Fall turkey hunting strategies

[dewey]

Hey guys/gals,

The last couple of years I have used the ambush plan on fall turkeys and it has worked pretty well but after hearing that you can call fall turkeys in I have a couple of questions for the more experienced fall turkey hunters on here (aka Charlie Elk, Mark and others). I usually talk to the farmers before I go hunting and they typically know where the turkeys are at so I am generally pretty close to them already but here are my questions.

So my idea was to create this thread so fall turkey hunters can come here and learn different strategies, calls/sounds, set up locations and decoy set ups.

What kind of strategies do you guys use for fall hunting?
Preferred set up locations?
Decoys or no decoys?
If decoys then hens, jakes, toms and what kind of set up?
What kind of calls/sounds do you use?
Any other information that you can provide that would be helpful.

Thanks for the help guys/gals.

Dewey

[Gopherlongbeards]

i have also only ever just bushwhacked turkeys in the fall, But this year I am going to try and call them in. From what i understand flock talk and fighting sounds can still be effective in the fall? I am leery about using decoys, as i will be hunting public ground and in my mind the risk of some yahoo taking a potshot at them isn't worth it.

[fallhunt]

Funny thing about fall.I have heard and read that turkeys don't talk much in the fall.Whoever writes that kind of junk needs to hunt turkeys in the fall becouse they don't know shi...I use decoys all the time in the fall and have video proof to back-up what I write.I have killed longbeards with gobbler calling and jake decoys.Same with hens.I scout and know where birds are,set up decoys and start calling a lot!I killed 10 birds with my bow last fall in 3 states and killed 3 more with a gun in 2 states.I don't use decoys much while gun hunting in the fall becouse it is such a change of pace for me to cover ground and see different scenery with a gun.Best advice is to get out and hunt!You learn alot from your successes and your failure.I'm still learning.

[dewey]

Funny thing about fall.I have heard and read that turkeys don't talk much in the fall.Whoever writes that kind of junk needs to hunt turkeys in the fall becouse they don't know shi...I use decoys all the time in the fall and have video proof to back-up what I write.I have killed longbeards with gobbler calling and jake decoys.Same with hens.I scout and know where birds are,set up decoys and start calling a lot!I killed 10 birds with my bow last fall in 3 states and killed 3 more with a gun in 2 states.I don't use decoys much while gun hunting in the fall becouse it is such a change of pace for me to cover ground and see different scenery with a gun.Best advice is to get out and hunt!You learn alot from your successes and your failure.I'm still learning.

Hey fallhunt do you have any of those videos that you could post a link to? I don't doubt you but I would love to watch the videos and use them as a learning experience. What types of calls do you use the most? You mentioned decoys what kind of a set up do you recommend? I hunt on private land so I am not worried about others being around and I have a backpakc that I use to carry around the decoys so carrying is not a problem from place to place.

Thanks

Dewey

[grizzly]

i feel scouting is the key in the preseason knowing where the turkeys are walking the woods looking for scratching where are they feeding and roosting then when the season starts i hit the woods predawn and listen for turkey talk if i don't here any i move slowly till i do .once i get an idea where they are i get as close as i feel i can then sit down aginst a tree with some cover and start calling mostly hen clucks and yelps and i will throw in some kee-kee as well the one thing to remenber is to watch how much you move cause a flock has a lot of eyes as for decoys i don't use them with me it's a safety thing i have hunted this why for many years with good success.but i think this post is a good idea so we can learn from one another..wayne

[dewey]

I came across this website that talks about the different sounds and when to use them.

http://www.midwestturkeycall.com/calls_calling.asp

Here is video of a fall turkey hunt with call maker D.Marlin Watkins

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxTHo2YAGZE

I will update this post with more videos and information about fall turkey hunting calling as I come across it.

