Turkey Hunting Tips-A Gobbler On The Roost
Finding a roosted gobbler for turkey hunting can be done the day before by observing the evening fly up. It can also be done by using locator calls prior to sunrise. If a locator call is used, the hunter should stop the use of the call once the gobbler responds. There is no need to continue calling at the gobbler on the roost.
The hunter should then move in closer to the gobbler prior to sunrise. Make sure not to move too close as to spook the gobbler or other turkeys in the area. Find a good set up location around 100 yards out if possible. This is usually a safe distance.
The next step is to wait until the gobbler sounds off at day break. At that time the hunter can make a few soft tree yelps to make the gobbler aware of ones location. The hunter should then be quiet, wait, and listen for the gobbler to fly down.
Once the gobbler is on the ground, the hunter can make a fly down cackle. The use of a turkey wing can be used to mock flapping wing sounds for better affect. This is followed by several yelps and cutts imitating an excited hen. The hunter should then wait to see what if any response is given by the gobbler. Often the gobbler will head towards the hunter either silently or gobbling his head off.
The idea here is to not over call to the gobbler. There will be times when being more aggressive will be a better approach, but off the roost usually less is better.
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Turkey Hunting Tips-Be Flexible
There are many different tactics and techniques that can be used for turkey hunting. Most will work some of the time. None will work all of the time. The key to success is being flexible.
Flexibility is a learned habit generally gained through experience. All turkey hunting adventures are learning experiences regardless of how many years spent in the field. The hunter will gather helpful information whether through success or failure.
Being flexible allows the hunter to experiment with different tactics. The best approach is to learn from the gobbler. The reaction of the gobbler will dictate how the hunter reacts. For example, if the calling style of the hunter is drawing the gobbler in, stick with it.
However, if what the hunter is doing drives the gobbler away or does not draw the gobbler in, its time to change tactics. This is where being flexible comes into play. Turkey hunting is not rocket science. Turkey hunters that are willing to try different techniques will be more successful.
Sometimes subtle changes is all it takes. This may be switching calls. This could also mean relocating to another area. At times mixing calling cadence can be an improvement. If calling softly or quietly isn’t working, try being louder or more aggressive.
There are also times when a hunter will exhaust all means. The hunter should then be willing to move on to another gobbler. This comes back to experience and time in the woods.
The hunter that is flexible and willing to change tactics will greatly improve the chances of being successful in the turkey hunting field.
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Turkey Hunting Tips-Take Advantage Of Terrain
The turkeys main defense is its vision. For that reason turkeys prefer to spend time in areas that provide a good field of view. A hunter can take advantage of this by understanding the terrain to be hunted. For the most part, turkeys look at certain terrain as obstacles.
Overly Thick Areas
They will generally avoid very thick areas that limit visibility. Such areas offer predators good ambush locations. So turkeys will see these areas as dangerous and stay clear. If turkey hunting in locations that provide such obstacles, the hunter should use this knowledge wisely.
Water
Large water ways such as lakes or rivers can also be used by hunters. Generally turkeys will stay on one side or the other and rarely fly over these water ways. A river can be used as a wall of sorts.
Roadways
Roads or highways that provide steady traffic will also be normally avoided by turkeys. Again these obstacles can be used by the hunter to help identify turkey hunting set up locations.
Fences
Some turkey hunting areas are located on farmlands. These farms sometimes have fences surrounding or running through turkey habitat. Most of the time turkeys will walk up to and along fences but rarely will cross them.
Mountains
Tall steep mountains sides or ridges that are hard to travel on foot will also be avoided. If the hunter is unable to climb such areas, turkeys will also not use them.
These are just a few examples of terrain obstacles that turkeys will normally avoid. The point for the hunter is to be aware of the obstacles on the land to be hunted. This knowledge will improve on set up locations and increase the chances of turkey hunting success.
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Turkey Hunting Guidelines
So you have decided to become a turkey hunter. Now the question is what to do next. There is a lot to learn about turkey hunting. However following a few basic guidelines will get you started in the right direction. These turkey hunting tips will provide those guidelines.
Learn About Turkeys
You will need to learn as much about turkey habits as you can. Use the Internet or find books or DVDs. Knowing and understanding turkey movement and activities is vital to becoming a successful turkey hunter. The more you learn the better off you’ll be.
Learn Calling Techniques
There are a wide selection of calls that can be used for turkey hunting. Learning how and when to use these calls is important. Again, there are many DVDs available that teach proper calling techniques. Books can provide good information but being able to hear and see examples will benefit you most.
