this spring I intend on hunting longbeards in the hills. just something I never got around to doing in the past, but this spring i plan on getting after one. any tips or advice on calling, setup, loads, chokes, etc. ?
First year turkey hunting
- Thread starter Chickencoop96
- Start date
hillbillyfab
Well-Known Member
There's no time like the present to start getting ready for spring turkey season. Do you have a shotgun bow? If yes what do you have? Do you have an idea where you plan on hunting, public or private or both? If possible I like learning my hunting grounds way in advance, if you aren't able to, that's ok also. Turkey hunting for me can be one of the most exciting and frustrating experiences I have in the woods, but I wouldn't change it for nothing. Good luck. 
I have a spot on both private and public and I plan on hunting with my Mossberg 835. Thanks!There's no time like the present to start getting ready for spring turkey season. Do you have a shotgun bow? If yes what do you have? Do you have an idea where you plan on hunting, public or private or both? If possible I like learning my hunting grounds way in advance, if you aren't able to, that's ok also. Turkey hunting for me can be one of the most exciting and frustrating experiences I have in the woods, but I wouldn't change it for nothing. Good luck.
Last year was my first year and got two should have been three
1st one got blowed away, bad shot placement to recover any meat.
2nd shot, what's the white thing flying 6' above his head? I told my self that is the wad idiot!
3rd everything was done right.
Be in a place where there are turkeys and go where others will not.
1st one got blowed away, bad shot placement to recover any meat.
2nd shot, what's the white thing flying 6' above his head? I told my self that is the wad idiot!
3rd everything was done right.
Be in a place where there are turkeys and go where others will not.
I used to shoot an 835 great guns and killed a boatload of turkey with it. If you shoot the 3.5 inch shell in the thing , brace yourself for a bone jarring , shoulder bruising , teeth chattering event of a lifetime! Lol, Good luck!
Have you shot turkey loads through it before? My advice is to remove your thumb from the safety before pulling the trigger. My thumb has caught my nose on more than one occasion. Makes my eyes water pretty good lol
Awesome turkey killing machine thought!
I've only ever shot 7 and 8 shot loads through it at squirrels lmao. thats good to know!
they are rough. I had a 535 that was significantly worse though! think 835 and much, much lighter
Not many better turkey killers out there though, great for chasing them birds. Enjoy the hunts, it is a learning curve for sure. Some days you might think "This is awesome and these birds are so dumb and easy"
Then you might be like me and get severely humbled for a couple of seasons
Remington700
Well-Known Member
The 835 should serve you well. I always shot #5 lead until last year. Then I swapped over to TSS and a 20 gauge and haven't looked back. Practice calling now so you will have it down by spring. Old gobbler is a good forum to do some turkey hunting reading on. Good luck!
my top turkey tips:
don't over call to a gobbling Tom, especially if he's on the roost.
watch for silent birds coming in.
if a turkey sees you move he's gone, eve the slightest movement
try your best not to have any barriers between you and the turkey, he can probably cross it but they don't like too
don't over call to a gobbling Tom, especially if he's on the roost.
watch for silent birds coming in.
if a turkey sees you move he's gone, eve the slightest movement
try your best not to have any barriers between you and the turkey, he can probably cross it but they don't like too
I had one and it kills on both ends. Great turkey killing machines though and you won't notice when shooting a bird. It's punching paper that will rattle your teeth. I shot 3 1/2" winchester supreme #5's and then switched to extended range when they came out. I used the factory extra full choke but later changed to an aftermarket but don't recall what. The factory choke works just fine.
Be patient and don't over call. Be very still as they're eyesight is off the charts. If they could smell not sure you'd ever kill one. I'd rather kill a big buck but would rather turkey hunt. Have fun!
Boll Weevil
Well-Known Member
Don't do it! I've never used illicit drugs but choosing to chase turkeys is about as close to picking up a crack habit as there is.
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Gobble4me757
Well-Known Member
Stop before you can help it…lol
Learn to not use decoys and you will be a better overall turkey hunter and woodsman. It's honestly a lot easier to kill with a decoy as you can get away with over calling and being a terrible turkey hunter in a blind and kill one. I know it ruffles feathers to speak of no decoys, but learn the hard way and always adapt. No hunt is the same. You will mess up countless times but eventually will get a feel of when and how much to call. Read everything you can about turkeys. Perfect your calling spending hours upon hours of learning every variation of call. Learn to not move a muscle even when your butt is killing you. To be honest, the more time and ground you cover in the woods the better you will become over time.
For 12 gauges, I did a lot of research and get longbeard 5s with a turkey choke of some sort. If you go 20, go the tss route.
Learn to not use decoys and you will be a better overall turkey hunter and woodsman. It's honestly a lot easier to kill with a decoy as you can get away with over calling and being a terrible turkey hunter in a blind and kill one. I know it ruffles feathers to speak of no decoys, but learn the hard way and always adapt. No hunt is the same. You will mess up countless times but eventually will get a feel of when and how much to call. Read everything you can about turkeys. Perfect your calling spending hours upon hours of learning every variation of call. Learn to not move a muscle even when your butt is killing you. To be honest, the more time and ground you cover in the woods the better you will become over time.
For 12 gauges, I did a lot of research and get longbeard 5s with a turkey choke of some sort. If you go 20, go the tss route.
