Get Ready

[Pilchard]

For my stupid questions!

I'm going to try to turkey hunt for the first time this year. I'm sure I'll have a lot of dumb questions so please be patient.

My first question: why do turkey hunters get up and run to the bird after they kill it? Do the birds get up and run away on occasion?

Also, feel free to share any pointers or random thoughts for a beginner.

 

[Setterman]

Sometimes, and rarely the dang things seem to get a second life. They're dead but have incredible post death abilities.

They also beat the feather off themselves making an otherwise beautiful bird hideous.

If you hunt steep terrain they can launch themselves down the mountain making it brutal to climb back out

Personally I've had only one bird luckily get away. I blistered ones face, bird rolled over seemingly dead. Took my time walking to it, only to watch it stand up, neck broken and get enough air under its wings to sail into parts unknown. Still haunts me

 

[Rakkin6]

For my stupid questions!

I'm going to try to turkey hunt for the first time this year. I'm sure I'll have a lot of dumb questions so please be patient.

My first question: why do turkey hunters get up and run to the bird after they kill it? Do the birds get up and run away on occasion?

Also, feel free to share any pointers or random thoughts for a beginner.

-Call less than what you think you need to.

-When you are ready to get up and move wait ten more minutes

- This may sound simple but when you are walking and calling, make sure you got a place to setup before you call in case he is close and gobbles.

- Simple one also, but setup with the sun to your back.

- And this is just me but for safety reasons on public land whenever I am walking and calling I wear a blaze orange hat. Takes not time to throw it in the back of my vest when the time arrives.

 

[Boll Weevil]

If you do have to run to/chase a bird (exceedingly rare in my experience), please remember to put your gun back on safety before lacing up the track shoes.

 

[woodsman04]

Sometimes they don't flop a lot until you pick them up.
I don't run to them, but I do get up quickly and I grab them by the head and let them flop out. Pictures is one of my favorite parts of the experience. So I want his feathers good.

Also like setterman said, occasionally they will roll down a big hill and just not stop until they get to the bottom. I've had that happen a few times as well

 

[PalsPal]

If his head is up as you approach, shoot him again. Nothing worse than watching one fly or run off.

My best advice is to go with someone who can mentor you. Now, it would be easier if you have places to hunt. Many would go with you as a guide and not even carry a gun, and coach you through a whole hunt. It would greatly reduce the learning curve for you.

Actually, my best advice is to not pursue this addiction. It can take hold of a fellow.

 

[Gravey]

Don't take your wife's SUV through a muddy field.

Here's my advice…don't go unless you are ok with getting addicted. The first time one gobbles so close it rattles your hat it's over. Nothing prettier coming at you than a big ole Tom in full strut spitting and drumming.

 

[Pilchard]

If his head is up as you approach, shoot him again. Nothing worse than watching one fly or run off.

My best advice is to go with someone who can mentor you. Now, it would be easier if you have places to hunt. Many would go with you as a guide and not even carry a gun, and coach you through a whole hunt. It would greatly reduce the learning curve for you.

Actually, my best advice is to not pursue this addiction. It can take hold of a fellow.

Luckily I have a place to go with a few birds and lots of room to roam. I am perhaps even more fortunate that my friend scn has agreed to show me the ropes. With my work being so crazy lately I may only get to hunt one or two times and hope those days align with his schedule. Even if it doesn't work out, he has already been very kind in sharing advice on guns, shells, etc.

 

[Pilchard]

Don't take your wife's SUV through a muddy field.

Here's my advice…don't go unless you are ok with getting addicted. The first time one gobbles so close it rattles your hat it's over. Nothing prettier coming at you than a big ole Tom in full strut spitting and drumming.

Ha! I won't.... I'll take my Accord instead. Luckily I am not afraid to walk and I'm fat so I could use the miles anyways.

 

[Hduke86]

PERMETHRIN PERMETHRIN PERMETHRIN, It's going to be warm and later in the season. You're going to be sitting in grass, tall brush, leaves. Lord help you if you get in a bed of seed ticks. I treat ALL OF MY CLOTHES with it down to boots, socks, inside pants leg, outside pants legs and same for the shirt. I also spray good bug repellent on my skin beforehand. Not a bad idea to bring a Thermacell to keep skeeters and gnats at bay while waiting.

