Turkey Hunters ... A question
03-07-2008, 07:31 AM
#11
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Indiana (southern)
Posts: 6,146
RE: Turkey Hunters ... A question
Jeff i do that with great sucess, it drives them nuts sometimes 
ORIGINAL: GMMAT
Don't think you might not have to do some sweet calling to get them into bow range ......even if you are set up in an ambush location.
I set up in one of these areas on my only successful bow kill of a turkey.......and NO amount of calling could get him into bow range. I finally stopped calling altogether. We sat in a stalemate for 20 minutes. What finally made them commit was my foot lightly rustling the leaves.....imitating a scratching turkey. Whoulda think it?
If I knew a tom walked down the same trail every day......that's exactly where I'd set up.
I do it all the time deer hunting.......and I'm proud when I connect.
Good luck.
Don't think you might not have to do some sweet calling to get them into bow range ......even if you are set up in an ambush location.
I set up in one of these areas on my only successful bow kill of a turkey.......and NO amount of calling could get him into bow range. I finally stopped calling altogether. We sat in a stalemate for 20 minutes. What finally made them commit was my foot lightly rustling the leaves.....imitating a scratching turkey. Whoulda think it?
If I knew a tom walked down the same trail every day......that's exactly where I'd set up.
I do it all the time deer hunting.......and I'm proud when I connect.
Good luck.
03-07-2008, 07:39 AM
#12
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location:
Posts: 21,043
RE: Turkey Hunters ... A question
but I'm more afraid of sounding unnatural.
Let me say that Rob sounds better than most turkeys I hear in the wild when he's running calls. The things I do on the slate are more indicative of real-life turkeys in most situations.
I call "good enough". I call very little. Less is more, sometimes.
03-07-2008, 07:42 AM
#13
Typical Buck
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Indiana (southern)
Posts: 873
RE: Turkey Hunters ... A question
I don't bite....I just nibble
>>>BAM<<<
>>>BAM<<<
ORIGINAL: bloodcreek
I find NO shame in a good ambush. point is, i have hunted birds several times that would absolutly not come in, i hunted a pair for a week and decided to go silet and set up an ambush on the field and wait them out if it took all day, it worked on one of my best birds ever, and on a few since, i look at it as stepping outside of the box and making something happenBUT it still dont compare to a bird hollering his head off belting out tuco bites, tuco bites [8D]if you think about it, hunting deer is really an ambush in a way
I find NO shame in a good ambush. point is, i have hunted birds several times that would absolutly not come in, i hunted a pair for a week and decided to go silet and set up an ambush on the field and wait them out if it took all day, it worked on one of my best birds ever, and on a few since, i look at it as stepping outside of the box and making something happen
BUT it still dont compare to a bird hollering his head off belting out tuco bites, tuco bites [8D]if you think about it, hunting deer is really an ambush in a way 
03-07-2008, 09:50 AM
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location:
Posts: 3,465
RE: Turkey Hunters ... A question
i just show up in known turkey areas and locate a bird, move in semi close, set up and try to cal them in. If this isnt working, ill usually setup at a place where it is common to see them midday and just wait em out. I think as much as turkey move around, a little calling would be neccessary even if you do try and ambush them. Bowrange is 30-40 yards and in for most, it would be tough to ambush a turkey with absolutely no calling, just because you can only cover a 60 yard swath.
If youve been practicing, your calling will sound good enough. You will learn as you go which calls work, which ones dont.
The foot in leaves is a great tactic, especially if your hunting near a bluff and the turks are in range but out of sight. I had a gobbler at 12 yards 2 years ago, but was out of sight just over this little ridge in the woods. I started rustling my feet around and within 5 seconds he had his head popped over that ridge peaking, not 5 yards away. We had a stare off, and he won...i guess he saw me blink. Never did kill that bird.[&o]
If youve been practicing, your calling will sound good enough. You will learn as you go which calls work, which ones dont.
