Purr and Cluck Turkey Tips
Turkey Hunting Tips: The basic objective in turkey hunting is to be able to bring a gobbler into the hunter’s set up location. This at times can be somewhat difficult. Assuming the hunter has an approximate location of where the gobbler is, he has to be fairly proficient with turkey calls. This does not mean however, that he has to be a world champion turkey caller to be successful. Two basic turkey sounds, the purr and the cluck, can be used just as well as yelps, cutting, and cackling to bring turkeys in.
The purr and cluck sounds made by turkeys express safety, contentment, and calmness. All three are excellent qualities. Other turkeys that here these sounds will be more relaxed and more likely to be drawn in to these sounds. By learning to use them, the hunter can take advantage of times when yelping and cutting are not working.
The slate and striker type is probably one of the best callers that a hunter can use to make the purr and cluck sounds. Pulling the striker across the slate in a slow steady motion creates a natural purring sound. Applying a little pressure to the striker and pulling it across the slate in short half inch strokes can produce the clucking sound.
Many times using the purr and cluck will bring a leery old gobbler in when other calling techniques will not. Sure they may not get all fired up and gobble all the way, but they come in none the less. This of course is the goal of the hunter in the first place.
The hunter that locates a flock of turkeys can often use the purr and cluck to call in the hens and gobblers. The boss hen will at times bring the flock in the direction due to the calming effect. This is because the hen does not feel threatened. Whereas using a yelping call in this situation could be a signal of a challenge to the boss hen. Often if this occurs, the boss hen will simply take the flock, including the gobblers, away from the area.
Try using these turkey hunting tips related to the purr and cluck the next time in the field. They may provide the hunter with an opportunity at success.
Aggressively or Patiently for Turkeys
Turkey Hunting Tips: In order to be successful at turkey hunting, the hunter will need to make the right decisions. It’s no different from anything else in life. Knowing what to do comes with experience, trial and error, knowledge of turkey habits, and a little luck. There are two basic formats for hunting turkeys. The hunter either hunts aggressively or hunts patiently.
Hunting aggressively simply means covering as much land as possible while actively calling, looking for a hot gobbler that will respond, and going to him. Hunting patiently simply means finding a good set up location, calling softly or non-aggressively, and waiting for a gobbler to find the hunter. Each technique will work well if used in the right situations.
The land to be hunted and the number of turkeys that live on that land play a part in how to hunt it properly. If the land is small with a few amounts of turkeys, hunting patiently may be the best approach. On the other hand, if there is a large tract of land with many turkeys, then hunting aggressively may be best.
Many hunters think that if they are not hearing turkey gobbles, then their chances of being successful are not very good. These hunters generally will use the aggressive style simply because they prefer to move around and call more often. They get a better since of productivity that way. Covering more ground can often provide helpful information on turkey movements.
Hunters that use the patient approach think that as long as they are in a good set up location, that a turkey will eventually come by. This can often be true. Using patience on an old wise gobbler that has heard every call ever made sometimes is the only way to hunt.
One of the best times to use the aggressive style of hunting is when the hunter locates a gobbler that responds to the calling just as aggressively as when the hunter calls to the gobbler.This is matching excitement with excitement and often results in a relatively short and successful hunt.
When gobblers have lock jaw and refuse to respond to any calling, often this is the time to slow things down and hunt more patiently. Find a good location and wait the turkeys out. Many times the gobblers will just show up without ever making a sound.
There are many other situations that may dictate which style of hunting to use. These turkey hunting tips will give the hunter a few ideas on deciding whether to hunt aggressively or patiently.
Turkey Scouting
Turkey Hunting Tips: Turkey scouting is the art of locating areas that turkeys frequent and monitoring those areas for movement. Scouting does not start at the beginning of the hunting season nor does it end once the season starts. Effective scouting techniques require the hunter to pay attention to detailed turkey sign throughout the year, prior to the season, and during the season.
Unless the hunter has a perfect memory, it is suggested that a notebook be kept in order to maintain adequate record details. The use of topographic and aerial maps can also benefit a hunter. They provide an overview of the land to be hunted. There are plenty of websites online to aid in developing these maps. Or if one doesn’t wish to go the high tech route, simply draw the map by hand.
These notebooks should contain all aspects of the property. Fields, water ways, logging and walking trails, isolated patches of timber, under growth areas, heavy timbered areas and so forth. If its on the property, map it out. Pay close attention to obstacles or barriers that may prevent turkeys from crossing.
Assuming the area to be hunted has turkeys, there should be quite a bit of signs from their movements. While scouting, look for the most obvious signs such as turkey tracks, feathers, and droppings. Turkey scratchings should also be easy to locate, these will provide information on food source areas.
Scouting during different times of the day will provide a variety of turkey signs as well as reveal movement, watering, feeding, strutting, dusting, and roosting patterns. All of this information should be written down for future use. Pay attention to trails as to be able to move in and out of these areas undetected during the hunting season.
Many hunters spend most of their time searching for roosting areas. While this is certainly good information to have, other turkey movement details are just as important. If the hunter sets up near a roosting area during the season, but can not get the turkey to come in, the hunter then will have additional information to continue the hunt.
A suggested technique for preseason scouting is to break the day into sections. In the morning at daybreak, try to locate roosting areas by listening for gobbles or other turkey sounds. Also listen for wings flapping as turkeys move around in or fly down from the trees. Move into these areas after the turkeys have left and make notes of the findings. This way when the season starts, there will be a good set up location already mapped out.
During the morning and mid day, look for the direction of travel that the previously roosted turkeys are taking. Finding and monitoring their movements as the day goes by. Pay attention to the terrain and keep track of obstacles for both the turkey and the hunter. Feeding patterns and the other previously mentioned movement patterns should be detailed in writing.
If the hunter was unable to roost the turkeys during the morning. Use the evening hours for locating the roosting locations. Turkeys generally will return to these areas about an hour or so before sunset. If the hunter is able to see turkeys this late in the day, the roosting areas will be close by.
Using these turkey hunting tips for turkey scouting will provide the hunter with additional information for the hunting season. Just remember not to get too close to turkeys as to spook them away from the area.
Late Morning Turkey Hunting
Turkey Hunting Tips: Many hunters looks forward to getting up before the sun rises and setting up at daybreak near a previously located roosting area. However turkey hunting can be just as exciting as the day goes on. Understanding turkey movement will prepare the hunter for late morning hunting.
Preseason scouting will provide the hunter with details as to where turkeys go after the fly down from the roost. Hunters should pay attention to this movement to help in patterning them. Although turkeys don’t always follow exact routes each day, spending time in the field before and during the season will allow for better success.
Turkeys spend much of the day scratching and searching for food. Finding these food source areas is one advantage for late morning hunting. This is not as simple as it sounds. Turkeys eat a wide variety of foods. But locating areas that provide different food sources will give the hunter several chances for success.
There are also areas used by gobblers for strutting during the mating season. These could be anywhere from fields to ridge tops depending on the area to be hunted. Gobblers tend to use these strutting areas on a regular basis.
Gobblers are often seen later in the morning. This is because the hens have broken away for nesting. By using turkey calls the hunter may be able to locate an interested gobbler. Often getting the gobbler to respond may be challenging. However, if one does respond, the chances for success are often greater during the late morning hunts. This is because the hunter is not competing against the boss hen.
Using these turkey hunting tips may give the hunter an edge for hunting during the late morning hours.
