I'm a new turkey hunter. I need help!!!

MartinArcher · 03-04-2007, 08:03 PM

Greetings all. I've taken one turkey in my life. 2 falls ago. It was on private land and it was fairly used to humans. I probably could have been wearing a santa suit and still taken the bird. I need some tips on how to bring spring tom's in close enough to take with my bow. Any suggestions for a beginner?

RDHunter · 03-04-2007, 08:41 PM

Just browse thru all the post and read eveyones reply's , make sure you check the back pages , you'll see other post in there from days gone by even some from last week.
Get some books and magazines and study them cover to cover , talk to some of your friends that hunt turkeys and ask about decoys and how to use them.

GOB BLED · 03-04-2007, 08:49 PM

Rd is right on the money. Read everything you can get your hands on. I would also invest ina ground blind. And practice with that bow. It takesa pretty good hit to kill a bird. They make it look easy on tv but i promise its harder off camera. Later Clint

Huntermann · 03-05-2007, 08:15 AM

Even better take along a seasoned hunter. That can speed your hunting skills alot faster than reading and digesting it.

mouthcaller · 03-05-2007, 09:16 AM

Please don't take this wrong as I am not trying in anyway to be a smart-a$$. You may be able to pick up a tip or two, but learning how to hunt turkeys is something that can't be learned on a message board.It would belike asking someone to tell you how to be an NFL quarterback or a stockbroker- there is just too much to know and learning from experience isso valuable, especially if you intend to set up and call one in to bow range.

Go with someone who knows what they are doing, even if it means you won't be the shooter. This was a big mistake I made when I started hunting turkeys in the early 80's because I thought I was a good hunter and could figure it out on my own. We didn't have many turkeys in those days and I spent the first two years making every mistake in the book and got pretty frustrated. Calling is just a small part of turkey hunting, and I was a good caller and thought all I needed to do was go out there, find a gobbling bird, and just call him on in. Right. If I had not been sostubborn about it and gone with my buddy afew times (who was an absolutely fantastic turkey hunter) it would have tremendously accelerated my learning.Ieventually learned when to call and when to shutup. I also learned that the set up is everything.The set-upeither makes it easy for the turkey tostrollright in or it makes it extremely difficult to call the turkey to gun (in you case bow) range. I now think mostly aboutthe directionIintend to approach from andwhat I want the set-up to look like. Allthese variableschange every day, or even throughout the day, depending on whether the gobbler is with hens or not, timeof day, weather, lay of the land, early vs. late season, etc.

My best advice to get a shot at a turkey - set up one of those double-bull type tent blinds with some decoys in an area you know turkeys hang out. If you have the patience to hunt this type of arrangement with consistency (I don't) then you will likely have some success. If you really want to learn how to be a turkey hunter, however, find an experienced hunter and tag along.

Good luck

Mouthcaller

hunteditor · 03-05-2007, 10:48 AM

I agree with mouth caller. You can definitely pick up great tips from message boards, magazines, web sites and hunting blogs like mine at www. outdoorlife.blogs.com/strutzone, but the absolute best way to learn is to go with an experienced hunter.

I first started turkey hunting with another friend who had only been turkey hunting for a year when he talked me into joining him. It was like the blind leading the blind. It took me five years before I finally killed my first bird. But then I started hunting with more experienced hunters and man, did that ever accelerate my learning curve. One or two days in the woods with a really knowledgable hunter and caller is worth more than any book, magazine or video that you'll read or watch.

Once you have some real woods experience, then you can better put the tips you receive on a board like this into their proper perspective. It's the best way for sure. Good luck.

Again, feel free to check my blog or even email me at thestrutzone@yahoo.com and I'll be glad to answer your questions the best I can. In fact, I may even post this one as it might prove helpful to other hunters in your position.

turk2di · 03-05-2007, 03:36 PM

A few observations of mine:
1.You will kill turkeys you didn't earn & earn turkeys you don't kill.
2. A first time turkey hunter on the right bird will humble a veteran turkey hunter on the wrong bird.
3. Time....a turkey hunters gotta have time.
4. Turkeys, unlike deer, are active all day in some fashion. Don't fall into "the deer are bedded down by now" mistake with turkeys.
5. Keep your chin up & have a positive attitude, that right bird is just around the bend. Your hunt can go from zero to hero in 5 minutes!

tschaef · 03-05-2007, 03:50 PM

If you're allowed more than 1 bird in the spring season I recommend taking the 1st with a shotgun, get some field time and confidence under your belt. If you go out with your bow and get skunked I don't want you to get frustrated. Also, if you can afford one buy a ground blind, you can kill a turkey without one, but it would be a big help, especially with a bow.