Fall Turkey Hunting

[turkey choke]

Hey guys,

Well the season is about to close and unless I get something the last 2 days I am able to go out, I may look at trying the fall season.  This is my first year Turkey Hunting and I have been lucky enough to have amazing friends who have helped me out this year.  They haven't done the fall hunt but told me it is a totally different game.  I was just curious if someone could give me information or point me in the right direction on how to hunt turkeys in the fall and how it differs from the spring hunt.

Thanks in advance!

[yelp]

   Fall Turkey hunting is what you make it.  It can be fun and is a great way to introduce kids to hunting.  I like to try and call them in and actually find the areas they feed and set up a blind.

In the Fall...many of the  adult toms are in bachelor groups and will move onto wintering grounds with family groups  later in fall/winter.  90% of what hunters find when out fall hunting is groups of poults (family groups) usually with a hen or two.  Some family groups join other groups and these groups feed and usually roost together.  Fall birds can be called in. 

In many cases location where turkeys hang out is key to calling them in.  Some times flushing the flock and calling them back in can work. 

BUT...95% of fall hunters drive, walk, stalk these flocks.  The hardest part is getting a clean shot at an individual.  Many of the family flocks stick together in tight bunched up groups making the shot tough.  THe biggest bird in many of these flocks is usually the hen.  Many hunters shoot it just because of the  "bigger is Better" mentality humans are accustomed too..  This unfortunately means mother hen is killed and the poults are then left to fend for themselves.  IMO this makes poults highly suceptible to mortlity going into winter.  I suggest that hunters make clean shots, pick out a young bird preferably a young tom or find  the bachelor group of toms and harvest one of them.  We are seeing lower numbers in many of the GMU's and I believe the fall seasons are starting to have a negative affect on some of the population..especially in heavily hunted areas.

[BPturkeys]

For the most part fall turkeys are like hunting deer. They won't gobble, they don't come in to calls. It is a visual/ambush type hunt. About the only tactic that sometimes works, other than spot and stock, is scattering the flock and then waiting in the area they land for them to reunite. The trick to this is to get the birds to scatter in all directions. If they all fly away as a group or in the same direction, they don't need to reunite and hence the plan fails. Give it a little while and then listen for a bird to call, then get into that area and quietly call and hope they want to rally around you instead of the bird that is calling, sometimes it works. One bonus, the birds are nice and fat and healthy this time of year and make fine table fair.

[BOWHUNTER45]

I have not hunted fall turkeys since I was a kid back in P.A ..It is hard when deer and elk season is in to turkey hunt .. it is way more fun in the spring but we do need to weed out a few hens but then again the farmers I talked to on this last trip told me they saw a serious drop in the fall flocks this year so hopefully it comes back around this next year !

[Machias]

For the most part fall turkeys are like hunting deer. They won't gobble, they don't come in to calls. It is a visual/ambush type hunt. About the only tactic that sometimes works, other than spot and stock, is scattering the flock and then waiting in the area they land for them to reunite. The trick to this is to get the birds to scatter in all directions. If they all fly away as a group or in the same direction, they don't need to reunite and hence the plan fails. Give it a little while and then listen for a bird to call, then get into that area and quietly call and hope they want to rally around you instead of the bird that is calling, sometimes it works. One bonus, the birds are nice and fat and healthy this time of year and make fine table fair.

Please don't take the the wrong way, but your pretty much totally wrong.  Stalking turkeys anytime of the year spring or fall is dangerous and not nearly as productive as calling.  Fall birds are actually easier to call in then they are in the spring.  Now if your talking gobblers only they are harder to call, but you just need a little more patience.  Fall birds have such a strong desire to flock together that busting the flock, sitting down and doing an assembly yelp or the kee kee run is about as close to a sure thing as there is in hunting.

[BPturkeys]

Well, I might be totally wrong, who knows? But at least I actually gave him something to work with. All you did  Machias was criticize, and then you turn around and give the same advise I did, except you left out so much info that he has no idea what you are talking about. If one was to do as you say, all he would do is jump up, chase the birds away, then sit down, do a couple yelps and the birds would just come a-running...I think the quote was "busting the flock, sitting down and doing an assembly yelp or the kee kee run is about as close to a sure thing as there is in hunting."...now that is just... Totally wrong! (oh, don't take this the wrong way) That is no more correct than saying in the spring you need only get a Tom to gobble back and he'll just come running in...yeah , right.

