# Help. I stink at this.



## bmj (Sep 22, 2007)

Between the early hunt and now the late hunt I have hunted with three family members for 4 days, and we have only seen three hens, heard one gobble, and seen a handful of tracks. These areas have had turkeys in the past, but now I'm stumped. I'm trying to do some research before another attack next weekend, and I'm wondering if people can give me some pointers on where the turkeys will be found these days. There seems to be so much turkey country out there, how do you narrow down where they might be? I've been to the canyon mouths and there isn't much there. I've gone up near the snow lines and I'm not seeing sign there. If anyone can help with suggestions on how to narrow the areas it would be much appreciated. Also, if anyone has information an an opinion on whether it is better to spend time chasing merriams or rios this time of year it would be appreciated. Trying to help my wife, son and nephew get into some birds.


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## scott_rn (Sep 11, 2007)

What region are you hunting? Have you tried a locator call (like an owl or crow)?


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## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

I hunted with my dad for a couple of weeks. We finally got into turkeys when we stopped calling and started glassing. It turned into something more like a deer hunt than anything else. Dad finally got a turkey by setting up an ambush on some birds spotted across a canyon.


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## idiot with a bow (Sep 10, 2007)

I saw a couple of turkeys across the street from Jordanelle yesterday. i hope this helps.


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## Finnegan (Sep 7, 2007)

Don't get frustrated. Despair turns into success in an instant. (That's what I'm telling myself.)

I've only hunted two days. I'm into turkeys and it sounds like you are, too. But I've noticed that they aren't very vocal. I'm also seeing toms together or hens by themselves, which isn't what I was expecting. I'm wondering if they're mating at all right now.

I tried 3 set-ups on toms that were close by, but couldn't draw them in. I know my calling is passable because I watched one tom come running to me from 250 yards out (without gobbling once) and then hold up 50 yards away, only to turn around and leave.

I tried spot and stalk, (or hear and stalk) on a couple, but most of the gobbling I've heard has been in heavy juniper cover where I couldn't shoot if a tom was 20 feet away.

I'm just a novice at this, so the only strategy I can give you is apply generous portions of persistence. Although...about half the guys I've talked to who got birds got them right after they came off the roost. So it sounds like the smart hunter finds their roost.


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

Turkeys live and nest (this time of year) in ares with water, not to steep, have some open area and some larger trees for roosting. I assume you are hunting in mountainous country so try and find ares on the mountain that are not too steep or to dense, benches and plateaus are perfect places to find turkeys. If you have seen turkeys in an area THIS TIME OF YEAR before, them that might be a good area to start your search. So here is your day: Before daylight find a high spot or open spot that you can stop and listen for the birds to gobble and yelp while still on the roost, they usually will gobble a few times before flydown, giving you a idea where they are. By 7 am they will be off the roost and walking around so get back in your can and drive around looking for them..oh God, did I just say road hunt?...stopping in areas that will give your locater call the best chance of being heard over a large area. No matter what some of the boys say, a good loud yelp is still the best locater call. By noon or so the birds will usually be kind of holed-up in areas not quite so visible and it might be a good chance for lunch. By 2:30 or 3 the birds will start working back into the open areas a little so you can repeat your morning routine. Also, as the other blogger mentioned, if you can find an area that over looks meadows and other open areas, glassing can be productive. Late evening, half hour before dark, many times the birds will gobble a few times before flying back on the roost so find that high spot and sit quietly..I mean very quietly..and you might hear some, giving you that start for the next day. One more thing, turkeys will answer a shock call for an hour or two after dark when they are on the roost, so go to some of those most likely spots and re-try a good loud yelp or other loud call before you retire for the night. Good luck.


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## Finnegan (Sep 7, 2007)

Any ideas about how ATV traffic effects turkey behavior?


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## bmj (Sep 22, 2007)

Thanks for the responses. I have been hunting the canyons around Fillmore, Meadow, Kanosh. I keep returning to the areas where they've been in the past, but they just aren't there. I haven't been using a locator call but maybe I'll try that. Mostly been putting in footwork and checking out likely areas for tracks and other sign. Been calling lightly in the mornings to see if I can locate birds, but haven't had responses (my calling is okay as I've had some success in the past, although I'm sure it can improve). I've been doing some glassing and driving around to spot some but that hasn't produced. I guess the key is to keep at it and something will pop at some point I hope.


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