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Help a novice out!!!
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<blockquote data-quote="AT Hiker" data-source="post: 3209106" data-attributes="member: 10019"><p>All great advice! One thing you will learn though is, once you think you got these critters figured out...they will show you up! So take it from me, never underestimate them! Your arsenal book will grow bigger every year, and it will evolve as well. </p><p></p><p>1.) Turkeys roost where they feel safe, unpressured birds tend to roost close to a field edge on the side of a ridge/hill in hardwoods. These birds tend to flock together as well, meaning lots of birds roosting together. Pressured birds seem to roost further in the woods (a.k.a further away from other predators/hunters). They will tend to be more spread out and typically quite when they fly off roost. They will also roost in hardwoods that provide cover, but allow them to spot preds if they can. Once again, usually on the side of a ridge.</p><p></p><p>2.) Strut areas are actually everywhere this time of year, but along your lines of thinking a strut area is usually a open/flat spot. This could be a feild, road, hardwood bottom, or a wooded flat on the side of a ridge. Think deer and terrain when looking at a map for turkeys; saddles, bottoms, ridges, etc are all turkey spots in big woods. They will avoid thickets usually, burned areas are great a week after the burn (sometimes sooner). This time of year, your strut zones are gonna be where the hens are...right now most seem to be feeding. Look for red oaks, old corn crops, maybe freshly disced ground. Not a lot of bugs out yet, so they are fairly limited. </p><p></p><p>3.) If your area has a lot of birds in it, let them do the talking early daybreak. It usually only takes one or two birds to gobble and it seems to get all the others into gear. Owl calls can be effective in the early morning pre-dawn hours, but it seems everyone uses it. I like a crow call, coyote howl/bark, elk buggle, and peacock. This will make them gobble, but it can also ruin your hunt. So limit all (except crow call) until you are for sure there are no turkeys close by. Believe it or not a crow call before sun up is effective, but I prefer to let them (the turkeys) do the talking first. </p><p></p><p>If its a new area and you have no clue where they roost, find a high spot and listen. Know the terrain as well as you can so you can make a wise move on them. If they are quite right before sunup, or you hear turkeys gobble in the distance but none in your area...give them a few moments then give the crow call a shot. </p><p></p><p>This is all from my book of turkey hunting failures, you will write your own, but a little plagiarism is acceptable. </p><p></p><p>Good luck!</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="AT Hiker, post: 3209106, member: 10019"] All great advice! One thing you will learn though is, once you think you got these critters figured out...they will show you up! So take it from me, never underestimate them! Your arsenal book will grow bigger every year, and it will evolve as well. 1.) Turkeys roost where they feel safe, unpressured birds tend to roost close to a field edge on the side of a ridge/hill in hardwoods. These birds tend to flock together as well, meaning lots of birds roosting together. Pressured birds seem to roost further in the woods (a.k.a further away from other predators/hunters). They will tend to be more spread out and typically quite when they fly off roost. They will also roost in hardwoods that provide cover, but allow them to spot preds if they can. Once again, usually on the side of a ridge. 2.) Strut areas are actually everywhere this time of year, but along your lines of thinking a strut area is usually a open/flat spot. This could be a feild, road, hardwood bottom, or a wooded flat on the side of a ridge. Think deer and terrain when looking at a map for turkeys; saddles, bottoms, ridges, etc are all turkey spots in big woods. They will avoid thickets usually, burned areas are great a week after the burn (sometimes sooner). This time of year, your strut zones are gonna be where the hens are...right now most seem to be feeding. Look for red oaks, old corn crops, maybe freshly disced ground. Not a lot of bugs out yet, so they are fairly limited. 3.) If your area has a lot of birds in it, let them do the talking early daybreak. It usually only takes one or two birds to gobble and it seems to get all the others into gear. Owl calls can be effective in the early morning pre-dawn hours, but it seems everyone uses it. I like a crow call, coyote howl/bark, elk buggle, and peacock. This will make them gobble, but it can also ruin your hunt. So limit all (except crow call) until you are for sure there are no turkeys close by. Believe it or not a crow call before sun up is effective, but I prefer to let them (the turkeys) do the talking first. If its a new area and you have no clue where they roost, find a high spot and listen. Know the terrain as well as you can so you can make a wise move on them. If they are quite right before sunup, or you hear turkeys gobble in the distance but none in your area...give them a few moments then give the crow call a shot. This is all from my book of turkey hunting failures, you will write your own, but a little plagiarism is acceptable. Good luck! [/QUOTE]
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