Turkey hunting help?

[spooncg33]

Taking my son out this weekend for youth season and neither of us have ever gone. We saw some hens on our lease during deer season so figured we would try and see if a Tom would show up and give me son a chance.

My question is do you guys show up at dark and start making owl calls or something else to locate the birds? Or wait until first light and call?

We have some decoys and calls just not sure the best approach.

 

[Okie4570]

Go watch where they roost and fly down in the morning and if possible set up where they fly down. They'll generally travel the same direction after fly down everyday. Most of the time, less calling is better. Are they Rio's or Eastern birds? They respond and behave a little differently from each other imo.

 

[Oklahomabassin]

Have you been out looking/scouting any since deer season?
Trail cams?

Rio seem to be fairly routine. If you know where they roost at night, feed, strut and loaf in the shade mid day, and travel route back to rest then you have half of the battle won. If they don't roost on you, but spend most of the day on you that is better than roosting on you and leaving all day.

Don't set up close to the roost but set up (hen decoy about 15-20 yards out) where you know the turkey strut from scouting. If you don't know where they strut but where they loaf mid day then set up near loafing area before they get there.

I rarely use any kind of locating calls (owl hoot, slamming car door etc). I use turkey call sparingly. If I can see the tom approaching, i don't call unless he seems to hold up.

 

[meatGrinder]

Taking my son out this weekend for youth season and neither of us have ever gone. We saw some hens on our lease during deer season so figured we would try and see if a Tom would show up and give me son a chance.

My question is do you guys show up at dark and start making owl calls or something else to locate the birds? Or wait until first light and call?

We have some decoys and calls just not sure the best approach.

In my experience, if they are there in the fall they move on to elsewhere in the spring.
I hope yall get one.

 

[spooncg33]

I believe they are Rio. Lease is in Logan county.

We have not been out there since deer season and my concern is the same as Grinder. We had a diff lease a few years ago around Macomb and saw several turkeys in the fall. Went out there in the spring and called in 3 coyotes and never heard a bird. I’m hopeful some of the turkeys from the fall are still around, but not holding my breath.

 

[T. MIKE SMITH]

Best deal I had was get there dark thirty- make a couple lite hen clucks and when you hear anything stop- they walk right up to you.

 

[Okie4570]

I believe they are Rio. Lease is in Logan county.

We have not been out there since deer season and my concern is the same as Grinder. We had a diff lease a few years ago around Macomb and saw several turkeys in the fall. Went out there in the spring and called in 3 coyotes and never heard a bird. I’m hopeful some of the turkeys from the fall are still around, but not holding my breath.

Rios do have more of a fall and spring specific range than an eastern. Wouldn't keep me from going though.

 

[Dorkus]

One thing no one told me when I started turkey hunting is shoot them in the lips. DO NOT take a body shot, you will likely lose the bird. I lost my first long beard with a body shot and found him dead a week later a few hundred yards away. Good luck.

 

[Dorkus]

One thing no one told me when I started turkey hunting is shoot them in the lips. DO NOT take a body shot, you will likely lose the bird. I lost my first long beard with a body shot and found him dead a week later a few hundred yards away. Good luck.

With a full or tighter choke.

 

[meatGrinder]

How did it go?