Learn Scouting Techniques
You will need to learn to use proper scouting techniques. This will provide you with much needed information on the movement habits of turkeys. Spending time in the field scouting is an important factor in being a successful turkey hunter.
Turkey Hunting Supplies
There will be some basic turkey supplies, equipment, and tools that will need to be obtained. You will need proper clothing, an assortment of turkey calls, your weapon of choice, and a variety of other supplies. These items should all be obtained well before the season in order to become familiar with them.
Practicing
The turkey hunter must spend as much time as possible practicing with all equipment. This includes becoming proficient with the choice of weapon to be used. This also includes learning how to use and practicing with turkey calls. The hunter should become familiar with any and all supplies to be used in the field.
Locate The Hunting Land
An important factor is being able to locate the turkey hunting land. You have to locate the land in the state in which you plan to hunt. Next you need to narrow the locations down to individual tracts of land. Then you will need to obtain hunting permission on the land or hunt on public land in that area. Talk with local conservation officers, game land representatives, land owners, and other hunters to gather this information.
Find The Turkeys
The next step is to find the turkeys on the land that you intend to hunt. This is done by scouting the land to be hunted. Scouting should be done well before the season starts. This way you have plenty of time to become familiar with both the landscape and the movement patterns of the turkeys. Unless you have great information, walking into an area that has not been scouted to hunt generally will end with poor results.
Locate Set Up Areas
The next step is to locate good set up areas for opening day. Locating roosting areas prior to the hunt works well. Spend time in the woods several weeks before the season to confirm your previous scouting findings. If a roosting area can not be found, look for areas that have an abundance of turkey sign for your first set up. Again this is all done before opening day.
Before The Hunt
Several days before the hunt, make sure to gather all your turkey gear so you’re not frantically searching for it on opening morning. Make yourself a checklist of everything to be taken. Starting a few days early will allow time for picking up forgotten gear.
This turkey hunting tips article provides basic guidelines and helpful information to becoming successful in the field. As always be safe and good luck.
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Turkey Patterning Tips
Turkey Hunting Tips: Turkey patterning is the act of discovering a turkeys daily routines and habits. Although turkeys will not always follow exact routes, they generally can can be patterned with some degree of consistency. This article provides a few basic patterning tips for turkeys.
Patterning Basics
The hunter will be able to establish basic turkey patterns through observation and proper scouting techniques. The idea is to locate roosting areas, feeding areas, watering areas, dusting areas, strutting areas, and so forth. Establishing these patterns will help the chances of success.
Roosting Patterns
The roosting areas can be located by observing turkey movements late in the day. Turkeys will generally be found near roosting areas about an hour or so before sunset. At sunset they fly up into the roosting tree. Listening for fly up sounds and monitoring late day activities will help establish a roosting pattern.
Feeding Patterns
Although turkeys feed throughout the day, feeding patterns can be established by observing ground scratchings and understanding what food is available in the area to be hunted. Locating large amounts of scratchings in a specific area on a regular basis indicates a good feeding area.
Watering Patterns
The climate and weather conditions will play a part in how often a turkey needs to obtain water. If it is hot, the turkey will need water more often. Watering patterns can be found by observing creek banks, ponds, rivers, or lakes. Watch for heavy turkey track areas.
Dusting Patterns
Turkeys will use dirt or sandy areas to dust off its feathers. Watch for half moon shaped impressions on the ground with turkey tracks. These areas are often found near field edges.
Strutting Patterns
Gobblers will often fly down from a roosting tree first thing in the morning and go to a strutting area. This is where the gobbler meets up with the hens. Watch the open ridge tops, field edges, or other open areas. Look for back and forth type turkey tracks and drag marks made by wing feathers.
Using Turkey Patterns
Once a hunter is able to pattern the movements of turkeys, this information can be used as a starting point for hunting set-up locations. The hunter can move from one area to another based on time of day and when the turkeys are likely to be in a specific area. This provides several options as to how a turkey will be hunted.
These turkey hunting tips for turkey patterning are provided as information to aid the hunter in having a successful hunting experience. Be safe and good luck.
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Patience For Turkeys
Turkey hunting success often boils down to the patience that a hunter has in the field. Sure there is nothing wrong with experimenting or using an aggressive style of hunting. But being patient ultimately will result in turkey on the table.
Too many times hunters fail to understand the need for patience. They move around instead of remaining still. They chase after every gobble in the woods. They get frustrated and give up all together.
