Some Turkey hunting questions....

[ApexerER]

I have only hunted Turkey a couple of times and have never been successful. I have never taken it very seriously. Usually there is more in May that I am interested in doing....Not this year, I am all in and I am going to try like heck to get my first bird.

Shotgun- I bought a new shotgun. A Beretta A300 Turkey Edition. I bought 3" Winchester Long Beards and 3" TSS's. When I checked the pattern at 35 yards the long beards patterned better than the TSS shells but from everything I have heard the TSS shells are the shells you want too use. Both would have killed Turkey but there were more concentrated pellets with the long beards. They were also a lot cheaper. Which shells should I use? Is it true you can shoot to 60yds with the TSS shells? What should my range be? Obviously closer is better but I don't want to be unknowingly taking hail mary shots. I plan on bringing my range finder....

Decoys- I purchased some foam decoys at Runnings. They are both hens. My buddy that turkey hunts a lot told me those decoys might work but he would get some better ones. So I picked up two more (I believe they are called thunderchicken) that are more realistic looking (and cost 3x as much). I got a feeding hen and a hen with her head upright. Would you use just the two better decoys? Would you use all 4? Should I get a Jake decoy? How far apart and how far from the blind do I set the decoys?

Blind- I have never hunted out of a blind. I recently got permission to hunt on a farm near my house. When I went to check out the land there were 5 hens and two strutters in the back field. This farm is pretty much all field with hedge rows. It goes to woods where their property ends. I set up a blind in the very back corner about 30 yds from where the Turkeys entered the woods when I ran them out of the field. When you hunt out of a blind, do you wear black or camo? Do you open all the windows or just the front window? My thought is black would be better in the blind but if I wear camo and have to change my game plan and move to a hedge row I would be able to be concealed. Give me some blind hunting tips....

Calls- I ordered a lynch box call and a lynch mouthpiece call. I have been practicing with both and feel I actually sound pretty decent especially with the box call. I also have one of those primos calls you can mount to the gun. I feel like that call sounds terrible. Do I have any need for another call?

Jake-Tom - I am not going to be upset if I take a Jake for my first bird but...….If I get lucky and a bird happens to come in very early on the first day, if I know it is a jake, I may decide to pass and keep my tags since there isn't anything else to do during quarantine. So how do I tell if the bird is a Jake? If there is more than one I would obviously want the bigger one....

Edited April 23, 2020 by ApexerER

[airedale]

Can't offer a whole lot of advice as I am not much of a Turkey hunter myself and have only connected a few times but I like your enthusiasm and sounds to me you are on the right track, wish you success.

Al

[virgil]

The easiest way to identify a jake is the short, stubby beard.

[Water Rat]

14 minutes ago, virgil said:

The easiest way to identify a jake is the short, stubby beard.

and the tail feathers will be uneven when he struts.

[G-Man]

Shoot the long beards, what works in others doesnt mean it works in yours. ,

I'm not a big fan or user of decoys  I bought 12 or so in 30 plus years of hunting and used them a few times , scared more than brought in but I hunt in woods not field. 

I'd open windows where you expect your shots in front and partial to left and right.. camo or black slow movement is still required.

Jake's tipiacally have short beards but a tail fan will tell you for sure when in strut a Tom's fan will have all even edges where a Jake will have the center portion taller , ad it ages the shorter feathers are replace from middle outward.. so an older jake will have more taller feathers in middle but will still be shorter on outside of fan

As for calls I love a good slate and feel it out performs many others as box, push pin ,and mouth are heavily used by hunters.. they are not hard to use and make the largest variety of calls , a simple striker  change and you have a whole new tone and call. , they can ne made loud or soft. The issue is in learning when to move to use them, a blind would help this a lot I usually have it on lower leg with other knee up to block the movements. 

Knowing the terrain is more important than calling imo of you have a fence between you and the bird calling to you is 100x harder than if you know where the gap the cross is in. Settig up on edge of rise where you expect bird to pop up its head in range is better than trying to call it 50 yards further to the flat.. 

