Post by: Gringo31 on March 28, 2010, 04:09:55 PM
Lets hear what some of you guys do.
Gringo
Post by: yelp on March 28, 2010, 04:38:41 PM
I'm just curious what tactics some of you guys use. I've done a bit of everything, from roosting them and setting up for them to darn near land in your lap, to run and gun calling and daring how close to push em before setting up. I have had some luck on just going to a likely spot and calling every 5 min or so. 20-30 min later I heard a gobble and he came in from a long way off for my wife to shoot. I've killed em in the open and in some deep nasty cover. I am by no means an expert, I think actually I'm just lucky having access to awesome private ground.
Lets hear what some of you guys do.
Gringo
I follow the crow calls..and then use my squealer really loud. :chuckle: :chuckle:
Seriously..I used to roost a bird the night before work him in the am..but now I like to hunt from 10 -3..Sleep in. THere are so many variations to why turkeys do what they do..I think that is what makes them fun to hunt..Go with the flow and always be prepared. Private land is also great to have...Do everything you can to keep it.
Post by: fishunt247 on March 28, 2010, 05:15:33 PM
But I mostly run and gun. Rarely do I hunt a bird that I roosted the night before. Most often, I will either find a bird on the roost or in the earlier morning, work him, and if he doesn't come in, come back around 8:30 to try him again after the hens leave. I cover a lot of ground: yelping, cutting, and sprinting.
Post by: Machias on March 28, 2010, 06:48:14 PM
Post by: ribka on March 28, 2010, 06:51:41 PM
I started doing this a couple of years ago and it's made my odds go way up. I'll roost a bird the night before, then right after sundown, I'll slip in, climb the trees that the hens are in and put them all in a gunny sack. I take them a couple miles away and put them up different trees. If you move real slow they never even wake up. Then I go back to the roosting area, you know because it took me all night to do this and the sun is already coming back up and since I'm the only one calling they come right in. :chuckle:
I am calling WDFW and am reporting you.
One less hunter in the woods will up the odds for me :chuckle:
Post by: Machias on March 28, 2010, 06:54:23 PM
Post by: yelp on March 28, 2010, 06:56:10 PM
I started doing this a couple of years ago and it's made my odds go way up. I'll roost a bird the night before, then right after sundown, I'll slip in, climb the trees that the hens are in and put them all in a gunny sack. I take them a couple miles away and put them up different trees. If you move real slow they never even wake up. Then I go back to the roosting area, you know because it took me all night to do this and the sun is already coming back up and since I'm the only one calling they come right in. :chuckle:
Dude ..I wondered who was taking the hens I put up in the trees I was hunting. We call it stuff'n stalk out our way. 8)
Post by: Machias on March 28, 2010, 07:27:02 PM
Post by: Gringo31 on March 28, 2010, 07:53:22 PM
I'm considering being less aggressive this year. I know where they are at, but sitting tight more and being more patient. Part of this is because I'm looking to take somebody with me that knows nothing about turkey hunting and I'm trying to maximize success while I reduce errors. All the guys hunting out of the double bull blinds etc....how long do they sit in one?
Post by: turkey slayer on March 28, 2010, 07:54:58 PM
Last year I was standing at camp waiting for cougerkilr drinking a beer because I already had 2 birds down. I herd a gobble a mile to a mile and a half away up in a middle of a draw, so I pin pointed were it was. Got there the next morning and killed that bird by 615.
I also agree with yelp 10 to 2 in the afternoon. I never hunt at night I just scout. Just my :twocents:
The picture is of cougerkilr tom last year
Post by: Phantom Gobbler on March 28, 2010, 08:02:31 PM
Flash Scouting at night? Now I am starting to wonder a wee bit about your tactics?? :chuckle:
Post by: Tom Tamer on March 28, 2010, 09:54:29 PM
With the blind thing, if you know they're there I've sat in one up to 5 hours and had birds walk by, bring a book ;) It can be effective though. But I've also sat in one for hours too and Nada... they do help in inclimate weather though, nice and dry, no wind, and if you pack in a heater....you're toasty too..
Post by: Phantom Gobbler on March 28, 2010, 10:02:25 PM
Post by: turkeydancer on March 29, 2010, 12:04:49 PM
Tamer - I know why you bring a book and what you're using those pages for shortly after you run out of gloves !!
:P :chuckle: :chuckle: :chuckle: :P
Post by: yelp on March 29, 2010, 12:07:33 PM
Post by: yelp on March 29, 2010, 08:03:04 PM
Another tactic is to drive through Hunters Campground at night and put your tag on the ones hanging in the trees...LOL I call it Flash tagging... :chuckle:
Remember you zipties.. :chuckle: :chuckle:
Post by: Tom Tamer on March 29, 2010, 09:17:05 PM
I am not against using any legal tactic in the book ... if you lock in to one style with turkeys you're hurting your chances.
Tamer - I know why you bring a book and what you're using those pages for shortly after you run out of gloves !!
:P :chuckle: :chuckle: :chuckle: :P
Darn right....once the gloves are gone and my camo shirts have been whittled into tank tops I'll use anything :yike:
Post by: the shootist on March 31, 2010, 10:03:00 PM
Post by: yelp on April 01, 2010, 07:24:59 AM
When I'm hunting with a partner I like to leave my partner and start hen calling as I'm going away from the tom. If he gobbles to the left then I just keep crawling or sneaking along with my partner constantly between myself , and the gobbler. It works especially well when the bird is hung up. I've crawled fifty yards down a hill hen calling, paused 10 minutes, and hen called back to where I started and the tom came through the fence and right to my partner. Also know your bird.. If he is dominant then use a hen, and jake decoy but if he's been beat up just use the hen. I've watched toms see the jake and leave the area because of this. Also be aware that hens love to look for snails this time of year to keep their eggs stronger (just like feeding oyster shells to your chickens ) so use ravines where snails will be more prevalent, and you may find hens working the area with a tom in tow. Lastly remember that turkeys are a lot like elk. A bull elk will defend his harem while the satellite bulls work the borders trying for a chance at a cow. Turkeys do the same thing and a lot of birds are killed that are NOT the dominant bird with the hens. But they can still be big!!!
Great tactic for private land becareful on public hunters..there are enough uneducated hunters that may come up and stalk you. I have had it happen to me using same tactic..it is scary.
Post by: Phantom Gobbler on April 01, 2010, 12:11:24 PM
Another tactic is to drive through Hunters Campground at night and put your tag on the ones hanging in the trees...LOL I call it Flash tagging... :chuckle:
Remember you zipties.. :chuckle: :chuckle:
Flash Tagging?
And I thought those were just large turkey eating fire flies in camp last year! I did think it was strange that they ate the feathers and all! :yike:
Post by: yelp on April 01, 2010, 02:04:26 PM
Another tactic is to drive through Hunters Campground at night and put your tag on the ones hanging in the trees...LOL I call it Flash tagging... :chuckle:
Remember you zipties.. :chuckle: :chuckle:
Flash Tagging?
And I thought those were just large turkey eating fire flies in camp last year! I did think it was strange that they ate the feathers and all! :yike:
I get my birds every year...LOL :chuckle: