Turkey season is upon us. Every year hunters are frustrated when the gobblers do not cooperate. Hopefully the following tips will give you the edge you are looking for.
1. When a gobbler leaves your setup before you are able to get a shot off and it is not because he busted you, stay put. He probably has not been spooked, and you stand a good chance of being able to call him back
2. Do not get stuck on one call all season long. Turkeys can get educated to calls throughout the season. A hunter will need to make a switch to the type of call that he uses as the season progresses to entice a turkey to his setup. The turkeys might respond to the same old calls all season long, but they will not always come in close enough to offer you a shot. Try a tube call or a push-button call. Those particular calls have probably not been used much by other hunters, therefore turkeys have not had the chance to associate them with danger.
3. Sometimes it is best to let other hunters do the work for you. If another hunter has a bird’s attention, allow that hunter to eventually mess up and push the tom to where you are. There is no need for both hunters (you and the other hunter) to call. The turkey will be confused, and he will not know which way to go. When you see the gobbler moving away from the other hunter it is then time for you to start clucking and purring. Hopefully you will be able to bring the gobbler to you.
4. Turkeys have better hearing than we give them credit for. When you think the turkeys are too far off, or the wind is blowing too strong for the birds to hear your calling, call anyway. This is especially true when the wind is at your back and carrying your calls great distances.
5. If a hunter has turkeys that are busting him before they offer a shot he should try teaming up with a hunter/calling partner. The hunter designated to be the caller should start off calling like he normally would. When a gobbler responds send the shooter towards the toms direction. Based on the gobblers gobbling stop walking and setup when you think you cannot get any closer. A hunter will not need decoys at his setup because the gobbler will not be expecting a hen to be so close.
6. Sometimes you need to leave the calls in your turkey vest, especially with call-shy birds. It is possible to pattern turkeys much like you would deer. Learn their travel patterns and setup to cut them off before they get to where they are going.
7. If a gobbler happens to see you and backs off, get out your calls and start calling. The gobbler that busted you might not leave the area because he was unsure of what he saw. Your calls will allow him to believe that what he saw was a hen and he will feel safe enough to show himself. Who knows, you might even call in a bigger than the one that left.
8. Do not overlook dense thickets for turkeys. When hunting pressured birds this is where older, bigger toms go. How do you think they got so old? By going where the hunters are not, that’s how. This is an especially good place to look late in the season.
9. If a tom does not think a hen is still around he might lose interest and not come in. as long as a turkey is coming in keep calling. If a gobbler has a hen talking to him he is less likely to stop. This is even more so with young gobblers
10. When hunting turkeys from the inside of a ground blind, funnel the turkeys into your shooting range. By placing your blind in front of a fence with thick brush behind it, or against a steep bank, turkeys to come in from the front. Not having to worry about turkeys sneaking up on you from the rear, a hunter is able to concentrate on looking out the front window and forgetting the rest.
11. Decoys are a must for spring turkey season with archery gear. Place your decoys 5- to 10- yards in front of your blind facing your position. Approaching gobblers will work his way so that he is eye to eye with your decoy. The tom will present a shot opportunity at the base of the tail of a strutting gobbler. A shot at this part of the turkeys body will allow the arrow to penetrate the heart, lungs and spine.
12. A fall technique that works well is to find a place that offers you the chance to view turkeys. When you spot some turkeys, decide where they are headed. Using cover, get ahead of the turkeys and setup. Forget the decoys at this point. You will not have time. Use purrs and clucks while you wait for at least an hour on the turkeys that might be taking their time.
13. In the fall, fights between turkeys increase as they decide their pecking order. Get in an area that might have turkeys nearby. Use loud, aggressive fighting purrs and cackles from both a mouth and slate and mouth call at the same time. Use your foot to scratch the leaves for added appeal. This will get the attention of any turkey that either wants to watch or join the fight. After a minute of calling, put down your hand call, pick up your bow and continue to use the mouth call for another minute before stopping. Repeat the calling process every five minutes for the next hour.
14. Gobblers that are bunched together in the fall rarely respond to calls. Use your boat or canoe to scan shorelines for birds that are drinking and feeding shortly after dawn. Use your watercraft to pass as a safe distance until you are concealed from view by a bend or point of land. Put your boat on shore and circle back on foot to try and stalk them at close range. Once in range, using cover such as trees, thick brush and the wind to hide your moves, take a sot at an unsuspecting bird.
15. Toms are not that much different than me or you. They like to think that many females find them attractive. Using several calls at once will make the tom think there are several hens after him. Try cutting and yelping on a mouth call, push-button and box call all at the same time. This is sure to get a tom excited.