Howdy folks
first post here... the name is Tyler, i live in
Idaho..
been hunting turkeys for two years #3 coming right
up..
first year i heard 3 to 6 birds a day but only seen a
few within 100 yards, and the ones i did see up close
were mostly flying out of the roost,, while running
after every gobble i heard... that was 4 days
straight.
well i never got a shot ..
so i got on the net read a whole bunch on turkeys,,
so year #2 comes up and the way i got it figured , I'm
pretty much an expert, and getting a bird is gonna be
a cinch.. heck i got five full straight days to get
one..
well now lets just move on to #3 the one coming right
up...

this is where i am at on this,, i have to travel 7
hours one way to hunt turkeys so i don't get any
scouting or live interaction.

i seem to have plenty of contact,lots of gobbling, and
some close calls.. when i am hunting them. but i have
yet to taste a wild turkey.. i had a couple'a chances
two slew some in the road but i just ain't ready for
that YET!!!!

so one of my main questions is ,,
what do you do when a tom is sitting out there about
70-80 yards gobbling its head off but wont move an
inch towards you,it don't matter what sound i make
they just answer to anything but they ain't budging
for nothing.
there seems to be plenty of turkey sounds out across
the net and on some of them hunting shows,, but i
haven't found much in the explanation on when and why
to use a certain turkey sound . or better yet what is
the turkey doing when he makes a sound???
so what is the best way to get a bird coming your way,
and at what time of day is best to work em????

#2 is there any pretty good signs that a bird is
coming in silent???
im pretty sure i had a few working my way and didnt
know it and just got to moving around to soon, and
spooked em right off the end of my gun.
but how long ya supposed to wait???
i know this is a long winded post, and those are
general questions but i would sure like to hear some
thoughts from some of you that has tasted wild turkey!!!

i always figured i was a savy hunter, i get my elk& deer pretty much every year and my smoker rarely cools during upland bird season..
but them dern toms have got me going crazy, a big ol stinky bull elk ain't got nothing on a turkey..

thanks for your time and this is great site..
Tyler

Welcome aboard slimm,
You mention a lot of birds hanging up on you, they are looking for the hen that they think they shoud be able to see from where they are, so maybe try a decoy so he sees what he wants. If a hen deke alone doesn't work try it along with a gobbler decoy if it's safe.
How much/how loud are you calling when they're hung up out there at 80 yards? Try just giving him a few clucks and purrs if anything at all. Sometimes just waiting him out is best, you want him to get anxious and to come looking for you which is not natural in the world of the wild turkey.
How is your setup, make sure your outline is broken up by something behind you. Setting under tree limbs in the shadows works real well. Keep movement to a minimum.
This is what makes turkey hunting so fun (and frustrating). We all learn something new on each bird we set up on.
Best of luck this spring and I'm sure others on this board can add lots to what little info I've given you.

barry

Slimm, Welcome to Vaturkey.com. It took me 5 years to close the deal. So don't give up to fast. I'm still learning this game and seem to be getting better every year I play.

I was having the same problems as you.. But in my case I think I was giving up to early and leaving my spot and the birds were comming in after I had left. Made the same mistake last year . Just hook in there and enjoy it for what it is. It will happen sooner then later. good luck God bless
Tim

Welcome Slim! This is year 4 coming up for me and I've learned most of what I know about chasing these grand birds from these wise ole turkey-chasers right here. Thanks to these guys and their willingness to share with a knot-headed green horn, I was finally able to kill my first two birds last spring. I'll let wiser ones than myself answer your current questions, but hang out and take notes. There's a TON to learn and there is no finer bunch of guys than this!

howdy barry thanks for the welcome .. & reply
well i have 3 decoys 2 hens and a jake,, i have some good camo clothes , i like to think that i am concealed and have my outline broke up..
as far as calling i really ain't sure what i am doing, i kinda got the feeling that i call to loud and to much,
i have seen some hunting shows on tv. and get my calls out and try to mimick the calls they are doing, but when i get out in the woods, i ain't sure if i am clucking or yelping, to tell the truth i have a tuff time telling one from another..
is there any videos out there that go in depth in the art of calling????

from what i can gather the toms are all hen-ed up on the opener, i have been told that if i wait a week or two after opener then all the hens have been bred, and them ol toms will start a stampede to get at what ever is doing the calling,, does that sound right???
but my hunting buddies wont even consider missing opening day..(neither of them have got a bird either)
if i dont get one on the opening week i will most likely head back up the 2nd or 3rd week and find out.

we have had unseasonable warm temps this year and the forcast is the same..
will this start the breding a little earlier???
i appreciate your time and looking foward to making some new friends here..
Tyler

howdy peacemaker & vabirdhunter.. i must of been replying to barry when you posted.. i am very slow on the keyboard,
my buddies kids say i am a pecker.
thanks for the encouraging words , i am also coming to the conclusion that i give up to soon and start trying to sneak in on em,, MAN JUST THINK IF THEM BIRDS HAD A SENCE OF SMELL,,,HA!!!!!!!!
i ain't never gonna give up though turkey has got to be as fun as any hunt out there,, no doubt they have nothing but respect from me..

peacemaker that is a funny post on them 3-1/2" bombs i am thinking about heading out to find the last little parts of my
shoulder today.. I'm not sure what i am gonna do for a load this year but I'm pretty sure them ain't an option!!!!!!

i am sure to visit this site on a daily basis, and try to soak up as much as possible.
well hope all are having a good day.
and thanks for the welcomes.....
Tyler

Tyler...

There are so many variables in turkey hunting that it's really hard to give sound advice without being right there.

The advice you've been given here is spot on. Decoys may be an asset, but posistioning of them is critical, and with the advice I'm going to give you they are worthless...

