Turkey Hunting Basics

[ilovesprig]

As stated in another thread, it's pretty tough finding roost trees on public land.....One thing that our local turkeys really like are sycamore trees.....Horizontal limbs, normally in creek bottoms, and this time of year, barren of leaves.

Loan gobblers and hens will change trees quickly this time of year. If you find a bird roosting, I'd be there the next morning......You will not normally find feathers or poop under these kinds of trees.

 

[MJB]

Steve you just hit on another good point........when your out hunting stop and talk to people make eye contact and just be happy and polite soon people will give you advice and really want to help you......last elk hunt every day at the gas station I had 2-3 people tell me where the elk were two people even stopped at the RV to give us info

 

[Jdrivsd619]

I hope I get the opportunity to chat with some fellow hunters while passing one another.... I hope I never walk in on someones sit...... I would feel horrible!!! And I'm always excited to lend a hand if I see someone in need or offer a hand to someone with a deer or packing out or something. I always feel its good karma and besides hard work is fun haha stuff that comes is gets boring !!! I don't see many hunters where i hunt tho

 

[ilovesprig]

A good place to hang out is Lake Henshaw Café (The Round-up)......I'll also be in cabin 13 behind the café......A lot of the guys stop by Friday & Saturday night. Always fun talking turkey around the campfire.

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[xjixta]

Going to try and go out for pig and some turkey next weekend on private land within the condor zone. Going to have to find some lead-free ammo.. So from my understanding on the DFG website it is legal to take a bearded turkey, which is just males and the occasional female? Noobie here so bare with me :-[

Also since its my first time what would be a good call to start out with? I saw some of recommended calls already. In terms of decoys any will do?

 

[Hunter Fishman]

(f) Air rifles powered by compressed air or gas and
used with any caliber of pellet, except that wild
turkey may only be taken with a pellet that is at
least 0.177 caliber;

Pellet guns eh?
Is there a minimum barrel length or FPS requirement for pellet guns for turkey?

I wish I had turkey near me. I hear stories once in a while about em but never seen one outside of stater bros within a 20 mile radius.

 

[ilovesprig]

Going to try and go out for pig and some turkey next weekend on private land within the condor zone. Going to have to find some lead-free ammo.. So from my understanding on the DFG website it is legal to take a bearded turkey, which is just males and the occasional female? Noobie here so bare with me :-[

Also since its my first time what would be a good call to start out with? I saw some of recommended calls already. In terms of decoys any will do?

It's legal to take any turkey with a VISIBLE beard.....Be it hen or tom....Just remember, bearded hens breed and have poults too.....And many jakes can have no visible beard.

Start with a dissent box call.....Primos Box Cutter would be my choice....Cadence is everything. Don't have to strike the paddle on the box.....Let the weight of the paddle do all the work.....Do NOT lift paddle from box call.

 

[xjixta]

Going to try and go out for pig and some turkey next weekend on private land within the condor zone. Going to have to find some lead-free ammo.. So from my understanding on the DFG website it is legal to take a bearded turkey, which is just males and the occasional female? Noobie here so bare with me :-[

Also since its my first time what would be a good call to start out with? I saw some of recommended calls already. In terms of decoys any will do?

It's legal to take any turkey with a VISIBLE beard.....Be it hen or tom....Just remember, bearded hens breed and have poults too.....And many jakes can have no visible beard.

Start with a dissent box call.....Primos Box Cutter would be my choice....Cadence is everything. Don't have to strike the paddle on the box.....Let the weight of the paddle do all the work.....Do NOT lift paddle from box call.

Thanks for the help sprig. So in terms of shot, #6 seems to be the most recommended and to be confirmed with a shot pattern. Sound about right? Or do you use a different shot#? I'm going to be using a moss500

 

[ilovesprig]

6's are fine.......I use 5's.

 

[xjixta]

6's are fine.......I use 5's.

Thank you. I hope I'm not bumping this thread too much but what do you recommend in terms of decoys? I've looked at a few feeding hen decoys and just regular standing hen decoys. Any particular one you recommend?

 

[Matagi]

xjixta, go with the DSD (Dave Smith Decoys), Avian X, or Deception decoys. Steve and I both use DSD and I have used Avian X also. I'm planning on getting a Deception boss hen in the Rio Grande feather coloration.

 

[ilovesprig]

I agree with Gen (Mataqi).......I use DSD's and IMO are the best looking and durable decoys made......They're also the most expensive........

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[wiley]

great video for hung up toms

"https://www.youtube.com/embed/Me1zUfOpohg"

 

[ilovesprig]

Wiles,

Thank for sharing that video.

I've used a number of those techniques this spring......Lots of 3 year olds and they ain't comin' to hens.....Of the 4 (should've been 5) birds shot this spring, they've all been killed after 10:00 am.

Another trick to try is to have your caller 50 or so yards behind the shooter.....If he comes up short, he could still be in range.

Another is leave the decoys in the truck......Try to find a location (light to dark woods) that he has to find you and when he does. He's in range.....I haven't had a longbeard bump into the decoys yet this year.

ps......Forgot about the youth hunt......2 bumped them......

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[xjixta]

Thanks for all the help guys! Really appreciate it. I went out this past weekend for the day. Started out late around 9 am up in the Paso Robles area near Camp Roberts. Private land that I was luckily invited to, saw some tracks on the floor right by the property and got excited. Unfortunately the only time I got a response on the primos wet box was when we first got out of the truck. Just heard large movement which could have easily been a pig or coyote behind us. Any other time I used the call I just attracted some good ol California condors. I think my caller is a condor caller. Lol appreciate all the info nonetheless. Probably will go back to the same spot within the next few weeks.

 

[surfcity]

Howdy,

I would really like to get a fall turkey.

There has been a lot of activity where I hunt turkey. Anybody out there had any luck getting a fall turkey?
Any tips on fall turkey hunting?

 

[Boya321]

Gonna try and give it a shot in 2 weeks lots of good info on this site


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[Robert2102]

I have heard numbers are down and not a lot of birds seen especially on public land...

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[ilovesprig]

I have heard numbers are down and not a lot of birds seen especially on public land...

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Robert,

You would be right about that assessment......Leave the hens, if you see one.....We need them next spring.....Oh, and pray for rain.......

 

[ilovesprig]

Saw these looking for a friends buck yesterday...... 8)

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