Hunting the wild turkey is perhaps the most challenging and yet rewarding type of hunting
available for today's sportsmen.
In this video, Successful Turkey Tactics, we will try to help you understand the who,
what, why, when and where of turkey hunting.
The who?
That's anyone willing to accept the challenge of this sport and remember, it's not only
a man's sport, but women, kids and even whole families are now enjoying the thrill as you'll
witness later on.
The what?
It's the elusive wild turkey gobbler.
The why?
It's a challenge to match wits with one of nature's wildest creatures, the American wild
turkey.
The win?
Perhaps the best time to hunt this phantom is during the spring mating season when the
male gobbler is most focal and where nationwide, 49 states now offer today's sportsmen spring
gobbler hunting.
The Rio Grande gobbler, the Miriams gobbler, the Eastern gobbler and the Osceola gobbler.
These are the four huntable subspecies of wild turkeys in the United States.
Throughout this video, we will take a close look at scouting and finding wild turkeys,
locating the right place to set up, how to use decoys to your advantage, when and how
to call turkeys, when to move and where to aim and most importantly, keeping safety first.
On several of our hunts, we will use animated masks to help you understand the terrain and
how it comes into play.
Let's get started on our first of four hunts with Bev Kirby as she tries for another grand
slam of wild turkeys.
We were looking for turkey sign and we were looking to maybe see or hear some turkeys
and we pulled up to where they thought that there was some turkeys roosted and the night
before.
We went a little further and we went back into the woods and found that there were some
open spots that looked good for turkeys to come in.
They were like little protected pastures in the middle of this wooded area.
We continued to go through and you'd go through some thick woods and then you'd get back
farther and it would open up again.
It looked real good for a good turkey hunt.
I was confident that we would be in turkeys whether they'd come in or not, you never
know.
When we stopped, we got out, we started looking around and sure enough there was sign in the
road.
In the sand there was turkey tracks and then we went farther into where the wooded area
was and we found some feathers so we knew there was turkeys, plus they had heard them.
We came into an open area.
We actually saw two goblers so that was really exciting.
We knew there was not just turkeys there but we knew there were goblers there and there
was no hens that we could see but I'm sure that they were there.
So we just kept right on going through and they spooked off a little bit and I'm sure
we didn't bother them.
We didn't call to them at all.
It was a good scouting trip.
We knew where there were turkeys and we knew where there were possible roost trees although
we didn't roost any turkeys.
So it looked to be a good hunt and it was time to get excited about getting up in the
morning and turkey hunting.
I did start calling and just real light easy calling on some friction calls.
Shortly after that they started responding and every time they called or they would tree
call or they would putter clock then I would duplicate that as best that I could.
What we did was instead of going right towards them we went past them and got back into the
open areas that we had scouted earlier the day before and we set up to where there was
good cover that the outside surrounding areas were really thick and then there were some
I wasn't going to shoot the jakes.
I had pretty much decided that.
Two adult gobblers had flown down behind us and come actually the way we walked in they
walked in behind me.
Something happened that the two gobblers were they got spooked and they ran and that's when
I actually saw that there were two adults.
I wasn't sure they were within range so I didn't shoot and as they got to the other
side I started calling to them and to calm them down to see if maybe they'd hang around.
In this illustration the green represents where Bev and Emmett set up first thing in
the morning.
The yellow shows where they placed their decoys.
Notice the decoys were placed in a high visible area in the open but close enough to shoot.
The jakes that flew in are represented by the top moving lines that go to the decoys.
The lower moving lines show the movement of the big gobblers that came in from behind
the hunters and eventually spooked.
The hunters decided to relocate knowing the gobblers were not badly disturbed.
When relocating the gobblers Bev uses a boat paddle box car that is very raspy and loud
but is extremely effective.
After setting your decoys for safety always find a tree as wide as your shoulders.
Once you locate the direction of a gobblers approach move your left shoulder in that direction
to ensure a full 180 degree gun swing with little movement vice versa for left handers.
Also draw your knees up to your chest to use as a gun rest so little movement will be necessary
once that gobblers gets in close.
Never move once a gobblers in close only roll your eyes.
Other SUPER of the Heidi.
Do you think I will be?
I'd rather wait and see which one wins.
I hope so.
Start desses en würde!
Hols mais ça va le faire!
J'ai tę la discover, jibe les(?)
Time to get the bare- reloading going.
There is too much noise.
OK.
They're running away with me.
Well, he's about, come on, I gotta start learning
how to guess weight.
Let's see, 18 pounds.
What do you think?
Oh, he's more than 18 pounds.
You think?
I don't know, I haven't picked one up.
This is the first one of the year, so.
I think 18, I got my 10th, I think, don't gobble it.
I'm scared.
I'm scared.
So, you wanna?
I was in the perfect position and she had those bushes right there in front.
I was scared she was gonna knock them off.
Oh, I see. I didn't realize it was such an angle.
Yeah, she was there.
They were coming into the shade.
Yeah.
Yeah, they were coming right to you.
Instead of going to the decoy right there.
To tell you the truth, I thought that they were gonna,
I thought long wait, they're gonna go to the decoy,
but then out of the corner of my eye, I saw them turn.
They dropped out of strut and they were looking a little.
When you said move, I said they're gonna come right through there
because there's a natural narrowing.
They were probably over in that field there.
That's the same two turkeys we called in this morning.