Willysman
Well-Known Member
You'll be happy or frustrated after every hunt. Turkeys will cause you to lose sleep. You'll learn something on each hunt. Remember a turkey can hear you think and see you change your mind. Boy it's exciting though. I use a Remington 870 with 3 inch Longbeards and a Longbeard choke. The Longbeard is the best turkey load I've ever used. My opinion only. Good luck.
My son and I started turkey hunting 3 years ago and we've been fortunate to kill 6 birds so far...we would have killed a couple more if we hadn't fouled a few up a few hunts doing little things at the wrong time....for example, moving at the wrong time, making a little too much noise in the leaves, calling when a gobbler is already coming, not using the terrain properly....if you pay attention, turkeys will teach you something almost every time you hunt them.
Your 835 will hammer turkeys. The Mossberg barrels are over-bored and they typically pattern very well.
I have a bad shoulder so I shoot a Mossberg 935 with a Carlson Choke and a Burris FF3 red-dot, my son shoots an 870 Supermag with a Kicks Choke and we added a bead in the middle of the rib for him instead of a red dot because he uses that shotgun for duck hunting too.
We both shoot the 3.5" Hevi Blend (5,6,7) shells and every turkey we've shot has been bang / flop at ranges from about 20 to 50 yards.
Your 835 will hammer turkeys. The Mossberg barrels are over-bored and they typically pattern very well.
I have a bad shoulder so I shoot a Mossberg 935 with a Carlson Choke and a Burris FF3 red-dot, my son shoots an 870 Supermag with a Kicks Choke and we added a bead in the middle of the rib for him instead of a red dot because he uses that shotgun for duck hunting too.
We both shoot the 3.5" Hevi Blend (5,6,7) shells and every turkey we've shot has been bang / flop at ranges from about 20 to 50 yards.
Early season will probably be completely hit or miss because you're competing with live, unbred hens. But you'll hear lots of gobbling, and there's nothing like hearing it when you're "licensed to kill" on a cool early April morning. It's my favorite time of season because the woods feel alive.
Get a turkey choke. Sumtoy and Indian Creek are fantastic custom options. You can talk to someone at either about ideal constriction depending on what load you will be shooting. Basic lead loads show up on Wal-Mart shelves within the next 2 months. So keep checking, and stock up when you get the chance (at least three 10-round boxes of 3" magnums). Then you at least have several years' supply—you don't shoot near as many rounds turkey hunting as you do wingshooting, thankfully.
Mouth calls are cheap and hands-free, so experiment with a few. Pot calls (especially slate with a wooden striker) are probably the most comfortable.
Get a turkey choke. Sumtoy and Indian Creek are fantastic custom options. You can talk to someone at either about ideal constriction depending on what load you will be shooting. Basic lead loads show up on Wal-Mart shelves within the next 2 months. So keep checking, and stock up when you get the chance (at least three 10-round boxes of 3" magnums). Then you at least have several years' supply—you don't shoot near as many rounds turkey hunting as you do wingshooting, thankfully.
Mouth calls are cheap and hands-free, so experiment with a few. Pot calls (especially slate with a wooden striker) are probably the most comfortable.
It's a disease, of which I am not looking for a cure!!
Get your hands on a copy of this if you can.
If you don't already, find Dave Owens on youtube, aka the Pinhoti Project, and watch as many of his hunts as you can. Don't watch for entertainment, watch to learn.
Also Catman, The Hunting Public, Shane Simpson, and PanolaProductions. Again, don't watch for entertainment. Watch to observe and learn.
As I said, it's a disease. Once you get infected you'll never be the same! I'm not sure where you are located, but if you're ever around Wilson County give me a holler. I'd love to put you on a public land long beard.
Get your hands on a copy of this if you can.
If you don't already, find Dave Owens on youtube, aka the Pinhoti Project, and watch as many of his hunts as you can. Don't watch for entertainment, watch to learn.
Also Catman, The Hunting Public, Shane Simpson, and PanolaProductions. Again, don't watch for entertainment. Watch to observe and learn.
As I said, it's a disease. Once you get infected you'll never be the same! I'm not sure where you are located, but if you're ever around Wilson County give me a holler. I'd love to put you on a public land long beard.
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The Tom Kelly books are a great source of information also.It's a disease, of which I am not looking for a cure!!
Get your hands on a copy of this if you can.
View attachment 125457
If you don't already, find Dave Owens on youtube, aka the Pinhoti Project, and watch as many of his hunts as you can. Don't watch for entertainment, watch to learn.
Also Catman, The Hunting Public, Shane Simpson, and PanolaProductions. Again, don't watch for entertainment. Watch to observe and learn.
As I said, it's a disease. Once you get infected you'll never be the same! I'm not sure where you are located, but if you're ever around Wilson County give me a holler. I'd love to put you on a public land long beard.
Remember:
An old gobbler does not have a curious bone in his body.
He's expecting the hen to come to him, so for him to come to you puts him on highest alert.
They don't always gobble on their way in.
it may take hours for one to finally get to you.
Cover your face and hands, and get behind/ in something. Their eyesight is beyond belief.
If you get that tingly "uhhh ohhh" sense he's about to bolt, you've got about 1 second to make your decision and execute.
An old gobbler does not have a curious bone in his body.
He's expecting the hen to come to him, so for him to come to you puts him on highest alert.
They don't always gobble on their way in.
it may take hours for one to finally get to you.
Cover your face and hands, and get behind/ in something. Their eyesight is beyond belief.
If you get that tingly "uhhh ohhh" sense he's about to bolt, you've got about 1 second to make your decision and execute.
