Turkey hunting

[whatsnext]

I will be taking my two oldest children turkey hunting this spring, it will be the first time i have went turkey hunting and the first time hunting for my children so i have a few question's.

1st. what kind of call or call's should i use, or should i even bother?
2nd.Are 3 inch shell's necessary, i ask this because my daughter will be using a shotgun and i do not want her to get "beat up" to bad
3rd.My son will be using a bow any tips i could give him?
4th.Is camo enough or should i get some blinds?
Any help would be appreciated thanks in advance.

[SetterNut]

Calls, box or slate. Don't call a lot.
Blind is a big help with kids. Turkeys see any movement.
Bow hunting without a blind is near impossible in most areas.

[deseeker]

3 inch shells aren't needed. Shot size of 6 or 5 and limit it to head shots--there is a lot of meat and feathers to drive shot thru into the vitals on a body shot.

[SetterNut]

3 inch shells aren't needed. Shot size of 6 or 5 and limit it to head shots--there is a lot of meat and feathers to drive shot thru into the vitals on a body shot.

My son shot his first with 2.75" #6 shot with a 20 gauge. Hit the head/neck.

[Mountaineer]

1) Push-Pull
2) Nope
3) Use a scattergun
4) Camo is good, still is better....a blind is limiting.

Roost some birds; set-up early and well; bug dope; don't call till they fly down and then seldom, with a cluck being your friend; judge yardage correctly; be patient, quiet and, again, stay still; head on the stock and aim where the neck meets the body; pick up dead turkey.

[whatsnext]

Thanks for the responses guy's, My two oldest kids are 16 and almost 18 so they should be able to sit still and my son is dead set on using a bow he just really enjoys shooting bows.

[Tyler S]

Good luck! Turkey season is in full swing here.

The 2 3/4 20 gauge is fine. I killed several ( when I was younger and really mad at them)with 1oz of 7 1/2s. The hard part is getting them close enough to shoot. Killing one at 30 yards isn't.

If your son kills one with his bow, post up some pics. That would be a noteworthy feat!!
It's illegal here to use a bow on turkeys. Good luck again!!!

[Nate K]

I absolutely LOVE turkey hunting. Nothing better than hitting a call and listen to them gobble back at you. In my opinion the BEST part is when that big ol tom beats up your decoy. I have four turkey tags this year so really looking forward to spending my spring in the woods.

I suggest a push/pull call if it is your first time. Second I would say a slate call. Third a box. Don't touch a diaphram call. Turkeys sound worse than most calls so not to much worry about sounding perfect. More importantly is to not over call. Also when you are to the point you want to give up and try a new spot sit another 30 minutes. More times than I would like to admit I had went to get up and tom was right there just out of sight slowly moving in.

Personally I like docoys but they are not needed. With decoys I think you can get away with a little more movement than you can without them.

I have never tried bow hunting turkey but have shot turkeys with my bow while deer hunting. Unlucky things just happen to walk past my tree stand when I still have a unfilled tag.

Figure out a plan before you get to the woods. If you have two people who both want to shoot a turkey they need to know who shoots the first one to come in. Don't want to try to figure this out when he is already there.

Good luck and I hope the kids love it as much as I do.

[Ruffshooter]

If you have not gone before>
1) Go scouting fields late in the afternoon and dusk. sit and watch. The Turkeys will roost in near by trees before or just at dark. Take note of the location.
2) Go early before sunrise set up a jake turkey and a hen. Set the hen down on the ground like she is asking for it. Set the Jake behind her up right like he wants to give it to her. Set up your blind or get in a natural blind with room to have the gun in position and wear cammo. You want to be no more than 20 yards away if she is using a 20g. Turkeys have great eyes. They don't care to much about low talking other than they become even more alert.
3) At day break most of the time the turkeys will fly down from those trees out into the field 50 yards or so maybe 100 maybe 200. But they will see the set up.
4) If you have not called before. Don't. You can send them away with bad calls and too many calls.. There are time you hav to be aggressive but you will learn when that is.
5) Box and Slate calls are the easiest to master and I think pretty versatile. Also the Crystals calls have nice sound and can put up with bad weather better. IMO.
6) I will do some hen calls a few times before light. You will hear the turkeys calling just before they fly down. That is when I will throw out a couple jsut to let them know there is a horny hen down there.
7) If they start coming in but hang up be patient. They may not like the set up or see something. Some times a little purring an putting may pull them in.
If they ignore you and then start going away tthat is when I get more aggressive.
If the toms come in they will more than likely attack the jake and beet the heck out of him.
9) You want to try to get them to stretch out their neck for a clean head shot. So just a little noise, a put a shhhh, When the stick up their head dust em.