[Heartsblood]

I enjoyed this book and it got me excited to go in the fall. Great photography as well:

[baldopepper]

  I suggest that hunters make clean shots, pick out a young bird preferably a young tom or find  the bachelor group of toms and harvest one of them.  We are seeing lower numbers in many of the GMU's and I believe the fall seasons are starting to have a negative affect on some of the population..especially in heavily hunted areas.

:

[Heartsblood]

Yes, I really enjoyed the thread "regulation changes" as well. I appreciate more experienced hunters bringing conscientious information to the table. I definitely have taken those thought to heart and also appreciate any more input regarding fall turkey hunts.

For reference - loads of food for thought:

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,76466.msg935626.html#msg935626

[Machias]

Well, I might be totally wrong, who knows? But at least I actually gave him something to work with. All you did  Machias was criticize, and then you turn around and give the same advise I did, except you left out so much info that he has no idea what you are talking about. If one was to do as you say, all he would do is jump up, chase the birds away, then sit down, do a couple yelps and the birds would just come a-running...I think the quote was "busting the flock, sitting down and doing an assembly yelp or the kee kee run is about as close to a sure thing as there is in hunting."...now that is just... Totally wrong! (oh, don't take this the wrong way) That is no more correct than saying in the spring you need only get a Tom to gobble back and he'll just come running in...yeah , right.

I guess you took it the wrong way anyways, sorry you felt it was a personal attack, it wasn't.   

[BPturkeys]

Here again Machias, your reply is all about me. You still haven't giving Turkey Choke any advise that he can use. Yelp gave advise, Heartsblood gave advise, Baldopepper, well, not sure how his reply fits in to this "how to hunt fall birds", but at least it had some relevance, but your reply...dang...still about me??? You clearly are an experienced turkey hunter, give the novice some advise.

[turkeydancer]

 
In the fall, make the call of the bird you want to get to come in ... hen yelps, assembly calls, kee kees, or kee kee runs get in hens and poults .... gobble calls will get the gobblers and super jakes.  I love my tube call for gobbles .... 


Busting the flocks works best with two or more people coming from different directions like "screaming bushes" to scatter them to the four winds" ... setup at or really near the breakpoint ... if trying to call the gobbler in wait just 5 to 10 minutes ... if going for the hens or poults, wait 30 to 40 minutes.

[Heartsblood]

In the fall, make the call of the bird you want to get to come in ... hen yelps, assembly calls, kee kees, or kee kee runs get in hens and poults .... gobble calls will get the gobblers and super jakes.  I love my tube call for gobbles .... 


Busting the flocks works best with two or more people coming from different directions like "screaming bushes" to scatter them to the four winds" ... setup at or really near the breakpoint ... if trying to call the gobbler in wait just 5 to 10 minutes ... if going for the hens or poults, wait 30 to 40 minutes.

I'd really like to see   be one of those screaming bushes. That sounds like a combination of adrenaline and humor - fun!

This year I actually have started to be able to gobble on my mouth call. I have no doubt that come fall, I will be able to do it consistently. But. I am a bit skeert that I might inadvertently make other hunters think I am the gobbler they want...

[Gobble Doc]

My limited experience proved that calling fall birds does work.  My 12 year old and I had some birds walk past at a distance and we thought for sure they were long gone.  I pulled out a slate call and did a few mild yelps and 2 birds appeared from practically thin air.  We were completely unprepared for how fast they responded. 

[turkey choke]

Awesome guys, thanks for the information!  I understand the concerns of the negative effect on the population and I will for sure take that into consideration.  I have nothing but respect for these crazy birds and I am only after a Tom.  This season has been such an amazing experience and I am so thankful for the friends that have helped me this year even after they got their birds.  My main goal to get out and learn this is so that when my son (9months old) is old enough I am able to teach him everything I've learned.

I sure have gotten a late start at getting into hunting. 

  I have another question between the difference of Spring and fall hunts.  As far as the location of the birds, where do the tend to be?  Like if I am in an area full of birds right now, will they still be in the area in the fall or do they move to a different type of landscape?  Do they start climbing in elevation or do they go lower?  Hope that makes sense.