Turkey Tips for Some Clueless Canadians

[fatlander]

Thanks, man. I definitely think patience will be a virtue. Sounds like we can't be charging around the woods like it is a youtube elk hunt.

You’re welcome and good luck! Turkey hunting is so much fun!

As far as running around like a YouTube elk hunt, don’t do that.

If you want a really good idea of what it’s like to hunt turkeys, check out the Pinhoti Project on YouTube. It’s a day by day series of a serious turkey hunter that’s hunting mostly very pressured birds. It’s the most realistic turkey hunting representation I’ve ever watched. Promos videos isn’t what it’s really like.


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[Arizona Morning]

My personal favorite call choice is a good slate/glass call. There’s not a whole lot that a slate call can’t do and they’re easier to master than mouth calls. That said, a mouth call once you figure it out can be extremely useful when that turkey is within 100yds or can see you.
The best archery tip I can give you is to bring a shotgun unless you’re in a blind. I’ve been trying to kill one with a bow for a couple years without blind or decoys and it seems like there’s always something that happens to prevent you from drawing or drawing undetected. Maybe birds out west can be bow hunted easier than the Easterns I chase but that’s just my experience.
Best of luck!

Appreciate the input. The other boys have the shotgun's locked and loaded, and we are sort of treating this as a team event. If one of us get's a bird "WE GOT A BIRD". If I am fortunate enough to have an opportunity all the better, but if we are hunting together and a bird slips up he is taking pellets to the face long before I have a chance to draw. Just out of curiosity, are you shooting one of those large gillotine style heads?

I was planning on sticking with my iron will heads, but it does sound like a lot of guys run huge heads designed to either lop the head off or stay in the bird.

 

[Arizona Morning]

You’re welcome and good luck! Turkey hunting is so much fun!

As far as running around like a YouTube elk hunt, don’t do that.

If you want a really good idea of what it’s like to hunt turkeys, check out the Pinhoti Project on YouTube. It’s a day by day series of a serious turkey hunter that’s hunting mostly very pressured birds. It’s the most realistic turkey hunting representation I’ve ever watched. Promos videos isn’t what it’s really like.


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Will check it out thanks.

I should also add that if any of you happen to have a great uncle in Montana with 2000 acres and a turkey problem we are more than willing to help him out.....sadly most likely by chasing them off said property.

 

[wannabemountainman]

Arizona, I don’t use the guillotine style points, turkeys move their heads around too much for me to try that one! I just use 2” expandables. My school of thought has been to shoot at the heart/lungs with a wide broadhead as penetrating . I’m sure the guillotine points are fine but I don’t trust myself or the turkeys enough to use them making head shots.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Just come to my office in late April or early May. Pick one out and then you can run up to it and punch it in the face. Watch out for the spurs though.

 

[npm352]

Good to know. So if I can't get a response early am, do you do blind calling setups to avoid being busted or do you still hunt until you see them and then setup. I have read colour and camo is big deal for turkeys. Is that true or do you find movement is the bigger issue?

Good questions. Camo hardly matters...just breaks up your outline a bit. You can kill them in a clown costume if you can sit still. Have your back on a tree, if possible, and have the shotgun on your knee. Only move if his head is behind a tree...not behind brush or branches. A blind offers the ability to move a little more assuming you black out the sides and back. Blinds are great but not as rewarding.

In time you will discover the areas they naturally strut, and those are good set up spots after fly down. Spot and stalk is tough. I did it a little in the midwest (maybe 10% of what I killed) and a little more in Idaho, but mostly because the birds here act weird and get into gobbler groups earlier among other weird traits. If you can see a turkey while walking around, it has seen you most likely. Stalking turkeys is really only possible if you get actual earth between you and the bird, then roll over a hill or pop out from a ditch and shoot. The exception is crawling in a field after a lone strutting bird that is spinning where his fan obstructs his view. That is a last ditch thing and tough to pull off.

Sit and call, then try another area. You can sit in a good spot all morning and periodically call. Or move a bit. Aggressive hunters with plenty of land and little competition can move and call until they hear gobbling, then set up, but you will bypass and spook birds that wont call. Many just come in silent, or only call when they see a decoy.

Lots to learn. Turkeys are a ton of fun. They make you a better hunter.

 

[Arizona Morning]

Thanks a bunch, ma

Good questions. Camo hardly matters...just breaks up your outline a bit. You can kill them in a clown costume if you can sit still. Have your back on a tree, if possible, and have the shotgun on your knee. Only move if his head is behind a tree...not behind brush or branches. A blind offers the ability to move a little more assuming you black out the sides and back. Blinds are great but not as rewarding.

In time you will discover the areas they naturally strut, and those are good set up spots after fly down. Spot and stalk is tough. I did it a little in the midwest (maybe 10% of what I killed) and a little more in Idaho, but mostly because the birds here act weird and get into gobbler groups earlier among other weird traits. If you can see a turkey while walking around, it has seen you most likely. Stalking turkeys is really only possible if you get actual earth between you and the bird, then roll over a hill or pop out from a ditch and shoot. The exception is crawling in a field after a lone strutting bird that is spinning where his fan obstructs his view. That is a last ditch thing and tough to pull off.

Sit and call, then try another area. You can sit in a good spot all morning and periodically call. Or move a bit. Aggressive hunters with plenty of land and little competition can move and call until they hear gobbling, then set up, but you will bypass and spook birds that wont call. Many just come in silent, or only call when they see a decoy.

Lots to learn. Turkeys are a ton of fun. They make you a better hunter.

Thanks a bunch, man. Everything I read had suggested camo was a must, but nice to know it is not the be all end all.