I'm not sure about the type of terrain you are hunting but one thing I see a lot of people do is setup where they can see a long way to watch the bird coming. Bad move... and here's why- When that gobbler is approaching he's looking for a hen. If he gets to 60-70 yards and cannot see the hen that he hears calling it's quite likely to make him nervous. If your terrain features allow you to, setup so that a gobbler must come in to shotgun range before he can "inspect" your setup. Basically, when you see him and he can see where the calling is coming from, it's too late as you just shot him in the face.

Some words of wisdom...

If the bird is coming let him come, do not call.

Patience

If you need to direct the bird the last few yards call softly so that's he can tell the direction but not pinpoint you exactly. Scratch in the leaves, although I would guess where you are there are not many!

Patience

Call just enough to keep him interested. Start softly and increase volume and intensity if necessary.

Patience

Since you can't scout pre-season use your time in the field while you are there to scout/hunt. If a bird or group of birds continue to do the same thing morning after morning us that to your advantage. Look for sign and good areas while you are actually hunting for future reference

Patience

Try some different calls... you may like a particular call more than another, but mix them up and you might hit that sweet sound that he can't ignore.

Patience

Listen to other turkeys and let them tell you how to call... watch, observe, learn

Oh... and don't forget patience!

Good luck and keep us posted on your adventures!

Listen to Freddy.. he knows more about Turkeys in his Pinky Finger than 10 guys combined..

As for the Calling.. here is one resource that I like a lot.. Practice Practice Practice.. and try to sound like real Turkeys .. weather it be on a Diaphram or Friction or Box call.. Doesn't matter.. just sound like a Turkey..

http://www.treetopturkeys.com/

Welcome to the Board.

thanks guys
Freddy did you say patience??? I'm gonna get the old webster out and look that one up..

wow i have been setting up on some old logging roads , where i can see at least 100 yards either way..
i hunt in mountains with mostly pine and cedar not to many broadleafs , but i imagine that scratching is scratching,hope i get a chance to try some of that..
i have no doubt that you have given me some sound advice, and i will study it out real close and try to apply it on the upcoming hunt..
thanks Freddy...

WVBOY
that is EXCACTLY what i have been looking for, thank you kindly,
man i am getting so fired up to go, i can hardly stand it!!!! bout the only thing i have left to do to get ready is find a load that dont knock me into last week... APRIL 15TH --come on and get here..
Tyler

SLIMM:
welcome to vaturkey.com board !
you 'll like it here, just ask and you get a reply soon. iF you have a ? tscoot is the man to ask for help.
you will learn alot and some of the best turkey hunters are here on the board and you will make some new friends.
stay after the birds ...you'll gett-um soon!!!!!!!

good luck this spring and just have fun !!!

STRIKER

Hey Slimm, welcome to the addiction, uh, I mean board.
Listen to old three toes (a.k.a. Freddy) - he knows a little about the birds you seek.
Other notables to listen to would be tscott, GN, Diablo, heck, I'd better not list names or I'll leave someone out.
Hang around this place and listen - you can't go wrong. Great group of guys too.
Freddy pretty much summed it up - patience.
Multiple calls - one may be just what he's listening for. Listen to Freddy's advice on set-up. Sometimes you can move away from one to entice him to come looking, or simply call over your shoulder (looking away as if you're not interested). What works one day won't work the next, and will work two weeks later. Patience.
And remember, a bad day in turkey woods sure beats a good day at work. Sit back and enjoy the ride!
Rhino

Slim welcome. Hope you enjoy the site. You already have a lot of great advice here. Stick around.

Okay Slimm, You have all the information needed to get that bird this year . I wish you much success ......Now if you really want to impress us here in Virginia, come on out to the cookout in June.

Be safe , keep your back to a big tree and take ole Tom for a ride home.
Tim

Welcome!.. you have received some GREAt info in this post!

a realy good hunter and call-maker named doug camp worte this, and it is really worth remmebring:"
1. Get in the woods early and in the dark. If you run late and have to hurry, you will hunt in a rush all day. This causes poor decisions and silly mistakes. Sit quietly when you get to your listening place. Relax. Be thankful you are there, out there, one more time. (GN: if yo u have a hunitng buddy or companion who refuse to go early, find another cpmpanion who will ...more birds are ruined fo r the day by late arrivals in early light than by anything else you can mess-up all day)...

2.Let the woods wake up around you. Never rush things. In the turkey woods, you must learn to LET things happen. Do not try to FORCE them to happen.

3.Never panic. Things frequently go wrong in the turkey woods. When something fouls up your chance at a turkey, don't get mad and go home. Just sit down and relax a while. Think things out. Then go again.

4. Never hunt with your bottom lip stuck out. If all your buddies are shooting big 'uns everyday, and you can't get around a turkey, it does not matter. If it does, you have forgotten what you are hunting for. All luck changes, sometimes very quickly. Just hang in there. Keep plugging away. Your time will come.

5.There is one thought that you must erase from your mind if you want to consistently kill turkeys. This thought saves more turkey's lives than any other. It is this - "He's gone." If those words come to your mind whenever a gobbling turkey hushes, you will be dissappointed often. A hushed turkey may, indeed, be gone. He may be standing still trying to make up his mind. Or, he may be on the way to you. Many turkeys hush when they walk in. You must always ASSUME that a silent turkey is on the way. (GN:and this is so true..he may be four hours away, but he is ALWAYS o n the way if he has heard your calls and believes them)

6.Remember that the one place in the world you should never go when a turkey hushes is toward where you last heard him. You will scare the turkey nearly everytime, and scared turkeys often don't gobble tomorrow. Go the other direction. He will be there tomorrow.
TRUE TRUE TRUE