Four Key Assumptions You Should Make To Bag Spring Toms

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2 1 Four Key Assumptions You Should Make To Bag Spring Toms By Steve Sorensen Old-timers in the turkey woods will tell you, "Never assume nuthin'!" I'm here to tell you not to take that advice, and you'll get more gobblers. "Gobblers are fickle!" "Gobblers will do the opposite of what you expect!" "Throw away the rulebook!" "Never assume nuthin'!" Yes, seasoned turkey hunting veterans who've had just about every possible gobbler hunting experience will preach it again and again. But that doesn't mean you have to take that advice. In fact, you'll be better off if you don't. The truth is even veterans make lots of assumptions, necessary ones, that give them an edge. What are the assumptions a turkey hunter makes - in fact, must make - if he's going to be successful? Even if gobblers are fickle. Even if they often do the opposite of what we expect. Even if the rule book is worthless. The expert turkey hunter makes some key assumptions, assumptions that are valid until the gobbler proves they aren't. Here are four assumptions you ought to be making in the turkey woods: 2 of 34

3 Assumption #1: A Gobbler is Nearby I remember one big gobbler I hunted most of a season several years ago. He gobbled less and less every day, and after a few days of silence I had no idea where he was. I decided he had left for parts unknown, and I was yelping randomly as I trudged along the ridge late one morning. When I rounded a bend in an old logging road, he almost ran over me. By the time I gathered my wits he was hoisting his landing gear. He rose above the treetops with the power and decibel level of something made by Lockheed. A silent gobbler working his way through the timber He hadn't gobbled all morning, yet he had been within a few hundred yards of me all the time. He definitely heard me, but he wasn't going to come until he decided to come. My calls convinced him I was a hen he could have anytime he wanted - until he saw me walking his way. Many hunters look for the hot turkey, the one gobbling his fool head off. But don't overlook the silent ones. Lots of gobblers are tight-lipped. Other than muttering some soft purrs and clucks under their breath, they might not make a sound. They know they can have a hen any time they want. Some gobblers are aggressive, but most gobblers aren't dominant, and many hesitate to be vocal. They fear boss showing up to spur them and throw a few punches. 3 of 34

4 When you're hunting gobblers, some are dominant, some are spooky, and some have moods. On some days they just don't respond. So, if you've heard gobblers in the vicinity before, if you see feathers, scratchings and droppings, there's probably a gobbler nearby. Make that assumption every time you enter the spring woods, every time you yelp, cluck or purr. If you don't, he'll take you by surprise the way that long-bearded Lockheed surprised me. Assumption #2: The Gobbler Wants Company The frustration of waiting for a gobbler that already The poet Alfred Lord Tennyson said that in the springtime, "A young man's fancy turns to thoughts of love." That applies to gobblers - even old gobblers. Few can resist a pretty little hen, but that's not the only reason they come to your call. has the company he wants. The turkey hunter learns quickly that the young gobbler, the jake, is easy to call in. Like the human adolescent, he has little concept of danger and often lives with reckless abandon, acting as though he is immortal. At first he knows neither fear nor death. After a few close calls, most adolescents, whether they're human or turkey, take stock and decide caution is in order. Every predator out there loves the taste of turkey, so a springtime gobbler, even when romance is on his mind, faces countless perils. Gobblers that are desperados for love soon forfeit the opportunity to spread their genes. Those that survive for a couple of years are in no hurry, keep no schedule, and are no longer easily infatuated like a teenage lover. 4 of 34

