Tips for a new turkey hunter

[wyoelkfan15]

Does anyone have any tips for a new turkey hunter? I drew my first tag for turkey this year in Wyoming and will be chasing them in two weeks. Thing is, I have no idea how to hunt them out here with most the public land being pretty wide open country. Does anyone have experience hunting them in NE Wyoming? Also, is the general idea to call for them in the mornings/evenings? Is a decoy a must?

 

[406LIFE]

Dont stop hunting. You can kill turkeys all day.

 

[Mudranger1]

Definitely hunt all day. Often mid day can be most exciting with Tom's coming off hens. Early expect them to be in larger flocks. Expect to be made to feel dumb some people (especially on tv) make it look easy and they are dumb. But more often than not I'm the 1 looking dumb. Maybe I'm a bad hunter. Ive never had any luck with decoys buy using terrain to make them come into shooting range. Never hunted them in Wyoming so good luck

 

[Pucky Freak]

I have only hunted them out east, so I am not familiar with open country tactics. However, turkeys are turkeys. They tend to "pattern" pretty well, meaning that if they are found in one area feeding or strutting, it is likely they will be back in that area the next day at about the same time, as long as they are not disturbed. I have hunted many species, and turkeys top the list with their vision - they pick out movement and shape very well. They are also very wary and skittish. I have had turkeys bust and fly away after seeing me 300 yards away. Being well camouflaged is important. Make sure to paint your face or wear a mask, and wear camo gloves, even if it's hot outside. Even more important than camo is getting close enough for a shot without them seeing you move. You either have to be motionless and get them to come to you, or approach them using the terrain and/or vegetation to conceal your movements. Their sense of smell is poor, so you don't have to watch the wind.

There are a lot of fancy tactics for hunting turkeys, but you can be successful without decoys or even a turkey call. Gobbling toms will gobble at many animal noises. If you can moo, crow call, or hoot like an owl, toms will gobble back from far away. Once you hear him, you know roughly where he is. Look for ways to sneak up on him, or head him off from his path and wait in ambush.

Some days the toms won't gobble. You can still glass for turkeys in the early morning and the evening to find them when they are the most active. Hens don't move around during the middle of the day much, but toms will still be walking around in shaded/cooler areas during mid-day in the spring.

Calling adds another layer to the hunt. To keep things simple, I would suggest starting with push button call or a glass call and learning the basic cluck. Watch a couple youtube videos to learn the correct volume, and cadence. Toms within about 100 yards are so can be called in to range with clucks, as long as there is a plausible place the hen could be hiding that he just can't see yet. His curiosity and sex drive often gets the better of him as he comes in to investigate.

Have fun! My very first day hunting turkey I passed up a few shots just because I enjoyed watching/chasing them and wasn't ready for my season to end too soon.

 

[kansasdad]

Figure out a system that will allow you to be comfortable staying motionless/hidden as you await your hopefully advancing tom. If you aren't comfortable(ish) you will give yourself away with fidgeting.

Sometimes success comes from holding tight, other times it comes from moving spots to improve ambush, simulate a hen adjusting position, or reducing barriers to advance from the tom. It's sorta like the Kenny Rogers song........You got to know when to hold them, and know when to fold them........

Some days it's fall off the log easy. Cherish those days, but also revel in the glorious moments of sheer agony of defeat, cause there will be those days where anything and everything fails to pull one in.

 

[sneakypete]

Pattern your gun first! If you can find a roost tree, be there before first light to get your decoys out.

 

[NEWHunter]

A portable blind can be helpful, especially in open country. They can be used in the wide open, just be sure to try and eliminate the wind flap. You’ll definitely need a decoy or two if you try a setup like that unless you can set up on a travel corridor. I have had luck setting up at fence crossings and routes they tend to travel regularly.

That said, my experience with blinds in the wide open has been so so. It hasn’t ever spooked them, but sometimes they are wary of it and will hang up.

 

[Rzrbck918]

Figure out what they are eating and start there to find them. If you have a few days, you can figure out where hey are roosting and set up an ambush point between.

