well went out turkey hunting this morning and wasn't long after I found a good tree to sit next to that I called in 3 toms. They came from in front of me so they were in full view the entire time. They came up and decided to venture to my left away from me, I had them at about 60 yds, but just didn't want to take that shot for obvious reasons.
After I passed them up, my neighbor behind me started doing some AWESOME hen calling (THanks NEIGHBOR!) and the toms stuck around a while longer, but were now about 150 yds away. I snuck out and around the toms and decided to circle the field they were in and come up a draw on the other side of them. By that time it started down pouring on me and I got absolutely soaked. It was COLD rain too. Anyways, toms shut up and didn't make a peep after the rain picked up. After seeing an AWESOME lightening show I decided to call it a day. Still raining at this very minute, and just now starting to feel my hands again! hahaha
Haven't been turkey hunting very long, but it's definately exciting. Don't think I'm as "IN LOVE" with it as DEER though...
we also have a shotgun fall season but it is 5 days only Mon-Fri I think it is in the begining of Oct. we can only get 1 in the spring & 1 in the fall
so I don't do the shotgun as I am already bow hunting & have to work Mon-Fri
Hey ya'll...alabama deer hunter here...gonna start turkey hunting for the first time myself this season....any tips would be greatly appreciated. Thanks and have a blessed day
1. FInd a dirt mound on the edge of a field.
2. Dig out the top like a crater and sit in it.
3. Make some turkey sounds, dont even have to sound good.
4. Put your head down and take a nap.
5. Sleep.
6. When you here a turkey cluck, slowly raise your head, ID the bird and shoot.
7. Chase bird through the woods and shoot again.
8. Return to the dirt mound to retrieve another turkey load.
9. Continue chasing the turkey down a steep hill until it you get close.
10. Use your last shot wisely.
Maybe this isn't the ideal turkey hunt but this is how my first sucessful trukey hunt went down. It was also a solo hunt, senior year of high school. I will never forget that hunt and since I have refined my turkey hunting skills and strategies but in no wise consider myself an expert.
That was a Friday morning. The following monday I set up on the edge of a field across the road from the above location where I watched a flock come out every morning. That big tom followed his flock out like he always did and I took him in a more traditional turkey hunt. (scout, pattern, set up, harvested all according to plan). I got my first two turkeys in the same weekend, hunting solo with my Great Grampas Single shot 12 guage,
Be careful out there - its addicting in a different way than deer hunting.
If I was going out for the first time knowing what I do now. First I would get a decoy set, ( I love my pretty boy pretty girl pair by carry light) go to a field you know the birds are going to (and it would be a good to know where they come in and out of it at, it will always be the same spot give or take about 40 yards.) if hunting a field you need to know how far your gun will reach, ( my gun will reach 60 yards no problem with a 3 1/2" #4 shot heavy load. but I try to get all my birds under 35 yards. So I set my decoys 20 yards into the field and I set up 5 to 10 yards back into the woods. If you have a (hot field) I wouldn't call at all. Even if the toms are (hen'ed up) the hens will graze over to the decoys with toms fallowing. Set your decoys in a pre-breed position, (that's hen decoy setting on the ground and the Tom/jake decoy standing about a foot behind ( I like to set him off to one side alittle more and give him a little of a diagonal turn with him facing the back of the hen. This set up is the hen sitting on the ground means she is ready to breed and is waiting for the male to climb on her back for mating. The Tom decoy that close to the rear looks like he is about to mount for breeding. ( some people like to set their Tom decoy right against the back of the hen as if already breeding) but I get better responce with the real Tom to run in and cut of the pre atemp faster than the breed set. Hunting a field with this set up there is realy no need to make any calls, watching my pet turkeys when they are breeding they make no noise. I could talk turkey all day but I've typed all this with one finger on my phone so I'm stoping for now lol, i have a pic on my phone of the set up from my blind when my son was hunting with my and got his first jake, ill post it up
I'm already getting antsy !!! i've seen some nice folks in a few of my field areas the past few days, (not struting yet but glad to see them close to one of my best spots to blind hunt) .....:w00t:come on April :w00t:!!!!..... ( ky date's are april 7-8 youth only then general season saturday april 14th -through may 6th (23 days to be able to harvest 2 birds ) again ... come on april.. need some turkey and some morel's for the freezer......!!!!!! weee wa wa weeeeee wa wa weeeee
well saw a flock down the road this am counted 50 birds
with about 15 longbeards they were gobblin, Struting & fighting O.T.F I am now getting antsy too but it is a long way to April 28th (Youth weekend for my daughter) & May 3rd (for me) just have to try & keep my cool for awhile
well seen a big group today in the field wth 5 toms strutting !!! my wife thought i was gonna run off the road trying to count birds lol, im ready minus the rod tips i had to order to repair my hub style ground blind, but they should be here any day now. the only down fall to hub blinds is some parts wear out. but o well its been a great blind so i figured it was best and cheaper to fix than replace although i got my eye on the (BIG MIKE ) blind. since things are tight i guess it will wait till summer
It's here !!! Youth this weekend, my boy is all geared up n ready looking for a long beard, he shot two hens in the fall season befor last and a jake last spring, so since he out did me on deer this year I think he feels he's on a lucky streak and gonna put it on the ol man one more time for turkey as well lol
T minus 4 hours and counting, hey wait what am I still up for. It's been one busy day today but alarm set sons already in bed. Still got birds strutting in spot we are going in few hours. Full moon tonight, so going in a little earlier than I'd like to with the time I have for sleep but to get the boy in to a close great position its a must so we can get set up. I tried to talk my boy into shooting my 12 with a 3" shell instead of the 3 1/2's i use but he still dont want to try a 12, said hes happy with the 20. Good luck to all the early spring youth hunters !!!