5 But, even the survivors want the company of others. They just don't necessarily insist on it now. They may not come to the call in order to breed, but sooner or later they'll come to the call, because "birds of a feather flock together". It's a time -worn proverb because it's true. So, remember that when calling to a spring gobbler, he might be coming for any number of reasons. We tend to think of sex, but he might be thinking of anything from a knock-down, drag-out fight, to simple companionship. So, assume he wants company, but leave the reason up to him. Assumption #3: You Can Outsmart The Smartest Gobbler Back when turkey hunting started gaining in popularity, we heard phrases like "wise old gobbler" and "cagy old tom". Nothing could be further from the truth. Yes, they are masters at self-preservation, but it's not because they're smart. A gobbler's survival smarts don't come from PhD level courses in woods wisdom; they come from life experience. It might seem ironic, but his most effective survival Sometimes gobblers can be outsmarted by waiting for their company to leave them. technique comes from cutting classes, starting with Poult Survival 101. Whenever a turkey sees a threat anywhere nearby - and he thinks almost everything is a threat - he's gone. His grade in Survival Class? He earns an A+ by cutting out. Turkeys do not have the highest IQ in the woods. With a brain the size of a walnut, a turkey can't be as smart as the animals that prey on him, including two-legged shotgun-toters. In fact, he might be one of the dumbest clucks of all. 5 of 34

6 Here's a case where two negatives makes a positive. First, he lacks brains, so he's not inquisitive like a whitetail. Second, he's hopelessly neurotic, a bundle of nerves stretched tighter than a banjo string. For both reasons, when he sees something suspicious he doesn't wait around to find out what it is. That's what often saves his skinny, naked neck. So don't give that bundle of nerves and feathers anything to worry about. Let him mind his own business. What is his business? A hen turkey nearby minding her own business is his business, because it is the nature of turkeys to flock together. A hunter sounding like a hen, just going about her business, is often the way to outsmart a gobbler. My calling, on my own homemade call, was plenty good enough for this gobbler. Assumption #4: Your Calling Is Probably Good Enough I'm no expert caller, but early in my turkey hunting career I thought I was. I remember the first time I tried a turkey diaphragm call. I bought a little record along with the call, listened to it for about a half hour, and went out into the turkey woods. That evening, four gobblers answered my first-ever yelp in the turkey woods, and I thought, "I'm gonna be good at this!" The truth is that anyone within hearing distance of four turkeys in the right mood can do the same. That's because more depends on the turkey than the caller. Almost any hunter can make acceptable calls. Even squeaky fence gates have made acceptable calls! Gone are the days when we thought we had to make three perfect yelps and shut up. Gone are the days when we thought one bad note would send a gobbler into the next state. I've discovered two simple secrets to calling gobblers. One is to vary the rhythm and the number of notes, because that's what I've heard real turkeys do. 6 of 34

7 The other secret is that it takes more than lyrical yelps to sound like a hen. If you've ever been close to a hen turkey, one that isn't suspicious or spooked, you've heard sounds more varied than the evenly cadenced yelps hunters have been taught to perform. Use the yelps, but throw in a few brief hesitations. Sprinkle the calling with an occasional odd note. The vocal hen almost always seems to be talking to herself in quiet putts and purrs, right along with those pretty yelps. Practicing your calls is worthwhile, but this isn't a case where practice makes perfect. Practice for realism. Practice for confidence. Practice so that the sounds you make come easily. But don't practice for perfection. Practice doesn't make even real turkeys perfect. Every real turkey sounds unique. My four assumptions won't bring a turkey to your gun on every hunt. But the truth is that even hunters who tell you "Never assume nuthin'!" are making these assumptions. That's one reason why they succeed the way they do. So, when the hunting is tough, these assumptions will help you remain confident - and when you're confident, you carry more gobblers over your shoulder. 7 of 34

8 2 Five Pro Strategies for Spring Turkey Hunting Success By John Trout Jr. An Early Season Gobbler It's no big secret that early spring turkey hunting offers the best opportunity to lure in an unsuspecting gobbler. The breeding is underway and mature toms appear vulnerable. We also know that hunting pressure is not an issue. Gobblers have not yet been bumped here and there, or harassed with calls. Now for bad news. In early season, the spring woods are rapidly changing from flora to fauna. Strategies that typically work in a "green" woods do not apply. Hens are not yet nesting and a gobbler seldom has to worry about finding a breeding hen, or advancing towards a hunter's call. Here's what you can do to tip the odds in your favor. 8 of 34

