New Turkey Hunter

[justsomedude]

Hello everyone,

Just wanted to jump on here to say hello (after finally joining) with a quick intro and say thanks for the info I've gleaned from your posts.

2 years ago I was exploring some fishing spots I'd heard of and I kept seeing turkeys.  Immediately I decided I wanted learn how to hunt turkeys and it seemed like everywhere I fished I'd see them.  Caveat, I've never hunted.  Spent tons of time in the outdoors fishing and camping so I figured what the hell.  Time to get to learning.  Fast forward - tons of online research (this site is awesome as well as many others), books, WDFW site, hunters ed, shooting practice, maps, practice with diaphragm and box call, etc, etc and I'm kind of ready, but anticipate a lot of mistakes and learning this weekend (did I mention I was going out this weekend).  I haven't been this excited to do something new in a very long time!  I'm having dreams about this stuff…lol.

I’ve got tons of questions (far to many to bog down an intro post), but any general advice for a new turkey hunter would be welcome and much appreciated.  Thanks again and I’ll report back after this weekend on how things went.

[wreckerman5357]

I started turkey hunting with a few of my buddies 5 years ago. I have hunted deer since I was young but my dad had never hunted them and northern had any of my buddies. We took a couple years to figure it out. Last two years I have shot one. I have not hunted the fall, but my number one piece of advice will work for fall as well.

Find a roost. Watch the gobblers roost the night before you hunt. Then get up real early and head in between an hour and 2 hours before first light. Then camp out within 50 yards of the roost (i use a pop-up blind) then shoot turkeys when they fly down. It sounds a lot easier than it is, but that's the general idea.

[CedarPants]

Where abouts you headed (GMU)?

[justsomedude]

@wreckerman5357, I steelhead fish so I’m some what used to not coming home with anything…lol.  Thanks for the advice!

@CedarPants, 133.

[justsomedude]

So, my first trip was pretty like I expected, but I didn’t anticipate as much trouble finding public land.  Had my maps and thought I was prepared, but I attribute my lack of scouting and understanding of “huntable” land for turkeys, i.e. I don’t know what the f*** I’m looking for other than turkeys…lol.  Saw lots of turkeys, collected phone numbers for future hunts, met a really nice landowner, and a bunch of other random lessons I’d guess a new hunter would encounter.

Lessons learned or at least the ones I recognized:

1.   Should have scouted for public land.  Spent most of my time trying to locate with bad maps and determining if I could actually hunt it.
2.   I really didn’t have a plan even when I found some public land.  Either I didn’t know where to begin looking or lacked confidence turkey where there.  Hiked as much as possible looking for signs without any luck.
3.   Practice my calls.  I was able to work some calls to turkeys, on private land, from the road to see how I’d sound to them.  Really fun and had some talk back to me, but much work needed.

All and all pretty excited to get out.  Wishing I would have actually been hunting more, but that’s just how it went this time around.  I’ve got 5 more days during the late turkey hunting season.  I’ll head back out and see what happens.  Already planning!

[BOWHUNTER45]

turkey hunting is my most favorite thing to do ...just being in the woods in the spring is in a class all by itself ...I have taken alot of different game and still turkeys fire me up more than anything ...It is the east coast blood ...I guess ... seriously you see and hear more different sounds in the woods than any other time of the year ....Toms gobbling , hens yelping , birds singing and grouse Drumming its just awesome 

[JKEEN33]

So, my first trip was pretty like I expected, but I didn’t anticipate as much trouble finding public land.  Had my maps and thought I was prepared, but I attribute my lack of scouting and understanding of “huntable” land for turkeys, i.e. I don’t know what the f*** I’m looking for other than turkeys…lol.  Saw lots of turkeys, collected phone numbers for future hunts, met a really nice landowner, and a bunch of other random lessons I’d guess a new hunter would encounter.

Lessons learned or at least the ones I recognized:

1.   Should have scouted for public land.  Spent most of my time trying to locate with bad maps and determining if I could actually hunt it.
2.   I really didn’t have a plan even when I found some public land.  Either I didn’t know where to begin looking or lacked confidence turkey where there.  Hiked as much as possible looking for signs without any luck.
3.   Practice my calls.  I was able to work some calls to turkeys, on private land, from the road to see how I’d sound to them.  Really fun and had some talk back to me, but much work needed.

All and all pretty excited to get out.  Wishing I would have actually been hunting more, but that’s just how it went this time around.  I’ve got 5 more days during the late turkey hunting season.  I’ll head back out and see what happens.  Already planning!

I would avoid calling them from the road. Turkey are like coyotes. They learn fast not to respond to that call if they know it's you calling them.

[justsomedude]

@BOWHUNTER45, agreed!  Most of the time I'm outside I'm in a boat or walking a river focused on the water.  It was good to have my head up listening and seeing again. 

@JKEEN33, good advice!  Thanks.

[Gobble Doc]

From one newbie to another it sounds like you're doing the right things.  I can't imagine the untold hours I've spent the last 2 years trying to figure things out.  Numerous trips for the spring and fall seasons to the same areas trying to figure out if birds I saw were just a fluke or if they tend to be there all the time...  From my limited experience my most satisfying experiences have been on public land.  Not sure why.  I think I like not having to check in with a private owner.  Bottom line is that I don't think there is a short cut for putting in a bunch of time in the wrong spots and just learning where and where not to go.  There are some great people on this forum that are willing to help you if you put in the effort to seek them out.  The best of all is that I've had some wonderful times with my kids 13 and now 16.  Turkey hunting has been a lot of fun.  Good luck.   Enjoy the sounds.  Enjoy the birds.