Stalking out turkey

[Barrels4miles]

As I posted in my intro- I am new to hunting and decided recently to start with turkey. So I have a lot of questions, hopefully this doesn’t get annoying.

I found where they roost in the woods. Lots of feathers and droppings.
My problem is- I don’t know what direction they come from because that is where I would plan to hunt in the mornings.
I sat out a few times first time way too close to the spot and not covered in camo. (Major Rookie mistake)
I waited a few days and came back out about 30 min before sunset covered properly this time and sat still about 75 yards from the roosting area and they didn’t come.
At this point I’m wondering if I spooked them the first time, and how long they are spooked for? Or if they moved to a different spot for the season (they have roosted there for a good part of the summer). I did manage to communicate with/attract an owl with the owl call, but no reply from the gobblers. What would your next move be?
My thought was to go out early morning and to see what happens but if I already ruined the spot what’s the point?
Thoughts? Thank you

 

[Flatbrimmer]

Couple things: first- they definitely will roost in different trees throughout the season for a number of reasons. Food, weather, pressure etc.

Second- them suckers can be very sneaky when they come in quiet, and know how to stay hidden quite well. Just because you didn’t see them come in to your calls, does not mean they aren’t there!

Third- have you ever considered hanging a tree stand? Do you have anyone that may be able to help you get your first one setup safely? It is amazing how much more you can see from 15’ up a tree. Like WAY more ground! Even if you may not get a shot right away, you’ll be able to see how animals are reacting to the sounds you’re making.

There are certainly major learning curves that go with hunting any animal. Most times, once you figure it out, it isn’t quite as difficult as you remember it always being.

 

[seeth07]

Fall Turkey hunting in WI is more about timing than anything else. They generally will follow a typical pattern but anything that impacts them will interrupt it and it very well can interrupt it permanently or for a lengthy period of time - especially toms.

Do you know if this is a group of toms or hens with poults? If its hens with poults, they are way more predictable compared to an aging group of toms. If you burned and spooked toms from that roost, I would be moving on. If it was hens with poults, I'd be going back (assuming you are willing to shoot a poult or hen).

 

[Barrels4miles]

Fall Turkey hunting in WI is more about timing than anything else. They generally will follow a typical pattern but anything that impacts them will interrupt it and it very well can interrupt it permanently or for a lengthy period of time - especially toms.

Do you know if this is a group of toms or hens with poults? If it’s hens with poults, they are way more predictable compared to an aging group of toms. If you burned and spooked toms from that roost, I would be moving on. If it was hens with poults, I'd be going back (assuming you are willing to shoot a poult or hen).

Should I be able to tell from the feathers on the ground? I have just seen dark shadows on the tops of the trees and lots of feathers below.

 

[steveshuntn1]

I haven’t been after turkeys in a long while, but here in the south we only have a season in the spring when the gobblers are looking for girlfriends. They are very vocal that time of year. Probably easier to target as well.
The government woods where I hunt deer at turkeys are plentiful in the fall. I sometimes see 25 or 30 together while I’m deer hunting. I think they roost wherever they happen to be once the light starts fading for the day. I have also seen them come off the roost and fly a good ways off. I’d find out what they are eating, look for scratching and dropping around food sources and try setting up there. I’m sure more people on here who hunt them will have more help. Good luck!

 

[seeth07]

Should I be able to tell from the feathers on the ground? I have just seen dark shadows on the tops of the trees and lots of feathers below.

It would be very challenging unless you found small wing primaries indicating poults. But I would think that would be hard to differentiate from adult secondaries.

 

[seeth07]

look for scratching and dropping around food sources and try setting up there.

This is pretty good advise. In the fall, they often don't roost very far from their main food source. There is no breeding and no reason to be chasing all around the county. Food and a good large red oak to roost in is all they need.

 

[Barrels4miles]

This is pretty good advise. In the fall, they often don't roost very far from their main food source. There is no breeding and no reason to be chasing all around the county. Food and a good large red oak to roost in is all they need.

I suspect they are eating in the marsh/pond that buts up along my property. There is a ground blind already set up by a neighbor right on the property line in that area. I was hoping to be somewhere in between so I don’t crowd him in.
But maybe I just need to beat him to the punch with a blind in the spring?

