# 2013 General Turkey Hunt Review



## utahhunter678 (Nov 3, 2012)

I spent TONZ of time in the bush this season. We found a couple birds but they were in Urban non hunting areas. Where should we go next year. We went to Middle canyon, Oak City, Hobble Creek, Payson, Spanish Fork. Maybe go south? I think that I should have come across alot more birds for the amount of time I spent out there. The link below is some footage of my time out there.


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## toasty (May 15, 2008)

That is a nice video, I'm sure it will be something you'll watch many years from now and enjoy with your kids.

I'm also no turkey expert, however, I've been hunting them for about 7 years now and spent a lot of time in the field and have figured a few things out. I don't know how to say it nice, so I'll just say it, you could use some work on your calling. I would suggest getting a box call or a pot call and working it over. With the right cadence, I think they are easier to get good turkey sounds than most mouth calls. Most general season birds have been called to death, they've heard it all. They only get a little bit of calling, I may yelp to find a bird then it is only soft clucks and purrs and cackles when I get desperate. My experience is loud frequent yelps send birds the other way. In high pressure areas, sometimes don't call at all, setup where they are going to be and wait for them.

Nothing wrong with getting skunked on the GS turkey, only about 1 in 4 people fill a tag, it is a tough hunt and takes persistence and luck to fill a tag. I helped 3 other guys this year after taking my birds and all of them had tag soup, of course, they only went out a couple times. We've seen GS tags fall from 10K to around 4K tags, it is not for everybody. Like you said, out hunting is better than staying home.


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## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

I enjoyed the video! Thank you so much for putting that together. It was fun to ride along with you and your boys.



> I don't know how to say it nice, so I'll just say it, you could use some work on your calling.


I didn't want to come across as rude, so I had originally chosen not to reply here. The truth is I agree with this. I would also recommend buying one of these:

http://utahwildlife.net/forum/28-trading-post/41585-slate-glass-turkey-calls.html

Your boy gave you a good suggestion when he told you to stalk that hen. I learned the sounds hens make by hanging around with groups of hens. They almost never hammer down like you were doing to that first tom. The hens I have watched always make subtle little clucks and purrs.

I don't know that you need to find new areas. You were into birds. That's all a guy can ask for. Hunting turkeys in Utah is about like hunting elk. You're going to put in some hard work and bringing one in is not always easy.


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

Your calling does need a little work but in all reality it probably would have been ok IF you did EVERYTHING else right AND you had a hot bird. Calling turkeys in, no matter what time of year it is, can be a difficult proposition. I guess that I actually call in maybe 30% of the birds I kill...things have to be just right. Also, hunting turkeys with a couple of boys tagging along (not that you'd have it any other way) can be almost impossible. Just keep it up, try to slow down a little and your bird will come. Good luck


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## gpskid (Jul 24, 2012)

I also hesitated posting in fear of being rude, but really UH678 u need to go back to basics, read about hunting Turkeys.

Video was great, glad u got the kids involved

First thing:
Throw away the camera, turkeys will spot u every time.
Sorry but the mouth call got to go, or more practice maybe.
Next the blind, only use if u have scouted and know where there going to be.
Decoys suspect later in the hunt, rarely do I use, but do work in the right conditions.

Find there rooost from a distance
Be up aleast an hour before they r, and set up, be invisible, no talking
Set up above or even with no barriers like creeks, gullies etc...
They will fly a distance to an opening or an open meadow.

Let them gobble on there own if u know their there, then only give a soft tree yelp to see if they know ur there, if they answer give no more, listen for them to hit the ground, then only give 3-4 soft yelps ( I mean soft) Like in the bedroom, if they answer no more. The more they gobble only brings other hens to them.

I like to make them nervous and let them gobble back to me, like I left.

Be ready gun up ready to fire, they will spot u, and at times u never know they did, they will come silent.

I also walk away calling to get them to follow if hung up.

As for birds , this season was great, we kilt 4 mature birds and called in 5 matures and 5 jakes the first day, then in May only got better....Southern Utah is all I'll say

If all this doesn't work they I resort to multiple calls, spit & drum, purrs, fighting purrs early in the season and so on.

And the best advice, go back out there at noon where u heard them and set up again, alot of times hens move to their nest and the gobblers are alone in the area.