Edited April 23, 2020 by G-Man

[2012_taco]

Everything G-man said. Plus don't over call!! We practice calling so much before the season that I think we want to hear ourselves call when we hunt. Best if you hear birds, try mimicking what and how they are talking. If you can get a dominate hen cranked up she might come by to run you off and bring a gobble with her in tow. General rule is if you can see the bird don't call, their hearing is soo good that it will pick you off.

Decoys are a total other subject!! I like to set up a hen with a Jake decoy close by, but I only use them when I hunt field edges, as they can be easily spotted by a gobbler. And I don't want to carry all that extra crap when I'm running and gunning. 

Blind hunting is nice because it hides your movement, you'll need a chair that is quiet and comfy, and high enough to see out the windows. Folding lawn chairs don't work. IMO

Good luck and enjoy the spring season, I'm sure once you get a bird to gobble to your calls you'll be hooked!

Remember the hardest part of turkey hunting is putting 2 feet on the floor!

 

[Water Rat]

It looks like you did your homework ApexerER. There are many good turkey hunters on this site who can give you some advice on the questions you asked. Experience will be your best teacher. This is what works for me:

Tip # 1) Wear full camo including a full face mask. Sometimes the sun can reflect off your glasses ( if you wear them ) and spook off the turkey.

       #2 ) I don't use a blind because I like to be able to get up and move if I have to. I normally sit up against a tree that's a least the width of my back. Bring a camo seat cushion.

       #3 ) Closer is not better when it comes to taking the shot. You want the pattern to work in your favor. Believe me when I tell you that you can miss them at 10 feet. I like to shoot them at around 25 yards or so.

       #4 )  I always bring at least 1 decoy. Sometimes I'll use them depending on the circumstances. I hide them behind the tree when not in use. Use a decoy bag for safety.

       #5 ) I usually only use a Lynch box call and a diaphragm.

        #6 )…...and most importantly DON'T MOVE. Their eyesight is incredible. Raise your gun when they can't see you. Wait for them to go behind a tree or if he struts with his back to you. You might have a few pairs of eyeballs watching you. Sit to one side of the decoys can help. Here's were your blind comes in handy. Oh....don't forget that their sneaky MF's. They can appear from any direction without making a sound. The list goes on and on.

There is nothing like working a gobbler into gun range while he's strutting and gobbling. My heart pounds so loud in my chest I think they can hear it. My mouth goes dry to the point that I can barely work the diaphragm. I always have to bring water with me. I guarantee you'll be hooked for life when you get your first spring gobbler. I can't wait to see your first turkey and you will get one this spring because your doing your homework. Best of luck ! 

[CharlieNY]

Here is my advice to you. I hope it helps you out.

1. You did the right thing by patterning your shotgun. This is essential. If the long beards give you a tighter pattern, then go with them. Price of the shells should not be the determining factor I would personally never shoot at a bird at 60 yds. unless I patterned my gun at that range and had a good pattern. I never shoot past 40 yds. regardless.

2. Quality decoys do make a difference. Less is better than too many. I would go with the 2 better decoys and would add a quality jake decoy.. Set the decoys close together and no more than 15 yds. from the blind. 

3. Blinds are a great asset. If the inside of your blind is black, then wear black to blend in. If you plan on leaving the blind to run and gun, camo is the way to go. I open the windows right after I set my decoys. You   do not want to try to open them when a bird is coming in. You will be picked off.

4. You have some good calls and there is no need to buy any more calls. Practice with a youtube video on using your calls. There is no substitute for practice.

5. A jake will have a real short beard which will only be a few inches long. If the jake fans out, the feathers will not all be the same length. The feathers in the middle of the fan will be longer than the other feathers.

Lastly, and most importantly, be PATIENT. Don't get discouraged if you don't hear or see a bird. Many birds come in silently and many are taken later in the morning. I hope this helps you out and good luck to you.

valoroutdoors.com

Edited April 23, 2020 by CharlieNY
Add

[ATbuckhunter]

The Longbeards do tend to pattern more tightly due to the resin they use to keep it together. Its good if you take longer shots, but if they come close you can easyly miss a bird actually. I would suggest the TSS, but both will work well for you. TSS is very heavy so it should have the penetration out to 60 or even more, but as you already know thats not advisable. Most would say you should limit yourself to 40 yards in the woods, but since you are in a field you can easily stratch it to 50. Take a shot at 60 yards and see how it patterns. if you have more than 8 or so pellets in the head and neck area, then you're good at that range. People will disagree, but I say why not IF your load is capable of it.