 

[Pilchard]

Ok.... Next stupid question.

I don't want to shoot a jake. Being a novice, how do I make sure to avoid this?

I get that they don't have a long beard, are less likely to gobble(but might), etc. And I can certainly tell them apart if I can get a good look at the bird...

But, if I follow the advice I have read on here, like get behind a rise to make him crest it so he can't see where the call is coming from... I think you get the point.

Am I just supposed to remain patient and get a good look before shooting? Is there a distinct difference in the head of a jake vs a mature bird that I can immediately identify?

 

[Gravey]

Ok.... Next stupid question.

I don't want to shoot a jake. Being a novice, how do I make sure to avoid this?

I get that they don't have a long beard, are less likely to gobble(but might), etc. And I can certainly tell them apart if I can get a good look at the bird...

But, if I follow the advice I have read on here, like get behind a rise to make him crest it so he can't see where the call is coming from... I think you get the point.

Am I just supposed to remain patient and get a good look before shooting? Is there a distinct difference in the head of a jake vs a mature bird that I can immediately identify?

If he has a full fan kill him. I let one walk by a couple years ago with a short beard and thought jake. He walked off and about 70 yards started strutting and had a full fan. I started trying to call him back and did. Walked up to him after I killed him and he had beard rot. The ends of it will look like a rust color.

 

[waterman]

dont shoot them in full strut. they will roll backwards twice then take flight make him raise his head before shooting

 

[Boll Weevil]

Full fan = even (vs having the those longer in the middle). These are jakes; stubby beard + uneven fan.

 

[Sasquatch Boogie Outdoors]

Use the terrain when setting up. You should be in a spot that when you see the bird he will be close enough to kill. If you can see 100 yards, so can he and if he don't see the hen that's been calling he will bust you 99% of the time. Make him poke his head over the hill and then pow wow

 

[Pilchard]

That was where my latest question came from.... He sticks his head over the hill and I shoot him only to walk up and find a dead jake.... How do I avoid this?

 

[Pilchard]

Full fan = even (vs having the those longer in the middle). These are jakes; stubby beard + uneven fan.

This is incredibly helpful. Thanks!

 

[Gravey]

That was where my latest question came from.... He sticks his head over the hill and I shoot him only to walk up and find a dead jake.... How do I avoid this?

Gotta wait to see the full fan or rope hanging off his chest. Most of the time a jake gobble sounds broken like a boy going through puberty although I have heard birds I'd have sworn were longbeards that were jakes.

 

[NumberOne]

Its really easy to identify jakes once you shoot them.

 

[Dennis]

Jakes rarely come in alone. They like to hang in groups. Mature gobblers don't mind being alone, but they also can be in groips.

 

[clwg97]

Know your effective range. Birds will sometimes look closer than you expect, they will also look farther than you expect.

Know what a turkey looks like in the woods, you will not see the whole turkey, you will see parts of it. The first turkey my dad called in for me I could never see until he started walking away.

Enjoy the first turkey of your career, it seems like its the easiest one you will kill and gets you addicted. The second or third one seems like the hardest one to kill.

 

[megalomaniac]

That was where my latest question came from.... He sticks his head over the hill and I shoot him only to walk up and find a dead jake.... How do I avoid this?

You don't shoot until you see a visible beard. In TN the only thing that makes a bird legal is a 'visible' beard. Doesn't matter if it's a hen, a jake, or a 5yo tom... HAS to have a visible beard to be legal.

Sometimes the law is poorly written... but its the law.

In MS jakes are illegal for adults to shoot. Had an acquaintance kill a subdivision pet this morn. 7 came running into his decoy, 3 with legal beards and 4 jakes. One of the birds attacked his decoy and it spooked the rest, so he couldn't shoot the biggest in the bunch and blasted the 2nd biggest. He called me worried he shot a jake and wondered what to do. Although it was an early born jake (less than half in spurs, last feather on each side of tail fan short, wing patch juvenile, wing feathers tipped in black) it had a 6 3/4 in beard with 1 strand 7in. I told him he was all legal (if beard is 6in or greater in MS that meets criteria for legality)

Moral of the story know what is legal in each state you hunt... because what is defined as a legal bird is very different from state to state.