Was it?
The second one was a good one too, but this is definitely the king.
Say, I'm gonna carry this big bird back for you.
You got it, you got it.
I don't want you having to hurt yourself.
They are gorgeous birds, aren't they?
They are.
Well, my heart was pounding on this one.
I was really hyperventilating.
That's one down for Bev.
Her oceola actually weighed 19 and a half pounds.
This is South Dakota, home of the Miriam's Gobbler.
We are looking down off a bluff that is covered with heavy cedar.
This map shows where we first called from the bluff top
and got a response from the flat below.
We decided to move down the hill using the heavy brushes cover.
We would set the decoys up in that open area
where they could be seen from 200 yards below.
We expected the gobblers to come off the bottom and see the decoys.
We hoped to find cover on the edge of the flat
near enough to the decoys for a close, clear shot.
Let's pick up the action and see what happens.
Yeah, if you get right in there, they should come right down this road.
You get up here for me.
I set up some 30 yards uphill behind Bev
and get my head net up and ready to call.
Ready?
Yeah.
I start off with a slate call and build up a little excitement
by using both a slate and mouth call at the same time.
Bev has settled in just about 30 yards from the decoys.
In the blow down, cotton would thicken.
She has perfect cover.
With the wind blowing, I'll have to call extra loud.
Once they see these decoys, they should come straight in.
Let's just listen to the variety of hen yelps, cuts,
and excited calling that drives these gobblers crazy.
Go, go, go, go, go, go.
Go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go.
The hips you mean and the dark feathers?
Did you see tail feathers missing out on one?
Yeah.
I figured I'd shoot the one with all the tail feathers.
Oh of course.
I had to put my fan on the wall.
Boy they gobbled right there.
You called those guys right up.
We must have gotten between the hens but I thought there was another gobble over here.
No they were, the hens passed right in front of us.
And kept on going?
And this gobble, you called these guys right from the hens.
Well he is going to be a good gobbler then.
We're going to have to get some pictures of this one.
The sun's out.
Any gobbler you get is a good gobbler.
Here are some tactics and tips that we used in the preceding South Dakota hunt.
We originally located the gobblers from the bluff top and we used a long distance call,
the boat paddle.
When placing decoys, always put them in a high visible area.
When setting up, set close enough to the decoy for a clear shot.
Get comfortable, have cover from behind and be sure to be totally camouflaged.
On this segment, the caller used a variety of calls.
He had to call extra loud because of the wind and he used a lot of excited calls to lure
the gobblers in close.
Remember for safety's sake, never take the safety off until you're ready to shoot and
make sure that it gets put back on before you move.
With two gobblers down, let's pick up the hunters in California where Bev will be trying
for her real grand gobbler.
Keep going.
Good start.
Had to catch that one.
What a beautiful Rio Grande.
Man, I was getting so cramped.
And I had the bead on his head for so long and I kept waiting and waiting for him to
come closer and the gobbler behind him turned a couple times and started walking away.
So I just said I've got to take a shot.
Yeah, but what did you do?
Were you holding the gun up?
I was holding him.
See, that was a mistake.
You should have had it on your knee and then when you raised your shoe, come up.
Because I think he would have come right under there and he would have come right because
he could see the decoys.
See that little bush there?
Yeah.
All right, most of the time he was between me and that bush.
See, he was coming though.
He was coming, displaying.
They went back and forth right in that shaded spot there.
He didn't go.
He just tumbled right down that side.
I hit him there and then when he ran I thought, oh, I've got to shoot again.
So I shot him again and I hit him both times.
Well, he didn't go but 100 yards.
But look at the...
Oh man.
This is heavy spurs.
He's not real pointed but look how thick they are.
My arm is so sore.
Can I remove it?
Well, that's Florida, the Marriam's.
This is getting hard, you know.
The Rio Grande.
Yeah, they think that's really easy.
This is getting really hard.
We just go out there and shoot him.
Ah, you're on this one.
Yeah.
Thanks.
He liked that purr.
That new walnut based...
Is that what you were using?
Purr and hit.
God, what a good...
I couldn't believe...
See, I didn't know that hen was there.
I was back there quite a ways.
Well, he stuck his head out way earlier when you were calling down, way down there.
And then they went out and then they came back up.
Yeah.
Well, you hit him low on the first shot I know but you hurt him bad.
And then the second shot I saw the feather.
You must have piled...
Because he just rolled right down.
I didn't think you were going to get him at first.
He doesn't have a monster beard but...
I hit him right there.
I almost shot the beard off again.
Yeah, you did.
You got it.
That would not be funny.
Good going, Bev.
Okay.
We'll pick up the decoys.
Okay, I'll get them.
I'm going back and get my calls.
All right.
That's a heavy turkey.
Gosh.
Notice Dick sets up behind Bev's position to call.
By calling from behind the shooter, the gobbler's attention will be on the caller.
Once a gobbler gets in close, use soft yelps, clucks and purrs to finish him off.
Knowing a fence will often times stop a gobbler's progress, the shooter and decoys are located
close to the fence.
Never try to hold the gun in a shooting position for a long time.
But rest the gun on your knee.
And when the gobbler is in close enough to shoot, make one final quick aim and squeeze.
Well with three down, Bev's quest for a grand slam takes us to Missouri where she'll be
hunting the eastern wild turkey.
Cheers guys.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.