More Gobbler-Getting Tips

Bill Klein

Bill Klein is a lifelong lover of the outdoors. He's passionate about mentoring children in a wide array of outdoor activities and teaching respect for the land and landowners. He lives on a small farm in northern Washington County and has never met a dog he didn’t like.

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More Gobbler-Getting Tips

Posted by: Bill Klein Updated: March 21, 2010 - 11:22 AM

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When you have found a place to hunt turkeys the next job is to watch the flock from afar in the evenings with a good pair of binoculars. Try to pinpoint where they are roosting. This is known in the trade as putting a bird to bed. On opening day you'll want to set up at least 100 yards from the roost. Determine how to get to your spot without being spotted by Mr. Tom.

Always arrange your blind/decoy setup so your back is pointing to the east. Sunrise is prime time in turkey hunting and you don't want to be blinded by the sun with a gobbler strutting around your decoy.

Arise a half hour earlier than you think you should. You'll want to set your decoy and be seated in your blind in the dark of night. If you are late and the flock spots you from the roost you might as well go home and have breakfast. You've been busted.

Turkeys have an astounding sense of hearing direction. So when you call, the gobblers know exactly where that sound came from. Wear a watch and time your calling for every 20 minutes, even if you're not hearing gobbling. Before you call be completely prepared with your camo gloves on, face mask on, gun in your lap. I got busted once by calling then reaching for my gloves and mask only to discover a tom had run to my set up at my first yelp and was watching me put my gear on. He lit up with a couple of loud "puk, puk" calls notifying the rest of the flock that I was there.

Be prepared for a tom to approach your decoy from any angle on the compass, including from behind you. And they don't always gobble to warn you of their proximity. I've hunted turkeys for many years and have yet to find one that fought fair.