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Top 10 Turkey Hunting Tips
©
By
Othmar Vohringer
Soft
Call First:
Don’t
start out with aggressive calling first thing when calling to a
gobbler.
Start off with soft clucks and purrs. If that doesn’t seem to
work, go into
some medium volume yelps. If that still doesn’t get him, try
some cutting and
aggressive yelping. If you call to much and too loud to start with, you
might
run your gobbler off, and the game is over. If you start soft, you can
always
work your way into the more aggressive calls.
Scouting:
This
is the one thing that can make more of a difference than anything. If
you
know where a gobbler goes on his daily routine, you are way ahead.
Simply get
to a favored strut or feeding area before the gobbler does, and call
softly. If
he is coming there anyway, you will have no problem. Remember, it is
easy to
call a gobbler to somewhere he already wants to go.
Know
Your Gun and Ammo:
Go
to the pattern board and find a gun, choke and load that shoot well.
Know
the distance where your gun’s performance tapers off, and
never shoot past it.
We have an obligation to do everything within our power to make clean
harvests
on wild turkeys. A good pattern should be at 85-95% in a 30”
circle at 40
yards.
Learn
to Use Different Calls:
The
more different calls and types of calls you can use, the better you
will be
in the turkey woods. Some days gobblers will answer a diaphragm, and
the next
day they will only answer a tube call. On windy days, box calls and
aluminum
calls cut through the wind. Also if you can use a variety of calls, you
can use
something different and won’t sound like everyone else
hunting in your area.
Hunt
During the Rain:
Turkeys have to live in the rain. Modify your tactics and hunt open
fields and
pastures where turkeys feel comfortable since they can depend on their
eyesight
instead of hearing. Portable waterproof blinds are great during the
rain. You
can stay dry, and wait the turkeys out.
Camo
Yourself Completely:
Head to toe camo is a must when hunting sharp-eyed gobblers. Gloves,
face mask
and even camoed guns are helpful. Keep movement to a minimum and try to
blend
in to the natural surroundings. Use a good camouflage pattern such as
ASAT or
Predator.
Get
as Close as Possible:
Sneak in as close as possible to start calling to a gobbler. If you can
get in
his comfort zone (75-100 yards) before you make your first call, he
will
probably come in. Use terrain features to help get close, but
don’t crowd a
bird and bump him. If you go one step too close, the game is over.
Use
the Buddy System:
Hunt in teams, and let one hunter call and one shoot. The caller sits
40-70
yards behind the shooter. In this scenario the gobbler is concentrating
on the
caller’s position, and the pressure is taken off the shooter.
Also, if a bird
hangs up 60-70 yards from the calling, he will still be in easy gun
range for
the shooter.
Use
Locater Calls:
When possible get a turkey to gobble to shock calls like crow or owl
calls. You
can keep up with the bird’s location without giving away your
position with a
hen call. When moving in on a gobbler, you don’t have to
worry about him coming
to your calling at the same time if you are using locater calls.
When
All Else Fails, Mock a Fight:
If you have tried every tactic you know, and a gobbler is still hung up
out of
range, mock a turkey fight as a last ditch effort. You can use two push
button
calls, a slate call, a diaphragm, or a combination of any of these to
make the
“fighting purrs” sounds that gobblers make when
they fight. If he gobbles to
this tactic, get ready. Gobblers usually come in to this tactic very
fast or
not at all.
Be
Patient:
Patience, Patience, Patience - Probably the most overlooked skill in
turkey
hunting is the ability to sit still and wait out a gobbler. When you
can't
stand sitting anymore and you think it's time to get up and move to
another
hunting spot, stay put for fifteen more minutes. Patience kills more
gobblers
than any other factor.
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