Fall

[brantleynator]

Once again, I'm new to turkey hunting so any suggestions would be appreciated. This is my current situation and level of experience:
 
I have never hunted the Fall season. I'm hunting Ft Hood which is full of Rio Grande turkey. Last spring I had little time to scout... however, I found an area I thought would be holding birds, set up a Hen and Jake decoy and started yelping with intermittent Jake gobbling. About three minutes after I set up and started calling, I heard a Hen yelping very near my position. I yelp some more and the Hen came running up to the field and immediately squatted down in the middle of the field. I figured if I could get her going, she would call in a Tom for me. I did some light clucking and purring and she jumped up and ran to my decoys and started feeding. As I watched her, I noticed a Gobbler's head poking around in the underbrush on the outskirts of the field. He never entered the field and the Hen wandered off. I believe I was doing a lost Hen yelp instead of my inteded standard yelp. Could this be the reason this lone hen ran into my spread?
 
I understand some of the best chances of scoring a bird this Fall are to locate a flock, flush them and try to kee kee them back. I've also heard that agressive purring can draw in turkey during the Fall. I am scouting but don't yet know exactly where the birds are flocked up at. Ft Hood is large, full off deer hunters and I have limited time to hunt in November because I'm off to Afghanistan in December. If I am unable to locate the flocks by scouting, would agressive purring be a successful way to call in Turkey? Should I incorporate Gobbler yelping? Without locating the birds, do I even stand a snowballs chance in hell??? 

[grizzly]

welcome to the forum brantleynator and thank you for your service[:D]. i don't know a lot about hunting rios but i've hunted easterns for years i would say that if you can locate the flock you will be ahead in the game maybe you ask around to see if the locals would give you some help . i prefer kee- kee and hen yelps and putts . if you can't locate a flock you could always try walking in the woods slowly and keep your ears open for turkey talk then plant your butt and call them over to you[:)]wayne

[mark hay]

Like Wayne said ,,WELCOME and thanks for your sacrifice and service.
 
On the subject of Fall Hunting turkeys I assume you have been through the Fall Hunting section of this forum . Lots of good hunters on here and they have been spreading the knowledge around .
 
 Get out predawn ,,,,,,,,and listen
 Hours of footwork in the woods . On days when it's really dry and the fall leaves are on the ground , turkeys will be making a lot of noise as the rake the leaves looking for food . Still days will allow you to hear this from quite a distance.
 Listen to soundfiles on this website . Watching the turkeys silently as they go about their life is the best .
 
 There will be more ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[brantleynator]

Thanks guys.

[swamptom]

fall turkeys make a lot racket when they go to roost because many times they will be in large flocks. scout in the afternoon by getting close to suspected roost areas and listen for them to go up. Once you have an idea where they are you can set up underneath them the folowing morning. I like to scatter them inthe trees just as its breaking light. once they shuffle around a bit be the first hen to start a gathering call and keep it going mixed with kee-kees. the youngsters will drop out and come running