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tips for the beginner?

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tips for the beginner?

Postby Trophyhill » 04 16, 2015 •  [Post 1]

So I've only been turkey hunting once a long time ago with a shotgun without any luck. I'm ready to try again. I have the basics. Camo gear, pack, camera, bow, primos box call, HS Strut box call and Quaker Boy diaphragms. Will be hunting the Rockies in South Central NM with good chance of wind this time of year. What types of areas should I key in on? Thanks
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Re: tips for the beginner?

Postby CurlyTail » 04 17, 2015 •  [Post 2]

Not much different than elk hunting. First , you have to find the birds. You locate them by listening for gobbles in the evening and early morning before sunup. Sometimes you can locate them by a "shock gobble" - usually an owl hoot, a turkey gobble, or any loud abrupt noise like a car door slamming, a gunshot, a hawk scream, or a crow call. Frequently , there are established "roost" trees or ridges that the Turkeys favor. If you can locate a roost area, then you can set up as close as you dare with out being seen and call upon fly down and attract a Tom. Call very sparingly when the turkeys are still in the tree -just enough so they know you are there, then shut it down. Can also set up close to the roost area late afternoon as birds return to the area. Toms tend to be more vocal and responsive in the morning compared to the evening. Toms sound off on the roost in the evening after sunset and can often be located the evening before, then hunted the following morning. Turkeys frequently follow a daily pattern of fly down, mess around the roost for a half hour, then wander off feeding and nesting often towards a food source, then working back to the roost area in the afternoon where they loaf around until fly up around sunset. If you see them in an area one day, it is likely they will be at the same spot at the same time the next day (this is a big generalization of course). Sometimes you can pattern them.

Turkeys are vigilant and wild but not smart. They are particularly quick to pick up any movement, but not afraid of anything not moving - including a big blind in the middle of a field. They do not use scent. They prefer to run away rather than fly. If you get into a flock of Turkeys and a hen detects you - dont freak out, just stay motionless, and they usually settle down and wander off, rather than scattering the flock by moving when you are busted. Most archery hunters use blinds. You can hunt them without a blind - and it is way more fun - but your chance of success does diminish considerably. I personally prefer shotgun for Turkey hunting so I can move around, chase gobbles, stalk closer and still be successful.

Use of a strutting Tom decoy will make you look like the worlds greatest caller. All you have to do is get that decoy within sight of another mature Tom, and they will usually come over to try and kick his butt. Then you shoot him. Hen decoys are overrated and of course they work sometimes but sometimes spook the birds and often cause a Tom to hang up out of range. I no longer use a hen decoy by itself. I have better success with no decoy than a solo hen or flock of hens.

Turkey hunting in the mountains is quite a challenge as the Turkey density is not great, and the room to roam is immense. Turkey calling is pretty simple - cadence and timing is more important than exact tone. Plain old yelping is all you really need, the flydown cackles, purring, cutting etc. are fun to mess with but not truly necessary. Hard to beat a good Box Call. I recommend the Woodswise "real hen" box call. Cant get more realistic or louder than that. The closer the Tom gets, call less and softer. Go completly quiet when they are close. Usually I attact them to an area with the call, then finish them with the decoy.

Best of Luck. Turkey hunting can be a blast.
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Re: tips for the beginner?

Postby Trophyhill » 04 18, 2015 •  [Post 3]

Thanks for the response CurlyTail! I'm heading out this morning. You mention cadence. My buddy told me something he has noticed is real turkeys will do a couple sets at a time. The mature hens starting low in volume then elevating volume and back down again in each "set".
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Re: tips for the beginner?

Postby Trophyhill » 04 18, 2015 •  [Post 4]

Well the wind howled all day today. There wasn't 1 canyon or draw in the Manzano mountain's I could escape the wind. I did see something unexpected though. I saw 2 bulls with about 8" of velvet on each side. The reason it was unexpected is because there aren't supposed to be any elk in the mountains east of Albuquerque. Pleasant surprise!
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Re: tips for the beginner?

Postby CurlyTail » 04 22, 2015 •  [Post 5]

Cool sighting. I am jealous. Nothing worse than a windy day for Turkey Hunting - you can't hear them, they can't hear you, and it is unnatural for a hen turkey to be vocal when windy. Still good to get out. I wouldn't get to worried about exactly how you make those hen calls. Seems to me hard to spook them with bad calling. Sometimes it is just like elk - they are only responsive if you are close, within 150 yards or so. Other days, they come running from a mile away. Those days are days without wind and they have lost the hens who are sitting the nest. Just keep after em!
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