Really appreciate the tips on calling setups vs spot and stalk. Extremely helpful.

 

[Turkeyfreak12]

Turkeys are the one hunt I make sure I have all camo on. In reality it isn’t a big deal. They detect movement extremely well so staying still is more important. If you set up 75-100 yards away from the roost you might get them to come right to you. Turkey hunting is a lot of fun. Hopefully you will enjoy every second of it.

 

[Arizona Morning]

Turkeys are the one hunt I make sure I have all camo on. In reality it isn’t a big deal. They detect movement extremely well so staying still is more important. If you set up 75-100 yards away from the roost you might get them to come right to you. Turkey hunting is a lot of fun. Hopefully you will enjoy every second of it.

I typically hunt with neutral tones with technical hiking apparel, only because I can usually find discounted high end clothing for a good price and it is a little less conspicuous around town. I did buy some Kryptek tops off camofire (sweet deal) and a camo face mask just to help.

Roosting birds and setting up as close as possible without tipping their vision off seems to be a pretty consistent theme. I feel like I have a much better handle on where to start.

 

[Mykonos]

Try to roost them the day before and set up some decoys within range. It’s crazy how close you can get under them at night if you get in early enough. You can never be too early but 1 minute late can ruin your hunt. One of the best pieces of gear that I have is a comfortable gobbler lounger. Can sit back and let them come in without my legs going to sleep anymore. Turkeys can see so well that they can see you changing your mind so you better sit still when they’re close. Good luck!


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[Art Fern]

All good info above. This is common sense but... to kill turkeys you need to be where the turkeys are. Listen for birds at dusk and dawn and scout during the day. Don’t be afraid to try different areas if you’re not seeing good sign (turds, scratchings, feathers, actual turkeys, etc).

Blinds are super helpful if you’re bow hunting. I’ve actually been able to get away with a ton of movement bowhunting in blinds and that’s with highly pressured NY birds. No sudden moves and you should be good.

Good luck! Sounds like a fun trip.

 

[HuntInWild88]

I would say camo is extremely important. Because they detect movement so well your not not in camo or at least earthy tones they are going to detect it better. Turkeys are extreamly weary. If something looks out of place they will steer clear. Most people arnt aware of how much they move especially theirs hands and their face. People like to throw their hands around pointing or jerk their face towards a noise. So for me facemask and gloves are a must.

 

[Arizona Morning]

What about decoys guys? How many should you run? Tom's vs jakes vs hens? Jay scott posted a turkey setup yesterday that suggested use of tom, jake and multiple hens (did not say how many). Initially I had thought of only using a jake and a hen.

 

[Mykonos]

I usually run a quarter strut Jake and a hen. If it’s taller grass I use a lookout hen but if it’s shorter I have a breeder hen that sits on the ground. Occasionally I run more if I have someone else to help carry decoys but otherwise I just get sick of hauling too much stuff out there. I never know where I’m gonna set up until I get there

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[Jackal7]

Don't overlook afternoon hunts. We shoot Toms every year in Nebraska after 3 pm and they seem less wary then than in the mornings if the season has been open for awhile. Also, get some diaphragm mouth calls and start practicing. It is not that hard to get competent with them and it frees your hands up and eliminates a lot of movement.

 

[boom]

Best too be in the woods just before daylight when they are coming out of the roost. They are normally pretty vocal when they are coming down. I've found about anything noisy will make them shock gobble. I've got them to do it by simply slamming the door on a truck or honking the horn, just to see if they would gobble, and they did. My normal calls are either a coyote howl, owl hoot, or a crow call. From my experience it's hard to call a bird down (ridges,knobs,ect). But they seem to come up to you from below. I normally use a box call for long distance, and a slate or reed for bringing them in close. Best of luck

this..but you would need to go in the evening before to hopefully catch them going to a roost tree.

and when you do find a roost tree, get back there then next morning. keep in mind they do not fly straight down. they kinda do this crazy ass flight where they half glide and flap away from the tree. if you look the glide path is hopefully clear. see up where you think they may land and have your decoys put up where they are easily seen from the landing spot.

 

[Art Fern]

What about decoys guys? How many should you run? Tom's vs jakes vs hens? Jay scott posted a turkey setup yesterday that suggested use of tom, jake and multiple hens (did not say how many). Initially I had thought of only using a jake and a hen.

I don’t think decoys are as necessary as people make them out to be. I’ve probably killed half of my turkeys over decoys. Really depends on the situation. I usually have a quarter strut Jake with me. If I’m chasing an aggressive tom I’ll use a full strut decoy.

Nothing cooler than calling in a longbeard without a decoy IMO but I take them when I can get em!

 

[SoDaky]

Not sure of your terrain or time frame but some situations are made for staying back rather than moving in.After fly down they often go the same direction day after day.Set up on that travel pattern.Much easier using a blind then as well if Archery hunting.

 

[molliesmaster]

You've got everything you need to know to kill a turkey in this thread. When in doubt, don't call and don't move. Patience has killed a lot more birds than any fancy calling or decoy set up.

 

[Arizona Morning]

Don't overlook afternoon hunts. We shoot Toms every year in Nebraska after 3 pm and they seem less wary then than in the mornings if the season has been open for awhile. Also, get some diaphragm mouth calls and start practicing. It is not that hard to get competent with them and it frees your hands up and eliminates a lot of movement.

Thanks, man. Trust me, if we are driving 9 + hrs on the off chance we scare up 8 lbs of meat.....we are hunting all day! Still working on the mouth reed....she won't be pretty, but it should be passable.