Re: Turkey Calls
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: eleaf</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I'll be turkey hunting for the first time this fall and have a question about turkey calls.
What might be an appropriate call for a newbie to LOCATE gobblers? I've seen the "gobbler" calls (the ones that you shake), but it seems that they are not nearly as common as crow, owl, or hawk calls when locating turkey.
Any recommendations?
Thanks.</div></div>
for the fall, toms don't gobble much, very rarely at all, but they do. just very rarely no matter what call you use. the biggest reasons toms gobble is to attract hens to them during mating season, which is usually in the spring. they also gobble to blow off steam as the mating season has them all horned up.
FOR THE FALL, i'd suggest more glassing and observing flocks to see the gobbler population within. then set up somewhat close to where they fly down from the roost (of which you've located the night before or they have a habit of returning to several times before) and do a few soft clucks just before dawn to let the entire flock think there is already a bird awake. then a fly down cackle, make it loud and aggressive, cup your hands, clap them toghether with gloves on and make flapping sounds. wait a few minutes, throw out a few clucks and soft yelps. then go into a purring sequence. purring means "all is well, no danger, i'm content, and oh by the way i'm eating some food over here". food and safety in numbers is the biggiest key to turkey survival in the winter and they start this behavior in the fall. make sure to give the impression you are the first bird on the ground and the others should follow your lead. if (when) they start yelping / clucking back, make a few high pitched kee kee calls. a kee kee sounds like a lost bird, or a turkey that's trying to get the other's attention. generally the flock will come in, gobblers in tow. you may have to have a "bitching battle" with the lead hen, usually the biggest raspisest matriarch of the flock.
FOR SPRING, just about any loud noise will set a gobbler off. as turkey hunting is becoming more popular, the birds are responding less to the traditional locator calls, in heavy hunted areas the birds are becoming more educated. take 2 2x4s about 6" long, clap them together once. the sharp sounds sets them off quite frequently. high pitched dog whistles work well, and all though this makes no sense as it's a predator a hawk scream travels far, penetrates the woods well and gets them gobbling.
i really wouldn't suggest a gobble call to locate a gobbler as you'll have guys thinking YOU ARE THE GOBBLER. not only do you risk getting shot by some moron that doesn't take the time to identify his target properly, but you'll be having guys mess up your hunting area as they start hunting you.
coyote barks work well, and don't rule out the extra loud and super well carrying elk bugle call. a quick note on a police whistle works wonders.
the fall technique works well in the spring too, as that ol' gobbler wants to nail any hen he can. if he thinks your sexy turkey talk is good enough, he will gobble out to you to try to get you to go to him. a good raspy hen cackle has located many birds for me in the spring, and has put many on my wall. use of a hen decoy is good medicene, gives the gobbler a visual to back up all the hen talk he is hearing, and keeps his attention on the decoy, possibly allowing you to get away with some slight movement if needed. if a hen happens to get between you and the gobbler, 8 out of 10 times the game is over, he's going with her. stay vigilent, after he drops a load in her, he'll be curious about the one that got away, so stay close to the moving flock.
one more good technique in the fall is the scatter method, if you can't get them in by some calling, get close enough that you can charge in and break up the flock. scatter them in every direction, get yourself in a centralized or flanking position, wait about 5 minutes, then start with a couple clucks, followed by that high pitched repeatitive kee kee call (lost bird). if you are the one that is the first bird to call, the others tend to think that you are the hen signaling the "all clear, here i am, come to me to regroup".
IMO turkey hunting blows most other hunting as this type of interaction becomes awesome and addictive REAL quick. one more thing, clean out your ears a week or so before the season so you can hear soft clucks / purrs better. these animals appear and disappear before your very eyes, stay alert visually too. you may actually get some eye strain during a "good hunt", take some visine and aspirin for the headache that follows.
