How to set up on a bird...

[megalomaniac]

Thread about decoys got me thinking... there may be a lot of folks who haven't gotten the concept of setup on a bird after you strike him. Heck, I could probably learn a few things myself. Tricks/tips for set up after you strike a bird?

For myself (a 'run and gunner' style hunter.... looking to cover as much ground as possible as fast as I can to find a lonely hot bird) I never cast a call unless I'm near cover (large tree, dip in the land providing cover, blow down, etc.) Once I strike a bird, I try to immediately assess the situation (distance to bird, any hens or jakes around). If I think he's alone, I'm looking for my setup before I call the 2nd time. General rules...

I want the high ground... much easier for a bird to hang up above you at 75y looking for a hen downhill than if he is below you walking up looking for you.

I want a little cover in front of me, but a LOT of cover behind me... stuff that makes it hard for him to see into looking for that hen, and stuff that makes it tough for him to walk through so flanking me is near impossible

I want the sun to my back. No brainer, but a lot of folks don't think about this until after their butt is on a tree.

I don't give a crap about 'obstacles' between me and the bird. I've called them over rivers, fences, etc.

Most importantly...I don't want the bird to see my position until he is in gun range. He HAS to give my setup one look before he eases off. That one look needs to be 40y or closer for me. Use the terrain (even if it means you have to back up 100y before you hit him with the second call) to put SOMETHING between the two of you. If he can see your setup 75y away and doesn't see the real thing, he likely won't commit to gun range unless he is desperate or stupid (thank God for the desperate and/or stupid birds... they save my seasons). In MS that setup means the head and beard have to clear the rise. In TN, not as important unless you have already whacked a jake.

Once you've done it right... the hardest thing... PATIENCE. Get to the perfect setup, call the second time and he crushes it. He goes silent. Because he is moving. You can't see him because you have the perfect set up and he won't pop out until he is in gun range. You wonder if he is moving away as he hasn't gobbled in 10 minutes... so you peek up... busted. Keep your ass on that tree, if you need to check him with a cluck, fine... but don't move until you hear him gobble going away.

 

[deerhunter10]

Not much more rewarding when it comes together.

 

[Gravey]

Patience is #1 in my book. Used to have a 40 acre tract just down the road at my old house and not having a bunch of land to roam taught me this. Killed a few birds there because of it.

 

[Setterman]

Great post.

For me and the terrain I hunt there is no perfect set up. There's always some way that isn't ideal as it's steep and rough as hell.

I try to get close, and I mean danger freaking close before setting up. I don't do as much wandering and calling anymore, and rather sit and wait for him to tell me where he is in his own. It is amazing how often a workable bird will gobble on his own. When he does I'm on him, I move and then wait for him to gobble. Rinse and repeat until I'm in tight. The first call he hears from me I try to be in the best possible position. Most times it works, sometimes it doesn't.

Like you said, our biggest key is to get even or above and know if there's a bench below or above. Those benches will destroy any chance of killing in a second if you don't read the situation correctly. If you're below and they go above you're done, likewise with below.

My best tips are make them hunt you once you set up. Let them tell you where they are rather than you force them to tell you where they are, be freaking patient, and don't spook them at all costs. Don't make that last move, or push a little too hard. Get up walk away and fight the battle tomorrow.

I was reliving last year with a buddy today. I was on some birds on Saturday that wouldn't budge. I backed out and told him about them. He went in there Sunday and called one straight off the roost to its death. If I had spooked them, he may have not had that chance. At all costs don't bump your birds is my advice

 

[megalomaniac]

Great post.

For me and the terrain I hunt there is no perfect set up. There's always some way that isn't ideal as it's steep and rough as hell.

I try to get close, and I mean danger freaking close before setting up. I don't do as much wandering and calling anymore, and rather sit and wait for him to tell me where he is in his own. It is amazing how often a workable bird will gobble on his own. When he does I'm on him, I move and then wait for him to gobble. Rinse and repeat until I'm in tight. The first call he hears from me I try to be in the best possible position. Most times it works, sometimes it doesn't.

Like you said, our biggest key is to get even or above and know if there's a bench below or above. Those benches will destroy any chance of killing in a second if you don't read the situation correctly. If you're below and they go above you're done, likewise with below.