The foot in leaves is a great tactic, especially if your hunting near a bluff and the turks are in range but out of sight. I had a gobbler at 12 yards 2 years ago, but was out of sight just over this little ridge in the woods. I started rustling my feet around and within 5 seconds he had his head popped over that ridge peaking, not 5 yards away. We had a stare off, and he won...i guess he saw me blink. Never did kill that bird.[&o]
03-07-2008, 10:06 AM
#16
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Oct 1998
Location: Hughesville, PA USA
Posts: 18,322
RE: Turkey Hunters ... A question
Calling turkeys isn't rocket science and some of the best calls I've ever made where suttle and very short. We call it taking the turkeys temperature. There will be times, you make a serious of yelps, not prefessional yelps as every turkey is different just like you and I. He responds to your yelps by gobbling, you can put the call down and they run it. Other times it doesn't matter what you do to call and with what call, they aint coming. Changing tactics and getting in front of them might just prove successful.
One turkey on my wall I never would have killed had I continued to try calling him. He was a smart bird and well, you could say I know how to call. It didn't matter how sweet I called or what call I used, he would respond as he went the other way. It's natures way for the hen to go to the gobbler and he was smart. He said, comon and of course I couldn't. I missed that bird twice by outsmarting him on his own turf. His demise was continuing to do what he did. I finally set up a couple dekes in the corner of a field and listened for him. When he sounded off I tree yelped and put my calls away. I took a nap, he gobbled in the field and woke me. I smiled as he was 100 yards out and he still needed to make his rounds before returning. I sat and listened to him gobble periodically as he made his rounds.
Okie dokie, here he comes, gobbles getting nearer. I continued to nap until I heard him spit and drum. I open my eyes, I see a tail fan coming, he slowly worked to the dekes....BOOM!
I mounted him flying as he flew away from me twice when I missed him, once when he busted me moving and ran and I missed, the other, well my I underestimated his range.
Here he is forever remember for the smart bird he was.
And where he resides:
I know Jeff used this phrase as it pertained to duck hunting when a friend of his said it but it also pertains to turkeys,
You don't need to be a great caller, you just need to be where the turkeys want to go. Find strut zones and the likes, even watching the shows on TV, they set up where the birds want to be, in most cases, a field the frequent every day, a log road which is their strut zone, a oak flat etc...
One turkey on my wall I never would have killed had I continued to try calling him. He was a smart bird and well, you could say I know how to call.
It didn't matter how sweet I called or what call I used, he would respond as he went the other way. It's natures way for the hen to go to the gobbler and he was smart. He said, comon and of course I couldn't. I missed that bird twice by outsmarting him on his own turf. His demise was continuing to do what he did. I finally set up a couple dekes in the corner of a field and listened for him. When he sounded off I tree yelped and put my calls away. I took a nap, he gobbled in the field and woke me. I smiled as he was 100 yards out and he still needed to make his rounds before returning. I sat and listened to him gobble periodically as he made his rounds. Okie dokie, here he comes, gobbles getting nearer. I continued to nap until I heard him spit and drum. I open my eyes, I see a tail fan coming, he slowly worked to the dekes....BOOM!
I mounted him flying as he flew away from me twice when I missed him, once when he busted me moving and ran and I missed, the other, well my I underestimated his range.
Here he is forever remember for the smart bird he was.
And where he resides:
I know Jeff used this phrase as it pertained to duck hunting when a friend of his said it but it also pertains to turkeys,
You don't need to be a great caller, you just need to be where the turkeys want to go. Find strut zones and the likes, even watching the shows on TV, they set up where the birds want to be, in most cases, a field the frequent every day, a log road which is their strut zone, a oak flat etc...
