it flies it dies

Hey,

I have been big into hunting but I live in Central Minnesota and up until a few years ago we didnt have much for turkeys so I have never been turkey hunting. I didn't get drawn last year but I finally did this year and I have a couple areas to hunt where I have seen several very large toms and I have a couple questions I hope someone here can answer. I have heard that turkeys are very difficult to hunt however while scouting I have walked up to an easy 15 yards in plain sight while wearing a white shirt and blue jeans with no problems with scaring the turkeys....to put it simple I dont believe our turkeys have recieved any hunting pressure and to say the least seem pretty dumb and not afraid of people. Lately I have seen several large toms pushing 20-25 lbs with beards that touch the ground when they feed, but I am worried that I am assuming they will be easier to hunt then they actually are. Will it be harder to get into shooting range while actually hunting? Also, I am a bowhunter and was wondering if it would be benificial to me to bowhunt them my first year before they have been pressured? Any help or any information you could give me would be a great help. One last question in the area I hunt I have seen that they are feeding in a small crab-apple patch, should they still be there in mid april when I get to hunt or will they spread out more in the mating season. Any Information on turkeys will help.

THANKS,
It flies it dies

Tree climber

if you are able to get that close to them,they must not have been hunted very much.just watch them till your season opens and go from there. if they feed in the patch every day they will most likely feed there in april.that is why you scout them to get there pattern.

if you have a blind or can make a makeshift on in the apple patch that would be a good place to go and set up to bow hunt them before the pressure comes.if you do deside to bow hunt them,get a couple decoys and set them up at 15 yards. set the jake decoy faceing your blind.(most times the boss gobbler will walk face to facs to the jake),giveing you a chance to draw your bow.

do not ubderestamate the wild turkey. they will stand and look at you today and tomorrow they will run when you are 100'S of yards away.

untill the season opens,read and watch all you can about the wild turkey.most veidoes are pretty good.the ones that try to teach that is.
a lot of the hunting shows will show the bird in the decoys,and the hunter will pick up there gun and turn it and move to one side.(THAT JUST DON'T HAPPEN)if you pick up you gun and move when the bird is within 50 or 60 yards ,you are pinned and the bird is gone.get you gun up and ready when you know the bird is set and coming.then don't move it again until his head is behind something,a tree,or his fanned out tail.

hope this helps you some.you have to learn from someone that has hunted for a while or learn from trial and erro.thats the fun of turkey hunting.

if you have never been wild turkey hunting ; "DON'T GO"!! turkey hunting is like sex and drugs; it's addictive![8D]

it flies it dies

Thanks ALOT for the info. That helps a lot. I think i might try with a bow for the first couple days and then a shotgun if I have bad luck, is that going to be a bad idea?

Thanks again,

It flies it dies

Moose75

Just depends on how good you are at bow hunting I am 19 I killed my first turkey at 7 and last year was the first time I killed one with my bow. it took me 4 years to take one with a bow. If I was you I go with a shotgun but it would be really cool to kill your first turkey with a bow.

it flies it dies

Thanks,

I am turning 18 in a couple months and big into bow hunting and have taken a few deer but there is a big difference between a deer and a turkey. However I have gotten good enough where I have taken squirrels and even small birds with my bow at up to 20 yards so I believe I am a good shot its just whether I will be able to get the turkey close enough for a shot.

Moose75

ahh yes shooting squirrels with the bow thats fun right there I remember the first one I shot. I was hunting a big 8 point and he stood 70 yard away for 45 mins so when he left I shot a squirrel. Cut that little thing in half. I would ssay If you are shooting squirrels then your good to go. What kindof bow are you hunting with? check out my club huntchristiancreek.com Try pinning two racoons together thats cool when I did it they thought that the other was getting them and were fighting each other until they died

it flies it dies

I use a Hoyt ZR 200 its about a 2000 model im not sure. It shoots about 260fps and damn that thing packs some power...gotta love a hoyt.

Moose75

that a boy I shoot a xtec 05 I gave my old cybertec to my dad hoyt makes a great bow I killed that jake this past year with it he was 40 yards I almost missed but my muzzy cut his neck.

it flies it dies

way to go I use muzzy too you gotta love em they sure get the job done but I have had problems the last few years with poor blood trails im thinking about going with a wider blade cause I am using a 4 blade with 1 inch cutting diameter and I have passed through every deer I shot including one I hit at 35 yards ( i usually dont take anything over 25 yards) and I hit that one in the shoulder blade.

Moose75

yeah I started shooting deer with those viper vinems I like them alot they hold up good too I shoot easton axis arrows they are great.