Turkey Hunters?

Hey guys, i was wondering how many of you guys hunt turkey's. I am going to see if my dad or someone will bring me during the spring firearms season. I have a Winchester 1300 Ranger Compact, that i bet with an extra full choke would be a good setup. I really want to try turkey hunting. I always see them when i go deer hunting, so why not try for just turkeys. I am most likely going to get a bow over the winter, and then take archery education next fall so then i can try archery deer hunting and maybe some turkey hunting. There is a fall turkey season here but it is bow only so i figure it might just be a little fun!

NH_Hunter

i don't hunt turkeys...yet......

just popped in to announce thatt he big bad ol' hall monitor moved this to the bird forum!

I hunt spring and fall turkeys ever year.  Spring is fantastic.  You can only call, stalking is illegal.  Tom's only and no hunting after 12 noon.  I see and call birds every day.  Love it. 

I use a single 16 guage, a 20 gauge remington special super light weigh 870, or a ratty Mossberg 500 painted with green house paint.  The gun and clothing industry has made a killing on "special Turkey" guns, chokes,  cloths, seats, vest, etc.  This is only needed if you hunt in front of the TV cameras on turkey game farms.  I alsways kill a turkey with a feild grade gun witha full or mod choke.  In the spring shots in the EAST are usually under 20 yards.  anything tighter than a standard full choke is a penality.  the poorest thing going are the glo sights.  If you can't blot out a turkeys head and yank the trigger (dead bird) sights will only screw you up.

But a good hen turkey call, and practice before the season, a turkey tape might help.  Stay away from so called 'expert' calleds.  Practice in your car of even in the john till you can call without squeeks, blerps, etc.

Quaker boy or Penns Woods makes good calls, get either a mouth call, box call, or a plunger/box call.  the plunger box calls are the easiet to use.  the mouth calls the most difficult (but not really tough) to master.  Decoys are very important.  One jake and one or two hens.  THE JAKE IS THE KEY DECOY.  If you can only afford on .... get a jake.  seldom is more than 2 or 3 required.

I'll tell you how much I love it.  Two years ago I hunted Alaska for Grizzlies.  Great trip, my brother and I after 2 weeks both got good large bears (9+).  I got back on a thursday night.  Hunted spring turkeys on sat. at crack of dawn.  I got a 10 inch bearded Tom, that I called and shot of the back of my Jake decoy.  in all honesty, the griz hunt was a ball, but the turkey hunt was just as good for me.  I know that is hard to believe. But true.

Good luck. 

BEAR

BEAR