Wild Turkey Hunting, Yelps, purrs and decoys

Can you smell it? All across the country hunters are patterning their shotguns, checking their decoys and are driving the wife and kids crazy by constantly listening to their audio cd’s while practicing to get the tones and cadence of their favorite calls. Spring Turkey season is in full swing! Bad calling technique and decoys that couldn’t fool Wyle E. Coyote can do more harm than good on a hunt so you better get started now to have it all down pat before that first gobble is heard just before dawn on opening day. The Wild Turkey’s proclivity to let you know where he is gives the shrewd hunter an occasional advantage, but only if he or she knows what to do next.

Calling a Turkey to bring him closer to you, or coaxing him to give away his position is probably the most enjoyable method of Turkey hunting, and since this incredible bird is gifted with incredible eyesight, calling the Turkey is probably the best way to get into position for a shot. Combine this with proper decoy management and you have a great chance of harvesting a nice Tom. Remember, it only takes one bird to let you know what direction he is, and then you will have to judge the distance for yourself. When the birds are silent it can seem as if you are all alone in the woods as they can go completely quiet when alarmed.

Turkey’s breed primarily in the spring months of April and May, during this period they can become extremely vocal and learning the differences in each sound can tell whether your quarry is a Tom, Jake or possibly even a hen. One of the first things I was taught when using my calls was what type of sound to imitate to elicit the desired effect. Sitting in the dark an hour or so before dawn during Turkey season is very exciting and when the sound of a mature Tom breaks though the darkness it will be something you won’t ever forget!

Turkey’s can be located using a variety of calls; you can imitate a hen, or the unmistakable call of a big Gobbler or even those sounds such as crow and owls. The sounds of thunder have also been known to cause a Wild Turkey to give away his position. These locator calls are a hit and miss situation and usually work best in areas that you know Turkeys have been seen in sufficient numbers. Locator calls are used to identify position not to bring birds in.

With so many calls on the market, its hard to figure out what might work best for you, but the bottom line is know how to properly use the call before taking it into the field. I prefer the box call as it is easy for me to use since my attempts to use a mouth or diaphragm Turkey call have similar results to Roseanne Barr singing the national anthem. However, the diaphragm calls give the hunter who can properly use them, are great bit of versatility. The problem with a box call is that there is motion involved and the hunter will need to put down the call in order to lift his shotgun.

Turkeys make a number of different sounds depending on what they are doing at the time; it can range from a series of purrs, clucks, yelps or a combination of sounds. Remember on windy days your sound will be limiting in the distance it projects and trying to hard to increase volume might through off the proper sound. Cadence is also of great importance and it’s usually a good practice for novice hunters to merely try to match the sounds of birds they can hear. Combine this with some life-like decoys set out at a know distance such as 20yds and you are just about ready. In some areas, the use of decoys may actually hamper your hunt as the birds have been pressured greatly and are wise to the decoys. But all in all, 1-3 decoys depending on the circumstance should suffice, and by the end of the day you may have an incredible dinner that the whole family will enjoy and a great story to tell around the table.

How to call a Wild Turkey

No, “hey bartender” is not the correct answer to this question, but the actual answer to this question is really based on what you are trying to accomplish with the call. At its base, calling a gobbler in is the most rewarding part of the hunt with the exception of sitting around the table with all the family enjoying the harvested bird. It is also the most tried and true method among Turkey hunters and one in which skill with a turkey call becomes a vital part of the hunt.

 

Before we get into the types of calls used and the circumstances surrounding the use of the call, it is important to understand that calling poorly can be as detrimental to a hunt as walking through the field with your radio blasting an anthology of Van Halen tunes. The most adept of turkey hunters can easily move through the woods and take their share of Gobblers without the use of a call, so in addition to being proficient with the call, the hunter must all have an understanding of Wild Turkey habits and be a skilled woodsman as well.

 

The first part of Turkey hunting is finding the birds, and as so many of us begin our turkey hunting careers by sitting in a blind at some ungodly hour, we will start our discussion with locator calls. Locator calls are used to draw a response from a bird, thereby giving away his position, without alerting him to yours. Turkeys are known to respond to loud noises such as thunder or the noises made by other animals. I was once sitting in a blind in the dark on the edge of a southern Wisconsin field when a coyote began to howl. About a second or two later it seemed like the entire woods had become the Turkey boy choir as Tom’s began gobbling from every direction. Many calls on the market today are made to simulate other animals, such as crows, and owls, and even thunder has been know to cause the Turkey to respond. Wild Turkeys can hear your call a long way off and it’s important to keep your calls short, keep very quiet and immediately listen for even the faintest response. The response to this type of call is referred to as a “shock gobble” as it is a fear reflex.

 

 

 

 

I have had very good success the night before a hunt using an owl locator call and standing in an area where I have previously seen Turkeys late in the afternoon. If I can pinpoint a direction and distance to a response, I can set up a blind in an area that I feel the turkeys will fly down to or will want to pass during their morning habits. I my predictions are correct I can usually then wait for them to come or use another type of call to bring them into range.

 

Turkey Calls that are intended draw the little beasties into range may be in the form of what is called a friction call or a mouth call. Both are capable of simulating the various yelps, clucks purrs and putts that Turkeys use to communicate with one another. Friction calls are probably easier to use but both have their advantages or detractions. I have found that since I am probably the most tone deaf person around the box call works the best for me; however it requires a bit more movement in its use and then placing it down when a bird moves in. It is quite simple to use although some practice is required to properly make the variety of sounds used in various situations. There are numerous other types of friction turkey calls such as the slate and peg call and the push pull box. At some point it becomes a matter of preference and proficiency.