I never had much luck with decoys. My best strategy has been running and gunning with out them. They are a love hate thing...you love them when they work and hate them when they spook a gobbler. Pygmy knows some pretty good decoy strategys.

Only open the windows you expect the birds to come from. Keep the other ones closed.  If the blind has shoot through mesh, i suggest using it. Black is better, but I dont think it makes as big of a difference as people say. I always wear camo in mine, and never busted a turkey while moving around.

You don't need another call for now, just get good with that one. Later on you should probably get another callb but to be honest I only use one call everytime too.

A jake will have a small beard (up to 6") and the middle feathers of the tail fan will be noticably larger than the others. Some people say they can tell the difference between jake gobbles, but I honestly can't. The toms have longbeards which you will easily see. 

Edited April 23, 2020 by ATbuckhunter

[ApexerER]

1 hour ago, blackbeltbill said:

You can't go Wrong with a Lynch Box!! Both the Foolproof + the World Champion are field proven. I have the World Champion. Called up that Jake with it on 4/20.      Nothing wrong at all with Taking a Jake.  Don't let him walk especially if you have no Birds to your Credit yet.

I got the world champion because my buddy has the foolproof. Figured a different one might be better if we hunt together....

[ApexerER]

1 hour ago, ATbuckhunter said:

The Longbeards do tend to pattern more tightly due to the resin they use to keep it together. Its good if you take longer shots, but if they come close you can easyly miss a bird actually. I would suggest the TSS, but both will work well for you. TSS is very heavy so it should have the penetration out to 60 or even more, but as you already know thats not advisable. Most would say you should limit yourself to 40 yards in the woods, but since you are in a field you can easily stratch it to 50. Take a shot at 60 yards and see how it patterns. if you have more than 8 or so pellets in the head and neck area, then you're good at that range. People will disagree, but I say why not IF your load is capable of it.

I never had much luck with decoys. My best strategy has been running and gunning with out them. They are a love hate thing...you love them when they work and hate them when they spook a gobbler. Pygmy knows some pretty good decoy strategys.

Only open the windows you expect the birds to come from. Keep the other ones closed.  If the blind has shoot through mesh, i suggest using it. Black is better, but I dont think it makes as big of a difference as people say. I always wear camo in mine, and never busted a turkey while moving around.

You don't need another call for now, just get good with that one. Later on you should probably get another callb but to be honest I only use one call everytime too.

A jake will have a small beard (up to 6") and the middle feathers of the tail fan will be noticably larger than the others. Some people say they can tell the difference between jake gobbles, but I honestly can't. The toms have longbeards which you will easily see. 

The blind does have shoot through mesh....I took it down. I will put it back the first morning I am in it!...Will I be able to get away without a mask and some movement with the mesh up?

Edited April 23, 2020 by ApexerER

[ApexerER]

1 hour ago, ATbuckhunter said:

The Longbeards do tend to pattern more tightly due to the resin they use to keep it together. Its good if you take longer shots, but if they come close you can easyly miss a bird actually. I would suggest the TSS, but both will work well for you. TSS is very heavy so it should have the penetration out to 60 or even more, but as you already know thats not advisable. Most would say you should limit yourself to 40 yards in the woods, but since you are in a field you can easily stratch it to 50. Take a shot at 60 yards and see how it patterns. if you have more than 8 or so pellets in the head and neck area, then you're good at that range. People will disagree, but I say why not IF your load is capable of it.

I never had much luck with decoys. My best strategy has been running and gunning with out them. They are a love hate thing...you love them when they work and hate them when they spook a gobbler. Pygmy knows some pretty good decoy strategys.

Only open the windows you expect the birds to come from. Keep the other ones closed.  If the blind has shoot through mesh, i suggest using it. Black is better, but I dont think it makes as big of a difference as people say. I always wear camo in mine, and never busted a turkey while moving around.

You don't need another call for now, just get good with that one. Later on you should probably get another callb but to be honest I only use one call everytime too.

