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Just how do you call a turkey?

EhlerDaveEhlerDave Member Posts: 5,158 ✭✭
edited April 2007 in Bow Hunting and Target Archery
Okay I am just lost with the calling part ... I would do better just setting up an ambush for them.... I have yet to get a turkey and I now have a box call... Well Saturday morning I had a hen walk up to about 10 yards from me, she just went about her business. As she was leaving I tried that call, scared the heck out of that bird, man they sure do run fast...[:D] What did I do wrong.... Why am I seeing so many single birds, are they allready nesting? The only groups I have seen are mostly toms all fanned out strutting around.

Any help? I just want to get one of these sneaky critters. In our fall season it is either sex with a bow ... that is what I am working on .
Just smile and say nothing, let them guess how much you know.
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Comments

  • Beer gutBeer gut Member Posts: 141 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Personaly I think it helps to have a decoy or 2 when calling it gives the birds something to look at not just a call from the bushes. Also turkey callen is not rocket science but how did you learn to call and are even making reconizable sound? My advice would be to make sure your well camo'ed especially your face set out some decoys tom & hen or jake & hen and get some experience on calling either from somebody or maybe a DVD. Good Luck[:)]
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  • bang250bang250 Member Posts: 8,021
    edited November -1
    I like a slate to get them in then a mouth peice for the final drawl. However I don't have much springtime experience, most of mine is fall. A purr cluck gets the hens fired up. I was told a purr-cluck is a fight call so to speak. light purrs alone are supposed to resemble birds feeding. This is only what I have been told. Yelps are for locating other birds or just basic communication. I try to listen to what the birds are doing and duplicate it.
    I practice a lot in the truck drivin'. make sure you stop while at stop lights though....you'll get some real strange looks if ya don't.[:D]
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  • EhlerDaveEhlerDave Member Posts: 5,158 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    My wife says all she has to do is yell David, David , David.... now that is just low.[:I]

    I will just keep trying, was easy when we had our pet turkey, you could get him to gobble real easy then the wild birds would come up out of the draw to run him off. Our pet choked on a golf ball, seems like turkeys are not very bright about most things.
    Just smile and say nothing, let them guess how much you know.
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  • HandgunHTR52HandgunHTR52 Member Posts: 2,735
    edited November -1
    Dave - Calling spring turkeys is quite different than calling fall turkeys. Either way your arsenal should be the same. A box call to use as a locator. A slate call for coarse (long distance) work, and a mouth call for close-in work.

    In the spring the object is to get a good tom to come to you thinking that you are a hen that is ready to mate. Yelping is a good locator as it will let you know when a tom is fired up. Once you have them gobbling, then you can try cutting or purring, depending on the mood the tom is in. As Beergut said, having a decoy or two is a good thing to have. A hen and a jake decoy is what I use, the tom will see the hen and the jake together and may do a couple of things. He may come down and try to "win" the lady over (i.e. strutting and drumming), or he may come in "Mad-as-He!!" and looking for a fight with the jake. BTW, if you can get one gobbling, keep doing what you are doing until he shuts up or you shoot him. If he shuts up, try a different method, but keep your head on a swivel, they like to sneak up on you sometimes. Just because they are not gobbling, doesn't mean they aren't coming.
    For Fall turkey the best method is to find a flock of turkeys (or know where a flock congregates regularly) and bust it up. When I say bust it up, I mean bust it up. Walk (or run) directly at them and get them to fly in different directions. Then find a spot nearby, put up your decoy and start yelping. It won't be too long before you hear other birds taking up the cry. They are looking for each other. You can usually get one or two to come to you thinking that you are another bird from thier party. The other method is to ambush them as you mentioned before. I have found that for fall hunting, using a treestand (just like deer hunting) is a very effective method as well.
    A couple more things. If you do not plan on using mouth calls, then you need to invest in a blind of some sort. Turkeys have incredible eyesight. The hen that you spooked was more than likely spooked by your movement, not your calling. Get inside a blind to hide that movement! Lastly, I will second what Beergut and Bang said. Get one of the calls that come with an instructional cassete, CD or DVD and then practice until you can make the same noises as the guys on the tape.
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  • Beer gutBeer gut Member Posts: 141 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Like handgunner said use a box call for a locater. But I also use my mouth call for a locator and long distance work, and do the close soft stuff with a slate. There is no right or wrong way as long as it sounds good.
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  • EhlerDaveEhlerDave Member Posts: 5,158 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Does anyone make a mouth call that does not fit in the roof of the mouth? I have a big scar that will not let me use that type.
    Just smile and say nothing, let them guess how much you know.
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  • buckeyboybuckeyboy Member Posts: 5,833
    edited November -1
    How do you calla turkey???

