Post by: turkey choke on May 24, 2011, 11:02:09 PM
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!
Post by: yelp on May 25, 2011, 06:50:48 AM
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.
Post by: BPturkeys on May 25, 2011, 06:57:03 AM
Post by: BOWHUNTER45 on May 25, 2011, 06:59:35 AM
Post by: Machias on May 25, 2011, 07:55:31 AM
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.
Post by: BPturkeys on May 25, 2011, 08:48:44 AM
Post by: Heartsblood on May 25, 2011, 09:08:10 AM
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_ECXmfRqvL_E/Td0ojYFMEjI/AAAAAAAAEbM/5EWpZBG7qNA/s800/fall%20turkey.jpg)
Post by: baldopepper on May 25, 2011, 09:08:58 AM
: :yeah:
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.
Post by: Heartsblood on May 25, 2011, 09:19:48 AM
For reference - loads of food for thought:
http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,76466.msg935626.html#msg935626 (http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,76466.msg935626.html#msg935626)
Post by: Machias on May 25, 2011, 09:43:48 AM
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. :hello:
Post by: BPturkeys on May 25, 2011, 10:45:03 AM
Post by: turkeydancer on May 25, 2011, 11:07:18 AM
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 ....
:drool:
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.
Post by: Heartsblood on May 25, 2011, 12:26:23 PM
:twocents:
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 ....
:drool:
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
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...
Post by: Gobble Doc on May 25, 2011, 09:48:05 PM
Post by: turkey choke on May 25, 2011, 11:17:12 PM
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.
Post by: yelp on May 26, 2011, 07:06:39 AM
Post by: BOWHUNTER45 on July 01, 2011, 09:13:31 PM
Post by: Battle Ready on July 02, 2011, 11:01:59 AM
If i can lay down a shot in a ambush senario, Ill bust the flock...sit down were the flock blew out and do some lost yelps, some assemble yelps, and kee kee's.
TO ME, there is different tactics for Big Daddy Gobblers and other turkeys during the fall. The fall tom and the spring tom are two different birds.
I look at the following for fall hunting
The Food Factor:No patterning mechanism is more predictable than food in the fall. Mast, berries, insects and seeds. Its best to cultivate an awareness of favorates, find out where they exist in quantity, and you can rest assured turkeys will visit these areas to sample.
The WeatherTurkeys like so many other types of wildlife, have built-in borometers, which tells em when bad weather is coming, and of course they know when its arrivesd. Most of the time, turkeys will make every effort to roost out of the wind.
SO, to me this is some of the things I consider
1) calling to a broken up flock....dont be shy on trying to bust them up more than once. The more you bust them, then better your chance of calling them back. REMEMBER DO NOT to bust them from behind..most of the time they will all scatter in the same direction, thus making the assembly call almost useless, so DO bust them head on for a good complete scatter. If you have some dove load, dont be affraid to shoot the shotgun to complete the scatter effect...DONT SOOT THE BIRDS WITH IT...haha. Its very easy to over call if your going for dominant birds, but if your going for sub-dominate birds, you can be slightly more aggre*censored*ive.
Setting up between roosting areas and food...if food is everywere...I like to sit on places Ive seen them along the way...like this old skid road I seen the signs on ...or sighted turkeys while scouting. Most big toms are content with being all alone...jakes love to run together.
Post by: BOWHUNTER45 on July 04, 2011, 07:41:03 AM
Post by: turkeydancer on July 05, 2011, 08:05:09 AM