Spring Turkey

[WyoDoug]

Well Spring Turkey draw in and I was successful on a general tag.

I do not think I will try area 3 again as the area I saw turkey in is overhunted bad according to my friend that lives up there. Area 3 opens in April so that would have been convenient to start turkey early.

Now in the area I am hunting, I have been out last few days checking things out. Antelope don't look good but that is a whole nother story for later. Anyways I did find turkey but south of where I am allowed to hunt them. Did not have camera along and my cell phone takes gawd awful images. I found a flock of around 50 of them, right at the edge of town.

This will be my second attempt at turkey. I may have to do some talking to the local property owners and get a spot where I am the only one in the area even if I have to pay a trespass fee which I generally am against but just might this time. So turkey in May but going to be out there several times before then. I want to be successful this time.

 

[N2TRKYS]

I’ll be hunting Wyoming turkeys for the first time this Spring. If you find more than you can handle, shoot me a pm of locations.

 

[WyoDoug]

I’ll be hunting Wyoming turkeys for the first time this Spring. If you find more than you can handle, shoot me a pm of locations.

They had a severe winter kill on turkeys in the SE corner of Wyoming. If I find any to make it worthy of an NR making a trip where I am hunting at or signs they are in there, I will shoot you a message. Right now I am hunting solo and have yet to shoot a turkey in my lifetime so it's a learning curve for me. Right now they are south of where it's legal to hunt on private. I would actually enjoy having an experienced hunter tutoring me a bit. I got some to respond to my calls last week but didn't see toms. Just jakes and hens.

 

[publichunter1]

Good luck Doug. I hope you find you some. I picked up a tag this year but not sure if I’ll have time to hunt them. It’s a 4 hour ride or better just to get to places where I can hunt them. I would love to go over to the black hills but that’s a long trip.

 

[F250]

Good luck ! We saw lots of turkeys near Buffalo last fall.

 

[N2TRKYS]

They had a severe winter kill on turkeys in the SE corner of Wyoming. If I find any to make it worthy of an NR making a trip where I am hunting at or signs they are in there, I will shoot you a message. Right now I am hunting solo and have yet to shoot a turkey in my lifetime so it's a learning curve for me. Right now they are south of where it's legal to hunt on private. I would actually enjoy having an experienced hunter tutoring me a bit. I got some to respond to my calls last week but didn't see toms. Just jakes and hens.

I’ll be there sometime around the 2nd week of May. I’ll pm you when it gets closer and we’ll see what we can do.

 

[MuleyMB]

In same vote lol, this will be 3rd year trying to get our first turkeys, also going general, trying to figure things out before season, good luck to everyone!! Hope to see some success

 

[ccc23454]

I have 2 tags in wyoming this year, going to try area 3 for first time. Try to find some new place and topography to hunt. The general tags are relatively easy to fill, turkeys are basically pests in most towns except SW portion of state. I shot one 3 years ago on the mountain while bear hunting, wouldnt shut up. I have hunted turkeys allover the country and wyoming has some of the funnest and most vocal birds, access is biggest issue. If anyone of you guys are struggling just go hunt Blackhills south of sundance along SD border, it can be crowded but will teach you a lot. If anyone has some access to ag lands in unit 3 let me know will gladly repay any favors. Hopefully @WyoDoug hunts right dates this year (just kidding doug). Maybe we get some good weather this spring that makes these and out of state hunts enjoyable, not like snow storm of 2020!

 

[MuleyMB]

CCC sent ya a PM

 

[Stocker]

I may be giving advice that’s unwanted, and I’ve never hunted turkeys in Wyoming. I’m not sure if you guys are hunting an area with just a few flocks or there’s several over a large area. I’ve killed and guided guys to hundreds of turkeys all over Nebraska. There’s not much that gets you more excited than having one work into you drumming, spitting, and gobbling.

Presence of predators is the #1 factor in turkey behavior. If they are constantly being harassed by coyotes, bobcats, etc they are much less likely to get close to brushy areas where they can be ambushed. Which subsequently is a place where you would be set up in cover.

#2 Don’t waste your time on a Tom with a bunch of hens that will gobble at you but not work to you. It’s like a herd bull with a bunch of cows, he’s got no reason to leave his harem. But, keep note of where he is because sometimes just like elk he’ll peel off for a while and will be workable. Listen for other gobbles in an area as well, those will most likely be “satellite” Tom’s, jakes or 2yo birds that generally will come running at hen cluck and decoy.

