solo turkey tips

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Eli103

Eli103

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claxton, Tennessee
This spring I hope to go out alone in the woods since I am of age. thats if pops allows me. I know the basics and whatever. look with your eyes, don't move ya whatever. but is there anything I need to look for or need to know when I go out. all advice will be appreciated
 
I find solo hunting for the most part is a bit easier. Less movement in the woods and you can get around without discussion. However hunting with someone that knows there way around the woods can change that.

my biggest advice to solo hunting is BE CAREFUL. Like deer hunting be sure to let people know where you will be at incase they need to come looking. Unlike deer hunting you move around a lot more in the spring so if something happens to you people need to know where to start looking. Ive seen a lot of broken ankles and accidents during spring turkey.

otherwise just go hunt. Dont be afraid to get aggressive or try new things. Only way to learn more is to fail more.
 
What REN said.
1. Stay on the high side of the gobbler. Turkeys would rather walk uphill as downhill. Especially for a gobbler when he is looking for a hen that can not bee seen. Walking uphill makes an easier escape to turn and fly away from predators.
2. Use the terrain as your friend. Its easier to approach a gobbler if you keep the terrain in between you and the bird.
3. Shuffle the leaves instead of calling too much, especially on a gobbler that has answered and is approaching
4. Last but not least......have fun and learn from your mistakes.
 
Coker said:
What REN said.
1. Stay on the high side of the gobbler. Turkeys would rather walk uphill as downhill. Especially for a gobbler when he is looking for a hen that can not bee seen. Walking uphill makes an easier escape to turn and fly away from predators.
2. Use the terrain as your friend. Its easier to approach a gobbler if you keep the terrain in between you and the bird.
3. Shuffle the leaves instead of calling too much, especially on a gobbler that has answered and is approaching
4. Last but not least......have fun and learn from your mistakes.
Click to expand...
I agree with everything said except #1. I've killed as many down hill as up hill and so have my hunting buddies.
 
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Keep your booger picker outside of the trigger guard until you see his beard. It is really easy to get super excited and make a fatal mistake. A red or white handkerchief dangling from somebody's pocket can look like a gobblers head in the brush. An old white headed hunter with his hat off cresting a ridge can show the gobbler white head as well.

Make sure of your target!!!
 
And, you will probably have to experience it a couple of times to believe it, but, he WILL see you and most likely run if you move your gun very much. Once he is committed and coming, get your gun up and braced on your knee. Make sure he is totally behind a tree before you move it very much once he is within about 70 yds.

When he is close to being in range, use your thumb and forefinger to quietly take off the safety. And then, keep your booger picker outside of the trigger guard until you are ready to shoot him.

Again, once he is close, you will not have the ability to take your gun out of your lap to get on him (unless you are in a blind, and maybe not even then) unless he goes totally behind a tree without him spooking.
 
And, one more. If you bump him trying to get right on top of him before calling, it is usually game over for that particular bird. They WILL come from a distance. Particularly early in the year before it has leafed out, it probably is better to hang back a little further than trying to get right on top of him before calling.
Later in the season when everything is leafed out, you can sneak in a little closer.
 
Some good advice offered so far. Ditto on scn's safety tips. Also dittoe on moving as you can get away with a whole lot more on a deer than you can a turkey. You still have to move your gun and shift but make absolutely sure he can't see you or the gig is up.

Couple of things to note in terms of hunting even though there are really no absolute rules:

1) Use the terrain to your advantage when closing in before calling. Get to where you want to be before calling to him. I always try to have a little rise or some terrain feature between me and him where he has to come look at 40 or under to see me. You can't always do this but if he can hear you then he knows exactly your location and may get hesistant if he can see 80 yards to you and not see a hen.

2) Call as less as possible but also keep him in interested. Let the bird tell you what he liked. Remember that nature is for the hen to go to the gobbler. I usually never call again when I know that he is committed. On the flip side, I have killed a bird or two that wouldn't even think of coming to soft calling. It had to be loud and aggressive as a last ditch effort.

3) It is the rule of thumb to get above a bird before calling if you can. However, I have killed a bunch that I have had to call down hill just because the terrain or property lines didn't allow me to get around him. I always at least try to get on his level. I have seen some though that I tried to call below them and finally kept moving and working to them as they moved to finally get in their bubble. Once that happened, they came on a string.

Most of this is already said but please make sure safety is number one, two, and three. Go have fun, and learn from your mistakes. Treat every bird as different even though some general rules will hopefully help. Good luck!
 
If he struts and faces away from you he can't see you because of his tail feathers. That's a good time to raise gun/shift around etc. Don't get impatient and move while he is looking. Also keep large tree behind you if possible to protect your back side from other hunters. If you see someone coming near you yell or whistle but don't wave arms.
 
scn said:
And, one more. If you bump him trying to get right on top of him before calling, it is usually game over for that particular bird. They WILL come from a distance. Particularly early in the year before it has leafed out, it probably is better to hang back a little further than trying to get right on top of him before calling.
Later in the season when everything is leafed out, you can sneak in a little closer.
Click to expand...
Great advice! This was my number one rookie mistake. Once I heard a gobble I thought I had to get within spitting distance of it. I ALWAYS ended up busting those birds. Should of set up when I thought I was 100-150 yards from it.

Second thing I found out the hard way is that gobblers will silhouette you easily. I was kind of off to the side of a tree when a gobbler popped out and even though I was 100% still, he still saw my silhouette and busted out of there before I could shoot. You really have to try to either be totally in shadows or back directly up against a tree that will break up your outline.
 
All good advice on strategies. Practice your calling now. That doesn't necessarily mean you will be calling a lot, but when you do, you want to be able to give him what he wants - he will let you know. Watch out for snakes
 
Just remember there are 50 things you must do to kill a turkey and 50 things you can't do and kill a turkey . If you do al the right things and don't do any of the wrong things, they will make up 50 more of each
 
First thing is safety. Always be sure of your target. You cannot take a shot back. Have fun. Use the terrain. When you hear a turkey don't just sprint straight to him. Think about the scenario and how it might play our and cautiously get close as you can. I'm in the minority. I call and call a lot. Been my experience they either coming or they not. I've never sat there silent for an hour and one sneak in. That's just me. Not my kind of hunting anyway. I will move on one and the more I hunt the bolder I have gotten with my moves. In my book woodsnanship kills more turkeys than calling. Those are all just my opinions. I'm by no means an expert. Good luck. Have fun. I love turkey season. I'm a skinny guy but in turkey season I usually lose 20 lb. lol.
 

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