Pick up a box call and learn a handful of hen calls especially for later in the day. Decoys are helpful but not required. They will focus the Toms attention and keep him distracted.

 

[jeremys4]

Definitely don’t shoot a white one if you do don’t take pictures or let a magazine publish your story. I heard it could make your life a living hell?

 

[ringer]

Get the Tru-glo sights for your shotgun. Drive around when it starts to get dark and make a few hen calls and listen for roosted birds. Get up early and be in the area you want to hunt while it is still dark. Sit down with your back to a tree and wait until it is just getting light. Make a few hen calls on a box call and listen for a gobble. Wait 10-15 minutes and do it again. If the gobble is closer then get your gun up on your knee and when you see the bird make a few clucks on a mouth call and he will puff up. Aim for the head and pull trigger.

 

[R.K.]

If you have one gobbling on a ridge or the point of a ridge, he's probably alone- perfect. Try to get on the same elevation with no obstacles between you, then call, maybe scratch a little. If he doesn't answer, wait a bit, maybe move closer, repeat in a few minutes.

Once he does answer, get him to answer once more, then make him initiate all communication- you should now be answering him with shorter/soft yelp sequences or clucks, instead of calling to get him to answer. Don't be afraid to scratch in the leaves, too. But let him gobble a few times before you answer him with the call.

After you answer him a few times, quit calling entirely- he knows exactly where you were calling from, and will wonder what happened to you. And when he gets too curious, he'll come looking, and come in really close to where you last called from.

A jake decoy can work well here, but I don't think you need any decoys at all, especially in thicker country.

If he goes quiet for no reason, get ready. If he hangs up for several hours, consider moving away, then answering him again- make him think the hen is leaving. Do it again, an he should start working closer. Or running to you- call from a spot you can set up fast and shoot

If you find one with hens, call to the hens to bring them in, and he should follow.

If you can scout and get one patterned- plan an ambush, imitate what you see with decoys, and hide well with decent shooting lanes.

These birds aren't smart, just scared of getting eaten. But they're also love-drunk, the bigger ones to the point of violence and extra stupidity.

Always call from a spot you can get hidden quick- I've gotten answers to blind calling from under 100 yards, and the birds ran to me (caught me with my pants down).

Don't let them see you. Jakes eat just fine. Push button calls kill birds. Cadence is more important than tone. Get him cleaned ASAP for best flavor.

 

[Mp5Mp5dw]

A whole bunch of great advice. I will echo, don't miss the middle of the day. The hens go to their nests and the toms are wandering around looking for a sexy blonde to hook up with. Sometimes your better off playing hard to get, make that tom earn your love, then shoot him in the pecker. Oh yeah, aim for the head, not the body. Good luck!!!

 

[DRS]

First thing I can think of is try to make sure you're hunting in an area where there are turkeys. I haven't hunted turkeys in Wyo, but did in Colo. when I lived there. One of the biggest challenges was just finding an area with a huntable population.

 

[375H&H]

First thing I can think of is try to make sure you're hunting in an area where there are turkeys. I haven't hunted turkeys in Wyo, but did in Colo. when I lived there. One of the biggest challenges was just finding an area with a huntable population.

Loucks st right after you cross Goose Creek would be a great place to start. I saw 14 long bearded toms there just last week. They ought to taste good too being on the neighborhood corn feeder and the sidewalk is publicly owned so access shouldn’t be an issue.

 

[pointingdogsrule]

I hunt northeast Wyoming every year in the Aladdin area. Plenty of birds up there.
1. Locate the birds by doing some pre-season scouting. Pattern these birds.
2. Most 1st time turkey hunters call "WAY TOO MUCH". Once he knows that you are there slow down on the number of calls.

Have fun.

good luck to all
the dog

 

[GAoutdoors]

Great advice here! I have found woodsmanship and scouting to be the most important. After all, you can't kill turkeys unless they are in that area. Make sure to hunt all day if possible.

Listen to the Jay Scott Podcast for a really in depth turkey hunting series with Chris Roe. It is episode 552-558.