 

[seeth07]

blind in the spring?

spring is a whole new ballgame. Everything changes as toms compete and push each other around gathering up as many hens as they can as well as moving from one chick to the next one that isn't bred yet.

 

[SaskHunter]

Couple things, fall hunting is more of a "right time, right place" kind of hunt, for turkeys. Spring is a lot easier and much more fun as you can actually call them in.

In a spring hunt scenario, I like to put the turkeys to roost, ie I spot where they are in the evening and come back the next day and sit +/- 200 yds from that spot, do a couple clucks prior to fly down and start calling when they're on the ground. Don't sit too close to their roost, they could see and/or hear you coming in and go the other way after they fly down. They're pretty smart birds.

I have little experience fall hunting turkeys, but you need to catch them off the roost on the way to, or at, their feeding area.

 

[kansasdad]

Fall turkey hunting (I'm really bummed that Kansas has stopped fall hunts!) for me has involved patterning the birds movements and laying in wait for them as they go about their day. But I have also had lots of fun accidentally or intentionally busting up a flock and calling them back in.

In the fall, there can be three distinct groupings of turkeys...hens/poults, hens without poults, and the boys, all doing separate things for the most part, but sometimes getting together for hours/days at a time. The closer we get to winter will cause the groups to coalesce into the big winter flocks.

The easiest flocks to bust up and call back together are the hens/poults. Causing the flock to scatter to all points of the compass is the trick. Then set up where they scattered from and give the mother hen collection call, and mimic the young birds kee-keeing and be prepared for them to be back withing 20 minutes of bust up. The boys can sometimes be called too with soft gobbler yelps and some kee-kee yelps, but you need to be more patient with them, often more than two hours before they start to seek their brothers. Perhaps the best confidence "call" at all to be given by a hunter is to imitate scratching/feeding noises.

Just a reminder, turkeys live and die with their eyes and ears. You don't have to play the wind at all, but any noise that is out of place, or movement that gives your location away will ruin a hunt.

 

[Barrels4miles]

Couple things, fall hunting is more of a "right time, right place" kind of hunt, for turkeys. Spring is a lot easier and much more fun as you can actually call them in.

In a spring hunt scenario, I like to put the turkeys to roost, ie I spot where they are in the evening and come back the next day and sit +/- 200 yds from that spot, do a couple clucks prior to fly down and start calling when they're on the ground. Don't sit too close to their roost, they could see and/or hear you coming in and go the other way after they fly down. They're pretty smart birds.

I have little experience fall hunting turkeys, but you need to catch them off the roost on the way to, or at, their feeding area.

Thank you

 

[TheBenHoyle]

In my experience, turkeys live in a neighborhood not in a house. Which means that they will roam quite a bit from day to day based on pressure and where they happen to be when the sun is going down.

I would try to figure out where they are roosting by observing from afar and then trying to get in on them before the sun comes up. Don't push in too close and be really still and well hidden.

Another strategy you can use in the fall is that if you see them in a big flock, you can try to get close and then gently bump them and bust up the flock. And then plop down in cover and make after 5 or so minutes start making clucks. The flock wants to gather back up and they might just come right in to your calls. I've done it a few times, although I missed the shots, but I know that it works.

Good luck.

 

[MinnesotaHunter]

Not knowing the type of area you are hunting. I would spend a couple of sessions scouting versus hunting. Turkeys are pretty patternable, with their daily routines largely tied to the best food available at the moment. My experience is, if left undisturbed, they kind of run a daily track. Try and figure out when they are going to be somewhere you can ambush them, at a time you can be out hunting, and then focus your effort at the time and place.

Stalking turkeys is really challenging, they are very good at detecting movement. Sitting still is way more important than camo. Also, raptors are a big predator, so they are conditioned to detect predators in trees.

 

[Gellar]

Jakes in the fall remind me of teenage boys, which they are teenage turkeys. They walk around in a group of 3-5, all smug and have an arrogance about them thinking they are tough crap, forgetting about the beatings they took earlier this spring, but when the first signs of trouble show up they coward and hide.