beginner to turkey hunting

[173Abn]

Want to start turkey hunting in May and need some help. What are good decoy to use and bad ones to watch out for. How many many should I get.. For the beginner what is the way to go for calls and yelpers. is there a learning dvd that shows what to do instead of watching someone else hunting. Any help you could give me will be most appreciated.

[Deerthug]

Welcome to the brotherhood! Spring Turkey hunting is the most exciting hunting there is.

There are so many decoys out there to choose from. In the spring I use a strutting B-mobile Tom and a two hens spaced around the Tom. If you can get some movement in the Tom that will bring in a hung up gobbler. I am in the process of building a decoy stake that can be moved with the use of a wireless remote control. Just some slow left or right movement will have them running into my setup (I hope )

As far as calls, box calls I think are the easiest to learn. As a beginner I would stay away from mouth diaphragm calls. Very difficult to learn but once you get the pitch right they work great and free up your hands. Do a search on youtube for "turkey calling". There are some good instructional videos on there.

There are only 120 days left before Spring Turkey. So if you go with the mouth calls start practicing a little everyday. Thats how i learned.

Good luck and have fun practicing.

[Pygmy]

You may or may not need decoys.They can be very helpful if you are hunting open areas such as field edges, but truckloads of turkeys have been shot by hunters simply sitting against a tree in the woods. If you want a decoy, I'd recommend starting with a single feeding hen, like the BoB N Head Hen, if they still make such a thing.

As far as calls go, I think the easiest call to learn to make realistic turkey talk with is a box call..There are many on the market, but the Lynch Foolproof is a classic...Some sound better than others, but I have never heard a Lynch FP that did not sound good enough to call a turkey..Don't worry about learning fancy calls at first...If you can yelp and cluck and sound like a turkey, you can call in birds..The CADENCE is more important than the pitch or tone...Learn to yelp like a hen turkey and you will call in gobblers.

I suspect that if you check google or whatever, you can find some basic instructional videos that will help you.

I learned 45 years ago from a 45 RPM record made by M L Lynch himself...Still got the record, as a matter of fact, but I don't have a turntable to play it on..<<sigh>>...

[G-Man]

Easyist call to learn is a box, or push box, then slate or pot call, i don't even use a mouth call. Learn where the turkeys roost, learn lay of the land and how to get close to a roosted bird quietly, with minimal/no use of a light. Calling is only 10% of turkey hunting, I've killed many birds just setting in a travel/feed area scratching leaves. Most importantly do not fall into the i have to sound perfect while calling(cadence is the only important thing), some of the worst callers out there are real hens!!!! Calling contests are not a good place to learn. see if you can find "America's wild turkey" on video from netflix or amazon. will teach life cycle of the bird and uses actual video of hens calling, toms , ect.

[Big Indian]

ditto on the Lynch box call, have had mine 20+ years, it does the job.... and BTW spring turkey hunting cant be beat it's friggen fun!

[dirt_a_KISS]

These guys on here are realy helpful people.with great knowledge who helped get me, my first bird last spring by using their tips!

[173Abn]

Want to start turkey hunting in May and need some help. What are good decoy to use and bad ones to watch out for. How many many should I get.. For the beginner what is the way to go for calls and yelpers. is there a learning dvd that shows what to do instead of watching someone else hunting. Any help you could give me will be most appreciated.

Thank you all. This helps to get going.

[josephmrtn]

ive tried box and mouth calls and found box to be way easier... all i have is a feeding hen decoy and i dont always use it... im more of a run an gun type guy

[fishuntrapper]

where are you located? i have some vids that would be helpful in getting you started. good luck.

[Uncle Nicky]

Just my $.02, but if you can hook up with someone who's experienced, you can cut the learning curve greatly. If you decide to be self-taught, my suggestion would be to keep it as simple as possible as first, stick with a box or slate call or push-pin call, get an-extra-full choke for your shotgun, and scout as much as possible before the season starts.

Good luck!

[Early]

I agree with Uncle Nicky: Hunt with an experienced hunter as often as you can; listen, observe and learn.

I agree also on the recommendation to use a box call, BUT I also suggest that you decide from day one to learn how to use a mouth call. Might take you 2-3 seasons to get where you are competent with one, but the longer you wait to try one...the longer it will be before you can add it to your call arsenal.

Last suggestion: Do NOT get caught up in the "I need a super shotgun...mega expensive choke...and very expensive designer ammo, all that will perform at long, long range to kill a turkey!" craze. I have killed a bunch of turkeys using old single barrel shotguns and standard ammo. It is the hunter that bags the turkey...not his equipment!

