Any Turkey Hunters out there?

Garth Reckner

Garth Reckner

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Turkey season starts here in about a month and thinking about giving it a shot this year. I have never really got into turkey hunting so I am looking for any tips you guys may have. What is the best 12ga loads to use? What kind of calls work best? Is a full choke good enough or do I need to get a special turkey choke tube? What is an effective range to make a clean shot?

I have been seeing a lot of birds around the house already and since deer season is still along ways off I figured I should gear up for turkey. What else do I need to know?

Also I have never cleaned a turkey. Any tips on that would also be appreciated.

Thanks
Garth
 
Sorry, Garth... I'm horrible at these things. I can tell you how to cook it, though.
 
I use remington nitro 3 inch mag turkey loads. Or my 3 inch duck loads, all 12ga. Our youth hunt starts this weekend out here in new mexico. For calls I use a mouth call, or a box call, I used to use a slate but didnt really care for it. Full choke is ideal. With that you should be good out to around 40 or 50 yards. Maybe even further. Turkey is just one of those fun vocal animals to hunt. I love it, just never have much time, maybe I'll take a couple days off from work this year. Make it worth it. Have fun.
 
I use a wooden squock box and #4 Turkey loads and a full choke. Have fun and be safe. Don't try to sneak up on a turkey it is most likely another hunters decoy.
 
I'm a newbie myself. Here in AZ.,we have to draw a big game tag. But got one this year and
will be going the end of April. Going to use a Benelli SBE II, 26" full choke. Federal 3 1/2" no. 5s give me a good 95+ percent at 40 yards. I would just say pattern different loads to see what your shotgun will do. I allso set it up with a raised gel comb insert and a red dot.
 
I hunt them with a slingshot now days, when I was younger my Dad would send me out with 2 rocks and I had better come home with 3 Turkeys or I was in trouble...;)
 
Already a lot of good advice here. A couple of general housekeeping items for your consideration:

1) Do not "over-call". Depending on the area, it is easy to spook an old Tom from too much calling. I use a Box Call....just what I was trained on.
2) 3.5" shells, if your gun will take them. I love my Benelli Nova. Aim for the center of the neck...not the head.
3) Scout the night before, about an hour before dusk...listen for gobblers and pinpoint the roost. This will give you a general idea on where to setup the next morning, EARLY.
4) If you can imitate a Screech Owl...let off a sequence or two. Turkey's hate them (natural predator) and they will often gobble in response...providing their location.
5) CAMOUFLAGE: Turkey's can see color. Most folks that only deer hunt, forget this. Both their eyes and their ears are MUCH better than deer. Use cover, and position yourself so you can swing 180 for a shot. Smart Toms will be able to pinpoint your location within a few yards (think doppler on steroids), even after not calling for more some bit of time. Make sure you wear face-paint, or a mask of some sort. Try to blend with your environment as best you can.

Most of the fun in Turkey hunting for me is the initial chase...locating and setting up, just enjoying nature and "listening".
 
I can't wait. I think I will see if I can get one with my bow. I got to clean my first Turkey last season and it was easier than I thought it would be.
 
My only experience with turkeys was in Bulgaria. We sent two guys out to chase one down on a farm (in a village). Then, they rode the bus back to town with a squawking turkey for over an hour.

I cut the head off with a bread knife (forgot to borrow the neighbors axe before they left town for the holiday weekend).

Then, we had two girls in the group pluck and clean it (by far the worst job!).

I have no real advice for turkey "hunting".

The only "wild" turkeys I have seen killed were Stupid, just released, bands on the feet turkeys. We were at our favorite spot shooting guns for about 2 hours. These turkeys walked out of the brush and came right toward us. My father and brother both had their tags, so each shot one.

You can't really call that hunting, as the turkeys practically signed a request form to be shot!
 
The only thing better than a gobble in the morning is a bugle. I use an owl hoot to locate, then work my way in and pull them off the roost in the morning with hen calls. Works well when they are fired up.
 
I use both my bow and shotgun for turkeys as it extends my season. Generally with a shotgun, 3" mags with #4 shot with a full choke is best. A good box call, a slate call and some mouth calls will be all you need. Out to 30-40 yards youll be most effective. I like to pattern my shot on a turkey target glued to a piece of posterboard or an old broken down box to see how well it patterns. Thunder-chickens arent that bright so that with a ground blind will set you up nicely. As spring moves on into breeding season, a jake and hen decoy will get a Gobbler good and pissed enough to come charging in at you.
 
Only turkey I've ever hunted was in the grocery store, so no help from me. Just wanted to say to be sure you put up some pics of your bird. :thumbup:
 
There are many turkey loads by many different makers, buy and try several different loads. Get out and pattern each load with your gun, and you will see which is better, and also see what your gun/load/shooting ability best ranges/limits are.

I tend to get bored if hunting from a blind, and always like walking/stalking better. But if you want to set something up you can just clip some natural vegetation and be very well camo'd . I have often just tied a length of 550 cord between a couple of trees and hung upsidedown natural vegetation and leaned some of it up as well to make a very fast and effective blind.
 
I use a turkey choke for my 12 guage because it patterns very tight. I use a slate call and diaphram call when they are close. I always set up 2 decoys. A jake and hen decoy. I camo my face and dont move much when they are in eyesight.
 
I'll be going for the first time this weekend down in Bama. Turkey hunting has never really appealed to me. The idea of being outsmarted by something with a brain smaller than has always frightened me... For some reason I have the bug for it this year. I've been driving my wife crazy practicing calls all the time! It's a lot of fun. I'm using a slate and a diaphragm and my son is rocking the box call. He gets first shot and I'm running clean up ;) I'm sure it will end well...

I'm using a Mossberg 835 with a full choke shooting 3.5 inch #5 shot. Winchester magnum express ended up patterning the best for me with this gun, but as a rule I prefer Federal ammunition.

Good luck, best beard wins!
 
Winmag,
Best of luck to you and your son. Enjoy the time together. I am in this for a new challenge and there is no way I am going to compete with you on anything that involves firearms. I just do not enjoy losing that much. LOL

Garth
 
I am not a Turkey Hunter but can tell you this. They seem to love Imperial Whitetale Clover Food plot's and have alway's seen Turkey's when I have the plot's. I am not sure of the Law in regard's to plot's, but it may help in drawing them to a area to give you a place to start calling for them??
 
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