[mnguy610]

My brother-in-law and I got drawn for fall turkey hunting this year. This is our first year turkey hunting (we also got drawn in the spring and got shut out), so any advice on fall hunting would be much appreciated.

I've read that the main goal is to pattern the flock, break them up and then get in between the roost tree and food. Very little calling is used in the fall, more just to let them know you're there. Truth to that?

Any other info would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

 

[Chupacabra]

In my limited experience, patterning the birds is the key. I've never tried the break-up-the-flock strategy, but I've heard it works. What's worked for me is while I'm on stand for deer, if I see birds come through the same route, at about the same time a couple days in a row, next time out I'll throw up a ground blind on the route and, more often than not, it works. This is one of the reasons I've come to prefer stands with sweeping views so I can mark distant birds while I'm hunting deer.

As for calling and/or decoys, others may have had a different experience, but every time I've tried either in the Fall they have completely ignored me. It hasn't hurt me, but it sure hasn't helped.

 

[mnguy610]

Ttt

 

[Charman03]

with a bow pattern and hope they come by. With a shot gun walk until you find them run and bust them up, call back in and shoot

 

[scrapejuice]

Breaking the flock is the most fun way to do it. It don't work to well on longbeards because they don't have the strong desire to regroup like a flock of hens and young of the year (which are nearly full grown by this time). If you can get a good bust on a large flock of hens/jakes/etc... Then you can have a blast. After the bust, move about 50 yds or so in the direction the most birds went. Sit down and just listen. The young birds will begin kee-keeing, searching for the boss hen. The boss hen usually will start answering. She usually has a real raspy yelp(thats the best way to identify her). All you do is mimic her calling and throw some kee-keeing in (like the younger birds). It sounds like you are the boss hen and other young birds coming to you to regroup. Be ready, because the action is usually fast, as they often come running in. Often times multiple birds and shot opportunities. I've called a lot of birds in this way! The key is to get a good break on the flock, kinda like playing pool!!:wink:

Good luck!

 

[CHAMPION2]

Pattern the birds and try to set up on there travel routes or near there roost!!

 

[scholz]

walk around the areas you have seen birds and do the lost turkey yelp i get them to come in all the time when you do this....just taged one on monday doing this....most of the time the lead hen or the jakes well respond back to you and just set up fast and let it fly when they come in...i think fall is better than the spring for not so much pressure for the birds

 

[18javelin]

Breaking the flock is the most fun way to do it. It don't work to well on longbeards because they don't have the strong desire to regroup like a flock of hens and young of the year (which are nearly full grown by this time). If you can get a good bust on a large flock of hens/jakes/etc... Then you can have a blast. After the bust, move about 50 yds or so in the direction the most birds went. Sit down and just listen. The young birds will begin kee-keeing, searching for the boss hen. The boss hen usually will start answering. She usually has a real raspy yelp(thats the best way to identify her). All you do is mimic her calling and throw some kee-keeing in (like the younger birds). It sounds like you are the boss hen and other young birds coming to you to regroup. Be ready, because the action is usually fast, as they often come running in. Often times multiple birds and shot opportunities. I've called a lot of birds in this way! The key is to get a good break on the flock, kinda like playing pool!!:wink:

Good luck!

Right on....:wink:

 

[mnguy610]

Any more advice? Tomorrow morning is the big day! Keep the advice coming.