Don’t be afraid to move, I use a lot of creeks and streams to move around out of sight to get closer or to cut them off. Cedar trees are good cover for moving too. Don’t be afraid to make a loud horrible sounding call. I’ve found a lot of birds by doing that and called some in from long distances just because they finally heard me.

All this being said Turkey behavior in different areas Varys widely. In Missouri where my buddies live you absolutely cannot get a Turkey to cross a fence or a creek. Here I’ve had them fly off a bluff 500 yards away over a creek and land in my decoys like geese.


Turkeys have a “herd” structure just like elk and have the same mindset as antelope in that they do strange random things at always the most inopportune time. The guy that showed me how to hunt them summed it up as “they are the smartest dumb animal you can hunt.”

If you don’t get one killed in Wyoming, come to Nebraska. I don’t sell hunts or “guide” anymore but I could be brought out of retirement and bribed with a cold beer and a BS session.

 

[WyoDoug]

I may be giving advice that’s unwanted, and I’ve never hunted turkeys in Wyoming. I’m not sure if you guys are hunting an area with just a few flocks or there’s several over a large area. I’ve killed and guided guys to hundreds of turkeys all over Nebraska. There’s not much that gets you more excited than having one work into you drumming, spitting, and gobbling.

Presence of predators is the #1 factor in turkey behavior. If they are constantly being harassed by coyotes, bobcats, etc they are much less likely to get close to brushy areas where they can be ambushed. Which subsequently is a place where you would be set up in cover.

#2 Don’t waste your time on a Tom with a bunch of hens that will gobble at you but not work to you. It’s like a herd bull with a bunch of cows, he’s got no reason to leave his harem. But, keep note of where he is because sometimes just like elk he’ll peel off for a while and will be workable. Listen for other gobbles in an area as well, those will most likely be “satellite” Tom’s, jakes or 2yo birds that generally will come running at hen cluck and decoy.

Don’t be afraid to move, I use a lot of creeks and streams to move around out of sight to get closer or to cut them off. Cedar trees are good cover for moving too. Don’t be afraid to make a loud horrible sounding call. I’ve found a lot of birds by doing that and called some in from long distances just because they finally heard me.

All this being said Turkey behavior in different areas Varys widely. In Missouri where my buddies live you absolutely cannot get a Turkey to cross a fence or a creek. Here I’ve had them fly off a bluff 500 yards away over a creek and land in my decoys like geese.


Turkeys have a “herd” structure just like elk and have the same mindset as antelope in that they do strange random things at always the most inopportune time. The guy that showed me how to hunt them summed it up as “they are the smartest dumb animal you can hunt.”

If you don’t get one killed in Wyoming, come to Nebraska. I don’t sell hunts or “guide” anymore but I could be brought out of retirement and bribed with a cold beer and a BS session.

Good input and appreciated. I am learning as a tenderfoot myself.

 

[sharpshooter97]

Good luck WyoDoug, I'm giving spring turkey a try for the first time as well although I will be hunting ND.

 

[mdcrossbow]

Well Spring Turkey draw in and I was successful on a general tag.

I do not think I will try area 3 again as the area I saw turkey in is overhunted bad according to my friend that lives up there. Area 3 opens in April so that would have been convenient to start turkey early.

Now in the area I am hunting, I have been out last few days checking things out. Antelope don't look good but that is a whole nother story for later. Anyways I did find turkey but south of where I am allowed to hunt them. Did not have camera along and my cell phone takes gawd awful images. I found a flock of around 50 of them, right at the edge of town.

This will be my second attempt at turkey. I may have to do some talking to the local property owners and get a spot where I am the only one in the area even if I have to pay a trespass fee which I generally am against but just might this time. So turkey in May but going to be out there several times before then. I want to be successful this time.

If you want to piss the old Tom off put 2 hen decoys out at about 15 yards apart and place a Jake decoy in the middle. If you hear gobbling in the morning Call and let him know your there waiting for him. send out a few calls about every 20-30 minutes if he doesn't come right in . He'll be there , he knows your there. Once he gets an eye on the Jake with the 2 hens came on.
1st pic 2020
next pic 2019 opening day this bird was hot and went straght for the big Tom. Light was just cresting the horizon. Same location.

 

[tbowers]

I've hunted WY the past two years. Coming from WI, merriums are much easier in many ways- they gobble a ton on the roost so easy to locate. They move more then Easterns, but you can use that to your advantage. If you dont feel like hiking miles, stay put, eventually one is going to gobble somewhat close. I can hunt 3 weeks straight in WI and only have 2-3 solid close encounters. In WY I have that in 1 day.

