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One week left in the season and need some help

Turkey Hunting Whether it's spring or fall doesn't matter to this bunch. Great tips on calling, bustin flocks, using blinds and more.

One week left in the season and need some help

Old 05-25-2020, 01:42 PM
  #11  
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JW, you're welcome. You do bring a unique skill set and level of experience to the forum. It's a definite asset to all and a particular benefit for the OP.

For the OP (Tyler). You've given us a lot more pieces of the picture so you should end up with more specific advice that is tailored to your specific hunting scenario. I'll throw out a few more thoughts for you to consider but JW will likely be able to fashion a workable tactic or plan for you.

In general, run and gun hunting works way better when you're alone in a large hunting area and there are no other hunters nearby. Trying to sneak up on a Tom when other hunters are nearby is not recommended for obvious safety purposes. Even if you wore hunter orange to do so, you just never know when you're on the other side of a Tom and another hunter is getting ready to shoot at the same Tom and honestly can't see you or is just tunnel focused on the bird. You wouldn't deliberately walk into somebody shotgun shooting impact area and such a scenario presents a lot of the same potential dangers. Not to mention that if you spook a tom (they can spot your movement easily), the other hunter probably isn't going to be too happy with you. So for your situation, I would not recommend run and gunning. YMMV but I like to worry about safety first.

I didn't realize that you are a minor and require a parent to hunt with a gun. That can change the setup slightly. I don't bowhunt (someday maybe) so will defer to those who do. What is your max distance with a bow that you can hit a small target? If it's only 20 yards (as an example), you would want to setup any decoys closer to you than your 20-yard limit. If your dad can't hunt with you everyday due to work and other obligations, you might be looking at mainly bowhunting with only a day here or there with your dad and a shotgun.

You mentioned that you can't shoot out into the main field and that some neighbors usually see turkeys in their yard around 11. Are you able to hunt next to those neighbors yard? Any time you can figure out where turkeys are going to go on a regular basis, you can always set up an ambush. Cover your face and hands with some gloves (turkeys can't recognize camo if you don't have that) and find a comfortable pad to sit on so you can remain still longer. Have your bow and arrow more or less in ready position so all you have to do is lift it and shoot. If there is any brush you can hide behind, so much the better.

You also mentioned that you have a shooting lane in the brush on your side of the field. You said that you see the turkeys around 9 each day and the neighbors around 11 but you haven't tried an all day hunt. That may be what you need to to try. Anyway, this stuff is lots of fun to figure out. I think JW will be able to help you refine your tactics even further. Good luck and let us know how it works out.
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Old 05-25-2020, 06:05 PM
  #12  
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If you have permission you need to be on the other side of that field. Go in earlier and cross the field.

If you don't try an evening or midday hunt. You can still call them in or catch them transitioning around the area, won't be gobbling like the morning so you never know where they could show up.
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Old 05-26-2020, 02:14 AM
  #13  
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Are you hunting from a blind? A blind will help you. I shot my first turkey with a bow and it was awesome. I also missed them with a bow. Hunting from the ground with a bow can prove to be difficult to say the least. You really need to the distances well. I over shot two last spring. For as far as the time that the turkeys travel around that can change quickly. I had them traveling just outside my window this past spring. They would travel threw anywhere from 6:30 to 9:00. These never went on schedule and wander by anytime they wanted to. So you really never know what they will do. But if they are being hunted I would set myself back in the woods a little. Check for a small clearing in there and set up on it. Turkeys don’t need much to strut in. If you are using decoys stick with the hens. You can use a jake as well. But I set mine up differently than most do. I would have a hen laying down and that would be the closest one to me. Around ten feet away set up the jake facing away from you and around ten feet out from the hen that is laying down. Just beyond that have a hen standing to make it look like the jake is watching her. This way a tom could come in and while starting towards the tom will spot the hen laying there and come in for her. But whatever you do good luck to! As stated keep the calling limited..

Thank you Cal..

Last edited by Phil from Maine; 05-26-2020 at 02:16 AM.
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Old 05-26-2020, 08:33 AM
  #14  
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No i have not, i will try though, willing to try anything at this point. Thanks JW
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Old 05-26-2020, 08:44 AM
  #15  
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Cal, I easily have groups 2 inches or less at about 40 yards. Today was totally different then other days though, they were responding to calls and strutting a fair amount but 3 out of the 4 groups of toms i saw were henned up. Every group was fairly interested in the calling i was doing but never came over. And ya i'd usually be with my dad but hes in the hospital, he didnt abandon me lol.

Last edited by Tyl3r; 05-26-2020 at 08:51 AM.
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Old 05-26-2020, 09:15 AM
  #16  
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Tyl3r, best wishes and prayers for your father. That's a tough thing to go through under normal circumstances but is even worse with the corona virus going around. It sounds like your calling is at least getting their attention. Phil mentioned a clever setup that I'm gonna have to try just cause next season. Very well thought out and would be fun to see how it works in my neck of the woods. As always, an enticing decoy setup does give the birds something to see if they choose to investigate your calling.

In my area, toms start the season gobbling in response to my calling at the beginning of the season but as the season progresses and more hens have already been mated, toms stop gobbling in response as much and often don't respond at all but can still come in silently to see what my calling is about. This makes it very easy to get busted if I'm moving or just happen to stand out where I'm hiding. By the middle of this season, I was seeing groups of toms hanging together, sometimes without any hens present at all. Every area and state can be a little different at times, depending on how the mating season, weather, etc. is. So what I experienced this season in my area could be quite different in yours (especially since you have other hunters nearby and I don't). But that makes it a fun and exciting puzzle to solve.

Last edited by CalHunter; 05-26-2020 at 09:17 AM.
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Old 05-26-2020, 04:18 PM
  #17  
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Update: still been seeing them all day but with hens now. Feels like ive tried everything but nothing will bring them in. Any idea how I would call the hens in? There are a group of three hens thatve been with the toms recently that arent vocal so im not sure how to call them. Yelps? Clucks? Absolutely no idea.
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Old 08-24-2020, 03:53 AM
  #18  
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I always had the same problem it really hurts but I recommend you to go and out for hunting with an expert it will be the best way.
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Old 01-27-2021, 04:06 AM
  #19  
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Be cautious with your calling. Very soft clucks will be about it. The softer the better. Dont get aggressive.
With you mentioning other hunters you might be in a quandary as the birds have been bombarded with over calling.
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Old 01-27-2021, 04:06 AM
  #20  
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good post keep it up
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