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  • saintnick81

    Sharpshooter
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    Dec 29, 2012
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    Bedford
    I have decided that I am going to try turkey hunting this spring. I know it's early but i figure there will be some spend involved and I would like to spread it out. I know absolutely nothing about turkey hunting other than what I have begun reading online. I will post a list of what I have/ what I think need below. Key word being think. Any help/advice is appreciated.

    What I have
    My Deer hunting camo. Maybe too warm?
    Remington 870 w/ i think 28" barrel.
    Pop up blind- Not sure if I will use this or not.
    Private Land to hunt- I have seen turkeys while deer hunting. Several acres of wooded land with corn/bean fields surrounding. I believe I will be the only one turkey hunting this land.
    Patience and the desire to learn. I only started hunting about 6 years ago. I have only gotten 4 deer in those 6 years and 2 of those were this year. I understand that it is completely possible I will not get a Turkey this year, or ever.

    What I think I need
    Calls- I have no idea what i need. Not looking to spend a ton.
    Turkey Vest- Likely just one of the store brand $30ish ones to start.
    Decoys- I have seen some discussion on this already. Am i better off buying some of the less expensive decoys or not buying any at all? I don't think I can justify near $100/ea out of the gate.
    Turkey Choke/Ammo- My plan is to buy a choke then try out several different kinds of ammo to see what patterns well. Suggestions appreciated on a choke, would like to keep it around $50 if possible. Check the pattern at 25 and 40 yards?

    Thanks in Advance.
     
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    Who Dares Wins

    Sharpshooter
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    Jan 25, 2010
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    Plainfield
    I have a Remington 870, but I bought a 23 ins turkey barrel that is good for me, with a Tru-Glo Gobble Stopper Extreme Turkey Extra Full (?) choke and 3 ins Federal Flight Wad or similar shells in 12 Gauge. I tried a smaller 21 ins barrel and the patterns were too big too quickly. You can get tangled up in trees/branches in the woods with a long barrel and smaller is better, as long as it patterns. I actually bought the Wooden stock Rem 870 Express and camo painted it myself including the barrels, so it is good for a while, easy to keep clean and cheaper than a plastic special purpose 870. I like a 2x scope, but a red dot would work well also. Rifle sights are OK, but it can be dark early morning, so fiber-optic front beads are good, but watch the magnetic ones for getting knocked off by branches.

    Mainly green camo is best for wearing, as the leaves are all coming out and the woods are green in spring. Lighter weight than deer hunting camo as it can get warm as the morning progresses. A facemask/head-net is important and you must absolutely limit your movement. Watch the Turkey Hunting TV shows and videos and move even less and more slowly than sen on the videos. A box call is the easiest to learn and watch online for calls to make and when to make them. Call sparingly!

    I have gotten turkeys both with and without decoys, but a few simple decoys (2 hens and jake) are good. Spread them out at ~20 yds or so away from your position in different directions. You don't need a blind, but hide against a tree and you can buy screen's that help to cover any movement of your arms and legs. (Simple ground blind sheets with multiple stakes and no roof or windows) A full blind would hide you more, but you can get weighed down with too much gear!

    When you hear a gobble, set up fast before calling a hen call if possible. If you call a hen call and something gobbles nearby, they can come in fast and surprise you. Be patient and LISTEN to noises around you. I heard fluttering noises in the leaves for a while one day and stood up to find to a turkey strutting a few yards away, to both of our surprise! They can walk up behind you but try not to keep turning to see them and any movements must be real slow!

    You need to be in the woods and ready before the first glimmer of light breaks the horizon. Turkeys will gobble at owl noises, but sometimes just listen and sneak in on one is best. Other people will make calls/owl hoots etc, so they can fire up on their own. They can fly down as soon as you hen call and so set up first and then call. They may be on the ground if you are not early enough, so they can run or walk in and catch you unawares. It can still be quite dark, so get to the woods early and be ready. I have also had good luck late in the morning, when hens go to nest and the gobbler keeps looking for mates, so be patient!

