I am looking for some advice. I have turkey hunted in the spring, but this year I believe I will try the fall season here in Iowa. What are some of the difference, and what's the best way to go about it. Is calling effective?
I'm going out on a limb here, never hunted in the fall either, but I think it could work. You might have to change tactics or something, calling probably wouldn't be as effective in the fall, since spring is the mating season.
i have had alot of sucsess with useing clucks and the kee kee call during the fall. most birds after flydown will mill about and then procede to a field or what not too feed. if you can find where the birds are roosting... then find their preffered food sourse. next step is just trying to place yourself between the roost and the food.
some folks like to bust up a flock of birds and then start making soft calls as the birds are trying to regroup.
both tatics will work but i preffer the first.
best of luck to you and let us know how you make out.
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If you wanna call in a fall tom, sound like a tom. Use tom yelps and clucks. Where I hunt, in Iowa, The toms are very vocal in the fall, mostly with yelps and such. They travel in big flocks in the fall, Toms with toms and hens with hens. If you can find their roost, alot of times they will roost in the same areas most nights. Hope these tidbits of info help you some and good luck.
During the Spring we have Gobblers everywhere. Now that I have drawn a Fall permit they seem to have vanished.
The Turkey's are thick as flies around hereand are almost a nusance, but all I am seeing is hens and young birds.
Do the toms join up in bachlor groups in the Fall or are they just loners roaming around?
I find the keys to finding turkeys in the fall is to figure out where they like to eat first thing in the morning, then park yourself between where they are roosting and the food. I find it even more frustrating then in the spring as they seem to range so much more and travel in such big groups, that they may not even step foot on my properties some days. Nonetheless it is a lot of fun as I wait for the deer season. Good Luck!
Good call ddejong, my best success by far on fall birds is to hunt the food source. In my neck of the woods, if you can find a good oak ridge with lots of acorns, it won't be too long before a flock will be scratching the leaves to find them. I usually only take my diaphragm call with meon fall hunts, no need for anything else.
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Fall Turkey Hunting