    Here Slash "common boy"[:D][:D][:D][:0]
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  • Slash0311Slash0311 Member Posts: 1,676 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    *&^$@&*$* Buckey, here I was all set to repsond with "first you have to get the right telephone number" for a joke to switch things up a little bit and you beat me to a joke![:o)] Glad to see someone is thinking about me![:D] But I wonder, should that SCARE me[?][;)][:o)]
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  • buckeyboybuckeyboy Member Posts: 5,833
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Slash0311
    *&^$@&*$* Buckey, here I was all set to repsond with "first you have to get the right telephone number" for a joke to switch things up a little bit and you beat me to a joke![:o)] Glad to see someone is thinking about me![:D] But I wonder, should that SCARE me[?][;)][:o)]
    Just razzing ya glad to her from ya . congrads on the ted tickets
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  • Beer gutBeer gut Member Posts: 141 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by EhlerDave
    Does anyone make a mouth call that does not fit in the roof of the mouth? I have a big scar that will not let me use that type.


    Im not sure what you mean but i can tell you they do make at least 2 sizes of diaphram one is smaller for women and kids.
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  • CubsloverCubslover Member Posts: 18,601 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Tom

    At least, that's what he wants me to call him.
    Half of the lives they tell about me aren't true.
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  • EhlerDaveEhlerDave Member Posts: 5,158 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Beer gut
    quote:Originally posted by EhlerDave
    Does anyone make a mouth call that does not fit in the roof of the mouth? I have a big scar that will not let me use that type.


    Im not sure what you mean but i can tell you they do make at least 2 sizes of diaphram one is smaller for women and kids.


    I was hoping to find something other than the diaphram calls, I just cant use them.
    Just smile and say nothing, let them guess how much you know.
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  • Beer gutBeer gut Member Posts: 141 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by EhlerDave
    quote:Originally posted by Beer gut
    quote:Originally posted by EhlerDave
    Does anyone make a mouth call that does not fit in the roof of the mouth? I have a big scar that will not let me use that type.


    Im not sure what you mean but i can tell you they do make at least 2 sizes of diaphram one is smaller for women and kids.


    I was hoping to find something other than the diaphram calls, I just cant use them.


    I have not seen anything else for your mouth I'd say your best bet is to use a slate call it is easy and requires the least amount of movement after a diaphram
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  • bang250bang250 Member Posts: 8,021
    edited November -1
    Even less movement than a slate. I've never used one but have seen them used. There is actually 5 or 6 different types of push button calls. go to cabelas and look up turkey call. Go threw all the pages they are spread out. I've never seen the one you blow on thats a first for me but maybe what you are looking for.

    http://cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0031716226508a&type=product&cmCat=Search_Results_NYR&returnPage=search-results2.jsp&No=20&Ne=2510&Ntt=turkey+calls&noImage=0&QueryText=turkey+calls&Ntk=Products&Ntx=mode+matchall&trueNum=200&N=4957


    http://cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0044653220192a&type=product&cmCat=Search_Results_NYR&returnPage=search-results2.jsp&No=40&Ne=2510&noImage=0&Ntt=turkey+calls&Ntk=Products&QueryText=turkey+calls&Ntx=mode+matchall&trueNum=200&N=4957


    http://cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0031728224681a&type=product&cmCat=Search_Results_NYR&returnPage=search-results2.jsp&No=80&Ne=2510&noImage=0&Ntt=turkey+calls&Ntk=Products&QueryText=turkey+calls&Ntx=mode+matchall&trueNum=200&N=4957
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  • EhlerDaveEhlerDave Member Posts: 5,158 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks Bang I will try one of them see what happens....

    I saw two today going to town, seems like they are all broke up all we are seeing any more are singles, if we find a pair most times they are jakes.
    Just smile and say nothing, let them guess how much you know.
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  • HandgunHTR52HandgunHTR52 Member Posts: 2,735
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by EhlerDave
    Thanks Bang I will try one of them see what happens....

    I saw two today going to town, seems like they are all broke up all we are seeing any more are singles, if we find a pair most times they are jakes.


    That means that the breeding has started. This is a good thing.
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