[PooperScooper]

I agree. You don't need fancy equipment. I started turkey hunting (before hunting anything else) because my FIL gave us an old 16 gauge single shot shotgun. I figured I'd find a use for it.

Got my first spring turkey last year, which I called in myself using a diaphragm call. I could get a gobbler's attention with a slate, but couldn't get him to commit to coming in. I learned by sitting with a friend as he called. It takes a bit of practice, (drives my dogs crazy!) but I imitated what I remembered him doing. It's a two way conversation. I learned how to get a bird increasingly riled up to keep him coming in, by listening to my friend do it. There's no substitute for that. If you can find someone to hunt with who can teach you, that's the best way imo. I knew I would do well with the diaphragm call when I inadvertently called a bird to the back of my house while practicing with the windows open. It's hilarious to me that it got me running to get the shotgun and opening windows.

Regarding decoys...I kept calling this same gobbler in and he'd get hung up in the same spot 3 days in a row. So I went to Wal-mart and grabbed two cheap inflatable hens and stuck them in front of my blind. Shot my first gobbler the first day I used them. Again, nothing fancy. I'm glad turkeys don't have expensive taste.

[josephmrtn]

where are you located? i have some vids that would be helpful in getting you started. good luck.

talkin to me?

[173Abn]

Right now we live in Newark, but moving to Honeoye. What are vids ?

[Rev Ev]

Just my $.02, but if you can hook up with someone who's experienced, you can cut the learning curve greatly. If you decide to be self-taught, my suggestion would be to keep it as simple as possible as first, stick with a box or slate call or push-pin call, get an-extra-full choke for your shotgun, and scout as much as possible before the season starts.

Good luck!

I gotta agree on this. Its how I learned to hunt turkeys. I would also add start looking for birds now. They are probably grouped up still and will start to disperse in a few months. It also doesn't mean that they will be there come May 1, but it will give you a starting point. I do double duty when I am out hunting: ie, when squirrel/waterfowl, I am always looking for other sign, turkey or coyotes, etc.

If you are really interested, I know down south the hunting is much better (IMHO) and the seasons start much earlier. Lower AL I think is end of Feb or close to it. I am going to NC for opening day first part of April. A 3 day hunt might run about $300, but it will get you some great experience very quickly, get you on birds and also give you a taste of weather or no you like it before you start investing in Turkey gear.

[josephmrtn]

i believe vids are videos and he has some instructional ones

[Five Seasons]

if you're new to hunting i'd avoid tom decoys all together. In my opinion they're better suited to good calling experienced hunters looking for the big bird. A Tom decoy can actually deter jakes and other tom's. I'd suggest a jake and hen and practice calling. then practice calling some more. primos makes a good dvd for turkey hunting that helped me out a lot.

comes with a free mouth call although i did not care for it

http://www.primos.co...eos/mta-turkey/

this is new. might be worth a shot too

http://www.primos.co...alls-made-easy/

i found the box call easiest to master. There's a good forum out there dedicated to turkeys but its national and you become overwhelemed and people are hunting different birds than us. i wont post it b/c that's probably against the rules.

but i went overboard bought a harrison hootin stick and crow locater calls. they're worthless. Bought a $75 pure gold choke for my 835 and a $100 mueller reflex. The reflex was worth it, but i'm not sure how much better the choke was then the stock. I do however recommend the hevi-13 shot and a good vest. Dont skimp on the vest. you'll be sitting on your but for a while and you should be comfy

Edited January 2, 2013 by Belo

[fishuntrapper]

{Right now we live in Newark, but moving to Honeoye. What are vids ?}

sorry, yes videos. i have some with basic instructions. if interested, contact me after you move.

[stubbz]

i agree with Belo's statement on tom decoys, they can hurt your hunt as quickly as help it but depends on what your going for.

i also agree with some others that mentioned you do not need to use high end chokes and hevi shot rounds which are stupid expensive. i shoot a 20 gauge for turkey with a extra full choke and normal 3inch remington rounds. dropped my 25lbder at about 25yards last year right where he stood. all i had out was 2 small cheap 10 dollar hen decoys. a vest is nice for guys who like to be on the move but not needed. my goal for this year is to get one with the bow without using a blind at all. shotgun will stay home in may this year.