My best tips are make them hunt you once you set up. Let them tell you where they are rather than you force them to tell you where they are, be freaking patient, and don't spook them at all costs. Don't make that last move, or push a little too hard. Get up walk away and fight the battle tomorrow.

I was reliving last year with a buddy today. I was on some birds on Saturday that wouldn't budge. I backed out and told him about them. He went in there Sunday and called one straight off the roost to its death. If I had spooked them, he may have not had that chance. At all costs don't bump your birds is my advice

Excellent point... DONT BUMP THE BIRD!!!

Heck, you can even back out, loop around the same bird an hour later and call him into gun range with a different set up... as long as you didn't bump him on the 1st.

What I'm struggling with is trying to find a bird. I'm all about slowing down and sticking with him if I KNOW there is one nearby... but jeez, I've hit 6 counties, 45 miles huking in the woods, and only cut 3 gobbler tracks. Called up a few hens, bumped 2 more, but haven't even seen a tom since early Feb. In fact, i haven't even heard a single shotgun blast since juvie opened Mar 8. I'm just picking blocks of land that have almost no turkeys to hunt

 

[Setterman]

Excellent point... DONT BUMP THE BIRD!!!

Heck, you can even back out, loop around the same bird an hour later and call him into gun range with a different set up... as long as you didn't bump him on the 1st.

What I'm struggling with is trying to find a bird. I'm all about slowing down and sticking with him if I KNOW there is one nearby... but jeez, I've hit 6 counties, 45 miles huking in the woods, and only cut 3 gobbler tracks. Called up a few hens, bumped 2 more, but haven't even seen a tom since early Feb. In fact, i haven't even heard a single shotgun blast since juvie opened Mar 8. I'm just picking blocks of land that have almost no turkeys to hunt

That's so sad, and beyond frustrating.
I know you're like me and just want to play the game

 

[Chickenrig]

I just wish i could move on a bird after i strike him . I am totally deaf in my left ear and can't for the life of me tell direction. Once i strike him i need to find a good setup and just plant there whether he comes or not .it is the most fristrating part of any critter i pursue. I still play the game but with limited sucess. I will never give up !!!!
Good luck to ya'll and be safe out there
God bless my Tndeer family

 

[Andy S.]

Great posts mega and Setterman, nothing much to add. I pretty much do exactly as you state in the hardwoods, with no decoys. Get tight, pick a solid setup, soft call, practice patience, make him come looking and stay with him until he does, or he drifts away. Sometimes I win the chess match, many times I do not. That's part of the game. As mega stated, finding a gobbling bird is the biggest challenge most days.

 

[Soft Talker]

Great post.

For me and the terrain I hunt there is no perfect set up. There's always some way that isn't ideal as it's steep and rough as hell.

I try to get close, and I mean danger freaking close before setting up. I don't do as much wandering and calling anymore, and rather sit and wait for him to tell me where he is in his own. It is amazing how often a workable bird will gobble on his own. When he does I'm on him, I move and then wait for him to gobble. Rinse and repeat until I'm in tight. The first call he hears from me I try to be in the best possible position. Most times it works, sometimes it doesn't.

Like you said, our biggest key is to get even or above and know if there's a bench below or above. Those benches will destroy any chance of killing in a second if you don't read the situation correctly. If you're below and they go above you're done, likewise with below.

My best tips are make them hunt you once you set up. Let them tell you where they are rather than you force them to tell you where they are, be freaking patient, and don't spook them at all costs. Don't make that last move, or push a little too hard. Get up walk away and fight the battle tomorrow.

I was reliving last year with a buddy today. I was on some birds on Saturday that wouldn't budge. I backed out and told him about them. He went in there Sunday and called one straight off the roost to its death. If I had spooked them, he may have not had that chance. At all costs don't bump your birds is my advice

Solid advice here

 

[spoon]

I just wish i could move on a bird after i strike him . I am totally deaf in my left ear and can't for the life of me tell direction. Once i strike him i need to find a good setup and just plant there whether he comes or not .it is the most fristrating part of any critter i pursue. I still play the game but with limited sucess. I will never give up !!!!
Good luck to ya'll and be safe out there
God bless my Tndeer family

You and I are in the same boat. It gets very frustrating to call them in only to setup looking at the direction you think they are coming to only to have them behind you.

