# Turkey



## Mallardhead12 (Oct 17, 2011)

Hello all, I am a 16 year old hunter who is looking for some advice. I'm going to try turkey this year and want to start scouting, but I have no idea where to start. I don't know where to find roosts and was just wondering if anyone could give me some general advice or point me in the right direction? I live in tooele and have spent a little time pleasant hunting on the Pines Canyon Conservation Area. Thanks,

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## katorade (Sep 23, 2007)

I don't know about the birds in that area, but I would wait at least a month before you start scouting(Save Gas Money), the birds right now will be at lower elevations/slightly different areas then during the spring hunt. Low country birds winter where they summer generally. But if they are mountain birds in the spring they will follow the snowline into there spring/summer grounds. 

Good Luck.


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## whitepd01 (Aug 26, 2014)

Like Kade said, where they are now and where they will be when the hunt starts are completely different. You are wasting time scouting now in my opinion. Turkey's can move a lot. Even over the course of a couple days. I personally don't bother scouting them. You typically can find them quick when you start hunting and you have a full month to hunt. But if you wanted to scout I wouldn't start until maybe 2 weeks before the hunt. I usually drive around with my binoculars a couple days before the hunt to see what I can quickly see from the roads. That usually finds them, then I just start hunting where I find them. Hunting pressure can move them quickly. Weather can move them quickly and so can breeding. Get ready for an INCREDIBLE hunt though! Turkey hunting is the best!


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## Mallardhead12 (Oct 17, 2011)

Thanks you two. I'm definitely looking forward to learning this year. What do you look for when you are driving around? Large trees that just have turkeys in them?

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## whitepd01 (Aug 26, 2014)

Turkey's wont be in the trees until about 15 minutes after sunset. And they usually fly out in the morning about 15 minutes before sunrise. So you really can't scout for them when they are in their roost. In the dark you may be able to hear them in their roost. Just simply take your binoculars and look for them on the ground. Anywhere you can see lots of area is good. Basically just like scouting for deer. Once you SEE them watch them until you see them fly into their roosts. If you can hunt the next morning, set up right where they fly into the roost and 9/10 times come morning they will fly down right where they headed into the trees the night before. So if you can find where they roost and watch them roost that is golden. They will typically roost in the same spot until they have reason not too.... like a hunter or pressure or something like that.

Turkey are often creatures of habit. They follow the same routine day in and day out until given a reason not to. So if you can watch them and see where they go and when you usually have a good chance. But seriously in my experience binoculars are key. If you just go out and wander around hoping to stumble into them you may or may not have success. If you can find them with your binos then sneak up to them thats much better. You can cover a lot more territory with binoculars than boots. I've had birds see me 1/2 mile away and simply leave. They are smarter than most people understand. So find them, watch them, pattern them, then make a plan. Repeat.


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## hawglips (Aug 23, 2013)

My suggesting is that turkey hunting should be kept simple. Assuming you've already found an area that has turkeys, it's a 1-2-3, A-B-C sort of thing. A) Locate the gobbler, B) set up on the gobbler, C) call him in and shoot him. Trying to out-think or predict a turkey is usually a recipe for frustration - especially if one doesn't have dozens of dead turkeys under their belt and a demonstrated cache of turkey hunting know-how. Locate him, then move in tight with a good set-up, and call him in. If he doesn't come in, rinse and repeat.


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## Mallardhead12 (Oct 17, 2011)

Thanks for all the tips guys. What I just realized is that the hunt is still 4 months away! 

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## SCtransplant (Jul 31, 2015)

Turkeys are always going to turkey. 

Don't ever get stuck trying to kill a particular bird, that's always my biggest mistake, I find a longbeard and have a couple of close encounters, then I spend too much time trying to kill him and waste half a season. 

Put some miles on your boots, and find one that's willing to play.


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## katorade (Sep 23, 2007)

Mallardhead12 said:


> Thanks for all the tips guys. What I just realized is that the hunt is still 4 months away!
> 
> Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk


It's closer to 3 months away than 4, I don't need that kind of negativity in my life.

Depending on hunting pressure in the area you find, sometimes it is better to just get in front of the birds, sit and wait to ambush them coming to you, then start calling, and birds that have been called at by 25 different guys.


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## whitepd01 (Aug 26, 2014)

I'm already counting down the days til the spring hunt. My 3 oldest boys and I hunt them. 3 of us got the early tags this year. So we have 6 weeks of hunting. Here is what we did this fall just for fun:


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## whitepd01 (Aug 26, 2014)

To the OP. What hawglips says works great too. So I hear. He has more experience than I do by a long shot. I have been hunting turkeys seriously for probably only about 5 years. In my personal experience I can NOT get calling those darn birds to work. I have got the special *"RUN! It's a human"* call down perfect though  My calling just seems to scare them away. I'm no good at calling. I have had much more success stalking, ambushing, and setting up near roosts. So if you try calling and it just doesn't work for you, there are lots of other ways to kill nice birds. Thats much of the fun in turkey hunting. There is no right or wrong way to hunt them. Every time seems to be different. Some day I hope to get the calling figured out and be able to hunt them that way. I got a lot of "calling" experience this fall simply listening to the birds. So my calling has improved. But man or man in my experience I am no good at calling. Hopefully I'm better this year.


