupidest questions on a public forum.
Want to give thanks real fast to certain ppl. The late Infoman, Tim, scn, BBG and Alanp. Oh and anyone else I hounded about turkey hunting.
 
Got started by two guys at my church, once I called in my first bird on a box call, I have been addicted ever since. Which has been now going on 10 years, most of my education has been being in the woods almost 5-6 mornings a week during the season for past 6 seasons. I have and still do make many mistakes but have been blessed to call in many many birds during this time.
 
Like others have said, trial and error and error and error.

The thing I love about turkey hunting is no one can tell you the best way to hunt them, because there is no best way.

Find a way that you like to do it, including what calls best suit you, etc., and do it that way a LOT!
 
Ditto on hunting them for 40 years and still learning.
Best advice given to me by my 80 y.o. uncle - "Never say that gobblers yours until you got both hands around his neck!"
 
My dad started me at age 15. I learned a lot from him. But believe it or not I grew up in the era of the late 80's and early 90's watching and was obsessed with videos. I would go to all the World and Grand National calling championships and learned different techniques from those guys. I taught myself to sound like those guys as much as possible. I even paticipated in a few contests myself. But the years of experience hunting turkeys has probably taught me the most. Knowing what turkeys will do in certain circumstances and where they like to go. How to call and when to call. When to move and when not to. Ect...
 
I had a co-worker talking about how much fun it was..... next spring I went with him a couple of times... got my first 2 turkeys... and learned the basic principles... I am also the first in my family to turkey hunt.

The time between springs, I was a sponge reading every article I could find... I joined oldgobbler.com and read even more....

That spring I called in and killed my first longbeard solo... I love turkey hunting and find it to be the most challenging and most rewarding type of hunting. Maybe because turkeys are such wary creatures and won't let you get away with too many mistakes.

I find it's a mixture of calling ability, woodsmanship, planning, and sometimes just plain luck to be successful.... but I also find every trip I make turkey hunting, usually leads to another lesson learned....

Nothing like being in the woods at the crack of dawn and have a gobbler fire off in close proximity of you!!!
 

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