    Good luck and you will be hooked once you hear some gobbles up close!

    Edit to correct that 23 ins barrel with extended turkey choke is my current set up.
     
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    AGarbers

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    Feb 4, 2009
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    Martinsville
    Camo is on clearance right now at many places. The patterns with more green would match better, but the key is to stay still. Turkey can see color but have 2D vision in all but a narrow band directly in front of them, so they don't have great depth perception.
    The shotgun is fine, but like you said, get a tight choke and try a few loads and see what the density is on a turkey target at 40 yards. I have a red dot reflex sight on mine because as a writer I have interviewed many guides, and all of them say a red dot is the best system for beginners. They told me many hunters get excited and raise their cheek off the stock to see over the barrel when using normal sights.
    Many guys don't use decoys. As far as being realistic, I know a guy that uses a full turkey mount, and he has had turkeys stay away from it. I assume it looked too intimidating. Get what you can afford now and upgrade as you can. I would love a DSD spread, but I don't have $400.
    If you can work a mouth call, you are ahead of the curve. I struggle with them but am not defeated yet. I have them in my work van and as I drive around from job to job, I practice. A box call seems easiest to me and I just ordered two Lynch calls to add to my collection. Lynch 102 has two different sound boards so you can replicate the hen and the gobbler yelps.

    I strongly recommend watching the Ray Eye "Calling is Everything" webinar series on YouTube.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LGqbYP2nzI
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1D47uNTlVyM
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmmFgbdjouQ

    You should be in good county being in Bedford. But, turkeys follow the food so where you see them in the fall may not be where they are at in the spring.

    Here's a few articles I wrote on the topic:
    Choosing the Best Turkey Gun Sights - WildIndiana.com
    How To Pattern Your Turkey Gun - WildIndiana.com
     

    phylodog

    Grandmaster
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    Mar 7, 2008
    18,748
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    Arcadia
    1. Buy a mouth call (or two) and start practicing now. It's not terribly difficult and you don't have to be able to win contests to fool them. You just need to not be so bad that you scare them, all you really need them to do is look or walk your way out of curiosity.

    2. Verify that you are the only person hunting that land.

    3. Buy lighter weight camo in mostly green colors, camo is much more important for turkey than it is for deer and you'll want everything covered.

    4. Do some research on turkey reaping. If you've got sole access to the property making it safe to do, there is no way to hunt them which is more fun or more effective. I'd much rather reap than sit against a tree or in a blind hoping to get one to walk by. Behind a strutter decoy you can go to them if necessary rather than trying to convince them to come to you. If you have friends who turkey hunt see of you can get a jake tail fan to use on a strutter decoy like the Thunder Chicken. It's not 100% but when you catch them in the right mood its about as much fun as you can have behind a turkey gun.

    This was the first time I did it. I yelped a few times and they came running from 150yds out. Been hooked ever since.

     
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    Oct 22, 2011
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    Lebanon
    I have a benelli nova max 3 camo full choke. Had to try five different loads to get the one I prefer. I wear scentlok camo that's lightweight for the warm spring days. Wear some camo headgear as well. I bought some inexpensive jakes, toms and hens this way I'm covered if one set up doesn't work. Calls are extremely important this inspend more cash on. You can really tell the cheap calls from the costly ones and they can as well. The most important thing you can do is set up early and be patient. They are fast and tricky!! I've missed some and bagged most. I cried last year because I shot early and high. I lobbed it 60 yards.
     

    Who Dares Wins

    Sharpshooter
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    Jan 25, 2010
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    Plainfield
    Also a 3/4 or 1/2 facemask works best. You need to cover your face and neck and these are easy to slide up or pull down without disturbing your hat, so much less motion. A full facemask needs to get your hat removed to put on and is more cumbersome. I prefer the cloth/camo kind to the see-through screen type.