[Five Seasons]

i also agree with some others that mentioned you do not need to use high end chokes and hevi shot rounds which are stupid expensive. i shoot a 20 gauge for turkey with a extra full choke and normal 3inch remington rounds. dropped my 25lbder at about 25yards last year right where he stood. all i had out was 2 small cheap 10 dollar hen decoys. a vest is nice for guys who like to be on the move but not needed. my goal for this year is to get one with the bow without using a blind at all. shotgun will stay home in may this year.

couldnt agree more. I think as hunters of any game we get sucked into the latest and greatest. scentlok, under armor, faster bows and straighter arrows. I think any beginner should stick to the basics. If you become hooked on turkey hunting (i sure did) then upgrade later on. Nice thing about hevi13 is you can safely shoot out to 50yds.

[stubbz]

i agree and it is very easy to get hooked on turkey hunting and any form of hunting for that matter, got some scentlok and so on myself but find that i like having to get the birds in within 30 yards with normal shot shells or with a bow but its why i love bow hunting so much more than any kind of gun, much more challengine, up close and personal, no better feelin thn taking an animal at close range cuz not getting busted is the hardest part.

[josephmrtn]

Turkey hunting is more fun than deer i think cause its so much harder!!! almost like bowhunting for deer...

[adkbuck]

I personally think slate calls are the best because you can easily make a very wide variety of turkey sounds with them. Yelps, clucks, purrs, cutting and even kee kee runs if you practice a bit. Turkey have a very poor sense of smell (if any) but their eye sight is extremely keen. I really recommend an extra full or turkey choke because turkeys, especially mature gobblers, are not that easy to kill and you need to be sure to get as many pellets in the head and neck region as possible to make a clean kill and anchor the bird. Never shoot at a turkey unless you have a clear shot at his head. If he is strutting with his head tucked intp his body be sure to wait until his head is fullly extended and if necessary make a clucking or yelping sound with your own voice to get him to extend his head up for the shot. A turkey choke will result in a much more palatable bird as you will have less shot in the meat of the bird. I have cleanly shot some birds that have not had a single pellet in the breast or back. They are a pleasure to eat. I typically pluck my spring birds and roast them whole. Save the drumsticks for the soup as they are tough until stewed. I also recommend having a a front and rear sight (Truglo make a great sight, I have the version that goes on ribbed barrels) or a scope on your turkey gun as you want to make sure you are dead nuts on when you pull the trigger. Spring turkey hunting is thrill. When you hear that big tom booming out a gobble in the spring woods as he closes in on your set-up...its really something! One of the greatest experiences in hunting!

Edited January 9, 2013 by adkbuck

[josephmrtn]

I personally think slate calls are the best because you can easily make a very wide variety of turkey sounds with them. Yelps, clucks, purrs, cutting and even kee kee runs if you practice a bit. Turkey have a very poor sense of smell (if any) but their eye sight is extremely keen. I really recommend an extra full or turkey choke because turkeys, especially mature gobblers, are not that easy to kill and you need to be sure to get as many pellets in the head and neck region as possible to make a clean kill and anchor the bird. Never shoot at a turkey unless you have a clear shot at his head. If he is strutting with his head tucked intp his body be sure to wait until his head is fullly extended and if necessary make a clucking or yelping sound with your own voice to get him to extend his head up for the shot. A turkey choke will result in a much more palatable bird as you will have less shot in the meat of the bird. I have cleanly shot some birds that have not had a single pellet in the breast or back. They are a pleasure to eat. I typically pluck my spring birds and roast them whole. Save the drumsticks for the soup as they are tough until stewed. I also recommend having a a front and rear sight (Truglo make a great sight, I have the version that goes on ribbed barrels) or a scope on your turkey gun as you want to make sure you are dead nuts on when you pull the trigger. Spring turkey hunting is thrill. When you hear that big tom booming out a gobble in the spring woods as he closes in on your set-up...it really something!

My buddies dad calls em a cross between a telescope and a satelite dish.... LOL i agree w him tho.... I use the XX-Full Mossberg choke in my mossberg 930... wiggle ur butt around a bit or whistle, his head will go up fast and you will have about 1 sec to shoot... i have that one also and like it... I TOTALY AGREE!!!!!!

[stubbz]

Turkey hunting is more fun than deer i think cause its so much harder!!! almost like bowhunting for deer...

try bow huntin for turkey thats where its at, but can be dissapointing very easily cuz it is so hard (not using a blind). i clipped one in the leg this fall but have not tried or seen a turkey when i tried in the spring to get one to come in to calls or anything, i wouldnt say its so much harder tho especially not with a gun. may 1st last year i got a 25lbder thats pretty much a trophy for a turkey to me and most others. deer huntin is a completely different game its way more luck than anything, sure scoutin puts you in the right spot but deer dont really tend to reel right in like ya can with turkeys but sometimes it does work, 8 for 10 tho its just being in the right spot when they walk on by.