Archery Talk Forum banner

Attracting Turkeys

2K views 20 replies 14 participants last post by  Blacktail Hunter 
#1 ·
I have horrible luck. I can take an evening off turkey hunting and see the whole flock running around my blind and then when im in there they are no where to be seen or hundreds of yards away. Which leads me to my question. Say your in a blind on the edge of a hayfield and you see some toms and hens (mostly toms) on the other side about 3 or 2 hundred yards away what can you do to bring them in. I have decoys out and i can yelp and gobble like there is no tommorow and they pay no attention. Any ideas? thanks
 
#3 ·
...........what? If they are there how am i supposed to get in the blind walk past them through the field? Im not talking about domestic turkeys:)
 
#4 ·
ok, maybe you are that dense.

ever think of getting there before they do?

nevermind, figure it out yourself.
 
#5 ·
hey man join the club...i would just move to them but i cant because i didnt get permission to hunt there...id say if you can get them to see your decoy first thing, b4 they see any other hens then you have a better chance...i can get them to talk all day if i wanted to but they just wont leave the hens...
 
#8 ·
I think he is saying get in the blind early morning while it is dark and they are still on the roost. Second, don't call because maybe it spooks the birds. Maybe your calls don't sound real enough.
 
#10 ·
Exactly. I didnt figure I had to be that specific, but I guess I do have to. Dont take a genius to figure out to get in the blind before the turkeys arrive.
 
#12 ·
just my thoughts

I didnt see it mentioned here, but turkeys are patternable, IE.. use the same strut zones, go to the same fields and feed. You mentioned in the OP that you saw them by your blind when you werent there---note the time---be there early, let them come to you---tough to call in toms that have numerous hens. You noted where they were in when you were in your blind, don't hunt where they were---hunt where they will be, move the blind---assuming you have permission to hunt the other side of the field.
 
#16 ·
pick up your blind and walk slowly to them,,i've seen cartoons and it works
 
#17 ·
Walk slow cause otherwise they catch me every time!....:darkbeer:
 
#18 ·
my advice.....NO calls or decoys. and open only the widow you'll be shooting from. and as minimal as possible.

i have birds on my place that will NOT come near a blind if the windows are opened.

another trick is leave the windows open all the time if possible.
 
#19 ·
I assume that you are trying to kill these turkeys with a bow. Why not set you blind up where you keep seeing them? If that is not an option get as close to the area that they seem to hang out most. You wont need to call much in the morning until later on. Toms will ususally leave the hens by 10am or so and start looking. If not you may be able to get one of the less dominant birds to respond to some calling. Try getting some better decoys if you can afford to. They can make a world of difference. If you can get a DSD hen you will be amazed at the results. You can just use her by herself.
 
#20 ·
turkey

I have had this happen to me alot. Here is what I have done with great success. Once the Toms are with hens they are almost impossible to call (at least where I hunt). The normal pattern of a turkey is for the hens to come to the Tom, not the other way around. Lets say you have 5 knockout models on your arm and another model is 200 yards away waveing, would you leave the 5 and go check out the 1. I think not. If she wants you she is going to have to come to me. Same with turkey hunting.

Turkeys tend to dust and strut in the same places alot of the time. If you are seeing them around your stand up during the day,evening time or anytime chances are they will come back. Set up in the blind ready to go as if you were deer hunting. Don't put out any decoys and call maybe 1 every 30-45 minutes just to let him know you are in the area. Any more than that and I have found tends to spook them.

This year I knew some turkeys were hanging around in a certain area. I set up my blind and sat from 2-6pm waiting. The turkeys finally showed up as expected (never made a call nor had decoys out). Final answer.....dead Tom

If you can move closer than by all means give it a shot. Crawl, move your blind, use the landscape as your cover. If not just sit and wait it out. Take a book or hand held computer game to pass the time.

BPONB
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top