9 1. Use Locator Calls 2. Although many turkey hunters have a vest stuffed with hen calls, locator calls should not be overlooked. During early spring, the gobbling is often furious. Toms look for any reason to gobble, and many begin before the sun peaks over the horizon. It's also true that roost sites change consistently during early season. Where a gobbler roosts one evening could be nowhere close to where he roosts the next. For these reasons, I make it a point to use locator calls consistently, saving the hen talk for when it really counts. Now consider the open woods. Even during early morning while the woods are dark, you could be spotted while moving Using Locator Calls towards a roosted gobbler. In other words, you can arrive early and wait on the birds to begin gobbling, or you can use a locator call to force the action. Locating a roosted bird before sunrise is recommended, simply because you can move toward him through dark woods. If you sit back and wait on a gobbler to talk, time might not allow you to get to him and set up before dawn breaks. When using a locator call in early morning, stick to the appropriate owl hooter. Barred owls typically become mouthy just before dawn. I also suggest you try aggressive owl talk. After dawn, consider a crow call for locating a tom. Moving consistently and covering ground is essential for locating a gobbler, but it's dangerous business in an open woods. The crow call could let you know the whereabouts of a bird before it's too late. Of course, locating a tom is only the first challenge. 9 of 34

10 2. Carefully Choose Your Setups We've all heard the old saying that it's best to set up against a wide tree before you begin calling. True, a large tree provides excellent concealment. Unfortunately, in open woods it's not always a good idea to search for a big tree. On the contrary, there are other factors to consider, even if it means setting up against a logjam or in brush. Always consider that closeness counts in woods where foliage is thin. You must set up in a location as close as you can get to the bird without being spotted, and where you will force the gobbler to search for you. Veteran turkey hunters suggest you always choose a setup where the bird will be in range as it comes into view. This theory is vitally important in early spring. If a tom has excellent visibility, it's unlikely he will approach. For instance, the accurate range of your shotgun is probably 40 to 50 yards. If a gobbler can see 80 to 100 yards, it's doubtful he will come close enough. Of course, finding an early-season setup where minimal visibility exists is often difficult. Nevertheless, it can be done. If you hunt hilly country, try setting up just off the ridge within gun range of the top. That way, the bird will be killable when he peaks the hill. On lower ground, set up only in the densest areas. As long as the gobbler's visibility is limited, you have a chance of getting the bird in close. That is providing you don't have competition. 3. Beat the Floozy Hens During early spring, the breeding is furious. That statement might appear inspiring, but don't get too excited just yet. Although toms are eager to breed it doesn't mean they will come running into hen calls. In fact, it works in reverse. Hens are usually running to gobblers. This means that most mature toms will gobble consistently, but hold their position and strut until a hen comes to them. Breeding Hens For several years, I have kept statistics of calling failures while recording the reasons why a 10 of 34

11 gobbler did not come into range. Sometimes it was bad luck, such as hunter interference, or perhaps a coyote showing up at the wrong time. However, more than 60 percent of the failures occurred because hens were with a gobbler, or because they intercept a tom before he got to me. I'm sure you get the point. Floozy hens decrease the possibility of you luring a tom into range. Although it might seem impossible to get a step ahead of breeding hens, there are steps you can consider that will boost you chance of enticing a gobbler. Consider the hens that intercept a gobbler before he gets to you. You know how it works. You set up and call to a bird. He gobbles with enthusiasm, but before he gets to you, a hen comes in from the side on a collision course with the tom. That's when you make it a point to spook the hen by waving an arm. Naturally, you must make certain the tom will not spot your movement. Breeding hens are jealous. It also seems that the more your calls fire up a gobbler, the more likely the hens will interfere. The breeding cycle of early spring is fast and furious, with you often caught dangling at the end of the rope. Even if hens accompany the tom when you begin calling, though, assertive talk might change the tide. 4. Make Aggressive Hen Talk Aggressive calling could accomplish one of two things: it might pull a gobbler away from the hens, or it could bring the hens to you with the gobbler tagging along. The latter is the most likely scenario. Pulling a tom away from the hens is probably hopeful wishing. However, if you can raise a few feathers on a hen's back, you might be surprised how quickly she will come to you. Aggressive Hen Talk 11 of 34

