Tube call on WMA

catman529

catman529

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I was thinking lately about the pressured birds I will be hunting this spring on the WMA. There are tons of turkeys out there but that means there will be tons of hunters too and I've heard from some of you here to call very sparingly, just use some subtle calls. I've also hear that tube calls can work well when turkeys are used to hearing slate, box, diaphragm and other popular calls. I will be using several different calls but the tube will be one of my #1 calls and I am wondering if a pressured bird would better respond to a new call, or if they are typically shy from any call at all.
 
now this is just my opinion not to contradict what anyone else has said, but a hen is a hen, no two people play the same call the same, every hen has there on sound, gobblers do not have the mentality to say oh no thats o what his name on the slate train again. gobblers do what they do because they are being gobblers! yes they get pressured but today may just be the day he struts into the same call he didnt like yesterday.so play the call you have the most confidence in and you have to play every gobbler by what he is feeling that day some days they want to here alot some days you have to play it quieter.JMHO
 
Can you tell the difference in a real turkey and lets say Preston Pitman with a diaphram type call ? I think if you sound like a real turkey with any call you will be fine. I think your approach on hunting wma is more important than type of call. But I do understand what you mean by useing a different call that no one else uses. Thats one good step, now for truly pressured birds theres about 10 other things that could be needed just to get in the game on a wma. I mentioned Preston Pitman because he is one of my favorites. I sat and listen to him on this very subject at last years nwtf convention.I left the seminar realizing how many little details that I over look. By the way im by no means an expert on your questions. The turkeys show me all my mistakes each year.lol
 
i know half of you all dont like my opinions, but lol i dont care. Catman, starting off turkey hunting for your first time on a wma is going to be hard, just a plain fact, there will be a lot of other veteran turkey hunters hunting the same turkeys you are. I think your best bet to take a turkey, will come early in the season, probably within the first 2 weeks, before they start to become call shy. That doesnt mean you still wont kill one, but you will probably not hear many gobbles, which i never left that discourage me because some of my biggest gobblers came in silent as can be. If i was in your shoes, just starting out, i would be there on the wma, around an hour before daylight on opening mornig, put all of my knowledge that you have so far of turkey to use, and get after them. Also, the preseason scouting that you said you will be doing will surely pay off, finding strut zones on logging roads or finding a good common roosting/feeding area might be they key to you having the advantage over the other hunters on the part of the wma your hunting. Good luck
 
knightrider said:
now this is just my opinion not to contradict what anyone else has said, but a hen is a hen, no two people play the same call the same, every hen has there on sound, gobblers do not have the mentality to say oh no thats o what his name on the slate train again. gobblers do what they do because they are being gobblers! yes they get pressured but today may just be the day he struts into the same call he didnt like yesterday.so play the call you have the most confidence in and you have to play every gobbler by what he is feeling that day some days they want to here alot some days you have to play it quieter.JMHO
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IMO, i think turkey can relate certain calls and certain areas to danger, but i also believe that not all turkeys act the same so anything can happen, but if you call in a bird, he starts getting spooky and bobbing his head and putting, you shoot and miss, i highly doubt that turkey will come back to that area, but like i said all turkey are different, i have shot at a turkey and missed clean, then called the same one back in 10 minutes later 50 yards away.
 
catman529 said:
I was thinking lately about the pressured birds I will be hunting this spring on the WMA. There are tons of turkeys out there but that means there will be tons of hunters too and I've heard from some of you here to call very sparingly, just use some subtle calls. I've also hear that tube calls can work well when turkeys are used to hearing slate, box, diaphragm and other popular calls. I will be using several different calls but the tube will be one of my #1 calls and I am wondering if a pressured bird would better respond to a new call, or if they are typically shy from any call at all.
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Its really hard to say. Some birds just wont come in no matter how good the calling is or what type of call you throw at them. And some are stupid enough to commit no matter how bad the calling is. On public land I have had them run to the calls and run away. It all depends on the bird.
 
Thanks everyone. Pre season scouting will definitely be in order. I'll do some shed hunting and turkey scouting at the same time (assuming I can take shed antlers from a WMA). All I want to find are a few places with some woods and some open area, maybe on a hill, anywhere they might roost, and see some turkey sign and maybe a flock or two to get an idea of where they are. I don't need to go as far as roosting birds the night before the season but I will at least try and figure out where they are hanging around.

As for the calling, I'll just see how it goes with whatever calls I may be using, and if all goes as planned I will be out there before sunrise on opening morning. Maybe with a hen decoy.
 
catman529 said:
Thanks everyone. Pre season scouting will definitely be in order. I'll do some shed hunting and turkey scouting at the same time (assuming I can take shed antlers from a WMA). All I want to find are a few places with some woods and some open area, maybe on a hill, anywhere they might roost, and see some turkey sign and maybe a flock or two to get an idea of where they are. I don't need to go as far as roosting birds the night before the season but I will at least try and figure out where they are hanging around.

As for the calling, I'll just see how it goes with whatever calls I may be using, and if all goes as planned I will be out there before sunrise on opening morning. Maybe with a hen decoy.
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Be out there about an hour before sunrise, just park and listen, you should hear numerous gobbles right around daybreak and maybe 15-30 min before, and you can beat others to the hotspots that you found prior to season, and when finding a place setup, dont get to close to some hills or hollers unless your on the upper part of them, turkeys dont like to come down hill for some reason, and more likely will come to you and be within in view coming uphill, and as for the hen decoy, your better off without it on opening morning, might get you shot lol
 
You think there are enough people that would shoot a hen decoy if they saw it? I know to stay away from the gobbler decoys on public land...but should I keep the hen packed away on the WMA as well?
 
catman529 said:
You think there are enough people that would shoot a hen decoy if they saw it? I know to stay away from the gobbler decoys on public land...but should I keep the hen packed away on the WMA as well?
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I wouldn't worry about anybody shooting the decoy, but there has been times that I used a decoy, and had a gobbler coming in, and him get within in 50 yds, strut around and wait for the hen to come to him, because that's the way it works in nature, the toms don't have to go to the hens, they attract hens on their own, but sometimes they give in, and can't wait for the hen to come to them, and they come looking for the hen, but without the decoy, they wouldn't know "exactly" where the hen he hears is at so he might come in closer and spend more time looking for the hen with out the decoy, thus giving you more time to get off a clean shot
 
My biggest obstacle on public land is people. Im like others on here. I would scout a ton pre season. especially the day before the hunt . Next morning I would be camped out as close as possible. Once I got more into the season I would hunt mainly mid day, when others where not there. When im one on one with a turkey ican get good results. When I have to think about or guess what the other hunter is doing , it handicapps my hunt.
 

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