Locating

[ctwiggs1]

Hey guys,

I just got hit with a surprise turkey trip.  Super stoked since I really didn't plan on getting out until big game this year.

Here's what I know so far - the cabin we're staying at is butted up next to national forest, so we should have plenty of room to roam.  Most of the locals are telling my friend who owns the cabin that they see turkeys up there all the time, but he hasn't seen them yet.  I have a feeling that since there wasn't scouting involved as I normally do things that this trip may turn in to great times around the campfire ;-)

That being said though, I do intend to give it my best and hope for a little luck.  If I recall correctly from years in the past, people were using owl calls and calling as loud as they could to get roosted turkeys to hollar back.  Have you guys found any better way of locating or is that still the top route for a lazy non-scouting hunter like myself ;-)

Thanks in advance for any tips, as well as thanks for the guaranteed trolling that I'm sure is coming! ;-)

Curtis

[Deer slayer]

If its in the morning I would just let the birds tell you where they are without using a locator. They will fire off in the roost anyway. After that set up accordingly. I would never use a turkey call to get them to gobble in the roost. I am sure some with disagree but I don't because it is unnatural. Birds know the roost areas in their neighborhood and if a hen is yelping before they should in a spot they shouldn't the birds will go the other way from the tree.

[ctwiggs1]

So the old tactic of using owl calls and crow calls isn't very effective?  It seems I never really had to in the past because I was able to roost the turkeys in the evening and hit them the next morning or evening. I was always curious if it worked though.

[Mfowl]

I agree you should let the birds sound off on their own if possible at first light. If tbey are there and the weather isn't bad they will make some sort of noise. If you don't hear anything by fly down time go ahead and try some locator calls. I've had limited success with owl calls but crow calls have been more productive. Sharp and shrill seems to get results for me. You need to "shock" a response from the bird. Owl calls don't seem to do that well, too subtle. For broadcasting out at long distances I like a coyote howler. Seems odd that they would answer but it works. Just don't blow it when your closing the distance on a bird. Good luck, have fun, let us know the results!

[ctwiggs1]

I will absolutely let you guys know the results!!  Thanks for the tips!

Curious-  what time are you guys seeing fly-down on east side right now?

Thanks for your help guys!

Curtis

[Mfowl]

Generally its about 30-45 minutes after first light. They are usually still in the trees at LST. On a bad weather day they may take longer, good weather it may be earlier. Due to predators they don't like to be on the ground before they can see clearly. It varies but usually about 30mins after shooting time.

[hobbes]

If I haven’t roosted a bird the previous night, I like to be in position where I can hear well before first light.  In an area that I’m familiar with and expect to be close to birds I normally give them time to sound off on their own.   In a new area that I’m not familiar with, I’m not opposed to using the owl call well before flydown in an attempt to locate a bird early enough that I can set up on him before flydown.  I’ve had good luck with an owl call in various states and terrain.  An owl call could be used during the day also since it’s a shock gobble you’re looking for.  A turkey doesn’t have the capacity to think, “Wow that owl sure is up late”.  However, I use a crow call during the day if I’m trying to position myself on a bird that I’ve previously heard and hope to move in close before he responds to turkey calls.  A crow call also carries better as the wind picks up. 
As far as an owl call goes, I’m not using the little cylindrical sound chambers with a stem, but intead a reed call that requires me to create the sound chamber with my hands.  The others can be used effectively but I don’t think they produce as many gobbles especially if it’s windy.  The reed type calls are louder, can create more range of sounds, and be used much more aggressively.  In other words they are more effective at producing a shock gobble.  I use a Harrison Hoot n Stick from Hooks, but have used a couple others successfully.  Crow calls are the same in that aggressive high pitch sounds produces more gobbles.
My preference for locating birds during the day when I’m hiking trails or cross country up and down ridges is to use a turkey call.  Any call can work, but I prefer to be fairly loud with a mouth call to reach out and locate birds especially if it’s windy.  You have to use some common sense and not scream out a series of yelps or cuts immediately if it’s really calm or in a tight canyon that echos the sound like fire truck just pulled up.  I can reach out pretty far with mouth calls even in the wind.   I don’t use pot calls that often, but will run a box call some.   However, even in the wind I prefer a mouth call.  A bird can probably hear a mouth call farther than I can hear him respond, so the benefit to a box call would be if I was remaining stationary while it’s windy. 

Thats my 2 cents.  Good luck with your hunt.

[turkeydancer]

I let them sound off in the morning, and then move as fast as I can to the same level or just a bit higher.  After they fly down I do some soft and sweet hen talk (but just some to use their natural curiosity and sex drive to bring them in).  Sometimes the results are fast, and other times slow.  I also like a peacock call better than a crow cal which I like better than an owl call which I like better than a hawk call for locating later if I don't score near the roost (to locate where they are and where they're going) ... and if that doesn't work, I'll do some excited cutting and louder yelping ... if it sounds like the gobbling is coming closer, I then call less frequently and softer.  Good luck !
 

[yelp]

Squeal! 

[Evil_EdwardO]

Have you tried "Whose your daddy!" ? 

http://youtu.be/vW4_wmJh8aM

[irishevox]

^^^ all good info

[ctwiggs1]

Well no dice this weekend.  That's ok - considering we didn't have any time for scouting since it was a surprise trip, I think we planned for a campfire hunt anyways.  It was still a great time.

Since the cabin we are in was around Winthrop, I think we'll keep on going over throughout the year and keep scouting.  Even if we have to drive an hour to get to a good turkey spot, that's still a much shorter drive than the 6 hours from my house in Enumclaw.

Thanks for all your tips guys.  Expect to see dead turkey pics next year!

Curtis