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Turkey Season Tips

Discussion in 'Guns & Hunting' started by tarheelfan_08, Jan 1, 2013.

  1. Jan 1, 2013 at 3:05 PM
    #1
    tarheelfan_08

    tarheelfan_08 [OP] Carolina Alliance

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    As deer season begins to close, turkey season is in the future. This will be my first one and I am looking for some tips from everyone. Good calls, whether you use decoys, if you bait, how you bring them in. Aswell as what you hunt them with, what your stand setup is like and etc. looking forward to the season and learning as I go!
     
  2. Jan 1, 2013 at 3:06 PM
    #2
    Texoma

    Texoma IG: Triple C Chop Shop

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    I'm here for the fun, sub'd
     
  3. Jan 1, 2013 at 3:17 PM
    #3
    tarheelfan_08

    tarheelfan_08 [OP] Carolina Alliance

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    Thanks bud. I am wanting this to turn into a big thread with a lot of tips and help from everyone!!

     
  4. Jan 1, 2013 at 3:28 PM
    #4
    toyodajeff

    toyodajeff Well-Known Member

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    I set on the ground on a wheelbarrow inter tube in a camo bag. Thats my favorite seat to set on and ive tried alot of them. I use a single shot 12Ga 3.5 in magnum. If you shoot a gobbler and there is another gobbler around dont move because the one you didnt shoot might attack the first one giving you a chance to shoot them
     
  5. Jan 1, 2013 at 3:45 PM
    #5
    Texoma

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    I read in a field n stream mag that you are supposed to find the gaggle of turkeys. Then you run at em" and scatter em' all in different directions. Once scattered, you find a good spot to call em" all back to you, cuz they are gonna wanna re group, and POW. I'm gonna try it, but with a bow. Should be interesting.
     
  6. Jan 1, 2013 at 4:10 PM
    #6
    Polymerhead

    Polymerhead Well-Known Member

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    We can't do this in MO. One bird a day, and only one the first week of spring season, for a total of two.

    This is a common technique for fall turkeys around here since they're not easy to call since they aren't breeding.

    I use a jake decoy, which mature toms hate. I sometimes use a couple hens as well. I only use hens when on public land, and never gobble on public land. Chances of being shot are much greater than deer season, as you're not required to wear orange and you usually hunt from the ground.

    I use slate calls almost exclusively, and can imitate an owl pretty well without a call to help locate gobblers early in the morning.

    My biggest tip would be to find a deer food plot, or other cleaaring that is an acre or two at most and set up your decoy in the middle. I got tired of chasing toms around giant pastures and getting busted 75 yds out. Now I set up where if I can see the tom, I can shoot the tom. Get comfy, make a couple series of hen calls as soon as you hear the toms start to gobble then shut up and keep an eye out. Toms will sneak in on you and then bang!
     
  7. Jan 1, 2013 at 4:24 PM
    #7
    tarheelfan_08

    tarheelfan_08 [OP] Carolina Alliance

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    Great tips. What do you guys do to identify if their are turkeys in the area you are hunting? How far out do you begin doing this?
     
  8. Jan 2, 2013 at 9:49 AM
    #8
    aficianado

    aficianado Well-Known Member

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    back to bone stock.
    i have my January AZ deer hunting coming up :D..but believe me, my mind is on the turkeys.

    you HAVE to know if your area has birds. go to where you see them occasionally.

    i bowhunt them. but we do have a shotgun in the blind with us. i use decoys. i have DSD decoys, which i think are the best. google them. i also have a pair of cheap Primos decoys. a jake and a hen.

    i like to use decoys. i use one jake decoy and usually two hens. so i use my DSD jake and hen..and one cheap primos hen.. i have one feeding hen..and one about to be mounted my the jake. my local birds are those big burly macho toms. a big tom decoy scares them, and they wont approach. so the jake is a better bet.

    i set them up at about 12 yards..and this typically gives me a 20 yard bowshot. i wear dark colors in the blind. no camo. not needed.

    calls? i have friction calls. the round ones you rub with a striker. i have a custom slate call that is very user friendly. and a glass call that takes more practice, but i think sounds more realistic. the slate is also much louder. mouth calls? yea i have them. but when a bird comes in, i typically get all dried mouthed..nerves.

    turkey hunting is the funnest.
     
