Fall Turkey Technique

[fvigo]

I was hoping someone could share techniques for fall turkey where both hens and toms are game. I am aware of what to do for spring gobblers, i.e. call them and hope for a good shot. I have yet to try that. But I have everything I need for the October hunt except a plan of attack. Thanks

 

[Hoyt]

In the old days you would cover as much ground as possible where you know turkeys use and try and bust up the flock. Run towards it, shoot, try to scatter as good as possible.
In a short time they will begin to call back up...you setup and call.
They are rare but some have dogs trained to bust up the flocks.

 

[bob1961]

the turkeys have taking in oct in PA i've just been in the right spot at the right time....trying to git to them has not worked....been in the woods and heard them in the distance and chirped a few times and had some come in and some didn't....sitting in my tree stand a couple of years ago fer deer and heard them in the distance and called them in too....but was hunting deer....ya just have to try different things like calling them like ya do in the spring..........bob

 

[Bob J]

In the old days you would cover as much ground as possible where you know turkeys use and try and bust up the flock. Run towards it, shoot, try to scatter as good as possible.
In a short time they will begin to call back up...you setup and call.
They are rare but some have dogs trained to bust up the flocks.

Would yelping with a box call work, or just "put-put-put"?

 

[Hoyt]

Would yelping with a box call work, or just "put-put-put"?

That's probably why a box call call originated for fall and winter turkey hunting.
The classical way is to break up a drove of hens with their nearly grown polts and call back the polts with an assembly call. Break up a group of toms and call with lost gobbler call..that's what all them calls you hear about when learning how to call are for. Springtime calls are 99.9% hen sounds. Kee, kee, run is normally a fall, winter call..it's a call of young turkeys.
The hardest part of non-spring turkey hunting is finding the birds.
Some areas of the country flocks will roost in the same areas frequently and you can roost them then get close the next morning and either try and way lay them, bust them up or call one away from the folk.

 

[Bob J]

Would yelping with a box call work, or just "put-put-put"?

Some areas of the country flocks will roost in the same areas frequently and you can roost them then get close the next morning and either try and way lay them, bust them up or call one away from the folk.

:thanks: Plan on giving that a try this Fall :thumbsup:

 

[GobblerKnob]

Francesco ~ I wrote an article a few years ago on the hunting of fall turkeys. If you visit my website at: www.gobblerknoblongrifles.com, you'll see a link on the left side of the home page called, "Pondering."

Following this link will take you to the page where a few of my articles appear. You'll also find an article on hunting spring gobblers as well as one entitled, "Why." That contains my thoughts, feelings, etc. on why I love to hunt. Enjoy ~ Rick

 

[SquirrelFlinter]

All the Turkey's I got were in the fall in PA. I have 5 under my belt. The best way as said before. Break them up. We would hunt them like small game with four or five people and break up the flock in the morning. Then go in for lunch if we didn't get anything and go back out in the afternoon. And call them. All they want to do is flock up before it is dark and they go to anything that sounds like another turkey.

 

[KyFlintlock]

I have arrowed a few in the fall while hunting deer..usually spot and soft clucking with a few yelps. I did call a gobbler in one Dec while muzzleloading by yelping just like spring...He gobbled a few times and came right in..I almost thought it was April but the 3" of snow told me it wasn't. I guess he was just in the mood.

I'd rather break them up flinging an arrow at them.

Good luck and take some pics if you get out.

 

[sidelock]

Had 24 in my garden this morning and had a h*%^& of a time running them off. They just stood and looked at me.(these are those stupid Meriams---not eastern ) F&G can't even give away the permits . :results:

 

[GobblerKnob]

I'll be out! When does the spring season open?! ::
Rick

 

[RSobkowz]

Every scenario is different. It's possible to do a lot of different ways. You can scout until you know their routes and set up along their daily travel route though some view that as bushwacking. You can bust a flock up and call them back in. You can kick them off the roost after fly up, before fly down, or if you run into them on the ground. The run and gun technique works well in the fall for me. I'll move along quietly and offer some calls out, either hard yelping, kee kees, cutting, or gobbler yelps or clucks to see if i can ellicit a response from any birds. If you do, you can then decide which tactic is best based on time of day, terrain, etc. Another way, and this is tough, is just sneaking within shooting distance. I know that sounds like a lot, but lately I've sharpened my woodsmanship skills pretty well to the point where I snuck to within about 20 yards of a group of hens last week, and then within about 30 yards a few days later on another group. It's just whatever works for the particular instance. Turkey hunting is a strange game, one I truly live for, but it's also a very frustrating one sometimes.

-Ron

 

I have had success using the Kee-Kee run call in the fall--it often calls up a whole flock of birds. First you need to scout before the season and locate the general area of the flock. My most memorable fall hunt was in eastern Oklahoma many years ago now. I had seen plenty sign in an area of a creek bottom bounded by sandstone bluffs and dense oak forest. I set up on top of a little cliff, nestled in some scrub oak and made a kee-kee run (lost turkey call) with a slate call. In less than a half hour I heard a distant response, then it sounded like a herd of Boy Scouts running through the woods as the flock came right to me! We could not see each other, but they pinpointed the sound and all of a sudden came up over that cliff face, and right before me at a distance of 10 feet were 20+ birds! I picked out the lead bird and gave it a load of #4s. The flock scattered like 20 lb quail flushing--what a sight and what noise! The lead bird, with broken neck, managed to sail off the cliff and I had to leap down and run it to the ground. I'll never forget that sight when all those birds appeared in front of me like magic!