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How do YOU turkey hunt?

Kevin Snook

Kevin Snook

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Dec 1, 2023
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Sullivan County
Was talking to a young man today and he was asking my opinion about an optic for his new Turkey gun.. I'm like "why do you want a scope?"
Anyway he goes on about sighting in at 60 yards-TSS-his new Avian X decoys and his new blind-yada yada.
I got to thinking-this boy has watched way too many YouTube videos.😆
Anyway I got to thinking about it and was just wondering; how y'all hunt?
I'm more of a run and gun type-but when one answers me, I've learned patience is deadly.
I don't use blinds or decoys and travel light.
On the flip side I know many like to field sit in a blind with a flock of decoys.
Personally, I enjoy the challenge of picking the right tree to sit at and calling them in close.
What is your preferred method??
 
Run and gun don't use decoys won't ever use decoys. I do use tss but I hunt with sub gauges. I couldn't tell you the last time I've seen a turkey die past 40 yards. I'm a light weight vest guy as well don't carry a lot of calls at all. I love the game that is why I turkey hunt and I will always chase that game. I have no need or want to kill a turkey at 50 plus yards.

I love this start the drama in January may be a record.
 
I should probably give you an honest answer, after my jest earlier.
When Im hunting home turf, aka here, KY, etc.... if I cant call a bird in without getting to play the game, then he gets to live. I wont bushwhack, ambush, limb lift, etc..... Now when I travel to say, AL, FL, KS, NE, MI, etc.... any LEGAL means are on the table.
 
Blind only with my son if need be. I've put the decoys up unless it's juvi. I use a red dot and shoot TSS but I keep it 40 yards and under. Outside of my son and 2 others I prefer to hunt alone. I scout 2-3 weeks before season but it's usually the same ole same ole at certain spots. I love the timber birds but field birds haven't really been a big issue for me, they seem too easy around my parts. If they don't gobble for ME I don't really want em.
 
deerhunter10 said:
Run and gun don't use decoys won't ever use decoys. I do use tss but I hunt with sub gauges. I couldn't tell you the last time I've seen a turkey die past 40 yards. I'm a light weight vest guy as well don't carry a lot of calls at all. I love the game that is why I turkey hunt and I will always chase that game. I have no need or want to kill a turkey at 50 plus yards.

I love this start the drama in January may be a recor
Click to expand...
😉
 
Kevin Snook said:
Was talking to a young man today and he was asking my opinion about an optic for his new Turkey gun.. I'm like "why do you want a scope?"
Anyway he goes on about sighting in at 60 yards-TSS-his new Avian X decoys and his new blind-yada yada.
I got to thinking-this boy has watched way too many YouTube videos.😆
Anyway I got to thinking about it and was just wondering; how y'all hunt?
I'm more of a run and gun type-but when one answers me, I've learned patience is deadly.
I don't use blinds or decoys and travel light.
On the flip side I know many like to field sit in a blind with a flock of decoys.
Personally, I enjoy the challenge of picking the right tree to sit at and calling them in close.
What is your preferred method??
Click to expand...
show up 1 hr before legal light, do yote howls until i get a gobble, if no gobbles, get to a spot, set up and sit until daybreak. rest of the day calling and chasing....mossberg 835. 3 1/2" 4 shot, no blind, no decoys, "able" to shoot 40 but prefer them in close,
 
I'm primarily a field hunter (not by choice). No blinds or decoys to start the season. As it progresses if I haven't been successful I'll eventually try a cheap foam hen and jake decoy even though I couldn't tell you the last time they worked 😂 . After that I'm usually mad enough that I'll gladly sneak up on one in a field and let him have it. I'm very jealous of guys that have huge swaths of timber to chase them around in.
 
HOW I hunt has changed a good bit since I started as a teenager but I generally just say it this simple. If birds are not gobbling or working at least some to a call ill just come back the next day. Ive hunted them every way imaginable in the past 30 years but generally speaking the core has always been #1 option is vocal turkeys.

I dont care as much anymore how many I kill or THE kill as much as what all led up to it and the story and memories afterward. I have stories when I was younger Id be embarrassed to tell anymore but dumb youth do dumb youth things. If its not something Id be proud to tell anyone about Ill just come back another day.
 
bowhunterfanatic said:
I'm very jealous of guys that have huge swaths of timber to chase them around in.
Click to expand...
Everyone in Tennessee has large swaths of timber to chase them in. Might be crowded opening weekend, but there are plenty of birds on WMAs. Most of the hunters are gone by 9am anyway. They think turkeys can't be killed after they stop their morning gobbling.
 
MidTennFisher said:
Everyone in Tennessee has large swaths of timber to chase them in. Might be crowded opening weekend, but there are plenty of birds on WMAs. Most of the hunters are gone by 9am anyway. They think turkeys can't be killed after they stop their morning gobbling.
Click to expand...
Not near as much good timber on the WMAs in my area on the west side as there is in east and middle. Couple that with my work schedule that typically only allows me to hunt weekends and my options get really limited.
 
As I've gotten older, I don't walk as much due to arthritis in my knee and hip. I have used a blind to kill a couple but don't have a blind anymore. The last few times I went, I left the decoys at home. I added a red dot when I started having trouble seeing the bead on my old 870. I haven't used any TSS yet, still have a couple of boxes of hevi shot.
 

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