I am primarily a deer hunter, but Fall turkey bow hunting season opens the same day as deer season here in VA (Oct. 7). Last Spring during gobbler season I tried turkey hunting for the first time and really enjoyed calling turkeys in. This is probably a really basic question, but:

I know that the Spring gobbler season is the equivalent of the deer rut, but, from the point of view of hunting the birds: what differences are there, if any, in turkey calling in the Fall versus the Spring?

check the turkey hunting forum, u probbly wont get too many turkey responses here

It really depends on what bird you are after. If your trying to call fall gobblers you want to yelp, deep and raspy and slow. Only 2 maybe 3 yelps in a series.

If your hunting a family flock of hens and poults, you either want to sound like a lost poult or the dominant hen. Lost poults will yelp and kee kee, adult yens will run assembly yelps, yelps and cuts to another dominant hen. The best method of course is to bust a flock and then call them back together but if hunting from a treestand, try the other calling technics I mentioned above.

Thanks, Rob. Great advice, as usual.

I was an avid turkey hunter a few years ago. I even liked it more than deer hunting, imagine that.

Hens are the easier ones to get in. The mornings seem to be more productive as far as getting a flock heading towards your setup. Mature gobblers do not hang out with hens in the fall, not that I have ever seen. I have killed a few jakes that were with hens in the fallbut never seen an old tom hanging out.

Gobblers are more of a challenge to bag in the fall. They do not require much calling and you probably will not know they are coming until they are already there. I just try to produce a deeper cluck or two and leave it be for a while. You may hear them gobble in the fall but that doesn't meant they will approach a hens call.

I always have turkey calls in my bag even if it is not turkey season. I just like to watch them and practice my calling while on the deer stand. I thinkthis lets the deer know that turkeys are in the area and it must be safe.

Also, be careful and don't get the turkey and deer bow seasons confused. I made that mistake last year.

Good luck!

Thanks, Ducsauce. I appreciate your advice. I was thinking it might be fun to call turkeys after I shoot that big buck and I’m waiting on my hunting partner to come back ( I hunt in Rockingham County, so only one deer per day (won’t be an issue, I’m sure)).

BTW: The VA website has a nice one-page “cheat sheet” now that shows all of the seasons in a glance. This fall Turkey bow season starts Oct. 7 (same as deer) and ends Nov. 11, although there are some variations by county that aren’t on the sheet, it’s a nice little thing to carry in your pocket in case you see something and wonder if you can shoot it. My hunting buddy turned down an opp to shoot a turkey last fall because he couldn’t remember if it was in season. He was madly dialing on his cell phone trying to call someone who knew. Of course, all of the people who knew had their cell phones turned off because they were hunting…

Me too. I also cluck a few times when walking to my stands occasionally, as humans and turkeys are the only animals in the woods walking with a bipedal motion. It's the best cover sound you could make.

Me too. I also cluck a few times when walking to my stands occasionally, as humans and turkeys are the only animals in the woods walking with a bipedal motion. It's the best cover sound you could make.
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Good point greg.

I've been hunting turkeys for about 14 years now and just the last few years I have hunted in the fall. I am from kansas and I hunt farm land with some timber. I take a slightly different approach in the fall than most people do. What works good for me is a cross between deer hunting tactics and spring turkey hunting tactics. What I mean by this is... Turkeys will often do the same thing day after day in the fall, the feed in the same location (or general area), some flocks roost in the same tree's every evening. They fly down from the roost and go the same direction every morning. There are some turkeys that I hunt every fall and even if I have not been on the property in a year I know exactly where those turkeys will be roosted. That gives me2 options, set up on them going to roost (if afternoon hunting is legal in your state) orset up where they feed and try to work them within range. Bascially you will be a lot more sucessful in the fall if you are where the turkeys want to be.Some times if turkeys are in the fields they might be moveing in a certain direction, get in front of them without being seen and your in business. If the condions are right you can go to them. I've done that more times than I can count. People don't understand how I can do it, but its a simple tactic. You move quietly and stay out of sight until your ready to shoot. Most of the time I'm ready to shoot when the turkey steps into the open where I can see them.Theydon't have a clue that they are being hunted.Snow and rain will put the turkeys in the fields, excellent condions to stalk them. Walking into the woods, setting up and calling to turkeys blind has got to be the hardest way to shoot a turkey in the fall there is. Especially if you want a big tom. Young turkeys and hens are more likely to come to a call. All that being said, turkeys will always be turkeys...