Any turkey dog hunters on here?

[alloutdoors]

Although I've killed a few fall birds here and there I've never gotten into it as seriously as I have spring hunting, but that is something I would like to change. At some point in the future I would like to get a dog but I currently have an old beagle who has earned the right to not have to put up with a young puppy in the house during his old age, so it will be a few years before that happens. In the mean time I was hoping I might be able to get together with someone who hunts a turkey dog(s) and maybe learn a few things. I'd be happy to trade some spring hunting in return, or I could just come along as an observer. I'm located in Schoharie but I would be willing to do some traveling.

[Pygmy]

I have been dogless for the last few years, due to social ( as in marital) issues.

I never kept or trained a dog specificically for turkeys, but I used my springers and labs a number of times over the years for that purpose.

I never had a dog that was trained steady enough to sit still( or be bagged) while I called a scattered bird to the gun. I always had to take the dogs home after the flush and come back to call up the birds. One time after a flush, by the time I had taken the dogs home and returned (less than an hour), my partners had called up and killed 3 birds. It is a great way to get a good flush in the fall, and would be a wonderful way to hunt if you had a properly trained dog.

[VT Outfitter]

I have never used a turkey dog before. That sounds fun though. I hunt turkeys in the fall with a steady walking pace through the turkey woods looking for fresh turkey sign. When I find a flock of birds, I try to break up the flock so that birds go in just about every direction in can make them go. Then I sit with a good cover up camo suit and call them back in. With good concealment and nothing shiny to spook them, I have had young birds within  a few feet of me, very exciting. Good luck this season!