Fall newbie has questions

[air leak]

I have only hunted turkeys in the fall on 2 occasions. Both time were the last 2-3 hours of the day/evening, and both times I heard plenty of birds. I need to stick with it, although, I also can't put the bow down for deer.



The farm that I turkey hunt, I can't deer hunt. So, it's one or the other.

[mark hay]

I truly love the spring woods . Though I'll admit , it seemed ODD the first few seasons . I had never spent much time inside the woods at that time of year . Usually I was fishing . Now the spring woods seems like the only place I can be content,,,in the spring of course.
 But ,,,,,,,,,,,there's always a big but in there somewhere [:D],,,,,But , I have , like countless others , been drawn to the FALL woods since childhood . The smell of the woods being so much different than spring . The sneaking up on squirrels . The unexpected flush of a Woodcock or grouse . And then , I got around to hunting fall turkeys . After a few seasons of chasing turkeys it seemed like I had wasted so much of my life just sitting in a tree waiting on a deer to come by . Oh , I enjoyed those years of slinging arrows, but for me NOW it just hasn't got the same appeal as the turkey hunt . Plus , Ohio now has lengthened the gun season for fall turkey which allows me to slow way down and take in the woods . The sounds , smells , sign and the occasional sightings of things not usually seen due to moving too fast . Being in a hurry about hunting can really mess things up .
 As the progression of days pass comes cooler weather . The beginning of season may be shirt sleeves only . And sitting on the ground during a sleet and snow squall is not uncommon by seasons end .
 Hearing a lone gobbler walking in the deep , freshly fallen leaves ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,sounded like a man walking . The single , hollow and coarse cluck of a mature gobbler is what I want to hear . To hear them fight is great ,,,to see it too is grand . To watch him come LOOKIN' with head held high is the way I want to see him .

[rbewilson]

boom boom,did I get him Hay,I too love the fall season the smell of the oak trees and cold air hitting you in the face,and when I hear the kee kee of the mother hen and her little ones and the yelps of the gobbles I get cold chills all over.

[turkeydoghunter]

Jim , lets say Ive been hunting Fall turkeys for 30 year and every ones advice and methods work , and Iv'e done it all , now if you want to be the ultimate fall killn machine then i recommend dogs.....with dogs you know the turkeys are gonna get scattered , be it hens, jakes , or long beards .....i myself would not fall hunt without a dog or three....now if you don't have a dog, then go to a good listening spot and try some tree yelps to locate the flock , fall birds are very vocal early mornings and late afternoons before roost time ....once located , then you must decide what tactic to employ.....all the best Jim in VA.... I'm trying to hook up some where in VA  too  !!!  here's what a great pair of turkey dogs can do ....Ron

[charlie elk]

Nice turkey dogs you got there Ron.  I am looking forward to my first fall using a turkey dog.  Should be interesting to say the least.
 
This seems a good place to admit that I'm getting to like the fall hunt a little more than the spring hunt.  In the fall you get the chance to call in an entire flock with everyone of those birds legal--hunter's choice. 
After experiencing thrill of calling in a few large (40-60 bird) late season flocks even the most die hard beards in the spring antlers in fall hunter will find himself a convert.