Cardinal Sin of Turkey Hunting

[jalhunt]

I went out friday with a friend of mine who had done some serious scouting and found a spot where he repeatedly saw turkeys. We went there early friday morning but after a few hours of waiting and the cattle coming up on us we decided to head to a different spot to give it a go. We sat here for quite awhile. It was quiet the entire time. At about 1230 we decided to take a walk to check out the rest of the area and look for turkey tracks. We found plenty. We decided to pack it in for the day. On our way back we were busted by a tom. He was on the trail heading down to a field near us. We tried to quietly move on around to get in a good position to let him move out of the brush and give us a shot but he flew away. I was watching sportsman channel and there was a guy hunting and he said the number one rule of turkey hunting....Dont walk around. I know better next time now.... : : :

 

[MJB]

Good luck!


I don't know about that but you do need to move REALY SLOW and glass/listen.

 

[Sdbirds]

That will happen

 

[Matagi]

Always happen, my rule of thumb is to give it 15 min after you decide to move. I busted two hens and a jake today for not listening to my own rule.

 

[Snake Charmer]

I agree, just wait a bit longer than you want to and if the shot you are presented is marginal let them go, This time of year they tend to wander around and could very well come back through again in just a few minutes if they don't get spooked.

 

[Bonejour]

I always feel dumb when I bust them, but in those cases I'm really the one getting busted. Today as I was still-hunting, it struck me how unnatural it is for me to step, and then pause (still hunt). I get it in my head that I should be moving toward point B or whatever.
I'm learning to listen a lot better, move a lot more slowly and prepare my senses before I get up to move. While I'm waiting to get up, I'm listening more attentively.
But around 9am if I'm not hearing anything, I figure at least I should change something; maybe walk to the ridge and try a locator call. If you read a lot of the threads here, the hunters have to move sometimes to locate the gobblers. Anyway, that's the way it seems to me. I'm still a novice.


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[jalhunt]

I totally agree that you need to move sometimes but I guess I just need to do it a lot more slowly and a lot more quietly. This was my first turkey hunt ever so I was grateful to even see a turkey. I had heard turkey where we were two years ago and I have had the itch since then.

 

[Matagi]

One of the biggest gobbler hanger is calling continuously from one place. During the day if a hen is yelping looking for her tom, she's calling in every and all direction trying to locate the tom. One of my favorite tactic is to get on high ground and move slowly calling every now and then. Once you get a response walk away from the gobbler. That will tend to drive in crazy and make him come in closer. If you're hunting with some one else, leave the shooter where you got the gobble and walk back calling every now and then.

I like to call into hillsides and wooded areas to deflect my calls if I'm alone and trying to get that gobbler to come in. It has definitely put weary birds in the back of truck many times. Also break up your yelps/cutts when locating a bird.

 

[jalhunt]

Thanks Matagi. I appreciate the help.

 

[d16ridgehiker]

Love this topic. I finally went on my first turkey hunt ever last Saturday. Heard some yelps early on private property next to where i was hunting. Got a little more down in a valley, did some calling and heard nothing and left the spot too quickly. 2 or 3 minutes out I heard some gobbles back where I just left from, started heading back and heard several shotgun blasts right after that coming from the property. Lesson learned, should have stayed and hung in there a little longer.