  9. Jan 2, 2013 at 9:50 AM
    #9
    Pugga

    Pugga Pasti-Dip Free 1983 - 2015... It was a good run

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    I see 2 turkeys on the sidewalks in Cambridge every morning on my walk into the office. Urban hunting :cool:
     
  10. Jan 2, 2013 at 10:09 AM
    #10
    toyodajeff

    toyodajeff Well-Known Member

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    They will scratch up the ground looking for bugs to eat. Also try blowing a crow call or something you might here them gobbling around time turkey season starts. They gobble pretty loud and you will be able to hear it from a pretty good distance. The young Jakes also have a half gobble cough noise that they make and mature male make a full normal sounding gobble
     
  11. Jan 2, 2013 at 12:08 PM
    #11
    bucktales

    bucktales *Retired* curmudgeon

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    Right before the season starts, use an owl call in the area you plan to hunt. Use it right at dusk and you'll be able to roost them,i.e., know where they are roosting for the night. This will give you an idea if there's toms in the area.
    Owl call works at pre-dawn also.

    I carry a couple of box calls and a glass with a couple of different strikers for different tones.
    I use decoys most of the time, a Jake and hen will do.

    If you do have a gobbler coming in,go real easy on the calling. Couple of soft cuts and purrs is enough. He knows where you are already.
    Largest bird I shot came in without making a sound.Snuck right in.
    Biggest rookie mistake is overcalling or not knowing when to stop calling..

    Make it fun and watch your backdoor,they sometimes sneak around in back of you.

    Very important to pattern your gun before the season. See what it likes and don't like as far as loads and chokes go.
    Know your distances and your gun's limitations. You don't always need a 3.5 inch 12 ga. They're not hard to kill and I've killed a pile with 2 3/4, and 3 inchers in both 20 ga. and 12 as well as a few with muzzleloading shotguns.

    NWTF Member

    Bring it on!!
    IMG_5529_1581334ce131c98980f8383f973f6cce6da9043c.jpg
     
  12. Jan 4, 2013 at 6:55 PM
    #12
    tarheelfan_08

    tarheelfan_08 [OP] Carolina Alliance

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    Great tips guys
     
  13. Jan 5, 2013 at 8:04 PM
    #13
    river rat 69

    river rat 69 Well-Known Member

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    ^^ Nice. I love to call them in . As said less is more .3 small lost hen cluck's 5 min. after sunup . It's killer just to know he is there... A lot of camo. mix it up. cover your face. After 40 years of hunting him you can make him walk right up to you..Its a great sport ,,enjoy it...Jim
     
  14. Jan 7, 2013 at 9:20 AM
    #14
    06indigoink

    06indigoink Well-Known Member

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    no bait allowed here in the carolinas.. dont do it its a big fine. other than that good luck. i love turkey hunting, everybody who says its easy has never been. turkeys are smart! best advice i can give you is dont overcall and dont move! cant tell you the number of times when i was younger i would move only to see a gobbler haulin ass the other way.

    actually took the #2 bird in the county for last season. along with another than was right behind him. our farm has decent deer but we grow some massive turkeys. ill get some pics up tonight
     
  15. Jan 10, 2013 at 12:57 PM
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    tarheelfan_08

    tarheelfan_08 [OP] Carolina Alliance

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    Look forward to seeing

     
  16. Jan 14, 2013 at 7:12 PM
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    tarheelfan_08

    tarheelfan_08 [OP] Carolina Alliance

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    What are some good turkey calls everyone uses?
     
  17. Jan 14, 2013 at 9:17 PM
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    06indigoink

    06indigoink Well-Known Member

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    bird # 2.
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
    bird #1 ^
     
  18. Jan 14, 2013 at 9:19 PM
    #18
    06indigoink

    06indigoink Well-Known Member

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    trying to get some more to upload, but they aint goin through..:rolleyes:

    ill try and upload through live

    [​IMG]
    ^^bird #2, had 11 7/8" beard, spurs 2 1/4". my biggest bird to date, scored second in the county last season, was 1/8 inch away from winning me a shotgun even though my spurs were bigger than the other guys bird.
    [​IMG]
    ^bird #1 again, still a big bird but not as big as the first, 11 1/4" beard right over an inch spurs
     
  19. Jan 14, 2013 at 9:45 PM
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    Redfox1

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    Subbed. Interested in this... Never been before, but it sounds fun. Not sure how the hunting is in SLO but I did see a Tom making a big old racket last year while working on campus at the avocado ranch. So maybe there is somewhere nearby to go. CA season opens in march or so?
     
  20. Jan 14, 2013 at 9:45 PM
    #20
    Redfox1

    Redfox1 'Stralia! Riding Roo's and wrangling koalas

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    Awesome pictures by the way^^^
     

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