My Spring Turkey permit showed up in the mail today. I have 5 days April 18-23 to get it done here in IL. I haven't turkey hunted in probably 8 years so this should be interesting. I've gotta go dig up my calls and look into a ground blind and some new decoys. Anyone have any helpful tips for the born-again turkey hunter? :D
JoDaviess. Less than a 2 hr drive from home and since I'll only be hunting Sat/Sun that's perfectly fine with me.
Justin, my permit showed up in the mail today as well. I got the 4th season locked up in the North Zone. Haven't hunted turkeys before. Gotta start learning quick I know that for sure. I mess around with mouth calls in my house to scare my boys every once and while.....better hone my skillz.
I've got Marion and Clay county permits. Found some new ground to hunt in Clay county so I bought a tag for there.
Wow, so you guys have to put in for a drawing on turkey tags? Here in Ohio we can harvest 2 bearded birds in the spring and 1 either sex bird in the fall. Good luck on going out though, i love spring turkey hunting....its a great time in the woods!
Find the roost. And don't be scared to get close, just be quiet. Find the dusting areas. One of my biggest keys to turkeys mid day! Don't let one bird hold you up. There are more. Start call sequences quiet. Never know where they are. A lot of birds will come in silent. Locator calls are essential. Set decoys extremely close to the blind If you hunt ridges (like I do a lot), it is important to remember that turkeys don't like to come downhill towards a call. Turkeys don't like crossing fence lines, or creeks, or other obstacles. So don't make them. I like to change up my decoy spreads. A lot of times, 1 jake. A lot of times 1 jake and two hens, I set it so it looks like a breeding pair, and a pervert One of my biggest tips is don't set up on the wrong side of a roost. Turkeys will generally fly down AWAY from the rising sun. I'll think of some more. This is like a refresher for me too
I'm lucky and get landowner permits to hunt in Menard County so I get to hunt all seasons. I'm still debating whether or not I want to hunt with my bow or shotgun right now though. I don't have a blind, nor do I have the money to invest in one.
They ALWAYS come in when you are not ready. The hens leave em around 9:30 to lay eggs... If you get busted...act like you didn't see them and keep moving...then circle back...For instance you are walking down a lumber road and you see a Gobbler in a field 200 yards away standing there periscoping you...if you stop or crouch or do anyhing stealthy he's gone...but if you walk nonchalantly on down the road out of sight, chances are he's still there....I've done this more times then I can count. Never try to out quick one....have your weapon up as soon as you know he's coming.... SB
Lots of good information Kyle but I disagree with this quoted one. Turkeys walk down all the time in their lives. They have no quams about doing it. The problem with calling them down hill is that they have so much more of a view than the caller who is below them. They can scan the woods tremendously well and if they don't like what they see, it's game over. It's not so much that they don't like to come down hill, it's that they don't have too. Also, it's more for shot gunners because it's very difficult to hold your gun up in the air on a downward approaching bird. When your on the same level or above you can rest your gun on your knee or hold it at a resting position rather than holding your gun up in the air and or having to raise your gun on an approaching bird.
Good advice Southernboy. There can be alot of great hunting after the hens move off to the hens and gobblers are looking for another receptive hen. Some of the best hunting can be around 10:00.
There is no doubt, it's better to be above or at least the same level. Just like the birds, when we are above them, it offers us a much better field of view and ambush.
JZ, Ill offer another tip that has been good to me over the years. I have had birds that are a little call shy, but have got them fired up using another technique. Its simple and natural sounding. Its just a matter of mimicking a feedind turkey scratching leaves. Simply use a stick or your hand and rake the leaves to mock feeding turkeys and throw in some soft clucks or purrs while doing it. I have had hung up birds from calling alone, but come running while doing this, eventually winning the battle from said scratcking of the leaves :d Sometimes it can really fire them up.
I know this is JZ's thread, but thanks for all of the info so far guys. All I know is I have a lot to learn in the next couple of months if I am going to get set-up on birds. I have repeatedly seen a flock of 13 birds that I am going to target this season.
Best of luck to ya benjamin Big key element here. find the/a birds routine just before the season and capatilize on it In other words, be where they like to be.