A jake will have a small beard (up to 6") and the middle feathers of the tail fan will be noticably larger than the others. Some people say they can tell the difference between jake gobbles, but I honestly can't. The toms have longbeards which you will easily see. 

I set the blind because there  is really only one place to hunt on this property. I have no idea why this is writing red...lol

I am sure when I hunt on the lease with my buddy that knows what he is doing I will be running and gunning....

[ApexerER]

1 hour ago, CharlieNY said:

Here is my advice to you. I hope it helps you out.

1. You did the right thing by patterning your shotgun. This is essential. If the long beards give you a tighter pattern, then go with them. Price of the shells should not be the determining factor I would personally never shoot at a bird at 60 yds. unless I patterned my gun at that range and had a good pattern. I never shoot past 40 yds. regardless.

2. Quality decoys do make a difference. Less is better than too many. I would go with the 2 better decoys and would add a quality jake decoy.. Set the decoys close together and no more than 15 yds. from the blind. 

3. Blinds are a great asset. If the inside of your blind is black, then wear black to blend in. If you plan on leaving the blind to run and gun, camo is the way to go. I open the windows right after I set my decoys. You   do not want to try to open them when a bird is coming in. You will be picked off.

4. You have some good calls and there is no need to buy any more calls. Practice with a youtube video on using your calls. There is no substitute for practice.

5. A jake will have a real short beard which will only be a few inches long. If the jake fans out, the feathers will not all be the same length. The feathers in the middle of the fan will be longer than the other feathers.

Lastly, and most importantly, be PATIENT. Don't get discouraged if you don't hear or see a bird. Many birds come in silently and many are taken later in the morning. I hope this helps you out and good luck to you.

valoroutdoors.com

Two decoys it is....less to carry:) Glad you said 15 yards from the blind. I would have put them a lot farther.....

Edited April 23, 2020 by ApexerER

[ApexerER]

1 hour ago, Water Rat said:

It looks like you did your homework ApexerER. There are many good turkey hunters on this site who can give you some advice on the questions you asked. Experience will be your best teacher. This is what works for me:

Tip # 1) Wear full camo including a full face mask. Sometimes the sun can reflect off your glasses ( if you wear them ) and spook off the turkey.

       #2 ) I don't use a blind because I like to be able to get up and move if I have to. I normally sit up against a tree that's a least the width of my back. Bring a camo seat cushion.

       #3 ) Closer is not better when it comes to taking the shot. You want the pattern to work in your favor. Believe me when I tell you that you can miss them at 10 feet. I like to shoot them at around 25 yards or so.

       #4 )  I always bring at least 1 decoy. Sometimes I'll use them depending on the circumstances. I hide them behind the tree when not in use. Use a decoy bag for safety.

       #5 ) I usually only use a Lynch box call and a diaphragm.

        #6 )…...and most importantly DON'T MOVE. Their eyesight is incredible. Raise your gun when they can't see you. Wait for them to go behind a tree or if he struts with his back to you. You might have a few pairs of eyeballs watching you. Sit to one side of the decoys can help. Here's were your blind comes in handy. Oh....don't forget that their sneaky MF's. They can appear from any direction without making a sound. The list goes on and on.

There is nothing like working a gobbler into gun range while he's strutting and gobbling. My heart pounds so loud in my chest I think they can hear it. My mouth goes dry to the point that I can barely work the diaphragm. I always have to bring water with me. I guarantee you'll be hooked for life when you get your first spring gobbler. I can't wait to see your first turkey and you will get one this spring because your doing your homework. Best of luck ! 

Thank you, I will be in a blind on the farm property. It is really the only place to hunt. I got a Turkey chair for running and gunning on the lease. 

I am glad you said that about shooting so close. I would have tried to get them as close as possible if not for that....

[ApexerER]

1 hour ago, 2012_taco said:

Everything G-man said. Plus don't over call!! We practice calling so much before the season that I think we want to hear ourselves call when we hunt. Best if you hear birds, try mimicking what and how they are talking. If you can get a dominate hen cranked up she might come by to run you off and bring a gobble with her in tow. General rule is if you can see the bird don't call, their hearing is soo good that it will pick you off.