Just a bit of info to share, I shot my first bird in Utah 1985, been hunting ghost birds since.

Last years video, those turkeys where on to us, we were lucky, Listen to there calls





Good luck next year, be glad to help out, give me a PM next spring


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

Plus 1 on what everyone else is saying on here. Your calling is *WAY *too loud and mechanical. Buy a slate and learn how to call with it as quietly as you can. Oh, and throw some camo over those perty faces! ;-) As with most hunting, there is a huge learning curve with turkeys. Especially if you've never hunted them before. Kudos for trying so hard and getting the kids out. Keep at it, you'll kill one.


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## goofy elk (Dec 16, 2007)

OK, JMHO, but, Just flat out seeing less turkeys during the 2013 season
WAY bigger issue than That calling will ever be!
Jakes will come to those calls anyday.........Just shows a lack of birds IMHO.

And another thing, I'm hearing the general season ticket (tag) sales dropped again!
Were in the 3K sales for geneal turkey now, Raising eyebrows at the DWR sales officce BIGTIME!.


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## gpskid (Jul 24, 2012)

goofy elk said:


> OK, JMHO, but, Just flat out seeing less turkeys during the 2013 season
> WAY bigger issue than That calling will ever be!
> Jakes will come to those calls anyday.........Just shows a lack of birds IMHO.
> 
> ...


Good, maybe they will give those that know how to hunt them a second tag
Utah birds are no longer barnyard Turkeys, well some on private property still pretty stupid


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## WeaselBrandGameCalls (Aug 16, 2010)

TEX-O-BOB said:


> Your calling is *WAY *too loud and mechanical. Buy a slate and learn how to call with it as quietly as you can.


Is it kinda like two gals wanting to hook up with you? One is hollaring so loud everybody in the county can hear her. The other sweet gal is purring seductively. I think we all know the answer to that one.


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## Skally (Apr 20, 2012)

goofy elk said:


> OK, JMHO, but, Just flat out seeing less turkeys during the 2013 season
> WAY bigger issue than That calling will ever be!
> Jakes will come to those calls anyday.........Just shows a lack of birds IMHO.
> 
> ...


I saw way more turkeys this year than last year. so not much of an issue here.
Less tags = more turkeys in the future doesn't it? So whats the problem with less general tags sold?


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

Skally said:


> I saw way more turkeys this year than last year. so not much of an issue here.
> Less tags = more turkeys in the future doesn't it? So whats the problem with less general tags sold?


First off, less tags this year actually means nothing about next years bird count. Turkeys, like all upland game birds, can have wide swings in numbers due to winter and spring weather conditions. Hunting and tag sales has very little or nothing to do with it. Populations change on a yearly basis.

Now, the reason less tags are being sold following the introduction of an over the counter (general season) is that many new hunters give up turkey hunting after "giving it a try". The reasons for these hunters to stop hunting turkeys is many...difficulty in filling tags, don't enjoy that style of hunting, etc.

Goofy Elk is always trying to find some reason to stop general hunts and have all hunts limited entry. He has some strange idea that he can use the falling tag sales as a tool to further his LE...code for limited opportunity... agenda with the DWS people. The Goofy Elks of this world are one of the reasons we are in the wildlife/hunting mess we are in today.


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

Here's the FACTS goofy. EVERY state in the country has an over the counter tag system for turkeys except us and NV. (Nevada is just as "F"ed as we are in regards to the whole LE hunting model. Ask anyone who lives there.) The ONLY reason the DWR is "raising their eyebrows" over the whole thing is $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$!!! That's it! The turkeys are doing fine, the numbers are great, and the people who know how to hunt them are killing them. Just like every other state in the whole country. Over the counter sales are going to continue to drop as the enchantment with turkeys wears off. The DWR will simply have to find another cash cow to hitch their LE wagon to. I say we import African game like Texas has done and fill the whole west desert with wart hogs and wildebeest.  $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$


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## hamernhonkers (Sep 28, 2007)

gpskid said:


> Good, maybe they will give those that know how to hunt them a second tag
> Utah birds are no longer barnyard Turkeys.


+1

It sure was nice for us again this year. Hunted 5 days total and seen and called in toms every day. My wife killed opening night and I killed mine the 2nd Monday. Seen a whopping 2 other hunters


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