 

[Pilchard]

Next question….

Don't tell SCN, but I didn't have time to get my 20ga setup to shoot TSS as he suggested. I have 3 other guns that I plan to shoot next weekend to see which one patterns the best and I'll limit my shot to whatever my ethical range is based on the gun that shoots the best.

So, when patterning a shotgun, how do you decide what your range is? I've got a bunch of splatter type targets and I'll shoot each gun with the different turkey loads I've got… but what measure is used to determine maximum range?

Is it number of pellets is a certain sized circle as I've read in here? Is it number of pellets in the kill zone on one of these targets?

Honestly, I'm thrilled to even get to go and would consider my hunt a success to just hear a bird gobble but I want to make sure I understand my capabilities before I have my gun pointed at a live bird.

 

[megalomaniac]

Next question….

Don't tell SCN, but I didn't have time to get my 20ga setup to shoot TSS as he suggested. I have 3 other guns that I plan to shoot next weekend to see which one patterns the best and I'll limit my shot to whatever my ethical range is based on the gun that shoots the best.

So, when patterning a shotgun, how do you decide what your range is? I've got a bunch of splatter type targets and I'll shoot each gun with the different turkey loads I've got… but what measure is used to determine maximum range?

Is it number of pellets is a certain sized circle as I've read in here? Is it number of pellets in the kill zone on one of these targets?

Honestly, I'm thrilled to even get to go and would consider my hunt a success to just hear a bird gobble but I want to make sure I understand my capabilities before I have my gun pointed at a live bird.

Once your are certain your point of aim is point of impact in a 10 circle, id consider 75 pellets to be 98% kill... whatever that distance is to keep 75 pellets in that 10in circle, that is your effective distance.with that particular gun/shotshell/choke combo.

 

[Harold Money jr]

If you're right eyed, put your left shoulder against the tree. When you set up on a bird and you think you know where he's gonna come, try to line him up with your right shoulder kinda to the left of your left knee. Your body should be facing about 30° to the right of where you expect him. You'll have much more room to swing your gun especially to the right. Oh don't swing ANYTHING until his head is behind a tree and be sure to expect he'll put his head behind the tree and peek it back out from behind the tree. They'll catch you a lot if you're a slow learner like me! Obviously if you're left eye dominant it's backwards to what I just said.

 

[Boll Weevil]

^This post reminds me of something I wish I'd have known decades ago: practice ambidextrous shooting while seated. It's really not that difficult, but countless toms have been spared because they came in on the "wrong side." If you're comfortable shooting off either shoulder the only wrong side is directly behind you.

 

[Pilchard]

Next question:

What time do turkey's normally start gobbling on the limb?

For example, sunrise was at 6:36am this morning. If it were legal to be hunting this morning, and you didn't have a bird roosted, what time would you be at your listening spot trying to locate a bird?

 

[tellico4x4]

Next question:

What time do turkey's normally start gobbling on the limb?

For example, sunrise was at 6:36am this morning. If it were legal to be hunting this morning, and you didn't have a bird roosted, what time would you be at your listening spot trying to locate a bird?

They were on the ground by 6:33 this morning .

 

[knightrider]

Next question:

What time do turkey's normally start gobbling on the limb?

For example, sunrise was at 6:36am this morning. If it were legal to be hunting this morning, and you didn't have a bird roosted, what time would you be at your listening spot trying to locate a bird?

Be at your listening spot before it starts cracking light, some days they will gobble in the dark somedays not until the first crow caws and somedays not at all.

 

[Andy S.]

Be at your listening spot before it starts cracking light, some days they will gobble in the dark somedays not until the first crow caws and somedays not at all.

Heard my first bird at 6:06 this past weekend when out listening. I was shocked. I was "thinking" I had 10-15 minutes before first limb gobble. I was wrong, and glad I was there early. SW TN, ag fields mixed in with thickets, so light appears little quicker than dense hardwoods.