Dewey

[mark hay]

Fall hunting for me is a also a change of pace . I hunt public land mostly and the difference between spring and fall is mostly the number of hunters in that 4000+ acre tract . Oh there will be quite a few out of state as well as resident bow hunters in there trying for a Buckeye Buck . But the encounters between me and them have been few and far between . In spring there is always the need for quick movement to get closer to a gobbling bird before someone else does . In the fall it's more laid back . I can slow way down and enjoy more of the woods and what is going on in them .
I do not use decoys . For one they aren't actually needed , and two , it's something more to carry that will no doubt have an effect on how much of any given day I will be able to endure . I like things as simple as possible . As light as possible . As warm as possible and still be light . The biggest reason I don't use decoys is simply that I want to fool every turkey with nothing more than a good set up and good calling ,,,,spring or fall.

As far a strategies , they vary from day to day . But the one thing that remains common is the knowledge I possess of the woods and land , fields and streams . Where the turkeys roost and feed . They have favorite roost locations that are usually where I begin each day . I

Calling can vary as well , depending on whether or not one is out to bag a turkey in general , of either sex , or specifically a gobbler .
There are all types of terrain and cover where I hunt . It ain't so simple to sneak across the hardwood areas after the leaves have fallen . The woods are too open and if it's a dry day it's simply too da'gumm noisy . From the edge of such places I may do quite a bit of clucking , yelping and scratching in an attempt to strike up a response from a gobbler that may be down low or on the next ridge . But when it is dry you can often hear those big birds scratching leaves a long way off . Sneak up on those ridge tops or transition areas and listen a while . I advise to not just walk to the top or edge and begin calling . Oh , it will work sometimes , but I prefer to listen and try to detect turkey movement by ear and determine their direction of travel before calling. Kinda gives me the chance to formulate a plan too.
Any call we use in the spring is capable of pulling in a fall bird . But I generally use the gobbler clucks and yelps . Sometimes a short series of gobbler cutts followed by a couple slow croaking yelps .

Rarely do I pass up a chance to fool with the young and hens . During season I will call to them just for the fun of seeing how they respond ,,or if they will . You can have young birds run to you by making faint keekee's . I simply whistle this faint call with my own two lips ,,,,,,,,,( I can whistle ).

Again ,,,,,,,the best teacher of turkey hunting is the WILD TURKEY . Spend time among them and be rewarded .

[grizzly]

great post Mr. Hay . there is nothing better then being in the woods on a nice fall day ...wayne

[rbewilson]

that is right Hay,spend as much time in the woods looking at or listing to turkeys is a great tool for learning about turkeys.As for me I have already started watching turkeys as they make there way throught the woods,I hope this will help me see them in the spring woods.I also have a new call that is a shore fire hit maybe you all heard of it the brass liar,man that call is great.........

[charlie elk]

Prior to reading Steve Hickoff's Fall and Winter Turkey Hunter's Handbook back in 07 I too mostly ambushed fall turkeys while bowhunting with only an occasional called in turkey. My turkey kills then were more by accident on the turkey's part than skill on my part.
Now I call in the birds many times the entire flock including flocks of gobblers.
The call used depends on what the turkeys are doing; together to feed, forming all female or male winter flock, establishing their pecking order, etc.
If possible always break the flock up so they scatter to all points on the compass. Pick a comfortable spot at breakup site, wait 15-20 minutes or as soon as you hear the first turkey calling. If a group of toms or jakes use aggressive tom yelps and purrs, heavy on the purrs. For a group of hens and poults assembly call, kee kees and kee kee runs. Clucks thrown in where appropriate. Unlike spring calling fall calling needs to be almost non stop in comparison. Mimic the turkeys.
Mid fall is the best time to call in toms they are establishing hierarchy which includes the use of gobbling, strutting, purring while fighting they are much more aggressive with each other in the fall than in the spring.
Fall hunting is becoming more appealing to me these days than spring, still like spring a lot but the fall when you find the birds is full of high activity heart pumping action.
With the sun rising over yellow and red woods ground mist floating around the knees and toms gobbling in greeting of the new day - it just does not get any better than that.
To the skeptics; Yes toms do in fact do a lot gobbling and strutting in the fall. But you have to be there to hear and see it.