 

 

 

 

Diaphragm calls are another extremely popular call and are considered the most versatile of all Turkey calls. These types of calls are merely reeds strung across a frame shaped in a “U” and then placed in the mouth. Many hunters prefer this call as it is small, relatively inexpensive and can be used on an approaching bird with no visible movement. The only disadvantage for this type of Turkey call is it could be difficult to learn to use properly.  Many Diaphragm calls on the market today come with a CD that demonstrates the various sounds, which makes its mastery quite a bit easier.

 

Although there are many other types of excellent Turkey calls on the market, these are by far the most popular. I would suggest practice with these types of calls to get a good knowledge of not only what the sounds should be like, but also when to use them.  Again, a poor call can ruin a Wild Turkey Hunting experience.  It’s also important not to practice calling in those areas you or others wish to hunt as once again, poor calling and overcalling can have a negative effect.

Great Tips about Turkey Blinds and Decoys

Although using blinds and decoys are not essential in pursuit for the majority of turkey hunting, they do provide an incredible edge when used properly and in the right situations. They can in some instances be the added factor that will make a hunt successful and in other occasions be the factor that keeps a wary gobbler from coming into range. A blind is designed to conceal motion and is a great piece of equipment for those who plan on Turkey Hunting by sitting in one spot for prolonged periods of time.  It is also a great tool when teaching youngsters about turkey hunting or for those who may a bit fidgety or have trouble sitting still.

 

 

 

A Turkey blind need not be an elaborate piece of high tech equipment with all the bells and whistles of deer blinds.  It should be noted that if your blind is to do double duty as a blind in which you will be hunting animals with exceptional sense of smell such as deer or wild boar, you may want to consider upgrading to a blind that contains some manner of scent protection.  There are many wonderful blinds sold in all the best sporting goods stores and you need only think about where you will be doing a lot of your hunting to decide which may be best for you.  Take into consideration if you hunt alone, the ease of which you can maneuver your shotgun and the profile of the blind.  Also make sure that you have enough view to sides as it happens so often that as you are watching a Jake stroll in from the front, that a 4 year old gobbler is standing 15 yards to your side.  The Blind that I shot my first Wild Turkey from was merely a collection of branches and twigs laid out under a large tree, two feet inside from the edge of a large field.  The tree was big enough to provide support for myself and my friend who was calling for me, and had enough break up cover behind us for added camouflage.

 

The previously mentioned Turkey Blind is quite often constructed the evening before a hunt after gaining a good idea of where the birds might be roosting for the evening. This is accomplished by either visually seeing the birds entering the woods towards dusk or using Wild Turkey calls to try and elicit a response from an edgy gobbler, and then constructing some manner of Turkey Blind in a position that you feel the Birds will either fly down to, or need to travel in the course of their morning habits. When constructing this type of natural Wild Turkey blind you may also want to pace off about 20 yards in order to get a good idea of distance for when the birds come in. Do not forget to check any possible shooting lanes for obstructions, so bring along a pair of gardening shears to remove any small branches or weeds that may cost you a shot. You also need to make sure you mark the area in some way so you can find your Turkey blind easily and not tip off your presence.

 

 

 

In regards to the Wild Turkey Decoy, at the beginning stages of my Turkey hunting career I was  probably a bit too dependant on the use of decoys as I had little confidence in my own abilities. As time progressed and I understood how to hunt wild turkeys, I became less dependant on the decoys, and more on my understanding of how Wild Turkeys in various areas and hunting pressure may react.  It is important to understand why to use a decoy. Depending upon the terrain and your ability to call a turkey in, the gobbler may not come within range if he cannot identify a hen or other bird as the source of the call. If he can identify the bird making the sounds he may be more apt to come into range and begin his display. In some areas, as was the case during a few Missouri Turkey hunting trips, the birds are so heavily hunted that use of a decoy can be about as detrimental to your hunt as bad calling. When properly used the Turkey decoy can not only lure birds within range but keep them in the area longer, increasing the chances of a big gobbler strolling in. The key again is to know what a Wild Turkey is looking for at what time of the year. One fall Turkey hunting trip near Eau Claire, Wisconsin, a friend and I sat in a small blind we had picked up at Gander Mountain that day and enjoyed a hot cup of coffee while several hens meandered around our other decoys and even took turns napping for about an hour.

 

Finally, when determining what type of decoy to purchase, your local sporting goods store can be a great source of information, but keep in mind what a Wild Turkey is best at, seeing motion, so in addition to buying a life like Turkey decoy, also try and find one that may have some natural motion when there is a bit of breeze or can be made to move by some other influence. Remember, that you will be carrying these decoys into the woods and perhaps for several miles so weight and ease of carrying should enter into your decision as well. There ya have it! Enough information to get you started on using blinds and decoys for this years Wild Turkey hunting experience.

 

 

Spring Turkey is almost Here!

Spring Turkey hunting is just around the corner and in many states in the country there is a lottery drawing to determine who will receive the limited number of permits that will be available for specific areas. It is important for all you wild turkey hunters to decide if you want to put your name in for the drawing, but also to decide on what particular zones, (if your state uses zoning for permits) you wish to hunt. If you are on good terms with land owners of prime wild turkey habitat, you may want to check with them first to see if others have already requested hunting time on the in-demand area.

 

This is also a good time to get in touch with your state DNR (Department of Natural Resources) to ask questions as to what public lands you may be allowed to hunt on and what the Wild Turkey harvest has been in previous years. Some states have quotas as to the number of hunters and time periods that prime wildlife areas can be accessed for hunting, such as Florida, however there is enough public land to at least have a shot at taking one of these magnificent birds.  Hunting public land for the elusive Wild Turkey may have its added challenges, but just being out there at first light and hearing a gobbler calling is worth the effort. We encourage you to post your thoughts on accessible public land in your area or state, after all, not everyone has access to private land.