Turkey Troubles

[EKYHunter]

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Same law in KY. And calling them in like that just educates birds. If you’ve got a bird answering and he’s going away, he’s got hens or he’s got someplace he wants to be. You can circle around and get in front of them or simply move on to another bird. Or, fire up the hens. If you hear one calling, initiate her. If she yelps, you yelp. If she cuts, you cut. Aggravate her and she might just come looking to shit you up, dragging that gobbler with her. Lost calling will sometimes bring the hens as well. You could also try a fighting purr. Purr on a mouth call and a slate or box call. When this works, they’ll come running. A kee kee can also work to bring in the hens. Lastly, if you feel safe, you can gobble back at him with a gobble tube, mouth call, or tube call. It can also depend on how much property you have to hunt. If it’s a lot, you can get very aggressive in your tactics or if a small piece of land, you’d better off waiting until later in the morning when the hens should be nesting. Lots of options.

 

[Sheltowee]

I'll hit a locator call during scouting trips on occasion but, yeah, bad juju to call in a bird before season.

Weirdly, a Canada goose call was most my reliable locator for several years.

 

[benbanned]

The best call is the one that sounds like a hen the gobbler knows. That will more often be achieved with a mouth call IF you're good at it. Look up Scott Ellis on YouTube if you want to see what can be done with a mouth call.

I'll check him out. Thanks .

 

[EKYHunter]

I'll hit a locator call during scouting trips on occasion but, yeah, bad juju to call in a bird before season.

Weirdly, a Canada goose call was most my reliable locator for several years.

I’ve got an old Olt that I use. Works pretty good.

 

[brushcreek]

Thank goodness I’ll never live in the south

it's a bad idea regardless of where you live, assuming you want to kill turkeys

 

[TheTone]

Thankfully I have a ton of public spots to hunt so I’m not exactly worried about some pre season calling. Oddly enough I can 100% guarantee I’ve called in some birds pre season and then killed them in the same spot.

A friend was even telling me about a bird he called in and shot twice in one day. First shot was all body and then called him back in a few hours later as if nothing had happened. Second shot did the trick

 

[Gellar]

I'll hit a locator call during scouting trips on occasion but, yeah, bad juju to call in a bird before season.

Weirdly, a Canada goose call was most my reliable locator for several years.

I killed a tom last year because of a goose. It was midday, last day of the season, I was blind calling on the edge of a mowed crp field. A lone goose honked above me and a turkey shock gobbled really close behind me. I got turned around and 2 Tom’s were 10 yards apart 60 yards away and closing fast.

 

[wisconsinteacher]

Have you found a certain kind of call works best to get him interested? Did you just throw out a soft yelp?

If I know he is close, soft yelps and sit tight if he gobbles. I have found that if you get in his bubble, (60-200 yards depending on location) he will come looking for you. I always want to call more, but I have to tell myself to put the call down and wait. Turkeys don't know time like we do so sit tight and don't move.