Clueless turkey hunter needs some advice

[Scoot]

I'm waiting for a call to get final permission to hunt a spot tomorrow- I'm told "it shouldn't be a problem", but she had to double check. So... hopefully I'll be able to make us of the answers I get to the questions below...

There's a spot near where I usually hunt that has a bunch of turkeys on it every time I go by it. It's about 100 yards off an infrequently traveled road. I think, but don't know for sure, that the turkeys roost fairly close to the spot where I see them. The birds are always in the same 100 x 100 yard area... I'd love to set up a blind in the middle of this area and hunt there. However, if the birds roost very close to there, I imagine I'll spook them out of there when I set up the blind in the AM. There's no chance to go there anytime before I set up to hunt tomorrow. Also, we are bowhunting, so I believe we'll have to be in a blind.

What should we do? Should we set up further away and hope to call them in? Should we run the risk of spooking birds that are roosting and set up right in the middle of the area? Should we get there really, really early and just try be super quiet? Suggestions please!

[DonBo]

Scoot, this is a common problem. My advice, go in WAY early and set up, well before first hint of dawn. Do not use lights, and be very quiet. Turkeys do not see well in the dark and seem to be sound sleepers, if you are quiet and carefull you can probably get by with this. You can always sleep waiting for first light. (my favorite thing)

You could also set up the blind a ways away and carry it in, much less noise and comotion that way.

Either way practice plenty of patience. Good luck!

[sticknstring]

Yep, as long as you head out under the cover of darkness and don' walk through where they're roosting, you'll be fine. They don't pay any attention to the blinds so I'd set it up in the wide-open where you've been seeing them. Turkeys are creatures of habit so if you can get within a 100 yds of where you've been seeing them, you'll have a great shot at one coming in to check you out. I probably wouldn't call a whole if any until the birds are on the ground if I'm envisioning your setup correctly. Good luck!

[Scoot]

Excellent, thanks Don! I hoped you'd chime in on this...

If we can get permission, we'll get up very early, set up the blind in the back of the truck and carefully drop it off, then slink in under the cover of darkness. If we can drop off the blind quietly (shouldn't be tough) and cross the fence quietly (might be tougher), I think we can get in there without making much racket. Hopefully we'll get permission and find out!

Looks like I might not be getting a whole lot of sleep tonight...

[DonBo]

Looks like I might not be getting a whole lot of sleep tonight...

Welcome to the world of turkey hunting!

[Borch]

Plenty of time to sleep after you shoot your turkey.

You've got real good advice. Unless you're seeing them at dawn or shortly after they may be some distance away. As long as you more than 100 yards away from the roost site you can still get by with a little noise especially in teh dark. If there's some wind, like it sounds that there will be, then that'll cover up most accidental noise of getting your blind ready.

Good Luck!

[Musky Buck]

Looking at the forecast in my area for the AM, feels like 23 degrees, ESE wind at 17-20, rain snow showers mixed, hope the birds don't get blown or froze out of the trees should help with sneaking in for ya, definite dark morning coming.

[sticknstring]

Perfect turkey hunting weather! Bring a heater with in the blind and a thermos of hot coffee and you'll be good. Wish I was headed out in the morning!

[Scoot]

Thanks guys! If we can get the permission to go in there, I'm confident we can make good use of your input! I'll know in a few hours if we can get in there or not.

[Musky Buck]

Perfect weather ? High wind and rain ? I'll bring a megaphone for my turkey call. I haven't deployed my blind, I messed up on my area to hunt, 508 slamdunk, but I went 507 and the birds are few and not patterning for me. I have yet to see a person in those conditions posing with a bird, but maybe I can be the first, I'm going to spot and stalk them in the AM if anything from my truck, and then set up for the late afternoon or Sunday/Monday and call it a season. Last night I got easily into shotgun range of a big tom, and this morning they were lambasting my bird feeder, if I fail in 507 C then can I go OTC in 508 ? As infested as my farm in 508 is and the volume of people seeing them and driving by, I can't believe not a single turkey hunter has pulled into ask, do you mean it stick is that perfect weather or what seems to be ideal ?

[Musky Buck]

This title fits me to a tee except the word Extremely would be used if I started this thread infront of Cluelss Turkey Hunter lol.

[DonBo]

Sorry Musky. In MN you can only buy one tag, use it or lose it.

As for the weather, I'm not a fan of high winds, but the birds don't mind all that much. Rain? Some of my most memorable hunts have been in the rain. Turkeys like to be out in the open on rainy days. Bring it!