Birds all around us, 7 toms but they all had plenty of lady's and would not budge this morning. Going back in about a hour n sit till dark try to see if I can't get the boy on one heading back to roosting area. Anyone else any good ? We only herd one shot all morning and local store few other guys said they couldn't get the toms to come either.
Well like a lot of us at one point. That big ol Tom just give my son way too much time to get the ol blood going and nerves caused him to drop low and shoot just under. Son was all tore up watching that bird fast walk on out of shooting range. O well got us set up on another roost for in the morning see if I can't get him on another one with out shaking up all my birds for when my season comes in.
well cameron sealed the deal this morning on a tom with a 6" beard !! he had a great head neck shot that dropped the bird in its tracks and only floped twice. I think he realy didnt want to go skunk for the youth weekend, he did take the time to pick out the big one of the three in front of him, great job !! so after yesterday he is 5 shots and 4 birds over three seasons.
Thanks TG ! Now I'm hoping to get one this Sat, it starts the regular season here. Son is tagged out. Youth are only allowed one bird so it's game on for me looking to fill my spring tag, (two bearded birds for spring season in ky and only one can be takin a day. That gives me like 20 days or so. Birds are still hen'ed up pretty good right now so with season just starting I think ky fish and game picked the perfect dates this year !!
Congrats on the bird
Like Tator we can only hunt till Noon not all day our season does not start till May 3rd Youth starts April 28th really stinks as the birds have been active for a few weeks already
Congrats on the bird
Like Tator we can only hunt till Noon not all day our season does not start till May 3rd Youth starts April 28th really stinks as the birds have been active for a few weeks already
Well it would make calling them in much easier in late season if you couldn't set up on a roost or their main breeding spot, as far as that can't hunt past mid day well I guess it would bother me too just caz but I rarely hunt past about 9 to 10 anyways, I did take the boy in the evening over the youth weekend but that was caz I realy wanted to get him on a bird and it was only two days, if it were longer we would had hunted mornings only.
Season opener in the morning. Already got one picked out of a group of five in my first spot, if these birds only knew what tomorrow was they would be best to just stay in the tree !! Lol. h34r: now as long as I didn't jinks myself it shouldn't be to bad only allowed two toms and have like 22 days to get them.
Well just made plans to go out Mon morning in the a.m. that's opening day for us here in MO. Got my buddy coming up to call one in for me- he's one of those guys who can naturally call in turkeys without using any type of calls or equipment. Pretty awesome to see and hear. He's got hundreds and hundreds of beards and spurs to prove it too. LOL
Hoping to kill my first bird EVER. Yeah, I know, shocker... but I'm a deer guy at heart!
Well let's just say no one has taken a turkey off this piece of land in over 10 years and the surrounding neighbors do not turkey hunt at all. There are PLENTY out there.... This is as excited as I've ever been about turkey hunting. Need to get the dust off the ol' shotgun this weekend! LOL
Thanks for the good luck... I'll post pics if I get anything. PLUS, my buddy is going to video the hunt for me as well. He wants to do it, and has done it w/his kids for a long time, so I said sure... what the heck.
Well good luck Tator !! Sounds like you'll have potential to be on a hot spot, it just started raining here (8:30 pm) birds will be all over the fields in the morning
Busted a nice Tom this morning. Just over 19 lbs, 8.5" beard, 1" spur left leg, 1 1/8 spur right leg. Had wife get up this morning to take a pic of me with it before I cleaned it out. Will post up pic later today after I transfer from phone to home putter.
Was perfect condition, little cool, just enough breeze to shake the decoy every now n then, and started with a light drizzle rain and as soon as it stopped birds couldn't get in the field fast enough, and well the ol Tom sure didn't like my pretty boy already being there lol
Good luck this morning Tator !! I'm getting ready to go again myself, looks like I'm gonna get wet this morning.
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