Decoys are a total other subject!! I like to set up a hen with a Jake decoy close by, but I only use them when I hunt field edges, as they can be easily spotted by a gobbler. And I don't want to carry all that extra crap when I'm running and gunning. 

Blind hunting is nice because it hides your movement, you'll need a chair that is quiet and comfy, and high enough to see out the windows. Folding lawn chairs don't work. IMO

Good luck and enjoy the spring season, I'm sure once you get a bird to gobble to your calls you'll be hooked!

Remember the hardest part of turkey hunting is putting 2 feet on the floor!

 

I have read over calling is bad.....My plan I to do some calls at first light to let them know where I am and then try and be patient. Please let me know if that is a good strategy. How much is too much? Every 15 minutes? Half hour? 

[ApexerER]

2 hours ago, G-Man said:

Shoot the long beards, what works in others doesnt mean it works in yours. ,

I'm not a big fan or user of decoys  I bought 12 or so in 30 plus years of hunting and used them a few times , scared more than brought in but I hunt in woods not field. 

I'd open windows where you expect your shots in front and partial to left and right.. camo or black slow movement is still required.

Jake's tipiacally have short beards but a tail fan will tell you for sure when in strut a Tom's fan will have all even edges where a Jake will have the center portion taller , ad it ages the shorter feathers are replace from middle outward.. so an older jake will have more taller feathers in middle but will still be shorter on outside of fan

As for calls I love a good slate and feel it out performs many others as box, push pin ,and mouth are heavily used by hunters.. they are not hard to use and make the largest variety of calls , a simple striker  change and you have a whole new tone and call. , they can ne made loud or soft. The issue is in learning when to move to use them, a blind would help this a lot I usually have it on lower leg with other knee up to block the movements. 

Knowing the terrain is more important than calling imo of you have a fence between you and the bird calling to you is 100x harder than if you know where the gap the cross is in. Settig up on edge of rise where you expect bird to pop up its head in range is better than trying to call it 50 yards further to the flat.. 

I was afraid there was going to be a fence between the properties. It was the first thing I checked....There isn't, I was glad about that....

[CharlieNY]

Apexer- maybe this video will help you out. The first half is my son and I on opening morning last year. This is our setup in our ground blind and will give you a good idea of how we set up. This has paid off for us consistently for the last few years. I will caution you- don't expect it to be this easy. There is always an element of luck involved. However if you are in an area where there are birds around, time and patience will eventually pay off.          valoroutdoors.com

 

Edited April 23, 2020 by CharlieNY
Add

[Pygmy]

A very well thought out and thorough post, Apex...I  won't repeat some of the excellent advice already given, but will discuss field/blind/decoy hunting...For 30 years I pursued a run and gun hunt, nearly always in the woods,  but due to factors involving mostly my age, I have spent most of the last ten years or so hunting from a blind...

I have used jake and adult gobbler decoys  and still do if I know or suspect that there is an aggressive dominant gobbler around,  but day in and day out  two quality hen decoys will do the job...My favorite setup is a bobblehead hen feeder ( I think the motion of the head adds realism)  and an Avian X breeder..I don't use decoys with erect heads, because I  want my decoys to appear as calm and unalarmed as possible.. I generally place them about 20 -25 yards from the blind, perhaps ten feet apart and facing each other..A tom will sometimes stop outside the decoy spread and strut, and   having the decoys close increases the odds that he will be within my 40-45 yard  maximum range...

I am a minimalist regarding calling....I only call loud enough and often enough to let the gobbler know I am there.....Once the gobbler enters the field and spots the decoys, I generally stop calling altogether and let the decoys do their work...Calling at this points only complicates things, and often can cause a tom to hang up and insist that the horny hen comes to HIM.. A bird will often stand and strut at a distance of 75 or 100 yards   for what will seem like an eternity, but if you are patient and don't try to force the issue by calling too much or too loud,  9 times out of ten, he'll eventually approach the decoys and give you your shot..If he  starts to walk away, you can always resume calling again..You have nothing to lose at that point and you might convince him to come back..

