1st timer help.

oaks_and_pines · 03-12-2010, 10:10 AM

im 16 and live in southern central VA, i dont have a dad to ask about hunting but i have plenty of family land to hunt on, ive killed many deer on this land, but never turkey hunted i resently bought a 12 gauge and want to try out turkeys to keep me busy until deer season comes back and put some food on the table! but around this specific area there is low turkey counts and they are very stubborn (what other local hunter say) and i just want to know were to start! i have a slate call and a diaphragm call and a nice pattern on my 12 gauge. so,
were do i look for turkeys? what time of day? what type of weather?...any other useful info will help. thanks!

cuda67 · 03-12-2010, 10:29 AM

Do you know where they are roosting at? A little scouting will pay big dividends. Spend a little time in the evening to see if you can locate their roost. We use a hoot owl call here to get them to gobble back. Turkeys are creatures of habit. If you are a little usure of your calling, figure out their pattern and ambush them. They will come to you. Good luck

RyanVT · 03-12-2010, 11:09 AM

Well put cuda. Along the same lines as cuda just got to scout from a distance figure out were the birds are. Find were they are flying up and roosting at night. Early in the morning find out were they go when they fly down.

Dhoytan · 03-12-2010, 01:48 PM

one thing is do not over call

White Falcon · 03-12-2010, 02:59 PM

Locate in the early mornings and at last light. Turkeys are vocal most of the time. don't shoot off the roost. If they don't call "during the season" call long and often, if they answer don't over call. If you have one answering your calls and you think he is coming in, don't call at all after you figured he is comming in. Don't shoot when his head is down. Only aim just below the head at the point the head joins the neck. use # 5's and don't shoot over 30 yds. Don't aim for a body shoot!!! Ware full camo, and don't move when he is on his way in.
I want to see a pic of your Turkey this spring.
gekr@att.net

hunt12ga · 03-12-2010, 04:03 PM

I may have put this in another post, but I can't remember for sure. My advice would be to look around for a local NWTF chapter and talk to some of the members. Our local chapter does an annual Jakes (youth) hunt in which seasoned veterans take youth hunters out and show them the ropes. I'm sure that there are some turkey hunters in your area that would love to give you some in-person tips or even accompany you to the woods and help you out.

I started out on my own, and my most successful hunt for my first couple seasons involved me spooking a gobbler off a roost accidentally from about 100 yards! Not what you'd call a turkey slayer. I started a new job and met a turkey hunter who said he'd take me hunting and help me. He called in a jake for me that year, and the following year he called in a big tom. Since then, I've done it on my own and (knock on wood) I haven't been skunked yet. That's been quite a few seasons back.

Good luck and enjoy yourself. Be prepared to become an addict. All it took for me was to hear that first jake answer my buddy's yelp!

rw

Hunting Kuk · 03-12-2010, 05:13 PM

Early mornen with a hen call and if you can find a strutten zone in the afternoon that works good to...listen of a late evening for them to fly up to roost and the next mornen sneek within a hundred yards and call them off the roost to you

JW · 03-12-2010, 05:19 PM

Read all yo can on the Tips Sub forum....good place to start.

JW

oaks_and_pines · 03-14-2010, 03:37 PM

thanks alot! ill be sure to post a pic of my 1st turkey!

Sheridan · 03-14-2010, 04:36 PM

Pattern them just like whitetails and hunt them just like elk !!!