Snow mixed with rain during high winds? Ummm, maybe not so much. Still beats sittin home on the couch IMHO.

[Borch]

Turkeys still move in this stuff. Any time I can get out is a perfect turkey huntinh day. I've shot them in the sun, snow, rain, howling wind but never from the couch.

Enjoy your time in the field. In a short drive in 507 this morning I saw 3 hens and 2 toms. They are out there.

Be prepared for them to just show up. They tend to be less talkative in the wind.

[sticknstring]

I was being sarcastic Musky, but I'd be out there regardless! If you can hack it, there will be birds willing to cooperate given you put in the time. Good luck!

[goblueM]

I've shot them in the sun, snow, rain, howling wind but never from the couch.

Sounds like you need to move your couch to a better spot!

[Archerysniper]

Sounds like you need to move your couch to a better spot! smile

YUP out Muskys window over the feeder

[eyeguy 54]

I read the title and was wondering if this was about the guy that popped into a local archery shop the other day and commented that he's been after turkeys with his bow for a couple weeks but they won't come close enough. Thought he could hunt all 8 seasons. lol

[Scoot]

Turkey report: We didn't get permission to hunt on the guy's land. However, we went to the land we've had permission to hunt on in the past and had a blast! I called in four birds for my buddy and they hunt up at 40 yards. After about 15 minutes, one of the toms busted us and they boogied out of there in a hurry. We got on another group of birds later, but couldn't get them within range. In total, it was a blast. I didn't know how fun turkey hunting was! I'll be doing this again in the future...

Thanks again for the input and help!

[sticknstring]

Sounds like you had a great time. If you love elk hunting, you'll love turkey hunting! Getting them within easy bowrange is the ultimate challenge!

[Musky Buck]

Well this clueless guy who skipped opening morning due to a phony forecast found a Tom Saturday night that gobbled every time I called, but wouldn't come in so Sunday morning I went to his roosting area and same scenario, except he gobbled so much I could pin point him and his direction he was headed and after a 1/2 mile jaunt, cut him off slid the deke in the field and took cover, he came right to the decoy in full fluff, 10" beard, 1"1/8" spur and a 1" 1/4" spur, 24 pounder. There were 2 other Toms gobbling in the area also, bit further away. Got lucky where I decided to set up shop, it was on his route for the morning, I really doubt if I wasn't on his route I don't think he would've come into the call/decoy. Great fun.

[sticknstring]

Congrats Musky - sounds like a heckuva bird!

[Wallydog]

Clueless my eye. Congrats on a stud bird!

WD

[Borch]

Congrats Musky buck!!!

It's definitely easier to get them to go somewhere they already want to go. NIce job of heading him off at the pass.

[rbs]

Thats not luck....that is what it takes to get them some days! Great job on your bird!

[Musky Buck]

Thanks guys, I didn't realize he was such a stud bird, I get turkey hunting now, the last time he gobbled was a little nerve racking, at 30 yards he stuck his neck out and gobbled right at me almost and that was really crazy, I kinda clammed up for a moment like good heavens geez, I think what I enjoyed the most was Saturday night I never got to see him, could hear him at 80 yards or so but was too freaked out to move not knowing if he was coming closer or not, but his gobbles faded away as he went the wrong direction pretty much at dark, but I knew where he was roosting, same Sunday morning never got to see him, could hear him gobble often, but no visual then I relocated what I was hoping was his route and when he came out of that CRP cover he was about 60 yards and I finally got to see that guy. Then he saw the decoy, then he fluffed up, then a couple clucks got him to come closer and at 25 yards I connected and the wait of not getting drawn last year and not having the chance to OTC in May was well worth it. He seemed like an older bird, was all alone, and seemed to have his own agenda.

[Musky Buck]

Forgot about this, there's a lot of wood ticks around also, saw plenty of deer,grouse,pheasants,cranes,geese,ducks, so there was a lot going on, lots of activity, just thankful the skeets weren't out. A guy today told me a jake decoy is better than a hen, he claims many a tom has come in to his and they want to thrash that deke, I would assume time of year and mood mean something there also, you guys have any luck with a jake or jake and hen set up ?

[Borch]

If I use a decoy it's almost always a jake. Thursday I'll start with a strutting jake with the tail replaced with a real one from a past spring.

[Archerysniper]

Congrats Musky you have any pic's of that beast?

[Musky Buck]

Yes and as soon as I get one on the computer will show you that kinda nasty headed guy, what's with like the fat stuff and stuff lol, man around there head etc. Getting the meat off that guy was kinda like surgery being performed, good luck to those still going !