Are turkeys patternable?

[indianahunter83]

This being the opening day in Indiana I sat out this morning and watched 4 different toms walking across my field into a field I can't hunt to do their strutting. They all seemed to use the same entrance/exit to switch fields. My question is are turkey like deer in that they will constantly use certain routes? This is my first year hunting these little devils And besides a couple of hens coming inside of 20 yards I have only had toms at about 75-100 yards

[RayC]

Only sorta patternable. If you set up in the same spot tomorrow, they will likely go the same route. If you set up in front of where they were today, they will likely take a different way (most likely where you were today ). You can't usually fully depend on them, but if they tend to go the same direction, you may get lucky

[indianahunter83]

Really funny you would say that. I happened to move spots today to try and lure one of the toms out of the field. At about 10 a.m. 2 hens came out of the field followed by smaller tom and the 3 walked right past where I was set up before!

[RayC]

I've been there before, more then once [:@]

[tmeservey]

Where I hunt and live the turkeys use the same fields and funnels to get to strut zones year after year. They are creatures of habit in the spring, at least where I live and year after year I pull 2 big boys from the same spot without chasing after them bright and early off the roost. I love hunting this way using a full strut or half strut jake and a hen. My decoys are realistic and I do hardly any calling. Many times boss gobblers in my area shy away if you call at them. Find their strut zone or path to.

[superstrutter]

One thing that is predictable about turkeys is that they are unpredictable. Once you think you have one patterned he changes his routine. They may roost in the same area or tree for period of time, but they may change their routine when on the ground. One turkey on my land this year roosted in the same tree four days in a row. On each of those days he went in a different direction. You can sometimes pattern them for a short period of time though. If they are without hens they may go anywhere. The answer to your question, yes, but not all the time and usually only for a short time.

[mauser06]

sometimes yes, sometimes no. some birds are religious about patterns...some birds arent. i hunted one bird that carried like 8 hens with him daily. came through the same area every day almost down to the same minute. but they ALWAYS took a different path...i never did kill him...just always took a slightly different route. then ive THOUGHT i figured out birds...day in day out they would do the same thing...then i set up to hunt them where they ALWAYS went...and they went a different way every day...i even wouldnt call till after they hit the ground...tried everything with them birds..most likely had hens that would go take him away from me on purpose...all depends on the birds....