turkeys ?

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pinebrookkennel
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turkeys ?

Post by pinebrookkennel » Sat May 12, 2012 6:16 am

All
Anyone have a secret tip they would share with me on how the he** to get the
Hend up toms to come in to your decoys.
These birds are killing me this year. With the early spring and low number of young bird
I'm getting frustrated.
The boys and I have hunted hard for three weeks and have yet to fill a tag.
Make no distinction between practice and combat !
Miyamoto Musashi.
Knowledge, once gained can never be stolen or repossessed.
Jered

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ibbowhunting
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Re: turkeys ?

Post by ibbowhunting » Sat May 12, 2012 9:07 am

two years i a row without a bird! i'm no help, but good luck

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SetterNut
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Re: turkeys ?

Post by SetterNut » Sat May 12, 2012 6:58 pm

If they are henned up, you can get the hens to come to you and bring the Toms with them.
I have had some luck getting hens to come in by mimicking them if they are calling.

But the best way is to pattern them and get set up in a neck down their travel rout. Its much easier to get them to come to you if you are where they want to go.
Steve

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pinebrookkennel
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Re: turkeys ?

Post by pinebrookkennel » Sat May 12, 2012 7:57 pm

Steve
You are right about calling in the hen and the toms follow, it just not working this year. I may just be having bad luck
But it seems the birds are mocking me.
We have not seen a one year old jake this year, you can usally count on calling these guys in after they get beat up
By the toms. I'm wondering if the low hatch numbers for phes and turkey are one in the same.
Make no distinction between practice and combat !
Miyamoto Musashi.
Knowledge, once gained can never be stolen or repossessed.
Jered

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SetterNut
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Re: turkeys ?

Post by SetterNut » Sat May 12, 2012 9:46 pm

pinebrookkennel wrote:Steve
You are right about calling in the hen and the toms follow, it just not working this year. I may just be having bad luck
But it seems the birds are mocking me.
We have not seen a one year old jake this year, you can usally count on calling these guys in after they get beat up
By the toms. I'm wondering if the low hatch numbers for phes and turkey are one in the same.

You need to come out here. You can't throw a dead cat without hitting a turkey. I ran the dogs today and ran into several. My 3 yo setter is a turkey freak. He loves to try to point or chase them. It really gets old :(

Are you putting out decoys?
Steve

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djloder
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Re: turkeys ?

Post by djloder » Sat May 12, 2012 10:37 pm

Don't use decoys have the birds hunt you.
Derek Lodermeier
TR GUN Derrick de L'Etoile du Nord NA-PZ1TAN http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/3genview.php?id=2204

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pinebrookkennel
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Re: turkeys ?

Post by pinebrookkennel » Sun May 13, 2012 6:41 am

Yea, we have used every decoy set up you can dream of. Hens, toms, jakes, all
Together, mixed matched.
Never tried to hunt without decoys, :| killed any that way?
I might use that line,( throwing a dead cat @ them) Sitting here trying to be quiet
And still and laughing out loud .
Make no distinction between practice and combat !
Miyamoto Musashi.
Knowledge, once gained can never be stolen or repossessed.
Jered

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djloder
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Re: turkeys ?

Post by djloder » Sun May 13, 2012 7:55 am

I have killed alot more without then with decoys. This late in the season the birds have seen decoys and they want the "birds" to come to them.
Derek Lodermeier
TR GUN Derrick de L'Etoile du Nord NA-PZ1TAN http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/3genview.php?id=2204

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bonasa
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Re: turkeys ?

Post by bonasa » Sun May 13, 2012 1:18 pm

Toms are only "henned up" for a few hours in the morning then around 10-11ish they are alone. Have patience and be in the area of the birds, pop up blinds are great as you can sit all day but still fidget and not get busted. Light yelps and content clucks to hook any passer by tom. Also if you do have toms with hens; pick a hen fight! Mimic every yelp they make, soon they will begin to cut at you and then just cut right back. When they do come in they usually bee-line right to you and if you are in a blind they will be peering into the windows! I love it when I do get into a hen fight as it is very entertaining even if the tom(s) don't come in. Much more enjoyable than a tom that comes in silent.

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SetterNut
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Re: turkeys ?

Post by SetterNut » Sun May 13, 2012 1:39 pm

bonasa wrote:Toms are only "henned up" for a few hours in the morning then around 10-11ish they are alone. Have patience and be in the area of the birds, pop up blinds are great as you can sit all day but still fidget and not get busted. Light yelps and content clucks to hook any passer by tom. Also if you do have toms with hens; pick a hen fight! Mimic every yelp they make, soon they will begin to cut at you and then just cut right back. When they do come in they usually bee-line right to you and if you are in a blind they will be peering into the windows! I love it when I do get into a hen fight as it is very entertaining even if the tom(s) don't come in. Much more enjoyable than a tom that comes in silent.

That is very effective advice, that I have used many times.

I also find that the later in the season and the more the birds have been hunted, going without any decoys is more effective. And your calling should be limited. Clucks and purrs are better than loud yelping.
Steve

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Re: turkeys ?

Post by Ken Lynch » Sun May 13, 2012 4:47 pm

A friend of mine swears by the following tactic either early season or late. Scout and locate where Toms are roosting. Get into the area early in the morning. It is not necessary to get close but make sure you are within hearing distance. While the flock is on the roost and making early morning calls join in with some hen calls. By the time they leave the roost the Tom's know where you are. Once they leave the roost put the turkey call away. Once the Toms have visited all their know girlfriends they will come looking for the new girl in the neighborhood. While waiting, he usually goes to sleep. When the curious Toms come in looking for the new girl in the neighborhood the putting wakes him up. This tactic works for him. Over the years he has gotten many birds this way.
"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend.
Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read."
Groucho Marx

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pinebrookkennel
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Re: turkeys ?

