newbie help!

[beefjerky]

So ive never been turkey huntin before im going to try in the pasture behind where i live with a friend. i came up on a flock of about 15-20 maybe. we have where were going to try but what are some different calls i should try? i have a box call ive been playing with. and what are some things im going to need? and were not sure where there roosting and not sure if their comin over every once in a while

Thanks!

[swpatrkyhunter]

Hi beefjerky! Welcome to the forum!
 
     Well. You have the first of many steps completed. Locating turkeys. But you need to learn about them now. Come spring the flock will be broken up and most if not all may noy return to the area you had seen them in. Alot of things can change where the birds go. Scouting will tell you where you need to be for first day. but be careful not to get too close to the birds, otherwise you might spook them and they may change their pattern. Find where they roost and find out where they are feeding, dusting areas, and what general areas they are traveling in once they come off the roost. Although it is very tempting to do so DO NOT use your calls before season!  You can use locator calls to help you keep track of their movements while scouting but don't OVER use them.
           A box call is a great choice when starting out. Get a cd with live turkey sounds so you can learn what the different yelps and vocalizations mean. Knight and Hale have a great series called Spittin feathers. Great cd's if you can find them. As for other gear you might need. Most of it will end up being what you prefer. Your first couple years will find you pretty much carrying everything but the kitchen sink. Try to start out light. A vest, a couple different calls, crow call, owl call, water, pruning shears, face mask, flashlight, small first-aid kit, a decoy if you intend to use one, a comfy seat or cusion, camo gloves, good boots,something waterproof.
 
             Also, it would be a good idea to get a couple videos. Hunters speaicalties has a good series called H.S. University. The first of them is "So..... You Want to be a Turkey hunter" It has a lot of information that could help you out. After all of that you then need to pattern your shotgun. Get yourself some turkey targets and fire your gun starting at 40 yards. See what shot and choke combos work best for youe gun. Knowing the effective range of your gun is important.  When i test my gun every year I shoot while sitting in my turkey seat since that is how I will be shooting in the woods.
 
             I know it all seems like alot of work, but trust me. When you hear your first gobble of the season fireing back at your calls you will look at all that work as a pleasure. Remember safety and think of every turkey sound you hear in the woods as another hunter till you can actually see them. If you see another hunter in the woods getting close to you SPEAK to him. Don't wave your arms or hands at him or he might mistake you for a bird and shoot you.
   Hope I have helped ya out some. Good luck!

[allaboutshooting]

ORIGINAL: beefjerky

So ive never been turkey huntin before im going to try in the pasture behind where i live with a friend. i came up on a flock of about 15-20 maybe. we have where were going to try but what are some different calls i should try? i have a box call ive been playing with. and what are some things im going to need? and were not sure where there roosting and not sure if their comin over every once in a while

Thanks!

Hey Emory,

Welcome to the T&TH forum and the wonderful world of turkey hunting. You've had a lot of good advice from "Swpatrkyhunter".  It's important to just get out there and give it a try. We all make mistakes, that's just part of it but as Frank said, when you hear that first gobble...there's just nothing like it. http://www.turkeyandturkeyhunting.com/article/endofseason/ has some information that you might find helpful as well.

Please come back here often and let us know your progress and how we can be of help. Whatever you do, just have fun this spring and enjoy the hunt.

Thanks,
Clark

[shaman]

Welcome beefjerky!

I'd say one of the first things you need to figure out is where they're roosting.  I used to hunt a place in SE Ohio many years ago that sounds just like your situation.  In this case the turkeys seldom actually roosted on the property and would only wander on to the place to feed occasionally.   I hunted there a number of years and it was largely a wasted effort.  That was okay; it got me interested in the sport, so I can't complain.

I would start going out before sunrise-- about a half hour or so and just start listening for gobblers.  If you don't hear them before sunrise, you might want to try using a crow call to see if you can elicit a response.  Report back on what you find. We'll take it from there.

[beefjerky]

Thanks guys!

[picasso]

Hi, this will be my second year Turkey hunting and I'm guessing that you are like me with nobody to teach you.
The only way I learned is through the internet doing research, You-Tube, Turkey and Turkey Hunting magazine, etc.
Another great learning tool that I would recomend to every new turkey hunter is the dvd from Hunters' Specialties (HS), it's called 'So...you want to be a Turkey Hunter'.
That dvd is amazing for a beginner to learn plenty and as a result, I bagged my first turkey last spring. I may have had beginners luck but it was 'textbook'! I shot the turkey 45 minutes after parking my rear end down. The calling was so effective that I almost got stampeded by the nine or so hens that were with the Tom.
Do lots of research, ask plenty of questions and it will pay off.

Good luck

Picasso

[swpatrkyhunter]

Cangrats on the bird picasso!
 
  But don't get to used to thing working like that for you in the turkey woods! Before it's all said and done you will have days that get you so frustrated that you will wonder why you put yourself through it!  But then you will realize that when you heard that first gobble fire back at you that you were hooked for life.  Good luck this year!

[Longbeards]

Welcome to the wonderful world of Turkey hunting Beefjerky. I would like to add to all the very wise advice and experience on here. If you find yourself looking at a turkey from 100 yards or better, (or worse) 10 yards, remember this, many a longbeard are alive today because a hunter moved and gave away his or her position. Turkeys are amazing birds that can see things 50 times better than we can and a long ways away. Make sure you check the pattern on your gun so you get a good idea of point of impact. Good Luck, and let everyone know how it works out.

rob

[gooseberry]

http://www.turkeyandturkeyhunting.com/a ... dofseason/


This, indeed, is an excellent article. Thanks for posting the link. It actually schooled me and served as a reminder that missing or spooking a turkey is not the end of the world, it's part of the fun.
Bruce

[ticklishtompro]

Some great advice given. Also remember that even if you make a mistake while calling, continue through it. Hard to believe, but some of the worst yelps I have heard in the woods came from turkeys, where I thought it was another hunter at first. So don't be discouraged by mistakes as we all make them. Just trudge through and learn from them.

Good Luck hunting!