Turkey Hunting Problems and Possible Helps

PROBLEM:
Most hunters place decoys, (when gun hunting), at 25-30 yards; Gobbler hangs up out of gun range; what do you do?

POSSIBLE SOLUTION:
Make sure you have good cover and place decoys at 12-15 yards instead. Who says they have to be farther out? Use a rangefinder and mark outlying trees; Gobblers that hung up 15 yards beyond your decoys before may now be in your effective range...even if they remain 15 yards 'hung up'. KEY: Don't sit directly behind decoys so turkeys look past it and catch you; place them to one side or the other; Take the focus off you.

PROBLEM:
You roosted turkeys the night before but when you walked in the following morning they had moved and you either bumped them walking in or found them too close...or too far away for your set-up; what do you do?

POSSIBLE SOLUTION:
While there is no solution if you find this to be the case, learn from the mistake. Watch the weather channel in your area and watch for high winds or passing storms coming through. Many times turkeys will 'tree hop' during the night, during inclement weather, in an attempt to find a place more secluded & protected, out of the wind. One thing I do more now than I used to is roost birds at dawn instead of at night. By that I mean I drive to one of the spots I know holds turkeys, shut the truck off and get out and listen. When they start gobbling I can move in close enough to set up and call, especially if I'm familiar with these spots. It saves time and improves my success.

PROBLEM:
You have birds on the roost at dawn, they pitch down but the hens start leading them away; what do you do?

POSSIBLE SOLUTION:
1) Start calling to the hens; if there's an Old Mama in the group she'll sass you. Mimic her calls to a 'T' but add more aggression and cut her off. Nine times out of 10 she'll head your way to pick a fight, bringing the gobblers along in tow.

2) Let's say the aggressive calling doesn't get a "boss hen response"; You better stop because the other insubordinate hens will be jealous and will quickly lead the toms away. If this is the case, try starting a fight. Thrash the leaves, snap a twig, and do some aggressive fighting purrs; keep it up and don't stop, and if you wish, toss in a jake gobble or two...but be safety minded if hunting public lands! This will often break a tom away and bring him straight to you. If none of these work, just let 'em go and reposition, but before you do, don't be afraid to be creative.

PROBLEM:
You called to a gobbler and he responded excitedly for the past hour but he's hung up and won't commit; what do you do?

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS:
If you know he just won't commit, you'll probably have to reposition, sneak up, and find out why. Oftentimes he's with hens and won't leave them...but is offering you an invitation; Other times he might have been headed your way but hit a barrier or obstacle like a fence, a creek, or a ditch. If there were no obstacles then repositioning just those few yards closer might put you in what we call his "comfort zone"; if it does, try calling again. He just might commit. If you find out he was blocked by an obstacle, make a mental note of it. A good turkey hunter learns by his mistakes and I now consult both top maps AND aerial photos of my hunting areas first...and then I put in the footwork through preseason scouting. Try it.

Hopefully these tips & scenarios will help you on your next hunt. Please feel free to give us feedback & comments here at Beyond the Blind, and check us out at Facebook. I'm running off at the mouth there alot! LOL! Happy Hunting!

Blaine Cardilli/ Ameristep Prostaff