# LE Turkey NE Noob



## MuscleWhitefish (Jan 13, 2015)

So, I have no experience hunting turkeys and my card was hit for a Turkey Permit for the only area I put in for North East. 

I know of a few locations with Turkeys in the area (Dutch John, Sheep Creek, Book Cliffs)

I started watching videos on Youtube on how to hunt these birds. 

What are some tips and strategies that you can give someone that has never hunted them before?

What are some calls and decoys that you would recommend for hunting Turkeys?


----------



## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

Watch the videos, they will help a little, but in no way will they replace first hand experience. Generally speaking, all turkey hunts go something like this. You scout an area and actually find some turkeys. You make a mental note of the area. A few days before the hunt you try and relocate the flock(s) and spend a little time patterning them. The day before the hunt you make a final decision as to where you may want to set up on them in the morning. The morning of the hunt you get up early(before day light), get out into the field, and if you can, find the exact tree(s) they are roosting in. Move in as close as possible and try and get in their way(all your scouting will pay off at this time). Make your best hen noises and maybe, just maybe, a tom might come by and give you a look. There are hundreds and hundreds of books, movies, videos, even posts on this forum about "how to hunt turkeys", so, just remember, you are hunting. Good luck and remember...if you think he's comin...HOLD STILL, this isn't some dumb a** elk your hunting.


----------



## High Desert Elk (Aug 21, 2012)

You should learn a lot this year. Best success is as mentioned, be in their way of where they are going. As far as how to hunt them, it's really not a whole lot different in some aspects as chasing elk in September. We hunt birds in the same places elk hang out. I've stayed put before only to mess up. I've moved up before only to mess up. I've called to much and not enough. I've tried to outsmart them only to be outsmarted.

It's a fun challenge that's for sure. One thing I've learned about Merriams is they prefer to travel uphill. Two year old toms seem to be the easiest to call in. I think you'll find that everyone has their own different experiences and reasons to madness that work for them.


----------



## spacinout (Jul 19, 2014)

BPturkeys said:


> Watch the videos, they will help a little, but in no way will they replace first hand experience. Generally speaking, all turkey hunts go something like this. You scout an area and actually find some turkeys. You make a mental note of the area. A few days before the hunt you try and relocate the flock(s) and spend a little time patterning them. The day before the hunt you make a final decision as to where you may want to set up on them in the morning. The morning of the hunt you get up early(before day light), get out into the field, and if you can, find the exact tree(s) they are roosting in. Move in as close as possible and try and get in their way(all your scouting will pay off at this time). Make your best hen noises and maybe, just maybe, a tom might come by and give you a look. There are hundreds and hundreds of books, movies, videos, even posts on this forum about "how to hunt turkeys", so, just remember, you are hunting. Good luck and remember...if you think he's comin...HOLD STILL, this isn't some dumb a** elk your hunting.


Good advice! HOLD STILL! Every turkey hunter has at least a couple stories of deciding to move when a tom they had been calling hasn't responded for, what they think, is a little too long. Only to stand up or step out of the blind and see that tom bust off in the opposite direction.


----------



## sawsman (Sep 13, 2007)

Agree with everything mentioned above.

Saw a lot of turkeys on the Bookcliffs during the deer hunt.

I started off with a box call, but quickly got used to a mouth call and prefer it.

Good luck and have fun!

.


----------



## hawglips (Aug 23, 2013)

If you find a place where turkeys frequent, be there early the day you hunt, and listen for gobbling on the roost. Move in tight and set up on them. Then call them in.

There are a million possible details depending on what happens along the way, but the simple process is, A) locate the gobbler, B) set up on him, and C) call him in to shotgun range.


----------



## Eclectic (Jun 9, 2014)

You have been provided some great tips from experienced turkey hunters - I wish I could've had that when I first got started!

One other important point that will insure success is to make sure that you pattern your shotgun. Every one of them shoots a little differently, and you will need to find out what load patterns BEST at 40 yards from YOUR firearm. There are lots of commercial turkey loads out there which work well - they all require a full to extra full choke to provide the BEST pattern. I like copper-plated 6's in lead loads - hevi shot 6's are better (provide greater penetration), but the best turkey load ever conceived was developed by Hawglips. His tungsten stainless steel loads are the densest, hardest-hitting turkey patterns ever made. You have to load the shells yourself, and the tungsten is not cheap, but they are all I've shot for years now. Before I started shooting Hawg's loads, I would NEVER consider shooting at a turkey outside of 40 yards - I considered such unethical. Now with tungsten SS my 12 gauge, 2 3/4 inch loads hit turkeys more efficiently at 60 yards than my previous lead loads did at 40. I mostly hunt with my 20 gauge nowadays, and 60 is my new 40 with that as well. Hawg usually hunts turkeys with a 28 gauge, and his T-SS loads shoot as well from that shotgun as most commercial 12 gauge loads. His recipes for 410 to 12 gauges are tried and tested and used nationwide. I'll have to warn you though, once you've tried Hawg's TSS loads you will never shoot anything else at a turkey!

The important things to remember here are: pattern your shotgun - know exactly where it shoots (some shoot high or low or to one side or the other at 40 yards), and NEVER shoot at a magnificent turkey from a distance that may be "a little far." Be disciplined, and may you get as much a rush when you kill your first gobbler as I did!


----------



## PBH (Nov 7, 2007)

Listen. 

Even when driving the dirt roads. Roll down your window and listen. If you hear a gobble, that's a pretty good place to hunt. I've had numerous experiences of driving to my hunting spot only to hunt a different area because I heard a gobble while driving.

Locator calls can help. Crow, shaker gobble, etc. Use them when you are out hiking and searching. Locate, set up, call in.

Like sawsman, I like using a mouth call. They keep your hands free for other things: like raising your shotgun. You can still call with your gun raised ready to shoot.

but I keep a box call with me too. And multiple mouth calls.

This is one of the most fun hunts there is. Good luck.


----------



## gdog (Sep 13, 2007)

Don't over call and be patient. Most new turkey hunters call way too much. Turkeys are smart and have you located from your very first call. During the LE season, the turkeys should be ready and willing to come running to your calls, but older wiser gobblers or those who have been "educated", may come in slow and quite.

Know the terrain and think about what is between you and the turkey. Make it easy for the bird to get to you. In flatter ground this isn't as big of an issue, but pay attention to this if your hunting in the Mountains.

hawglips gave you perfect instructions with the A + B + C. Its all the details in between that makes the difference.


----------



## dson42 (Jan 28, 2018)

How did your hunt go? I drew a NE tag this year and know very little about the area


----------



## Holly2010 (Mar 21, 2018)

I agree with all comments above. But patience is the most important and then comes location. Make sure you do your due diligence and scout your area in advance. I have read some post where people use google maps for pre-scouting purposes. I have never tried it but it may help you familiarize yourself with a particular area.

Holly
http://www.huntingscopespro.com


----------



## MuscleWhitefish (Jan 13, 2015)

dson42 said:


> How did your hunt go? I drew a NE tag this year and know very little about the area


Last year was a year with a lot of snow. The birds were silent and not responding to calls. People had the turkeys coming in the general season, but the early season they just were not into it.


----------

