coalminer

im going to try turkey hunting here in ohio this spring for the first time,and i would like to know whar i should do and not do,,,any help would be great,,i have a few calls,plenty of camo etc,,,should i start call now or wait closer to season to see if there are turkey in the area...?

good luck to every body from ohio >>>

brian hawthorne

Bobgobble2

Brian,welcome to the board here!!Rule of thumb as far as your preseason work is leave your turkey call at home.Dont smarten up the birds before season!!Get out before daybreak in a good area to listen and listen for those early morning gobbles!Take the time to go over and read many of these threads on the forum here as there are alot of folk here who willingly have passed on some great knowledge and tips when it comes to huntin gobblers...I will say this though,what makes this sport so great is the fact that just when we think we know it all or got a particular bird in the bag ole gobbler has a way sometimes of re-educating us!!!

tomshateme

welcome aboard! Here are a few tips that may help out a little:
1. Call only once to a roosted bird to let him know where you are. Too much and he'll hang in the tree all morning waiting too see a hen before flying down.
2. If a bird stops gobbling, odds are he's coming to check you out. Give him at least 20 min. to get there before moving or calling again.
3. Most beginners call way too much, let the bird set the tone and follow his lead.
4.Some will disagree, but I like to set up in a place so that I cannot see a turkey until he is in range. Use terrain, brush, etc. This allows you to adjust as he's coming in and forces him to come in close, birds will almost always hang up if they can pinpoint the location of calling but can't see a hen.
5. Everytime I think I know a little something about these birds, they do something else.
This list could go on forever but I'll let some of the other members add their 2 cents.

DHF:KYLEN

Welcome to the board. I haven't been around long, just joined the board myself. And just started turkey hunting last year.

The only tip that I could give you is this. If you have the opportunity to have a mentor, or a season turkey hunting pro, (by pro I don't mean that the person has to of been on t.v., just someone with more experience than you at this point), to take you out once even if it's just for scouting do it. Ask as many questions as you think he or she can stand. Be a sponge and soak it all in.

Hope it helps, good luck, be safe, and post pic's of you're bird.

DBaker

Tip #1-Don't trespass.
tip #2-If you can't call worth a hoot, you'd be best off not too at all or find someone who can go with you who can.
tip #3-don't trespass

I have talked to a lot of "new hunters" and they can't get the idea of only hunting where they are suppose to hunt. They hear a bird gobble and they go whether they have permission or not. I was joking around about the calling, I have seen some horrible calling call in birds before. If the bird is hot he'll come into anything.
Where abouts are you plan on hunting? I hunt in SE Ohio.

coalminer

thanx for the info ,,,i live in belmont and monroe county ,,hard to find time when im working in the coalmine,,,but im looking foward to hunting,,deer is the only thing ive really hunted so far ,,,,

good luck besafe take a kid in the woods and fishing ...

Adrian J Hare

Everyone has gave you sound info. To start find some area with the birds, early morning listening is is great start and then as DBaker has said , go ask permission to hunt and scout....BT

memphis mike

Welcome to the board coalminer the best advice i can give you is to learn to sit still in the woods and start off with a push pin friction call they are the easiest call to master !! If you are hunting public land or private make sure it is a gobbler you are shooting at !!! Remember there are alot of hunters who sound like turkeys in the woods !!! I cant tell you how many times i have been mistaken for a hen and have had hunters walk right up to me thinking they are sneaking up on a bunch of turks !!!

Be safe and have fun !!!

Memphis!