Turkey hunting at times can be a fast paced event. This is often represented on television or on DVDs. But the reality is that in most cases these hunting professionals have put many hours in the field. They have used a lot of patience to get 15 minutes of footage.
There are several things that need to happen so a hunter can be more patient. One of the first things is to set-up in a location that is likely to produce turkeys. This information is gathered by scouting the area to be hunted.
The set-up area should provide the hunter with a good field of view. It should be relatively open to allow easy access by the turkeys. These areas can be anywhere that there is a decent amount of turkey sign.
Once a set-up location is found, the next step in patience is for the hunter to remain in this location for extended periods of time. This may be several hours or in some cases all day.
In order to accomplish this, the hunter should prepare for the hunt. The hunter should consider the use of a full size blind. This will allow for movement such as standing up or stretching.
The hunter should also invest in a comfortable seat. There are many light weight seats available that come in carrying cases or can be placed in a back pack. The seat will play a major part in sitting for long hours.
The hunter should also bring water and snacks. This will help maintain hydration and energy levels. If staying all day, this will be a necessity.
Once set-up, use soft yelps, clucks, and purrs. There is no need to be overly excited in calling. You are hunting a location that is frequented regularly by turkeys. Therefore, soft calling that gives the impression of contentment usually will work best.
So put the decoy out, set the blind up, and wait the turkey out. Bring a book or a game-boy along to help pass the time. Just remember to pay attention and expect the turkey to come in silently.
Use these turkey hunting tips for being more patient and see if they help improve on your success in the field.
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Hunting Henned Up Gobblers
Turkey Hunting Tips: A henned up gobbler is a gobbler that is together with one or more hen turkeys and for the most part will not leave them. In the field, this is one of the toughest hunting situations a hunter can have. There is an obvious reason, why would the gobbler give up what he already has to search for another unknown hen. There are a few tactics that can be used to give the hunter a chance.
One tactic, assuming the hunter has located turkeys, is to follow along to the right of the turkeys while calling softly using clucks and purrs. The hunter will get within 100-150 yards or closer of the turkeys if possible. The hunting terrain will play a factor here. The area must provide adequate cover. Just don’t get so close to be detected. The hunter should stop and call every few minutes. The idea is that occasionally, the flock will wander in the direction of the clucks and purrs. Be patient and alert.
Another tactic is for the hunter to circle around in front of the flock of turkeys and wait them out. This requires an idea of where the turkeys are headed. The hunter would make a large circling approach of 200 yards or more as not to spook the turkeys. Then set-up and wait. The hunter can call softly using a few yelps, clucks, and purrs.
Another tactic is for the hunter to relocate away from the henned up flock and move to an area that is often frequented by turkeys. This could be a feeding or watering area for example. The idea is to set-up in this area in hopes that the turkeys will come in. The hunter must have knowledge of turkey movements in order to use this technique.
A more aggressive tactic is to call excitedly in hopes to either work up the gobbler or the hens. The idea is that the gobbler may push his hens in the hunters direction. Or that the hens may become irritated and go seeking out this other hen. They sometimes will bring the flock and gobbler with them. This approach will at times send the turkeys moving away. This should probably be used as a last result.
The last tactic is to leave the area after calling aggressively for a few minutes. The hunter will then return after a few hours and try again. The idea being that the hens that the gobbler was with left and the gobbler may be more willing to respond to the hunters calling.
These are a few turkey hunting tips for hunting henned up gobblers. Give them a try and see if they can be used the next time this situation occurs. Be safe and good luck.
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Hunting Hung-up Gobblers
Turkey hunting at times can be super exciting. There are days when you can set-up close to a roosting area, hit a few notes from your favorite turkey call, and have a gobbler come running in. But there are also those times that gobblers seem to get hung-up before making it into a set-up location.
There could be several reasons as to why gobblers don’t make it all the way. There could be some type of barrier that they don’t want to cross. The gobbler may be with hens and not willing to leave them. There is also the more natural reason which is that in nature, hens go to gobblers. A gobbler will move in the direction of hens only to gobble and strut as to lure them to him.
There are different tactics that can be used in an attempt to get close enough to a gobbler for a shot. There is no perfect plan that works every time. However, occasionally we can have a successful hunt. The only thing one can do is experiment.
One idea for hung-up gobblers is to stand up and slowly start walking away from the gobbler. Continue calling and move away 50-100 yards. Then set-up again and see if the gobbler will move a little closer. This will sometimes make the gobbler relocate as well. Although they may not come the entire distance, they may move closer to your original position. If this happens, sneak back obviously without being detected.