 

[KingOfTagSoup]

I may be giving advice that’s unwanted, and I’ve never hunted turkeys in Wyoming. I’m not sure if you guys are hunting an area with just a few flocks or there’s several over a large area. I’ve killed and guided guys to hundreds of turkeys all over Nebraska. There’s not much that gets you more excited than having one work into you drumming, spitting, and gobbling.

Presence of predators is the #1 factor in turkey behavior. If they are constantly being harassed by coyotes, bobcats, etc they are much less likely to get close to brushy areas where they can be ambushed. Which subsequently is a place where you would be set up in cover.

#2 Don’t waste your time on a Tom with a bunch of hens that will gobble at you but not work to you. It’s like a herd bull with a bunch of cows, he’s got no reason to leave his harem. But, keep note of where he is because sometimes just like elk he’ll peel off for a while and will be workable. Listen for other gobbles in an area as well, those will most likely be “satellite” Tom’s, jakes or 2yo birds that generally will come running at hen cluck and decoy.

Don’t be afraid to move, I use a lot of creeks and streams to move around out of sight to get closer or to cut them off. Cedar trees are good cover for moving too. Don’t be afraid to make a loud horrible sounding call. I’ve found a lot of birds by doing that and called some in from long distances just because they finally heard me.

All this being said Turkey behavior in different areas Varys widely. In Missouri where my buddies live you absolutely cannot get a Turkey to cross a fence or a creek. Here I’ve had them fly off a bluff 500 yards away over a creek and land in my decoys like geese.


Turkeys have a “herd” structure just like elk and have the same mindset as antelope in that they do strange random things at always the most inopportune time. The guy that showed me how to hunt them summed it up as “they are the smartest dumb animal you can hunt.”

If you don’t get one killed in Wyoming, come to Nebraska. I don’t sell hunts or “guide” anymore but I could be brought out of retirement and bribed with a cold beer and a BS session.

He gives some really sound advice. Turkeys were the first game I ever pursued in my hunting career. I've hunted deer, elk, etc, and to this day nothing gets me more excited than spring turkey. Perhaps the best advice I could give (wanted or not) is learn the language of the birds. Learn the sounds, what they mean, and how to replicate them on your calls, and your success rate will increase. Also, don't be afraid to stay mobile. On another subject, I'm looking to plan a trip for my first Merriam's hunt. Probably going to go with Wyoming or Nebraska. Anyone have any recommendations on where to start?

 

[WyoDoug]

I am looking at a mile distance from where they are to where I am allowed to hunt. What I might do is sit in the summer and early fall and call them repeatedly including decoys. Maybe that might work to get some to come in where I can hunt them???

 

[WyoDoug]

You mean call them in before you can actually hunt them?

Yeah. Plenty of habitat where I am allowed to hunt. They hang more on private and I think that has to do with the agriculture in the area (food) where they are.

 

[phutch30]

I am looking at a mile distance from where they are to where I am allowed to hunt. What I might do is sit in the summer and early fall and call them repeatedly including decoys. Maybe that might work to get some to come in where I can hunt them???

Dont do this. All you will do is educate them. Spring birds are totally different from summer/fall birds. IMO your wasting your time trying to habituate them to your spot with decoys and calling. If they dont frequent your spot theres a reason and trying to lure them over isnt going to work...having said that, I have had Merriams come a mile to a call before, so if this spot is your only option calling a lone tom to you may be possible...but if you cant watch them the whole way it prob wont work.
If it was me, I would do some driving and scout and knock on doors. It only takes one yes to turn everything around

 

[Watts307]

Well Spring Turkey draw in and I was successful on a general tag.

I do not think I will try area 3 again as the area I saw turkey in is overhunted bad according to my friend that lives up there. Area 3 opens in April so that would have been convenient to start turkey early.

Now in the area I am hunting, I have been out last few days checking things out. Antelope don't look good but that is a whole nother story for later. Anyways I did find turkey but south of where I am allowed to hunt them. Did not have camera along and my cell phone takes gawd awful images. I found a flock of around 50 of them, right at the edge of town.

This will be my second attempt at turkey. I may have to do some talking to the local property owners and get a spot where I am the only one in the area even if I have to pay a trespass fee which I generally am against but just might this time. So turkey in May but going to be out there several times before then. I want to be successful this time.

I drew a 2-3, will be first time hunting turkeys in Wyoming. Best of luck. I wish I could setup a blind on the my sidewalk next to my house here in Casper