One scenario that happens often in field hunting  is that a gobbler will come into the field in the company of hens...No amount of calling is going to convince him to leave those hens and come to you, but often the hens will see your decoys and come over to investigate...In that case I usually do a little soft yelping, clucking and purring  to try to interest the hens...Sometimes, a dominant hen will light up with some hard cutting and yelping...THAT is one time  that loud calling can be appropriate...If you mimic her and give it right back to her, she'll often get pissed and come over to kick butt, bringing the rest of the group with her..

If this happens, keep in mind that the gobbler will nearly always bring up the rear, and you'll have to be careful of busting one of the hens waiting for him to come into range.. It can be problematic trying to get your gun on a gobbler when there are 3 or 4 hens practically looking in your blind windows, but most of the time, if you are patient, you will get your shot..

[Pygmy]

33 minutes ago, ApexerER said:

Thank you, I will be in a blind on the farm property. It is really the only place to hunt. I got a Turkey chair for running and gunning on the lease. 

I am glad you said that about shooting so close. I would have tried to get them as close as possible if not for that....

In my opinion, the ideal range to shoot a bird is about 30-35 yards...That is close enough for sure kill pattern density with nearly all of the guns that most of us use for turkey hunting, but is far enough to give you enough pattern spread to compensate for minor errors in hold, adrenaline rush, etc...  Some guys like them closer, and that's OK....When I hunt, my goal is to KILL THE TURKEY  in the most efficient way possible....I can go out in closed season and call them in if I only want to watch them strut and gobble..When a bird gets closer than 20 yards, I start to get REAL nervous..

[ApexerER]

43 minutes ago, CharlieNY said:

Apexer- maybe this video will help you out. The first half is my son and I on opening morning last year. This is our setup in our ground blind and will give you a good idea of how we set up. This has paid off for us consistently for the last few years. I will caution you- don't expect it to be this easy. There is always an element of luck involved. However if you are in an area where there are birds around, time and patience will eventually pay off.          valoroutdoors.com

 

Thank you, I am all out of likes.....

[ApexerER]

35 minutes ago, Pygmy said:

A very well thought out and thorough post, Apex...I  won't repeat some of the excellent advice already given, but will discuss field/blind/decoy hunting...For 30 years I pursued a run and gun hunt, nearly always in the woods,  but due to factors involving mostly my age, I have spent most of the last ten years or so hunting from a blind...

I have used jake and adult gobbler decoys  and still do if I know or suspect that there is an aggressive dominant gobbler around,  but day in and day out  two quality hen decoys will do the job...My favorite setup is a bobblehead hen feeder ( I think the motion of the head adds realism)  and an Avian X breeder..I don't use decoys with erect heads, because I  want my decoys to appear as calm and unalarmed as possible.. I generally place them about 20 -25 yards from the blind, perhaps ten feet apart and facing each other..A tom will sometimes stop outside the decoy spread and strut, and   having the decoys close increases the odds that he will be within my 40-45 yard  maximum range...

I am a minimalist regarding calling....I only call loud enough and often enough to let the gobbler know I am there.....Once the gobbler enters the field and spots the decoys, I generally stop calling altogether and let the decoys do their work...Calling at this points only complicates things, and often can cause a tom to hang up and insist that the horny hen comes to HIM.. A bird will often stand and strut at a distance of 75 or 100 yards   for what will seem like an eternity, but if you are patient and don't try to force the issue by calling too much or too loud,  9 times out of ten, he'll eventually approach the decoys and give you your shot..If he  starts to walk away, you can always resume calling again..You have nothing to lose at that point and you might convince him to come back..

One scenario that happens often in field hunting  is that a gobbler will come into the field in the company of hens...No amount of calling is going to convince him to leave those hens and come to you, but often the hens will see your decoys and come over to investigate...In that case I usually do a little soft yelping, clucking and purring  to try to interest the hens...Sometimes, a dominant hen will light up with some hard cutting and yelping...THAT is one time  that loud calling can be appropriate...If you mimic her and give it right back to her, she'll often get pissed and come over to kick butt, bringing the rest of the group with her..

If this happens, keep in mind that the gobbler will nearly always bring up the rear, and you'll have to be careful of busting one of the hens waiting for him to come into range.. It can be problematic trying to get your gun on a gobbler when there are 3 or 4 hens practically looking in your blind windows, but most of the time, if you are patient, you will get your shot..

