Day2 Need help..
 

Turkey Hunters,
I really need help .I don't really know what I'm doing. I went to the same spot this morning at 5:30 AM. Around 6:30 I began the yelping .About 7:30 AM since nothing was coming I decided to walk back back toward my vehicle which is 2 miles away. I was just walking slow .I walked 175 yds when 3 large toms flew out of the top of a big oak tree. I walked up another 150 yds to get in front of them.and took a right off the trail and headed for the dried up river.bed.Verymuddy. There were 100s of tracks and I found a little cave of palmettos to use as a blind. I called for a long time to no advail.

Questions.

1. When you begin calling in the morning how often should you call.?

2. If you know there are birds in the area how long should you wait and what kind of intervals in calling shouold you do.I was calling frequently .Yelps.

3.What time should you start callling?

4. If your a beginner which is best to use purrs or yelps?

I could see where the birds have been eating and drinking. We are having a little bit of a drought and water is scarce. Any help would be appreciated.
C7

RE: Day2 Need help..
 

If the water is scarce that would be a good place to hunt. Especially in the afternoon. Turkeys need water. How much I call depends on how the other birds are acting or responding. If there is nothing else talking I like to call very sparingly. Mostly soft clucks and purrs with occasional yelps. But just a little bit every 15-20 minutes or so. I usually start making turkey noises about the time I hear the first crows start to talk, but sometimes a little sooner. Hope this helps some and If you have any other questions just ask.

RE: Day2 Need help..
 

Thanks,
And if ya know birds are in the area ..should one stay put all the way till 1:00 or just figure they are spooked and move on?
Thanks Chuck7

RE: Day2 Need help..
 

In most instances I'd stay put. If I had another piece of land that I thought I could get on a gobbling bird or at least see some to get close to, I might consider leaving. If you know for sure they are there (you can see or hear them)I'd stay for sure.

RE: Day2 Need help..
 

I did some reading. I beleive the hundreds of tracks I've found{Not to far from the roosting tree} is a Strut zone. Tracks were many and going back and forth...and by the edge of a nearly dried up stream.
C7

RE: Day2 Need help..
 

That would probably be a good place to try a setup. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

RE: Day2 Need help..
 

Get between the roost area and the strut zone and sit tight. Just as light is coming up a few very soft tree yelps (three to four yelps in succession) put the call down and keep quiet. 10 mins later a few more with a couple clucks then put the call down and keep quiet. Once the sun has come up if still no gobbling I do a a series of soft purrs and clucks (might throw a flydown cackle in before this point but if you're not comfortable doing that call just wait). I will let one series of yelps go (5 or 6 yelps in succession) wait a minute one more series ending with a couple cutts. No response. That's it. The call goes on the ground and I wait. Every 15 mins I'll pick it up for a series of clucks and purrs, rustle the leaves a little like a turkey feeding (careful of your movement. could be a bird that you don't see yet).

I am assuming a gobbler is coming all the time and I l.isten very closley for the sound of rustling leaves and the all important spit and drum.

I'm gonna guess that the mornings the birds were quiet and I eventually had one come in or I finally got up and bumped one like you did, the time from sun up to sighting was on average 2-3 hrs.

You could have a gobbler get interecepted by a real hen and once he's done with her wander back to the are he heard that morning bird (you). I bet lots of guys have had the situation where you leave and come back later to bump a turkey who came to your spot you were calling that morning. Or you leave and look back across the feild fcrom the road and see a tukry out in front of where you were sitting an hour ago (had that happen a couple times)

RE: Day2 Need help..
 

Thanks everyone for the advice. I really do appreciate it.
Chuck7

RE: Day2 Need help..
 

Everyone has told you pretty good stuff.


Are the birds not gobbling at day light?

RE: Day2 Need help..
 

"Are the birds not gobbling at day light? "StrutnBPS

It's funny you should ask that?? I talked to one of my best friends last night.He's also a member here. His screen name is Strut. He ask the same question. The answer is no. ;the birds are not gobbling. He said I may wanna go bass fishing. It could bea waste of time then. So I'm going fishing. I'll try the turkeys again Friday. I consider Strut an expert. \He knows their language ...shoot he even wakes up by a turkey gobbling alarm clock.:)
C7