 

[Newt]

Heck mega get over there with them Hunting Public boys there covered up in gobblers on that public land it's all over the internet

 

[redblood]

I only hunt private land that i own or that is family land. So there is no other hunters to consider. I dont over strategize and try not to over think it. Kill him or run him off. Im fine with either. Just dont want to wound one. For me , deer hunting is serious. Turkey hunting is just fun. As a runner, i like to get 30k steps everyday. Turkey hunting pads my number. I have a camo under armour athletic pants and lightweight camo quarter zip and usuallly camo trail glider tennis shoes (if wet muck trail blazers) . No turkey vest, 2 calls tops. 5.5 pound turkey gun. Stay light, stay mobile , have fun.

 

[philsanchez76]

My best tips are make them hunt you once you set up. Let them tell you where they are rather than you force them to tell you where they are, be freaking patient, and don't spook them at all costs. Don't make that last move, or push a little too hard. Get up walk away and fight the battle tomorrow.

This is solid advice! Thx sir!

 

[woodsman04]

1- don't spook the turkey at all cost

2-be patient

3-turn your entire body to an ear if possible

4-don't walk around corners or over hills without easing around looking. Always be ready for a bird to be around the bend or over the knob.

5-listen for scratching in dry hardwoods, listen for drumming or hens whining or clucking.

6-don't walk around calling. Whether it's owl and crow calls or hen calls. Yea it works sometimes but it's better to ease out of the truck and walk a ways extremely quietly and slowly and listen. Find a good comfortable listening spot and just sit down and listen. When birds start on their own they are killable. Occasionally he will gobble at or with his hens. But if you hear one gobbling on his on at 12 o clock he wants to get killed.

7-don't walk through the middle of cow pastures or Ag fields EVER

8-don't call to him until you get what you think is a good set up.

9-try to get above them if possible. But I never move positions if I think I will spook the turkey. Sometimes I still probably get caught, but I try not to.

10-have some sort of obstacle that he has to be in range to see you. It's hard to call them up out of cow pastures or in wide open hardwoods.

11-don't call too much. Make a couple or three series of yelps and clucks to let him know you're there then shut up. I don't care how long it takes. Throw the call away where you won't be tempted to use it. When you make a sound he knows exactly what tree you're sitting beside. He will either come or not come. No amount of more calling will get him to change his mind.

12-don't be worried about being defeated. It's part of the game. It ain't supposed to be easy.

13-be careful, hunt smart, enjoy it.

 

[recurve60#]

Excellent thread! Woodsmanship and patience kills turkeys.

 

[recurve60#]

When I killed my first gobbler the county total kill that year was 17. I limited out every year after that and it was all due to patience.
When my son was very young and we'd have a bird answer at daylight on the roost we'd stay put till noon. I would rarely call, but most times that gobbler would be back in our face by 10:00 or so looking for what he gobbled at at daybreak.
It drove my son nuts sitting that long, but he learned they will come back looking.

 

[PalsPal]

It drove my son nuts sitting that long,

Does he still turkey hunt?

A lot of good info in this thread, but I'll play devils advocate and mention that it's just one way to kill turkeys.

THP and Dave Owens show another way.

 

[knightrider]

Does he still turkey hunt?

A lot of good info in this thread, but I'll play devils advocate and mention that it's just one way to kill turkeys.

THP and Dave Owens show another way.

Dave yes he is good at what he does, thp wound (misses?) and educate alot of birds with their nonsense

 

[Chickenrig]

Dave yes he is good at what he does, thp wound (misses?) and educate alot of birds with their

Does he still turkey hunt?

A lot of good info in this thread, but I'll play devils advocate and mention that it's just one way to kill turkeys.

THP and Dave Owens show another way.

take away them smartphones and they wouldn't kill a tick . Woodsmanship is no longer needed , just look at the phone . I watch those guys but i can't stand it that they always looking at them dam phones .

 

[Soft Talker]

Going in behind the fast moving, excessive calling, run and gunners, has lead to a tall pile of dead Gobblers that THEY have told me "were not there"