# 1st turkey hunt-2018



## Kup6 (Apr 9, 2018)

Hey Guys/Gals
This’ll be my first turkey hunt. I’m planning on taking my 2 daughters. I’ve watched videos and read a lot of these forums.

I’m just trying to figure out some decent spots to hunt near’ish to Bountiful. Any tips?

Also, any recommendations on a good call and other good gear for a novice like myself. I’m excited to be out in the hills!

Thanks for your time!


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## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

Okay, I'll jump in here. I wont beat you up about being your first post here on the forum either because i'v been there. So Welcome and we hope you stay and share some good stories and pictures.

AS for Turkeys near Bountiful, I cant help you there because I hunt elsewhere but, I usually buy HS mouth calls and will run those, I use to run a slate call but, by far my favorite hand call it the Pitman insanity. Its a double action type box call and I can make it sound real turkey-ie. Especially if I'm calling for someone else, thats my go to call but, I'm a big believer in learning the mouth calls.

Regardless if someone here is generous enough to share some info with you, it would be worth your time to hit the hills now and leading up to the season and scout.
Early morning and late in the evening listening for gobbling or see if you can get eyes on some. I would advise against calling while scouting because I believe in minimal pressure on the game I pursue before I hunt. Especially if you dont know the hows and whys of calling.

While you are hunting, assuming you've at least pinpointed a roost area, I love to get as close as i can well under the cover of darkness. 

Just when the tweetie birds start to make noise and you think you might be able to see a little, I like to do just a tiny soft little calling sequence to let the Turkey know that I'm a hen in the area and i'v just woke up wondering where everyone is at. I let the turkey tell me at this point how to call. If you dont know what your doing then I say less calling is better.

Even on HOT toms. One year I set up 90 yards from a HOT tom in his roost and I very timidly called at him and that was it. 15 minutes later, I heard him fly down and 5 minutes after that he appeared in the decoys at 20 yards..

Once you call at a turkey, they wont forget about you.. They may not like what you have to offer but they wont forget about you so in that sense I say it is a common mistake to work the calls too much or too often.

There are lots of guys on here that know their stuff! 

Good luck! post some pictures

Turkeys can be difficult to learn but, once you do they are easy..


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

There's turkeys up behind the golf course. The first call should always be a box call. Remember that the sound is only secondary and most calls will fit that bill...cadence, volume, timing(to call or not to call) all are more important than the sound. 99% of the birds are called in with a yelp sound, learn it.
I can't stress the importance of movement when turkey hunting. If you are lucky enough to get one to answer and start coming in, get your gun up and don't move...good luck with two little kids.


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

:shock::shock::shock: Yup!...... Box call, and DONT MOVE!!!!!!


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## MurrayTurkey (Aug 23, 2017)

I am by no means an expert (entering my second season as a turkey chaser) but I’ll share what I did last year. 

I spent a fair amount of time scouting above Bountiful last year because I had heard there are turkeys up there. I covered over ten miles of ground in April looking for signs (feathers, footprints, claw marks under trees) and came up empty. 

On opening day, my brother and I set out at 4:00 AM without having successfully located birds during our scouting. We decided to hunt an area that I thought would make good turkey habitat, and by some stroke of luck, we made a call at roughly 6:30 and learned that we were 20 yards away from roosting birds. We didn’t harvest birds that morning, but both of us pulled toms out of that spot later in the season. 

We both used mouth calls, and that’s what I plan to use this year. Tried a box call last year and didn’t like it. 

Good luck! Get out scouting! I am sure there are birds above Bountiful, I’m unfamiliar with that area and didn’t know where to look.


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## Lone_Hunter (Oct 25, 2017)

Scout early, scout often. I'm into my 3rd season now, and all the areas I knew about last spring are coming up empty. I'm really glad I didn't get an LE tag this year.

As calls go, personally, I find I do better with a slate (pot and peg) call then with a box call. Definitely get all three types of calls however. Sometimes they won't respond to one call, but will to another.

Other piece of advice that comes to mind is, if you do find an area with some Toms, prepare a spot a day or two beforehand. Cut away any branch's poking you, and make sure it's as comfortable as you can make it. Slip in *at least* a half hour before first grey light.

Don't get too close to a roost if you find one. They WILL fly in the dark, your headlamp will spook them, and don't be lazy, hike in. Leave the 4 wheeler behind, they spook easy. If your not rocking some of the newer base layers, then bring a spare T shirt to change into if your sweating from the hike in; change it, and layer up just before you get into your area. It's hard to be still when your shivering from a cold sweat. Lesson I learned the hard way last spring.


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## Kup6 (Apr 9, 2018)

Guys thank you so much. I’ve been watching a bunch of videos and reading. I’ve hit the hills quite a bit but haven’t seen much signs of birds although they may be there, my rookie eyes might be missing them! I ended up getting a box call, mouth call, and a slate. Everyone agree that a yelp is the most important? Do you get to your spot and then let out a few yelps to locate?


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

Kup6 said:


> Do you get to your spot and then let out a few yelps to locate?


I prefer to be in my spot an hour before any morning light starts (bare minimum 30 minutes for those snooze mornings). Once in my spot I will wait at least 15-20 mins before yelping, and prefer to wait until I hear a real bird on the roost start to make noise.

As I'm sure you've read, less is more when it comes to calling--except for when it isn't! Lots of trial and error in figuring out when to call and how much to keep calling. And even if you get a tom coming in hot, but then for whatever reason he goes silent on you: DO NOT MOVE! It sucks but I can't tell you how many times I had one stop gobbling and even after waiting a solid hour before I gave up, as soon as I stood, sure enough there he was coming in like a ghost from a different direction.

And watch out for hiking in during those full moon nights, turkeys definitely will see you if you are not careful.

Have fun, spring turkey hunting is about as much fun as it gets in UT IMO, right up there with September elk hunting, only WAY less packing after the fact!


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