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## whitepd01 (Aug 26, 2014)

Oh yeah. Another option to try is decoy's. I've not had a ton of success with decoys. But I know lots who have. And last year we did kill one with decoys. I crawled out and staked a single hen decoy and within 5 minutes (no calling) we had 6 young toms around the decoy. My son killed one of those birds. Other times the birds just completely ignore the decoys. You will soon find hunting these birds is different every time and what works 1 days won't work the next.


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## hawglips (Aug 23, 2013)

whitepd01 said:


> I have been hunting turkeys seriously for probably only about 5 years. In my personal experience I can NOT get calling those darn birds to work. I have got the special *"RUN! It's a human"* call down perfect though  My calling just seems to scare them away. I'm no good at calling. I have had much more success stalking, ambushing, and setting up near roosts.


It's worth it to learn to call them in. That's the essence of the sport that makes it so addictive. Nothing like a big tom gobbling back at you and and coming in to you looking for that "hen" he heard. It's an unforgettable feeling. You can become proficient in no time, with just a little effort.


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## whitepd01 (Aug 26, 2014)

My goal this spring is to really figure out the calling.


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## Mallardhead12 (Oct 17, 2011)

Thank you all for the tips. Sounds like I just got to take all this advice and get out and try it. I'm not expecting to be successful this year I just hope I can learn some things.

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## Mallardhead12 (Oct 17, 2011)

Update: I've been driving around and doing "some" hiking and looking with my binos. I found one flock on the road by soldier creek in stockon, but that was all private property. not sure where to look except maybe far down settlement canyon or off smelter rd.


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## JuniorPre 360 (Feb 22, 2012)

Mallardhead12 said:


> Update: I've been driving around and doing "some" hiking and looking with my binos. I found one flock on the road by soldier creek in stockon, but that was all private property. not sure where to look except maybe far down settlement canyon or off smelter rd.


If you saw them in the morning, they may have just jumped down from their roost. If it was closer to the evening, they might be heading back. I'd get to the woods early in the morning, sit, and wait for the big toms to start gobbling. Work closer and closer to his gobbles and you'll probably find the roost.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

I also live in Tooele, and can tell you for certain there are Turkeys in almost every canyon out here. Don't limit your search to the most popular places around town.;-)


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## Mallardhead12 (Oct 17, 2011)

Fowlmouth said:


> I also live in Tooele, and can tell you for certain there are Turkeys in almost every canyon out here. Don't limit your search to the most popular places around town.;-)


Thanks fowlmouth. I haven't tried these canyons but it sounds like I ought to. It's nice to have the oquirrhs and the stansburys so close.

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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

hawglips said:


> My suggesting is that turkey hunting should be kept simple. Assuming you've already found an area that has turkeys, it's a 1-2-3, A-B-C sort of thing. A) Locate the gobbler, B) set up on the gobbler, C) call him in and shoot him. Trying to out-think or predict a turkey is usually a recipe for frustration - especially if one doesn't have dozens of dead turkeys under their belt and a demonstrated cache of turkey hunting know-how. Locate him, then move in tight with a good set-up, and call him in. If he doesn't come in, rinse and repeat.


YUP!


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## SCtransplant (Jul 31, 2015)

Can't wait, this will be my first time hunting another species, here are some Eastern's.


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## Mallardhead12 (Oct 17, 2011)

Sweet birds. This is my first year so I'm really excited.

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## Mallardhead12 (Oct 17, 2011)

Still haven't found any turkeys through my shed hunting and other things so this is frustrating. Let's see some more pictures?

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## duck (Dec 31, 2014)

mallard head pm in you need any tips on areas


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## duck (Dec 31, 2014)

mallardhead i can't figure out that stupid pm thing what you phone number and i will text you


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## hawglips (Aug 23, 2013)

Mallardhead12 said:


> Still haven't found any turkeys through my shed hunting and other things so this is frustrating. Let's see some more pictures?


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## Dunkem (May 8, 2012)

Wow nice birds.


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## hawglips (Aug 23, 2013)

Out-of-state birds

NE


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## hawglips (Aug 23, 2013)

TX


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## hawglips (Aug 23, 2013)

FL


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## Mallardhead12 (Oct 17, 2011)

Those are some beautiful birds. Thanks for sharing. Can't wait to get out in the woods.

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## hawglips (Aug 23, 2013)

GA


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## hawglips (Aug 23, 2013)

SC


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## SCtransplant (Jul 31, 2015)

hawglips said:


> SC


Flying out at midnight to go home and hunt SC birds. I hope they are on fire.


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## hawglips (Aug 23, 2013)

SCtransplant said:


> Flying out at midnight to go home and hunt SC birds. I hope they are on fire.


Good luck!

I had a SC hunt lined up but had to back out because the achilles wasn't ready.


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