new to turkey hunting

Turkey hunting tips & tricks that have worked & can help others.
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newbiegobblerguy
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Joined: March 22nd, 2020, 10:19 am

new to turkey hunting

Post by newbiegobblerguy »

Hello everyone,

I am as title suggests new to turkey hunting but a long time 30 plus year big game hunter looking for some help for this years hunting season in southern Missouri.
Several ?? but here are a few, question 1. How do u find roosts? I know that is a key to hunting them or I think it is at least.
2. What is the best and or easiest call for a newbie to use to bring a tom in?
3. I am a public land hunter so really looking at where to start as I got a month or so left to plan and really want a chance at a time this year as I got the strutting fever. So what advice can you offer as to how to start and key factors in finding and harvesting a tom this spring?

Thanks in advance God Bless and good hunting to everyone!
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CamoMan4025
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Re: new to turkey hunting

Post by CamoMan4025 »

Well, congrats on you're new adventure. If you have $4.99 to spare, I would download the TURKEY TECH app on your phone. There's a lot of good information on there about various calls, sounds along with information on each. I actually need to sit down and spend time just experimenting with it. In my opinion, Yelp, cluck and purr will be your easiest calls to bring a tom in. As far as roosting sites, that's just gonna take take in the woods listening.

Good luck and listen to the guys on here, they are extremely knowledgeable.

Kevin
"God, Guts & High Explosives"
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guesswho
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Re: new to turkey hunting

Post by guesswho »

1- listen early am. Also pay attention to which direct they seem to move. That may or may not be typical. But I would plan my approach based on that intel.

2- Push pin style, or a pot style call. Both are fairly basic and easy to get turkeys sounds out of.

3- Not knowing your area or terrain, I’d start by listening early am. Then maybe look at aerial views to see what may be the best approach to any birds you had heard previously. One thing about turkey hunting, plan A lasts about 3 minutes, so be prepared to change plans as soon as you get out of the truck.
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jsh909
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Re: new to turkey hunting

Post by jsh909 »

Where are you located?
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Hoobilly
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Re: new to turkey hunting

Post by Hoobilly »

As a newbie hunter to fall into the consensus you have to get the best camo decoys etc etc

You say your a big game hunter, then elk and turkey closely resembles each other except elk can wind you.

Rhythm is more important in a call

Be flexible when hunting and don’t have a fixed mind set and only follow one way of thinking. That’s my biggest hangup
Don't start none, won't be none!

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newbiegobblerguy
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Joined: March 22nd, 2020, 10:19 am

Re: new to turkey hunting

Post by newbiegobblerguy »

I am in Pomona, MO.
newbiegobblerguy
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Re: new to turkey hunting

Post by newbiegobblerguy »

Pomiona, Mo.
spider316
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Re: new to turkey hunting

Post by spider316 »

Welcome to the Asylum. Get up early and get to a high spot, just sit and listen to the woods wake up. My opinion for easiest call would be an all weather box call, learn to use it well, as stated above, rhythm and cadence will matter the most on the call side of things. Don't get discouraged, if you do, your my favorite type of hunter, a quitter. On public lands it's that much quicker your out of my way ! Again welcome aboard, please ask questions.
The most experienced novice Turkey hunter the good Lord ever created !
jsh909
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Re: new to turkey hunting

Post by jsh909 »

newbiegobblerguy wrote: March 22nd, 2020, 2:19 pm Pomiona, Mo.
Ok, I wouldn't be able to help you out much then. O am in Ohio. Was going to offer to show you the ropes a bit.
swampchicken
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Re: new to turkey hunting

Post by swampchicken »

Best thing to do is forget hunting turkeys all together!
In all honesty it's a sickness like no other to some people once they are hooked!

Scout, scout, and scout some more!
Wake up listen and watch the turkeys habits that's step one. Be courteous to other hunters and be safe.

Been hunting these Missouri birds for 30+ years good luck and have fun.
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howl
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Re: new to turkey hunting

Post by howl »

I'd like to help but I have to figure it out all over again every year. Recommend books by Kenny Morgan and recordings by Lovett Williams.

The two most abused types of calls are box and mouth. It's easy to sound turkey-like on them and lazily wear the birds attention out with almost-accurate calling. A Winky Hicks push pin would be a good starter call because the push pin is easy to make accurate yelps and clucks on IF you know what those sound like. See Mr. Williams CDs for what they sound like.

The biggest pit fall with calling is to call too much and too loudly. Both are unnatural and unnecessary. Turkeys can hear calling farther than is likely believed.

I guess I did remember something.
timbrhuntr
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Re: new to turkey hunting

Post by timbrhuntr »

I would look up some of the hunting public youtube vids as they hunt public and I believe they are from Mo. As far as advise you will get all kinds . Don't call call etc etc All I can say is that as an experienced hunter you probably know that experience teaches best tactics. Don't be afraid to try things that some suggest to be wrong as you may find out they work great for you. Welcome to the addiction trying to figure them out is most of the fun !
Prospector
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Re: new to turkey hunting

Post by Prospector »

If you are going to persist with this dreaded disease, my advice is KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid😆). Heed the good advice you’ve gotten here. Listen at dawn. Don’t worry about buying the high dollar gun (yet). The shotgun in your safe with a full/extra full choke will most likely do an acceptable job at reasonable ranges. Ammo can be had relatively cheap that will kill a turkey-you don’t have to have tss (right at first anyway). Buy a slate call, learn to yelp. Play around with the diaphragm calls but you don’t have to master it the first season ( lol, this is my 34 spring and I’m just barely competent on those things). Most importantly when you are graced by the presence of these majestic birds watch and LISTEN to what they are doing! Real birds and real hunters sound a lot different at times. Good Luck
“Son, Turkey HUNTING starts at 40yds and in. If you can kill him farther that’s all you’re doing- KILLING. Make him think he’s answering you, call him up, kill him closer-Man! Now that’s what it’s meant to be…” Johnnie Keel ( an Old Pro most never know)
henry02
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Re: new to turkey hunting

Post by henry02 »

A very good friend of mine asked me to make him a set of wing bone calls to commemorate his Wild Turkey Grand Slam.
(A Grand Slam is one of every sub-species of turkeys in the US... Eastern, Osceola, Merrium's & Rio Grande)
DO you have any ideas?
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Lacire
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Re: new to turkey hunting

Post by Lacire »

If you’re wanting to make the calls yourself there's some good how to videos on YouTube. I could send you some instructions and pictures of ones I’ve made, send me a PM if that would help you.
Vintage
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Re: new to turkey hunting

Post by Vintage »

Watch some videos but remember that it is not as easy as they make it seem. Listen to audio of turkeys. sight your gun in and be confident in your gun. Hunt where there are turkeys. Scout. Good Luck.
It is what it is.
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