Post by pinebrookkennel » Sun May 13, 2012 5:45 pm

The birds are getting call shy for sure. You can't throw a cat and not hit a hunter in my area. :wink: anyway there are
A lot of guys still hunting due to the low numbers of toms and there trying to find new spots, that includes mine.
This morning we found a spot there stuting and drumming. Ill be there in the a.m. hope to fill a tag there is only a week
Yet then ill have to think about it for a year.
I don't know if I'm good enough to get into a calling duel with a live hen. Cant I just use the "c" word.
Make no distinction between practice and combat !
Miyamoto Musashi.
Knowledge, once gained can never be stolen or repossessed.
Jered

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SHORTFAT
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Re: turkeys ?

Post by SHORTFAT » Sun May 13, 2012 8:40 pm

Try to pick a fight with the dominant hen. Every so often it will work and she will bring in the fellas on a string... Good luck... I'm in the same boat. :roll:
Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in.
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Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.
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tfbirddog2
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Re: turkeys ?

Post by tfbirddog2 » Sun May 27, 2012 8:26 pm

I have had my best luck with H.S. Strutt Squeling hen call and it has worked!
" Everyone makes fun of a redneck till their car breaks down"Larry the Cable Guy

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northern cajun
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Re: turkeys ?

Post by northern cajun » Sun May 27, 2012 8:36 pm

Follow them they we sooner are later show you there pattern and that old tom's strut zone. What for them there sometimes it best to hunt turkeys just like deer ambush em.

You can try to call the dominate hen in but many times the gobbler hangs back out of gun range.

Go luck
HAVE A GREAT DAY!!
GOD BLESS

DOGS COULDNT LIVE WITHOUT EM!!
NORTHERN CAJUN

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Ruffshooter
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Re: turkeys ?

Post by Ruffshooter » Tue May 29, 2012 11:00 am

A +1 on no decoys.
No decoys and hunker down in the woods calling.
+1 on the evening roost location and get in their pattern.

Another many don't try but works just drive around till you see them sneak up on them then call no decoys.

I wish I could down load a pic I took sunday. I heard a Tom down in the woods. started calling with the box call. ( I was bored with the yard work).

I called in a huge Tom in from my lawn chair. He was with in 5 yards and I was right out in the open. He was there for half hour while I purred and putted. I must have been on sexy hen. Get this he was huge, white with a black saddle, black stripes on his fan. His fan was smaller than I am used to seeing or his body was bigger than what I was used to. , His wings had black also. His head had more (I forget the word) red stuff hanging from him than any other I have seen in years. I figured he was at least 25 to 30 pounds maybe bigger. I know he would dwarf a 20 pounder.

No shooting him as no tag and Sunday.

Rick
The best part of training is seeing the light come on in your little prot'eg'e.

Rick

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Re: turkeys ?

Post by JIM K » Tue May 29, 2012 11:18 am

pinebrookkennel wrote:All
Anyone have a secret tip they would share with me on how the he** to get the
Hend up toms to come in to your decoys.
These birds are killing me this year. With the early spring and low number of young bird
I'm getting frustrated.
The boys and I have hunted hard for three weeks and have yet to fill a tag.

we got 7 gobblers this spring here in clinton county,pa.on publicland its hard.on privateland, its very easy.
hunt privateland.

JIM K
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Re: turkeys ?

Post by JIM K » Tue May 29, 2012 11:19 am

northern cajun wrote:Follow them they we sooner are later show you there pattern and that old tom's strut zone. What for them there sometimes it best to hunt turkeys just like deer ambush em.

You can try to call the dominate hen in but many times the gobbler hangs back out of gun range.

Go luck

that is why some are using rifles on gobblers.
yes, its illegal but many do it.

JIM K
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Re: turkeys ?

Post by JIM K » Tue May 29, 2012 11:22 am

pinebrookkennel wrote:The birds are getting call shy for sure. You can't throw a cat and not hit a hunter in my area. :wink: anyway there are
A lot of guys still hunting due to the low numbers of toms and there trying to find new spots, that includes mine.
This morning we found a spot there stuting and drumming. Ill be there in the a.m. hope to fill a tag there is only a week
Yet then ill have to think about it for a year.
I don't know if I'm good enough to get into a calling duel with a live hen. Cant I just use the "c" word.

you are right. TOO MANY HUNTERS ON PUBLICLAND. on privateland its very easy . turkeys are fed in all year long before season and they are easy to get.
look at most pics of turkeys shot, almost always near a farm with privateland.

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pinebrookkennel
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Re: turkeys ?

Post by pinebrookkennel » Mon Jun 04, 2012 8:04 pm

Another season has past with no bird, just my mistakes to think about for another year. :?
I don't know about anyone else but I will be going over this season in my mind for months trying to figure things out.
Sometimes it seems those birds are dumber than a box of rocks, not when you have a loaded gun and a tag.
Make no distinction between practice and combat !
Miyamoto Musashi.
Knowledge, once gained can never be stolen or repossessed.
Jered

BillThomas
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Re: turkeys ?

Post by BillThomas » Wed Jun 06, 2012 11:13 am

Best to find where they roost near Dsk time with crow call and plan to set up 150meters close by te xt am.

Works for me.

Public land is hard.

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