From what i have seen on TV etc., there are 3 main approaches to hunting turkey. 1) have access to great land like a mowed field or something where the birds naturally congregate every day.
This is not an option for me unfortunately.
2) use an owl call or similar to roost the birds the night before the hunt, and then setup before sunrise the next morning and try to call them in
This is not really an option for me either as I live on Long Island, and will be driving to the hunt site morning of the hunt. Do to family commitments etc going the night before and camping isn't an option
3) Western style like i have seen Steve Rinella doing where he is basically hiking the hills and calling as he goes hoping to locate a gobble, and then setting up
I remember from hunter ed that stalking turkeys is discouraged, but the above is not stalking. it is basically actively trying to locate throughout the day, closing the distance somewhat, and then setting up to call. This seems like the best option to me for the vast tracts of wooded state lands in the southern tier.
for those of you that are out there taking birds from Sterling or Stewart or similar, what are you doing to be successful?
my thoughts are to start with Google Earth to find the parts of the forest that are hardwood rather than pine, and then just get out hiking and calling (wearing an orange hat or something) and listening until i hear a gobble, then drop a decoy, find some cover, and try my best with a call.
any advice is appreciated!!
does that sound like the way to go?
Keep in mind that many toms may not gobble. Just because you aren't hearing them doesn't mean they aren't there. Find sign, set up, and be patient. That's the part I struggle with. I enjoy running around the hills too much and am unlikely to ever kill a silent bird.
Use the owl call when owls actually call which is before the sun is up or when the sun is going down. Other times use a crow call. Running and gunning using a box call works if conditions are right and then it can work real well. But, I have found more success in finding a likely set up and doing a few yelps and then waiting a half hour for any movement and then doing another few yelps and then leaving after 10 minutes to go to another spot. If coyotes are in the area and both sterling and stewart have them a lot of the times the tom's are call shy. Be aware at Sterling or anyplace that has elevation, a tom IS NOT going to come directly down to you, he will circle around and then come in if at all. A turkey doesn't want to have to try and run up hill away from you since he can't easily take off. HE WILL readily come straight up to you if you are higher than him. If he suspects danger he turns around and one hop has him gliding down hill to safety. Also remember turkeys sometimes won't climb over stone walls etc. I live on Long island too so if you want send me a pm and I'll give you my number and some more info.
both trips were to Sterling Forest, which is heavily wooded. I tried to identify trails that were a mixture of hardwood ridges and swampy bottoms, and on both trips i covered about 6-8 miles on trail while stopping every couple of hundred yards or so to call with either a crow call or a loud hen yelp, hoping to hear a gobble in return.
on the first trip i got started about 30 minutes after sunrise, and then heard one gobble from across a gully / creek at around 9:30 AM. it took me about 20 minutes to get around to the other side, and then i called again and heard a gobble again. i went off trail toward the gobble, found an area that was flat ground and lighter brush cover, set up a decoy, and then tried some softer hen calls. i am new, so i figured less calling is better. i gave it about 35 minutes, but never saw or heard the gobbler again.
on the second trip i got started again about 30 minutes after sunrise, and saw a hen about 10 yards onto the trail as i was leaving the parking lot,, in an area that is not open to hunting. the hen actually saw me first and ran off. i hiked past where i saw the hen and set up right inside inside the legal hunting area and tried some calls, but never got a response. i hiked 6-8 miles from there calling every couple hundred yards, but never heard a response.
All in all, i can't complain after hearing a gobble on the first trip and seeing a hen on the second trip, but i obviously have a long way to go. any of you veteran turkey hunters have any advice?
the obvious is get started an hour before sunrise, not 30 minutes after. This is just tough as i live about 90 minutes away.
another thought is that i was moving pretty fast. the trails were well maintained and leaf free so i was pretty quiet, but i was definitely covering ground quickly. my thought was that at least i would get some exercise in, but of course moving quickly can spook game... although i wasn't worried about turkeys winding me, and like i said, i was able to move pretty quietly. what pace are you successful big woods turkey hunters moving at?
any other thoughts or tips to help me get it done next year?
thanks!
Also, try to get out very early in the season. Once the Toms are educated it’s 10x harder. And the number one way to educate gobblers is just walking around and calling.
The most successful turkey hunters are surgical when they hunt. Most are tagged out the first week.
Good luck
for future reference though, is your son covering alot of ground the night before to locate toms? like setting off on a multi-mile hike at sunset, so that he is getting back to the car after dark?
any other thoughts from other successful guys would be appreciated!!
With all due respect to what Pat said, not all turkeys will gobble from the roost in the evening so if you are going strictly on what you hear, or don’t hear in the evening, you may be missing out on some great turkey hunting.
Put in as much time as possible on the property you plan to hunt. Scouting and woodsmanship are the most important aspects of your success. Try to be there as much as possible during the week leading up to the season. Find their roost area and where they are traveling to feed. This will get you a great starting point. Good luck!
With all due respect to what Pat said, not all turkeys will gobble from the roost in the evening so if you are going strictly on what you hear, or don’t hear in the evening, you may be missing out on some great turkey hunting.
Put in as much time as possible on the property you plan to hunt. Scouting and woodsmanship are the most important aspects of your success. Try to be there as much as possible during the week leading up to the season. Find their roost area and where they are traveling to feed. This will get you a great starting point. Good luck!
