Hunting & Fishing new to turkey hunting, need help

[thejim2]

Hey all:

Ive been hunting for a few years, but I have never been turkey hunting. I Think I would like to take it up this year for the spring season. I have no idea where to even start, what type of gun to use, how to scout, what type of land to scout (can I go the same places as I do for deer?), what type of decoys to use, when to call, etc., etc. Any help and insight you guys could give me would be much appreciated.

Thanks, Jim

 

[tireys]

You can start in the same places you deer hunt. The cool thing about spring turkey is if you are close to turkeys and they are in the right mood then just about any noise can can trigger a response. Get a hoot owl call stand outside your truck and give a hoot. This will get the other owls going and if there are turkeys in the area they will gobble from the roost. Set up within 100 yards to start. Decoys aren't a must but can sometimes get that stubborn Tom to close the extra distance to get a shot. Call little and listen more talk to the hens and don't be afraid to move ahead of the gobblers going away from you. If you have a call buddy and the Tom hangs up have the shooter stay put and the caller fall back 50-60 yards. Experiment have fun just getting out there. The spring woods and turkey can be like the perfect storm of fall during the deer rut.

 

[Cserv]

Good camo that blends with your area. Practice with the different types of call(slates,boxes, and diaphrams). A shotty and ammo you have patterned out to 40yds. A comfortable seat and maybe a blind. Check out the NWTF website for some tips. Remember turkeys have excellent eye sight and spook easily. Just get in the woods, you will learn from your mistakes. Have fun, be safe, and good luck.

Eric

 

[hlee]

The National Wild Turkey Federation is a great place to start.

National Wild Turkey Federation

Here is a primer on the Eastern Turkey, the subspecies you will be hunting in New York.

http://www.nwtf.org/conservation/bulletins/bulletin_1_9-9-09.pdf

Turkeys need plenty of woods, but can be found during the day strutting and dusting in open fields. Look to ag fields bordered by wood lots- freshly plowed fields provide areas to strut, dust, and feed.

Toms (male turkeys) on the roost will gobble at almost anything. It is common for hunters to use "locator calls" in the evening to find turkeys that have flown up to roost for the night. Crow calls, turkey calls, coyote calls, car doors slamming, a tom will "shock gobble" to most all of them. As they have flown up for the night, if you find a gobbler on a roost, you know where to find him in the morning.

a far as turkey callsgo, start with a "box call" as they are the easiest to get a good sound from. Start calling shortly after sun up and if you are in a good area you should shortly hear a gobble from an amorous tom. Once you get that gobble, shut up for a bit as he is probably on the way. Find a bit tree to sit in front of- large enough that you are not silhouetted- so the gobbler can't get a good look at you, and so some idiot hunter doesn't shoot you in the back.

My experience hunting in New York says that fence lines don't mean a whole lot and while you may be hunting on your land, there is no guarantee that you are the only one hunting it. Remember that you are calling to a bird to bring it into range. Never call on the move (it is illegal in some states) as some hunter may mistake you for a turkey. Also, never assume that turkey on the other side of a bush is in fact a turkey- it could be that idiot hunter drawing a bead on you.

Turkey vision is excellent and slight movement or the flash of a metal buckle or anything out of place will send an old tom in the other direction surprisingly quickly. Turkeys are fleet of foot and powerful flyers- though they lack stamina.

One last thing, when you get your bird on the ground, take plenty of pictures and post them here!!