    Beware of your glasses if you wear them, for reflecting light from the sun and a good cap or wide-brimmed camo hat will help here. I try to sit in the shade on the dark side of a tree and keep myself and my glasses/scope shaded so that they don't flash if you move just slightly. You need camo gloves obviously as well as a camo suit.

    If you hear someone walking around in the leaves behind you, it is more likely a turkey, so don't move and just be patient. Don't call when they are close as they will pinpoint you exactly and you don't want them to focus on you, rather any decoys you have set out. I have had one strut for 1.5 to 2 hrs looking down at my decoys from a rise about 80 yds away. I only called when he went behind a tree and was steady as a rock when he was visible, so he didn't bust me. Eventually he came down and walked right in for an easy shot.

    Another time, I clucked once when a turkey was walking in and he saw me and ran away sharpish! If you hear a single cluck, it can be a Tom making a "Locator Call" to figure out where you are (or the calling hens are), so sit still and get ready and he will keep on looking!

    You will enjoy turkey hunting more than deer if you get one close!
     

    gregr

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    Jan 1, 2016
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    West-Central
    You`ll want lighter camo, but you may some years use some of your deer camo too, as some seasons are extremely chilly early in the season.
    Dekes are not necessary, and don`t always even help. You should research and learn to determine when, or if decoys are appropriate for a given circumstance.
    You`ll want a shotgun/choke/turkey load combination which will deliver consistently tight patterns out to 40 yards, with a reliable, repeatable sighting system that works for you. It will require some time and expense to determine what works.
    Ground blinds are highly effective when hunting turkeys. Unlike white-tailed deer, turkeys don`t seem to be put off by ground blinds, and the blinds don`t need to be in place for a time in order for the birds to become accustomed to them...they just don`t care.
    Diaphragm, (Mouth calls), are the most difficult to master, and require a LOT of practice. Box calls, and striker calls are much easier, and faster to accomplish, the only drawback is they`re not hands free. You can go to various sites online, NWTF being one, and listen to different turkey talk, and begin to understand what they say, how they say it, and how to mimic it. When in an actual hunting situation, less calling is better than lots of calling. Calling is critical, but it`s only a very small part of hunting and killing a tom turkey.
    It cannot be overstated how vital it is to be, and stay completely motionless while turkey hunting, their eyesight is unbelievable. A Thermacell is a great hunting accessory to have so that you`re not swatting mosquitoes.
    Safety is of the utmost importance, on public land to be sure, but even on private ground, where "you`re the only one with permission". Always set up so that you can`t be shot from behind, and with as good a view to the front and sides as possible, so that some trespasser doesn`t kill you thinking he`s shooting a turkey in the brush.
    Best of luck.
     

    clfergus

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    Mar 9, 2009
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    Southeast Indy
    Check out the H.S. Strut Undertaker Choke for that Remington. They sell a ported model I believe it is 00692. You can find them for 20.00 new on ebay and they shoot just as well as most 50.00 chokes. I have a Primos Jellyhead that is suppose to pair well with an 870 and the Undertaker is slightly better. I had an old timer off oldgobbler.com suggest that choke to me for the remington and he even makes and sells 100.00 custom chokes himself.

    Ammo - The Winchester Longbeard XR patterns really well out of the remington with that undertaker choke. The Primos Jellhead choke works well with the Longbeard ammo too.

    Calls - Any simple box call from walmart will work. I suggest you also try the primos dome series mouth call and watch Youtube vids to see how to call with one.

    Clothes - Spring is typically greener and warmer. Look for some lightweight camo that has brighter greens . You can actually find leafy suits fairly cheap online that work even better.

    Decoys - Work extremely well. If you know where the birds are and can get a couple down and hidden they will come to the calls to fight and then love.
     

    Disposable84

    Plinker
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    Jan 4, 2017
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    Palmyra
    I will be joining you this year for spring turkey. I have my 870 express mag with turkey choke. I haven't hunted turkey since I was 14 years old.. 32 now.
    I have all our old gear ...decoys and such. @Who Dares Wins.. that's sound advice. My dad would make me hunt just over a ridge because he knew i couldn't sit still long enough to get a glimpse at a turkey. lol.

