First time turkey hunting

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Red_label-jr
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Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2015 11:32 pm
Location: Ontario, Brant

First time turkey hunting

Post by Red_label-jr »

So here's my concern. Being since this is my first season out for turkey I'm not sure if I'm doing anything correct or if I am but not being patient enough.

Saturday I got out to one of my spots at day break managed to get a response sat for a few hours and nothing showed. But unfortunately I wasn't able to get back out that evening.

Yesterdays events were a little more frustrating and disappointing.
Early morning I went to aanother spit of mine no responses, so I left early to go scout around. Not too far away I had a bearded bird fly over the truck. So I stopped in being public land to take a look at the area.

Layer that after noon I was again in another area. Managed to call in a Tom from across a field. There was another treeline across the way that he came from.

So on its way over I caught a light brown figure sneaking across the corn field to my right. Yeah it was a coyote. The bird seen it and flew back in a hurry. I waited for an hour l, called a couple times and nothing. Unfortunately I didn't have the range to deal with the neusense animal either.


So that being. Would anyone change anything about what I'm doing? If so please your input is greatly appreciated
Tom
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Re: First time turkey hunting

Post by Tom »

Sounds like your in an area with turkeys.

The one thing is, Turkeys have great eyes and I believe that if one is looking at you and you blink, they can see it. Be patient and do not move around (fidget).

Another thing I tell people is that what worked for getting a turkey today, might get you busted tomorrow and what got you busted today, might work well for you tomorrow.

Good luck and keep at it. The more experiences you have, the better you will be.

Tom
Tom
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W.Miguire
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Re: First time turkey hunting

Post by W.Miguire »

you will learn as you go . the main thing in turkey hunting is patience .you can have the best of decoys . and the best caller in the world and still not the luck . once you get a response from a tom . don't call to much . because the hens chase the tom when they are ready to breed . it helps to scratch the leaves when you call . make some turkey noise . he knows where you are after the first response. so make some hen noise . but call soft . and if he see your decoys let them take over. you will learn by your mistakes . just go and have fun with it . and if you see him you can bet he can see you so limit your movement , when they are close they can see you blink.
Good Luck, hope this little bit helps you some what.
W.M.
Red_label-jr
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Location: Ontario, Brant

Re: First time turkey hunting

Post by Red_label-jr »

Alright. Thanks guys. I knew they had great eyesight. But didn't think it was that incredible.

I appreciate your input. I am trying to gain as much knowledge of this as I can.

Chris
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Doe Master
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Re: First time turkey hunting

Post by Doe Master »

I like to think they are about 20 pounds of eyeballs and ears . They can see 300 degrees if I remember right . Their hearing is outstanding .
They can hear me think and see me change my mind . :shock: :lol:
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flightattendant100
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Re: First time turkey hunting

Post by flightattendant100 »

Land Eagles! :lol: :lol: :lol:
nyexhunter
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Re: First time turkey hunting

Post by nyexhunter »

I don't hunt Turkeys much anymore, however, I used to have great success in Delaware County NY every spring. Patience is the key. If you don't have one come in to you right away after you hear him gobble, don't despair, and don't move.

If you are hunting a field, set up about five yards off the field in the woods with a lot of brush, or a big tree in the background. See my post which references a great chair for turkey hunting. Get one of those. Clear the ground in front of you as far as your feet stick out from the chair. Use a combination of sticks and brush to suspend some camo netting to the side and in front of you high enough that you can just see over it.

This set up will allow you to move your hands and feet some without the turkeys seeing you. Keep movement to a minimum, however, you need to be comfortable and enjoy the hunt. So, bring snacks, water and be prepared to wait. You can close your eyes and rest from time to time. Make sure you have a face mask and camo gloves on as well.

I usually used one hen decoy set out about 15 yards from me in the field. I would never use a tom decoy on public land - just too dangerous.

If I didn't get one at first light and knew turkeys were around me, I would usually get one between 10 and noon. They will file your location away when they hear you call in the morning in their little pea brains, and will remember where they heard it, so eventually they will come back to it. Just because you don't hear them for a while after daybreak does not mean they are not wandering close to you.

Stick with it and you will eventually get a chance. Good luck and be safe.
MADMAX2
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Re: First time turkey hunting

Post by MADMAX2 »

GRASSHOPPER why is it they hear and see what I cannot!! :lol:

As long as you are OUT THERE hunting you will connect!

Your patience and skill determines when along with a willing bird.
The best things in life are not things!!
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StormDragon
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Re: First time turkey hunting

Post by StormDragon »

When i first decided to get into turkey hunting I thought the people who were giving me info about them were making stuff up.

As it stands now, I think they not only were telling me the truth but am also convinced that turkeys are actually escaped feathered demons from hell and take pleasure in the torture they put me through.

Going on three years so far and still no dead birds and if I had acess to one, I wouldn't hesitate to loose an RPG or Gatling gun in the general direction I hear them gobbling from.
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