# Looking to get into turkey hunting.



## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

I have tagged along once as a kid back in Pennsylvania with my great-uncle, but other than that, I am completely lost. I am interested in getting out there and figuring this out though this year. I am in Utah county and would love to find somebody (don't need to have experience, but I won't complain if you do!) to bumble along with me and try to whack a bird this spring.

Any takers? Pointers? I know I am going to need to get a general season tag, but that is about it.
Thanks


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

Jcakes, by all means get out there and give them a try. Turkeys are dang fun. Use your basic hunting skills and you'll catch on quickly. Couple things to get you started...you can't out run 'em, they got better eyes and ears than you and they NEVER stop and look back over their shoulder at you. Remeber, if you think one is coming in, sit down, put your gun up and DON'T MOVE!


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## High Desert Elk (Aug 21, 2012)

The only thing different about turkey hunting in the spring and elk hunting in Sept/Oct is about 700 lbs. Way fun to get into and gives you some hunting fun during fishing season!


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## bass2muskie (Nov 5, 2013)

This will be my first turkey hunt this year as well. I did draw a tag though. Im debating on trying to go after them with a bow or shotgun. Either way should be a fun time and it allows for some hunting which is always great.


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## outdoorser (Jan 14, 2013)

bass2muskie said:


> This will be my first turkey hunt this year as well. I did draw a tag though. Im debating on trying to go after them with a bow or shotgun. Either way should be a fun time and it allows for some hunting which is always great.


As others on this forum told me my first year of hunting turkeys, 'they're hard enough to get with a shotgun, don't start out with a bow'.


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## tstoffs (Jan 13, 2014)

Hey johnnycake,

Funny I get on the forum tonight and see your post. I saw about a dozen turkeys today on private property up the left fork of Hobble Creek, not a bad treat just being out for a day drive.

Turkey's are a lot smarter than people usually give them credit for and my experience with is you can never have too much camo or be too careful about making a lot of movements. They have sharp eyesight and work together as a group to keep an eye out for predictors.

I would take some time to learn a little bit about what their different sounds mean as well. There are some good videos on YouTube and I would recommend reading/listing to this article on the NWTF site: http://www.nwtf.org/all_about_turkeys/calling_tips.html

I didn't draw this year, so I'll be joining you on the general hunt!


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## High Desert Elk (Aug 21, 2012)

Over all the years turkey hunting, I've only taken one with a bow, it is pretty tough unless in a ground blind where you can get a good unhurried shot. Also remember, no matter how good your camo is, they will see you move. Turkeys also see color better than most 4 legged critters, so keep that in mind...


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

Great info guys! Any tips on where to start looking for birds? Locator calls (do these work?!!)


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

best place to start is in areas that you are familiar with. Where you hunt deer or elk, there are probably turkeys somewhere not to far. If You have seen turkeys someplace in the past, start there. Nearly all the mountain in Utah, except some of the desert ranges hold birds, so it only makes sense to hunt areas you know your way around in. If you find birds this time of year they will probably be down low and in large bunches. These birds will migrate vertically as spring progresses and the bunches will break up and the birds will spread out. Now is a good time to start scouting, keeping in mind what I just told you. Find a big bunch now and you'll find birds again later just a little ways up the mountain.


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## High Desert Elk (Aug 21, 2012)

I usually use an owl and/or box call to shock gobble them. Never been able to get one to sound off with a crow call. A tid bit of info, Merriams usually like to make a lot of noise, and very rarely will come down hill to you, they like to go up or straight across. Sometimes a bird will respond to a certain call and none of the others. So, carry a couple of different slate calls with different strikers and a good raspy hen box call. Box calls work great to cut through the wind, which is usually common in spring turkey hunting.


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Lol no use for an owl or crow call to shock gobble them I just rev up a wheeler or truck and shut it off. Gets them every time


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## High Desert Elk (Aug 21, 2012)

Lucky you! Guess I just hunt in the wrong places cause they don't do that where I hunt.


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## outdoorser (Jan 14, 2013)

High Desert Elk said:


> Lucky you! Guess I just hunt in the wrong places cause they don't do that where I hunt.


Well played;-)


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

High Desert Elk said:


> Lucky you! Guess I just hunt in the wrong places cause they don't do that where I hunt.


They will do it anywhere there's turkeys


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## goofy elk (Dec 16, 2007)

Squeeking old truck doors work best in Utah ......

STATE WIDE..


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

Some of yous guys laugh, but I have heard turkeys gobble to some pretty different noises. Cars driving down the road, car doors closing, cars running over objects in the road, jake brakes(no pun intended), car and air horns...(I once heard a guy moving through the woods using an a-ooga-horn as shocker and it worked great), goose honks, duck quacks, hawk screams, crow and owl calls, dogs barking, people talking, gun shots, thunder clap, cow mooing, jack ass braying and last but not least...a good old fart(by God, that's the truth). These and others I probable have forgotten I have personally heard. D*nm, turkeys are great.


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Lol maybe I need to get me a hand held a-ooga-horn for the pack in hunts.


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

Ok, so my need to get gear list for the upcoming hunt is as follows:
Let my brakes get all squeaky
an a-ooga horn
big ole sack of beans and some prunes (need to start tunin' the pipes)
and that should be all I need, right?


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## outdoorser (Jan 14, 2013)

Just about.


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## JuniorPre 360 (Feb 22, 2012)

So seriously, instead of buying a crow call, I could use my goose call?


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

JuniorPre 360 said:


> So seriously, instead of buying a crow call, I could use my goose call?


Lol only if the turkeys have heard geese.

Seriously there is a lot of marketing in hunting. I've used my own voice gobbling and have heard them respond. Shock gobbling is anything that makes them shocked into responding. Its used as a locating call. It doesn't mean they will come in. It doesn't mean they will stay put either.

It does sound better though while walking in the woods around hear with a hoot owl or crow call. If your into the ambiance sort of thing. I'm more of a grab what I got blow a goose call and make the other hunters think what the heck is that guy doing sort of hunter.


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

Seriously, for locating birds by making them gobble due to a loud noise I sometimes use a load predator call. I use shocking to cover large areas like a canyon or basin. I don't normally "shock" while I am walking through the woods. While walking I will normally start with a very soft cluck or yelp because they might be closer than you think. If no response I may, but not always, do a little bit louder cluck or yelp. The theory is that you want birds to respond that are responding to other birds, these are the birds that you might be able to call in. You won't call in birds making them gobble from a shock. In reality, although shocking might be a fun thing to do, as a hunting technique, it has limited value.


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## High Desert Elk (Aug 21, 2012)

swbuckmaster said:


> They will do it anywhere there's turkeys


Not to argue, but no, they don't.


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