Turkey Hunters ... A question

GR8atta2d · 03-07-2008, 06:21 AM

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?

bawanajim · 03-07-2008, 06:23 AM

With turkeys around here anything above poisoning themis considered ethical.

txjourneyman · 03-07-2008, 06:26 AM

I much prefer to call them in and get to watch them strut. I would ambush one if calling doesn't work. I hunt public land for turkeys and short of shooting them off the roost anything is fair.

stickin8s · 03-07-2008, 06:32 AM

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!!!

Hunter_59 · 03-07-2008, 07:16 AM

Calling them in is the most rewarding experience but I also hunt public ground and if calling doesn't work, I'll get on my belly and crawl up on a stubborn gobbler. One thing you can do to increase your chances of calling a tom in, you've done some scouting and know where they want to go, so set up in the direction they want to go! It's more likely a tom will investigate a hen calling from the direction he wants to go, as opposed to trying to call him in the opposite direction that the flock is traveling. Good luck!

Rory/MO · 03-07-2008, 07:18 AM

i love to call em in!
but hey whatever works, and gets you your bird, i say is a pretty rationale way to turkey hunt.
unless its unethical

GMMAT · 03-07-2008, 07:23 AM

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 thunk 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.

bloodcrick · 03-07-2008, 07:27 AM

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

Rory/MO · 03-07-2008, 07:29 AM

Quote:

What finally made them commit was my foot lightly rustling the leaves.....imitating a scratching turkey. Whoulda think it?

this is a great, easy call

GR8atta2d · 03-07-2008, 07:29 AM

Like anyone, without real world experience I fear my calling would have the opposite effect. Yes I practice and have for quite a while. It sounds good to me..but I'm more afraid of sounding unnatural. If it was an area that I was unfamiliar with and didn't KNOW where they were and where they were going it would be easier to call.

I'll likely try the ambush method and call if/when it's not working.