New "hunter" Need Advice/Assistance!
#11
Spike
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 3
Also for what its worth, being a new hunter,a couple of other turkey tips for you. 1) if its raining,you need to be hunting, turkeys will head to the fields and will stay there sometimes all day if the rain stays,it can make it much easier to locate birds. 2) if your hunting turkey with a bow do your best to either hunt in a ground blind or use natural barriers such as hedge roves to create a barrier between you and the birds allowing you to draw without being seen.make sure to practice holding your bow at full draw for a minute or so,"train as you fight" type of deal.3) the key to turkey hunting is patience and self control, do not over call,if you get birds to respond relax and make them come find you, 4) where your hunting on public land,be sure to be able to tell the difference between a real turkey and another hunter. 5) always have fun,if you turn hunting into work,it will be just that,work and not fun
#12
clothes
all is pretty good but careful with that blaze orange. Im not sure if its a regulation in your state or not but normally camo or dark clothes is best for turkey. They have very good eyesight. If you where dark or camo you can have a bit more movement in the blind. Also practice when to draw your bow... you dont want them to see you move cause they will bolt. Good luck.
#13
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location:
Posts: 2,186
Good advice already given. Here's a little more.
If at all possible hook up with an experienced turkey hunter. Watching videos, Youtube stuff, and reading about "how too" goes only so far. It takes field time for sure.
If you decide to use a shot gun, be sure you pattern the load you plan to use. There is no doubt siffernt loads will pattern somewhat differently from any shot gun.
As far as calls, decoys, shooting blinds, etc. .... I travel light and keep the calling simple. If you can master clucks, purring, and the yelp with a good box or friction pot type call you are well on your way to being able to coax a gobber into range. You can work on the more difficult calls later .... cuts, aggressive fighting cuts, kee-kee runs, etc. And using a diaphram call. My advice is to not "over call". A gobbler can and usually will locate a "caller" within a few calls. Don;t have to call every minute to get one to drift in.
I am in concert with Sheridan. I want to avoid long shots. So I try to get the Tom within 20-30 yards. I have killed a few farther out than that but I have flat missed a few of those 50 yarders as well.
As for cammo? Turkeys can see darn well. So wearing a good hidng cammo and staying as still as possible is going to help out a bunch. And don't under estimate how well they can hear. About every predator eats turkey so they have developed extremely good fear of something out of place, sound or sight.
Hunting with a bow? Going to be tough. So plan on being patient.
And no doubt scouting is a dang near must. At least it has been for me. Plus it is just plain fun to try to locate roosting areas and where the turkeys are tending to feed.
If at all possible hook up with an experienced turkey hunter. Watching videos, Youtube stuff, and reading about "how too" goes only so far. It takes field time for sure.
If you decide to use a shot gun, be sure you pattern the load you plan to use. There is no doubt siffernt loads will pattern somewhat differently from any shot gun.
As far as calls, decoys, shooting blinds, etc. .... I travel light and keep the calling simple. If you can master clucks, purring, and the yelp with a good box or friction pot type call you are well on your way to being able to coax a gobber into range. You can work on the more difficult calls later .... cuts, aggressive fighting cuts, kee-kee runs, etc. And using a diaphram call. My advice is to not "over call". A gobbler can and usually will locate a "caller" within a few calls. Don;t have to call every minute to get one to drift in.
I am in concert with Sheridan. I want to avoid long shots. So I try to get the Tom within 20-30 yards. I have killed a few farther out than that but I have flat missed a few of those 50 yarders as well.
As for cammo? Turkeys can see darn well. So wearing a good hidng cammo and staying as still as possible is going to help out a bunch. And don't under estimate how well they can hear. About every predator eats turkey so they have developed extremely good fear of something out of place, sound or sight.
Hunting with a bow? Going to be tough. So plan on being patient.
And no doubt scouting is a dang near must. At least it has been for me. Plus it is just plain fun to try to locate roosting areas and where the turkeys are tending to feed.