First Year Turkey Hunter (need help)

[BamaFada]

Went for the 2nd time today by myself. Never Turkey hunted till this year, so this is brand new to me. Been reading and watching, and all that....

Thought after the rain yesterday and last night that I might find them preening in the feilds or power line trails where I had seen them on my game cameras. Well I sat on the top of a ridge and over looked a feild with hard woods surounding for about 1 hour...Nothing. Stalked along my four wheeler trail to my deer stand and sat for bout an hour again. I had jumped 3 turkeys in this spot Wednesday so I figured I would give it a try. Still nothing....not even a turkey sound. Figured I would try one last place on the far side of my property where I had seen others on camera. This is where is gets good. As I crept in very quietly, I saw something fall from a tree. Looked like a turkey. I then saw it going back and forth on the ground so I moved in a little closer (very quiet and low)...As I am squating in the middle of my four wheeler trail I realize that 5 turkey are coming up through the woods directly at me. I could not do anything except drop to the ground slowly and set up. Did not have any cover around me and no gloves on my hands. After they walk around about 40-50 yards down the hill from me, I realize they are starting to walk away.

I have heard things like go set up for an ambush: HOW DO YOU DO THAT WITHOUT THEM SEEING YOU AND HOW DO YOU KNOW WHERE THEY WENT IF THEY DONT GOBBLE?

I tried to make the same low chirping sound they were making after they walked away: SHOULD I HAVE BEEN QUIET?

Lastly, I started to stalk back down the direction they went and they had disappeared: SHOULD I HAVE STAYED IN THAT SPOT AND DONE SOMETHING OR WAS MY HUNT OVER IN THAT SPOT FOR THE DAY?

Got to say it was pretty darn exciting but I have a lot to learn.

 

[wgmac]

This is my first year aswell. I figured out they are kinda like deer. If you didn't spook them try going to that same spot tommorow an hour before you seen them today and you might get one. I have gotten 2 now this year and this is the plan that is working for me. Also i am just doing a box yelp call every 10-15 mins. once i think they are within 100 to 125 yards i don't call at all. Hope this helps you out. Let me know how it turns out.

 

[elkman]

wear your gloves and facemask so you can be ready at any time. The sneaking part, well, GOOD LUCK. You will lose more than you will win. Dont be afraid to call, scratch the leaves, etc. If you are between them and where they want to go then you can sit quietly, but otherwise, you need to call

 

[BamaFada]

Going to try again in the morning for sure. Thanks for the advise.

Going to camo head to toe and see if I can get there before they come down. Also going to do the short "chirp" sound that they were making. It was really cool to hear them. I was doing like a hen call mid range and like 5-6 times but was getting nothing. I heard if I try to imitate the same sound, that might help. Hopefully I will find out.

 

[TNDeerGuy]

be careful of that "chirp"....that could have been an alarm "put" and you don't want to do that.

 

[catman529]

be careful of that "chirp"....that could have been an alarm "put" and you don't want to do that.

my thoughts, after bumping enough turkeys you will learn very well what the alarm putt is and how it sounds different from other clucks.

I guess one simple piece of advice I can think of is keep at it and stick with it... Don't be afraid to cover some ground, don't call to a bit that's already coming toward you, go out before sunrise to hear gobblers on the roost, and listen throughout midmorning and afternoon for lone gobblers gobbling, they are looking for hens.

As for stalking and ambushing, I love to do it and just did it today because there were too many hens and I could not call a single turkey in even though the hens were fighting and responding to my calls. When I saw the strutter in the field all I had to do was creep through tall grass and intercept him at about 35 yards with some copper plated lead. But be very very careful stalking because of their eyesight, use the terrain and undergrowth to your advantage. Try to circle around where you think the birds are headed and set up for ambush- this is easier than stalking straight to them in most cases.

If you get a bird repeatedly gobbling during the day you might be able to call him in. I've been trying to get as close as I can without risking the bird seeing me (much easier in woods but be careful, he may pop out behind the trees and bust you) call to him and if he gobbles back then sit and wait, he might hang up a little or a lot or come straight in but don't keep calling just because he isnt getting any closer. Man I hope my rambling makes some sense. Lol best of luck to you and I hope you bust ones noggin soon.

 

[BamaFada]

Heard gobbling all morning, but it was in the distance. Tried to locate all morning and could not catch up. Got busted by deer 2 times.

Was hoping to find them in the same place again this morning, but no such luck.

Going to keep trying. Like catman said about getting there early and listening for them to gobble in the roost. That is what I am trying next.

 

[93civEJ1]

be careful of that "chirp"....that could have been an alarm "put" and you don't want to do that.

This is what I was thinking. The putt is a sound that something is up. There is a slight difference from it and a cluck.

 

[LanceS4803]

wear your gloves and facemask so you can be ready at any time.

Camo up, and stay that way. I have heavy weight and light weight camo gloves. For the mask, I have one for cold weather and then a mosquito type complete head cover for wamer weather. Although this morning it was that light weight cover with a polar fleece underneath.

Plus, the benefit of being in full camo is it absolutely drives the deer nuts trying to figure out what you are!!