Thanks, I am all out of likes.....Hopefully I will be patient enough...….I started bow hunting 6-7 years ago and that gave me a lot more patience than I have ever had hunting....Hopefully that will serve me well....I am excited about it....

[Pygmy]

2 hours ago, ApexerER said:

I have read over calling is bad.....My plan I to do some calls at first light to let them know where I am and then try and be patient. Please let me know if that is a good strategy. How much is too much? Every 15 minutes? Half hour? 

 

1 hour ago, ApexerER said:

Thanks, I am all out of likes.....Hopefully I will be patient enough...….I started bow hunting 6-7 years ago and that gave me a lot more patience than I have ever had hunting....Hopefully that will serve me well....I am excited about it....

Wait for the gobbler to gobble on the roost.....In a blind/field setup I never call until either I heard a gobbler, or until  it gets late enough so I figure that the birds have flown down... If  a bird gobbles, give him a   few soft yelps to let him know you are there..If he answers, you are golden...Don't call anymore until you are sure he is on the ground...Calling to a bird on the roost encourages him to stay there, watching for the hen ( you)  and gobble more, possibly attracting other hunters, or calling in hens..

If it gets late enough so the birds should be on the ground,  give a few yelps every so often...I usually do a couple or three strings of soft yelps every ten minutes or so if I am hearing nothing.... Once again, be patient...Since you have no other place to hunt, you may as well sit in the blind until noon...You may sit there until 11:00 am and hear nothing, and then BINGO  !!  Game on.....

 

[Enigma]

Pygmy nailed it. Read that again cause that's how it's done on field birds. I've killed many in exactly the way he describes. I might add for someone getting started with blinds, just my opinions . . . 

I dont care what gun or load you shoot 40-50-60 yards pokes are for those that haven't clipped one, pulled a shot or rolled one over and had to chase that sucker down. Take my word for it it's no fun. Make it easy on yourself. Get him inside 30 and lights out. Bang. Flop. Smiles. 

Shoot the first legal bird you have in range. See the beard, verify target and send it. You have 30 days to tag a longbeard. 

Stay away from the birds! Like deer they're easiest killed when not pressured. I cannot emphasize this enough. Scout from afar with binoculars. NEVER let them see you on foot in daylight if possible. Only enter your area in the dark and hunt slowly back to the truck at noon. Anything else and you're only pushing birds around.

Turkeys will walk right by a blind placed that morning in the dark. In the middle of the darn field if you have to! You'll be inside when they walk by haha. Take some time to figure out which way they go in the morning and get in front of them. I know, sounds simple but you dont have to call them hard if they're headed your way. 

Call your close love ones and tell them now you'll be unavailable till June 1. Most of all have fun and welcome to the club. 

 

 

 

 

[ATbuckhunter]

4 hours ago, ApexerER said:

The blind does have shoot through mesh....I took it down. I will put it back the first morning I am in it!...Will I be able to get away without a mask and some movement with the mesh up?

Yes it does mask some movement, so you shouldnt need a facemask if you're in the blind. I never had one in the blind and I was never busted, but you should still keep windows closed if you don't think theyll come. They'll be the able to see you moving if they can see through and see daylight through the other side. If you have the other side up, they should be able to see you well. One thing you can do is open up just a little of the other side that allows you to peak through, but doesnt allow any light in. You should be able to open it up enough to shoot through if you need to. 

[ApexerER]

13 minutes ago, ATbuckhunter said:

Yes it does mask some movement, so you shouldnt need a facemask if you're in the blind. I never had one in the blind and I was never busted, but you should still keep windows closed if you don't think theyll come. They'll be the able to see you moving if they can see through and see daylight through the other side. If you have the other side up, they should be able to see you well. One thing you can do is open up just a little of the other side that allows you to peak through, but doesnt allow any light in. You should be able to open it up enough to shoot through if you need to. 

I was thinking about the shoot through mesh after I posted that. The reason I took it down is because there are 3 small windows with the shoot through mesh. Maybe 1'x1'. Otherwise the windows unzip and they are probably 18"x30" or so and there isn't any mesh. I planned on using the bigger opening. Should I just use the small windows with the mesh?