Almost as soon as the tom landed in the clearing, he gobbled and puffed up. After four days of getting beat by the birds, it was a surreal sight. When he left the strut and headed for the logging road, it was even more bizarre. I was standing next to him, my 20-gauge resting across my knee.
That suicidal two-year-old took me from a turkey hunter to a turkey killer. In the nearly three decades since that incident, there have been many toms and jakes, but that one was special because he was my first.
If you are still looking to clear that first-tom hurdle, don’t lose hope. Scouting is the first and most important step in positioning yourself for success this spring, even though there are many strategies to consider.
Ah the majestic gobbler. The king of the spring woods, strutting his stuff and gobbling his heart out. He’s a sight to behold and for many hunters, the ultimate prize. But for those new to the turkey hunting game, bagging your first gobbler can feel like a daunting task. Fear not, aspiring turkey slayer! This guide will equip you with the knowledge and strategies you need to turn that dream into reality.
Scouting: The Key to Success
Before you even think about setting up your decoys, you need to do your homework Turkeys are creatures of habit, and understanding their patterns is crucial for success. Observe their feeding, roosting, and travel routes, paying close attention to the times they frequent specific areas. This intel will help you choose the perfect ambush spot and maximize your chances of encountering a gobbler.
Gearing Up for the Hunt
Whether you’re a shotgun enthusiast or a bowhunting aficionado ensure your weapon is up to the task. Pattern your shotgun to find the load that delivers the most BBs within the kill zone. For bowhunters, practice diligently on a 3D turkey target to hone your accuracy and build confidence. Remember a confident shot is a successful shot.
Timing is Everything
The early bird may catch the worm, but the early turkey hunter often catches the gobbler. First light is prime time for turkey activity, so be in position before the sun even thinks about rising. Additionally, pay attention to weather conditions. Bright sunshine, wind, and even fog can alter their behavior, so be prepared to adapt your tactics accordingly.
Trust Your Setup
Once you’ve chosen your spot and set up your decoys, trust your instincts. Second-guessing your setup can lead to missed opportunities. If you’ve done your research and chosen a location where turkeys are likely to appear, stick with it. Be patient, and let your setup work its magic.
Calling All Gobblers
Turkey calls are an essential tool in any hunter’s arsenal. Whether you prefer the versatility of a mouth call or the traditional sound of a slate call, practice your calling technique to ensure you can accurately mimic the sounds of a hen turkey. Remember, calling too aggressively can spook the birds, so start subtle and adjust your approach as needed.
Patience is a Virtue
Turkey hunting requires patience. Don’t get discouraged if the gobblers don’t show up right away. Stick to your plan, stay focused, and trust that your efforts will be rewarded. When the moment of truth arrives, remain calm, take aim, and make the shot count.
Beyond the Kill
The journey doesn’t end when you’ve successfully harvested your first gobbler. Conscientious hunters use every part of the bird and show respect for the animals they kill. Discover how to field dress and butcher your turkey correctly, then indulge in delectable recipes to showcase the results of your hard work.
Embrace the Experience
Turkey hunting is more than just filling your freezer. It’s an immersive experience that connects you with nature and challenges you to become a skilled outdoorsman. Embrace the thrill of the chase, the satisfaction of outsmarting a wary gobbler, and the camaraderie of sharing the experience with fellow hunters.
Remember, Safety First
Always prioritize safety when hunting. During hunting season, wear blaze orange, handle your gun with caution, and pay attention to your surroundings. You can make sure that your turkey hunting experience is safe and enjoyable by adhering to these guidelines.
By combining these pointers with a healthy dose of tenacity, you should have no trouble taking down your first gobbler and making a name for yourself as a legendary turkey hunter. So, grab your gear, head to the woods, and let the adventure begin!.
Make The First Hunt Count
Just like in the whitetail realm, first turkey hunts are your best bet. It gets harder to kill them as spring approaches the more times they are hunted on a given property or in a specific area of a property.
If you gather enough pre-season intel, you’ll see they are vulnerable in different locations at different times. The picked cornfield might be the answer, as they fly away from the roost at sunrise. But what if they keep landing in the middle of the field and don’t actually concentrate until they rearrange and leave early in the morning?
This means that sweet field-edge setup might allow you to see, and call to, plenty of birds. To put it plainly, you might not be able to persuade them to commit, particularly in the early part of the season when they are still in large numbers. Maybe they have a logging road or two-track that they usually use to get out of the field where they are most active? It’s possible that they prefer to hunt close to the field edge because the logging road offers much higher odds of success. This is an important distinction because many inexperienced hunters prefer to observe over kill, just like whitetails. Don’t be like them.
To fine-tune the art of picking high-odds ambush sites, take note when you start dialing in their patterns. Pay close attention to the things that might affect, and alter, their daily routine. Bright sunlight, versus cloudy or rainy weather will do it. Wind will shake things up. Where I live, ground fog around the swamps and wetlands will do it, too. Birds will soar over the haze to higher places where they can see, rather than walking through it. Use your observations to pinpoint multiple locations for your first hunt so you have backup plans. Then choose wisely.
Whether you’re shotgun hunting or bowhunting, trusting your setup is huge. Second-guessing decoy spreads and calling techniques has saved a pile of longbeards over the years. If you’re on the fence with either, think of it this way. The more scouting you do, the more likely you are to be in an area where actual birds anticipate some action.
Use a quarter-strut Jake decoy, a laydown hen, and maybe another hen or two. Make calls in accordance with how comfortable you are, whether that’s making very firm mouth calls or using a slate call while being a little more reserved.
When you expect to be bombarded with strutters at first light, but they don’t show, it’s tough. Stick it out. Trust your setup, and let it work for you. If you’ve done your homework, and aren’t giving away your position, the birds will show up. When they do, you’ll suddenly go from turkey hunter to turkey killer, which is a pretty sweet feeling.
Turkeys Now, Turkeys Soon
Flocks of hens are predictable, and where the ladies go, so do the boys. Hens have distinct travel, eating, and roosting habits that don’t change much unless something disturbs them or the weather warms up enough for them to have access to new food sources.
Until then, what they do today, they often do tomorrow. This suggests that if you want to know where turkeys should be when you go hunting in April, you should start watching them now. Just remember that it is not enough to see a few field stragglers desperately trying to get an early start on breeding season.
Pay attention to exactly where they are in the field. Pay attention to how they walk into the field, and how they exit it. Pay attention to exactly when they feed in certain spots. If you regularly use trail cameras or glass turkeys, you’ll see that birds usually have a very rigid schedule. It’s incredible, and prying into that regimented world is the first step to success.
The second is to get to know your weapon, really well.
Before attempting to take down your first bird with a shotgun or an archery tackle, determine your effective range on a turkey-sized target. With your shotgun, experiment with different loads until you find one that fires enough black bullets to kill your bird if it flies over the target distance.
If you bowhunt, practice on a 3D turkey target, a lot. Determine if you prefer to hunt from a seven-yard distance or if you can shoot farther. When a turkey does commit, you want the utmost confidence that it’s over when he gets into range. You do not want to be thinking about whether or not you can close the deal.
Butchering Turkeys For the First Time ||How to Process a Turkey & Supplies Needed||
FAQ
What is the process of killing a turkey?
How do you humanely slaughter a turkey?
How do you prepare a turkey after killing it?