03-07-2008, 02:22 PM
#17
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Central Wisconsin
Posts: 1,196
RE: Turkey Hunters ... A question
ORIGINAL: stickin8s
IF YOUR NEW TO TURKEY HUNTING, YOU WILL EVENTUALLY ANSWER YOUR OWN QUEASTION.WHEN YOU ENCOUNTER THAT LONGBEARD THAT JUST WON'T COME IN ALL THE WAY, OR IS JUST PLAIN STUBBORN. IT WILL DRIVE YOU NUTS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET HIM.IF YOU FIND THAT AMBUSH POINT, YOU WILL BE SMILING WHEN HE WALKS BY.SAYING TO YOURSELF, I GOT YOU!!!
IF YOUR NEW TO TURKEY HUNTING, YOU WILL EVENTUALLY ANSWER YOUR OWN QUEASTION.WHEN YOU ENCOUNTER THAT LONGBEARD THAT JUST WON'T COME IN ALL THE WAY, OR IS JUST PLAIN STUBBORN. IT WILL DRIVE YOU NUTS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET HIM.IF YOU FIND THAT AMBUSH POINT, YOU WILL BE SMILING WHEN HE WALKS BY.SAYING TO YOURSELF, I GOT YOU!!!
03-07-2008, 02:40 PM
#18
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 5,425
RE: Turkey Hunters ... A question
What you will find out is that sometimes you can call turkeys in with a rusty hinge, just dosn't matter how you sound, all turkeys don't sound sweet as well, they also make mistakes...
Other times, they just aren't coming in, no way...They might have hens, they might be wary, they just aren't in the mood, who knows...These times usually less is better, be it purrs, rustling leaves or a few contented yelps...
One of my most memorable hunts was a local gobbler that "won't come to calls"...I waited until 11:00 am to get into the area he frequented, purred once and he answered...I put the calls up, an hour and a half later he showed and I dropped him, during that hour and a half he gobbled 3 times, but I kept quiet....
It's like working a top water bait for bass, you just have to figure out their mood and what it takes to bring them in...
Other times, they just aren't coming in, no way...They might have hens, they might be wary, they just aren't in the mood, who knows...These times usually less is better, be it purrs, rustling leaves or a few contented yelps...
One of my most memorable hunts was a local gobbler that "won't come to calls"...I waited until 11:00 am to get into the area he frequented, purred once and he answered...I put the calls up, an hour and a half later he showed and I dropped him, during that hour and a half he gobbled 3 times, but I kept quiet....
It's like working a top water bait for bass, you just have to figure out their mood and what it takes to bring them in...
03-07-2008, 06:50 PM
#19
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: pa.
Posts: 1,115
RE: Turkey Hunters ... A question
ORIGINAL: GR8atta2d
Ok I'll be new to the Spring Turkey Game.. So I have a question for you and bear with me to see the point, i'm getting at.
If through scouting, you know where a Turkey (or flock is) and where they are going. Would a Turkey hunter find joy in setting up in ambush from point A to point B. Or is the "magic" in calling him to you?
Now I ask because many hunting practices have there own, call them guidelines. Example you don't shoot sitting ducks. Or I've hunted rabbits with guys with beagles and you don't shoot anything you kick-up until the dogs bring them around. See the "joy" is in the dogs working the bunny. (?)
I get the impression that the joy of Turkey hunting is the successful call?? Right/Wrong?
Ok I'll be new to the Spring Turkey Game.. So I have a question for you and bear with me to see the point, i'm getting at.
If through scouting, you know where a Turkey (or flock is) and where they are going. Would a Turkey hunter find joy in setting up in ambush from point A to point B. Or is the "magic" in calling him to you?
Now I ask because many hunting practices have there own, call them guidelines. Example you don't shoot sitting ducks. Or I've hunted rabbits with guys with beagles and you don't shoot anything you kick-up until the dogs bring them around. See the "joy" is in the dogs working the bunny. (?)
I get the impression that the joy of Turkey hunting is the successful call?? Right/Wrong?
The joy of turkey hunting for me is the response to a call that I have made. I know he is answering me.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
WhiteRiverHunter
South
1
03-31-2004 03:59 PM
WhiteRiverHunter
Turkey Hunting
3
03-31-2004 02:31 PM