Another idea is to stop calling and try to circle around the right side of the gobbler. If possible, try to relocate in an area where the gobbler has already passed. This will give the illusion that the hen is trying to locate him. Many times a gobbler will back track in an area that he has already gone through quicker than an area that he has not. Once you’ve circled around, start calling again.
The next idea is to only cluck and purr. This gives the illusion that the hen is content where she is at. Ruffle a few leaves here and there as a sign of scratching. Use two different types of calls to make it seem like more than one hen. Sometimes this will bring the gobbler on in.
The final idea to try is to stop calling all together. This will then become a patience hunt. For some reason being quiet has been known to work. I can’t explain why this is. But I have had gobblers walk into set-ups after I have stopped calling. This usually results from trying to figure out my next plan of action. Meanwhile the turkey walks in unannounced to my surprise. So if you try this, always be alert.
These turkey hunting tips may give you a few tactics to try on that old wise gobbler the next time he gets hung-up. Be safe and good luck.
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Turkey Hunting Steps
Turkey Hunting Tips: Turkey hunting success often depends on patience and how much time the hunter spends on a particular bird or area. If the hunter knows that turkeys are on the tract of land to be hunted, the more time spent observing and hunting that land, the better off the hunter will be. Following a few basic steps will provide a better opportunity for a successful hunt.
Location:
Ideally, the hunter wants to set-up in a location that will be used by traveling turkeys. This may be areas used by turkeys that have flown down from the roost. This may include feeding or watering areas. There are also strutting areas that gobblers go to on a regular basis. The actual roosting areas should also be considered. Using good turkey scouting and observation habits will provide the hunter with information for finding a good location to set-up.
Set-up:
The actual set-up area should be made based on the movement patterns of turkeys. The hunter should be prepared to sit for extended periods of time. Therefore a good seat is required. The use of a turkey blind may also be of benefit. This allows the hunter to be able to move and stretch on days when turkeys are not running right in. If blinds are not used make sure to use a large tree to sit against for back support as well as concealment.
Field Of View:
The hunter should have as much of a field of view as possible. This will allow the hunter time to shift or move on turkeys that come in from different directions. Gobblers especially will many times circle around a set-up location before walking out. A hunter with a good range of view will be better prepared for this action. Although there will be times when the viewing area will be limited, whenever possible, choose locations for sight first.
Decoys:
There are times when using decoys may be the convincing factor that leads a gobbler into a set-up location. The decoy gives the gobbler something to see. There are several types of decoys including jakes, hens, and gobblers. The use of a single hen can be effective later in the morning or during mid-day hunting. The use of a hen and jake can be effective during early season. The best approach to using decoys is to experiment with different set-ups to see what works best for individual situations.
Turkey Calling:
There are basically only two types of calling styles. Those are aggressively or patiently. Which style works best depends on both individual hunting locations and individual gobblers. There is no secret to this. The only way to determine the best way to call is by experimenting with both styles. A suggestion would be to start out softly and patiently to see if there is any response. This will allow for gobblers close by to come in. However, becoming more aggressive and excited with calling can be added if need be. Using different calling techniques only improves the chances of seeing a gobbler.
Try using these turkey hunting tips to gain an advantage over that old gobbler. Remember to be patient and stay confident. Good luck and be safe.
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Mid-day Turkey Hunting
Turkey Hunting Tips: There are a lot of states that allow all day turkey hunting. Taking advantage of this quality time will provide hunters with more opportunities to locate gobblers. This article provides a few tips for hunting during mid day.
Turkey Tactics
One tactic to use is to walk along trails, fields, or ridges stopping every three hundred yards or so and call for several minutes. Allow a few minutes for a response and move on. Generally its best to start off the first minute of calling with soft yelps and clucks. Then increase the volume for the next several minutes. This approach allows the hunter to cover ground while searching for a responsive gobbler.
Another tactic is similar to the first. The hunter covers a large area, but then turns around and walks back in the direction in which he just came from. Often, the hunter will get a response on the second walk through. This is because the gobbler heard the calling initially and started towards it.
The final tactic is to find a good set up location and patient call and wait for the gobbler to come in. Sometimes the gobbler will respond with a gobble but many times they will just sneak in without making a sound. If the area has been scouted and the set up location is in a well traveled area, remain there all afternoon.
A variation of this is to wait about an hour or so, then move to another location and try again.
These are just a few turkey hunting tips that can be used to hunt during mid day. Experiment with them and see how they work for you. But in any event, stay in the woods to provide a better opportunity for success.