    Good Luck Saintnick81. I will post up here if i get something this year.
     

    clfergus

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    I do have a question for some of the more experienced hunters on the board. My turkey hunting experience is based on the fact that the few tracks of land I deer hunt had established populations of Turkey. When deer hunting I would see a bunch and decided to hunt them next spring. Knowing they were on the property has always been 90% of the difficulty for me. The other 10% was them watching and finding where they roost and come down to in the morning. Setting up a couple of cheap decoys and using a mouth call minimally to get them into range.

    I am now faced with the situation that the deer property I hunt on now has zero sign of turkey. It is a 105 acres of mainly woods and hills in Owen county so maybe it has some turkey in places I don't venture to hunt. For those who have had to scout a new piece of land are there any proven starting points?
     

    AGarbers

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    I do have a question for some of the more experienced hunters on the board. My turkey hunting experience is based on the fact that the few tracks of land I deer hunt had established populations of Turkey. When deer hunting I would see a bunch and decided to hunt them next spring. Knowing they were on the property has always been 90% of the difficulty for me. The other 10% was them watching and finding where they roost and come down to in the morning. Setting up a couple of cheap decoys and using a mouth call minimally to get them into range.

    I am now faced with the situation that the deer property I hunt on now has zero sign of turkey. It is a 105 acres of mainly woods and hills in Owen county so maybe it has some turkey in places I don't venture to hunt. For those who have had to scout a new piece of land are there any proven starting points?

    Look for signs (feathers, tracks, scratching) around open fields the border the woods. Look for scratching in the woods around oak and other mast bearing trees. Look for droppings under good roost trees like pines. The book Spring Gobbler Fever by M. Hanback goes into places to look when scouting, and scouting using maps to find good spots.
     

    Who Dares Wins

    Sharpshooter
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    Jan 25, 2010
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    Plainfield
    I do have a question for some of the more experienced hunters on the board. My turkey hunting experience is based on the fact that the few tracks of land I deer hunt had established populations of Turkey. When deer hunting I would see a bunch and decided to hunt them next spring. Knowing they were on the property has always been 90% of the difficulty for me. The other 10% was them watching and finding where they roost and come down to in the morning. Setting up a couple of cheap decoys and using a mouth call minimally to get them into range.

    I am now faced with the situation that the deer property I hunt on now has zero sign of turkey. It is a 105 acres of mainly woods and hills in Owen county so maybe it has some turkey in places I don't venture to hunt. For those who have had to scout a new piece of land are there any proven starting points?


    Also, you may not see the turkey on your property right now, as they may have moved to finer pastures for better food and they tend to get in bigger flocks in winter, I was told. They tend to separate out in spring, so you should wait and check again prior to spring season. If they have been there before, I would bet they come back! Close to water is another thing I was told, as the hens like to build nests near to available creeks/streams/ponds for a good water supply for themselves and their young-uns.
     

    gregr

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    Indiana's` Eastern Wild Turkey season opens Wednesday, April 26. Time to start working with the diaphragm calls, sanding slate calls, and chalking the box calls. My wife and the cats will be ready for me to finally get the calls outside by the time warm weather gets here. Gather all the gear: turkey loads, the Browning NWTF 12 gauge BPS, boots, binos, knives, headlamp, turkey seat, vest, different weight camo, gloves, boonie, and face mask. It`s wonderful that we can now check in birds via the smart phone, and not have to drive 20 miles to a check-in station. Now is when success is ensured, by practicing with calls, so we sound like a hen turkey, and not have the odd squeaks and groans in the turkey woods. All but the Jakes know what hen turkeys should sound like. Preparation and practice are what separate the successful hunters from the guys who almost never score. Scout your areas, do your best to identify roost trees/areas, dusting areas, and strut zones. If you are able to "roost" birds in the evening, you`re ahead of the game.
     
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