Side note you can neak up on them but it is slow and dirty work, you need to use the terrain and if one sees you they all go away.
Good luck.
Rick

[Double Shot Banks]

We use 3 1/2 inch 5 or 6 shot, we think its a must but you could kill one with a 3 or a 2 3/4 if your close. and a headshot
I love using mouth calls, easy to use but NEVER call too much, the toms will gobble up a storm in the morning when they roost, then they wont for a few hours, this is normal they are mating with their hens.
When they start gobbling (they might not) at 10am or so you can call, you can call earlier too just to let them know you are there. It is against their nature to follow a hen; usually the hen chases the tom so dont call too much, and if the tom isnt getting closer stop calling for a bit, and then turn your head and act less interested and quiet so it sounds like you are leaving. be creative and exited with your attitude in calling.
I like a blind because TURKEYS CAN SEE COLOR they have great eyes and a blind lets you move around so much more. more comfortable too BUT with a blind you cant relocate easily or at all.
Isaac and Banks

Shot my first turkey last year, good luck its lots of fun for the kids (i should know)

[RoostersMom]

Agree with most above. With 3 people going together - I would do a blind. You can set it up literally smack dab in the middle of an open wheat field and turkeys won't even act any differently. Strange creatures. I've killed my last 4 of 5 out of blinds. I still like to "run and gun" quite a bit, but if hunting with multiples, kids, or a bow - a blind can't be beat. I use a jake and two hens for my setup most days - sometimes only a lone hen depending on what happened the day before. I don't overcall as this can be a real detriment to you. Just a fly down cackle if you can manage it and a few putts when they're on the ground.

Movement causes turkeys to run.....sound, not so much. If your daughter shoots and misses - or even shoots and gets one - then let your son shoot the next one with his bow. The arrow will sometimes cause the turkeys to scare off - not so usually with the sound of the shotgun. Keep still once you shoot and you can usually get another shot off (or a couple - I've been in a situation where we've killed 3 turkeys in a 15 sq foot area - one at a time). Once you've scared them out of the field, IMO, they usually won't come back - so move to another spot. Make sure you pattern your gun first - and that she is shooting for the neck of the bird. No body shots.

I personally hate bow hunting for turkeys - seen too many injured toms that have enough gumption to get out of the area - but will likely die later with an arrow running through body parts. Just make sure it's a good shot if you're using a bow.

[whatsnext]

I think we are going to use blinds, i believe it will be cheaper than buying everyone camo plus from the responses it sounds like the way to go.We are probably going to go sometime in mid april to kansas, Thanks again for all the tips.

[Jagerdawg]

I would use a blind also. camo wont be necessary i would wear black it blends into the darkness of the blind. i use a bow for turkey hunting also, keep the shots close. I like to shoot at the neck that way i either miss or have an instant dispatch. Good luck and happy hunting

[Double Shot Banks]

Another thing to remember, i have seen it done. We only sometimes used a jake or tom decoy, because you never know what goons are out there. And you dont want someone shooting in your direction at a decoy.
Shouldn't be anything to worry about though
Isaac and Banks

[whatsnext]

Double shot the land i will be hunting is leased so no one else should be hunting on it, if they are they would be trespassing.

[Double Shot Banks]

Double shot the land i will be hunting is leased so no one else should be hunting on it, if they are they would be trespassing.

Then it sounds like you should be fine!
Although i still dont like tom decoys, we only use jake decoys, if a small tom or a young jake come by we dont want to scare him off if he doesnt think hes big enough.
Have fun hunting!
Isaac and Banks