Worth a shot!

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duckhunter38135

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Im new to turkey hunting. This will be my third year. Killed a jake last year and that was my first bird. Im a student at MTSU and have been confined to the public lands around Priest. There's a lot of birds where I'm hunting and I can get them to respond, but can never seal the deal. Basically, I need a lesson from a wise ole' turkey killing machine.

I learned a lot last year, and feel confident I'll get a mature bird this year. But always looking to learn from experience.

Any tips anyone can offer or better yet anyone want to take me hunting?

It's a long shot but its worth a try.

Thanks
 
deerhunter10 said:
don't over call. don't be afraid to put miles on the boots, to get away from the where the average turkey hunter would want to go.
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also don't be afraid to set up on a bird next to the road if nobody else is around. Sure someone could walk in and ruin the hunt, but you could also kill the bird. I killed one pretty dang close to the road last year and I swear I had heard someone working a box call just a couple hours earlier.

Also, not over-calling is definitely important, since you want the bird to come looking for you. If you keep calling, he might either think you are coming to him or you might just sound like another hunter and turn the bird off.

That is my 2 cents, I have only been at it for 3 or 4 years but have learned a bunch from public land and from this website. I don't have half as much experience as most people here but hope I can help a little. I was in your shoes not really long ago at all, so I know what it's like and am sure you will drop the hammer on a big bird soon.
 
Put in a little time and learn the lay of the land. Find out how the birds use it. It's a whole lot easier to call a bird to where he wants to be or feels comfortable at. Pay close attention and listen to the real hens, they can teach you a lot.
 
Don't over call, and if u can see him and he won't budge another inch towards u don't call because he has heard u and came to where he should be able to see the hen that was calling to him (you). Try to set up to where he will be in range when u first see him.
 
Hunt mid-day if you haven't already, especially as the season goes along.
 
I cut my teeth and wore down my boots pretty good while I was at middle on those priest birds. Me and my hunting partner at the time flopped a lot of birds out there but it wasnt without a lot of work and time. Here is some advise first sleep in if you can, we killed a few in the a.m. but that 10-3 time frame was awesome. Now we would go listen on occasion in the mornings when we didnt have class to see where they were in the tree but would usually leave and come back later. We were usually walking in as everyone else was walking out cussing. Know you area and just go listen. You have to remember these birds hear every call known to man, so we would just go sit down in an area and wait for one to sound off. Patience was the key out there. Once you hear one be soft, scratch leaves, and know when to shut up. The birds will work but you cant be tv show calling they will just gobble and go the other way. If you are just getting into turkey hunting then this is the perfect place to learn how to hunt them IMO. It can be frustrating as hell but once you figure out public birds you will be able to hunt them anywhere. Good Luck.
 
duckhunter38135 said:
I really appreciate all the tips.

Went this morning to listen, never heard a gobble, I figure it the system moving in.
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I heard tons of gobbling this morning, it's not the weather, either your birds are quiet or there aren't any in that area.
 
The birds on Priest are pressured. Like Gravey said, I have seen them run away, when I called to them... :cry: Learn the lay of the land, so you know how they use it, BUT also so you know how to approach areas and how to get around if you see a bird and know where it is headed. This will help you get in front of the bird HOPEFULLY undetected. Sometimes you don't need to call, just get in front of them, and be patient. Sometimes they move slow and about the time you give up and stand up you realize they are 40-50 yds away, but you couldn't see or hear them.

Also, (I know this doesn't bode well with the hardcore turkey hunters)Priest has a bunch of cedar trees and thick vegetation around the fields. If you know the lay of the land, approach the fields right, you can check fields, spot birds, and sneak up on them a lot of times. No calling necessary. Just another option.
 
Had that happen last year, spotted a bird in a field, set up around the bend from him called light for an hour, though he might have moved around to another field stood up, PUTT, and watched him fly away.

I'm not above bush whacking, especially on these birds.
 

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