12 Because hens are breeding and extremely jealous in early spring, they are often eager to challenge a competitive hen. Aggressive talk, such as cutts or consistent yelping will get the point across that you mean business. Sometimes it takes several minutes to convince a mature hen to come, while other times it happens quickly. However, you can bet that the gobbler will follow her as she comes to you. I would also suggest you consider calls that mimic fighting hens. Several companies manufacture push-button box calls that simulate fighting sounds. This call could attract hens that accompany the gobbler, or other toms that happen to be nearby. Tom turkeys find the sounds of fighting hens irresistible, even though hens fight consistently in early spring. It seems they always want to witness the actions. 5. Use Decoys Early Seeing is believing! That's exactly why decoys work best in early spring. Many hunters rely on run-and-gun tactics at the onset of the spring hunting season before settling into using decoys on fields later in the season. However, most hunters will agree that decoys become less effective as the season progresses. Personally, I'm not a big fan of decoys. I would much rather stay on the move, trying to locate a cooperative gobbler. Nevertheless, in early season I often resort to using a certain decoy if run-and-gun tactics fail. Although a gobbler will stay back and wait on hens to come to him, he will often find it Decoying difficult to stay away from another tom - in this case a tom decoy. Most hunters insist upon using hen decoys, but a tom will usually approach the decoy slowly and cautiously. They still expect the hen to advance toward them, and when it doesn't, they often hang up - out of gun range. A gobbler decoy, though, seems to force the gobbler to move closer. A mature tom with no hens becomes very vulnerable after spotting the decoy. Even if the gobbler is with hens, the hens are more likely to approach a tom decoy than a hen decoy. It 12 of 34

13 seems they want to meet the "new guy" on the block. Again, it will be the hens bringing the gobbler into gun range. However, for safety reasons always place your decoy in a highly-visible area so you can see another hunter approach. It's also best if you place your decoy within 20 yards of your setup. Many birds that approach will skirt around the decoy. The closer the decoy is to you, the better the chance the gobbler will be within range. Tagging an early-season gobbler in open woods can be tough. You could get lucky this spring, or you could consider the previously mentioned strategies. I've always found that the harder I work, the luckier I get. About the Author: John Trout, Jr., an avid hunter all his life, became an outdoor writer and photographer in His wife Vikki, joined him soon after she discovered a compelling love for wildlife and hunting. Today, both share their time in the field together - hunting and pursuing their love of nature. John's writing has appeared more than 900 times in regional and national publications, and he has been recognized as an award-winning writer and photographer. After selling his first story in the early 1980s for a mere $35, he expanded his career into wildlife photography. He since became a member of the Outdoor Writers Association of America, and Hoosier Outdoor Writers. His primary interests are whitetail deer, wild turkey and black bear. John has authored eight books, including advanced tactics for pursuing wild turkey and trophy whitetail bucks. "I owe everything to my time spent outdoors. Just being there, whether I'm hunting, hiking, or packing along a camera has provided me with the insight necessary to learn the most about wildlife. It also has provided me with the understanding that I have so much more to learn," explained John. 13 of 34

14 3 How To Know The Lethal Range of Your Shotgun Shells By Ed Hall "Whatever patterns best in your shotgun!" is usually the response when a hunter asks what shot size he should use for turkeys. Most turkey hunters assume there isn't much difference in using the standard shot sizes for turkeys; fours, fives, sixes and even 7-1/2's. They are all popular and they all work, so it really doesn't matter which size you use. That is, unless you want to maximize the potential range of your turkey gun. Then shot size becomes critical. If "patterns best" means putting the most pellets into your pattern, we should all hunt turkeys with tiny number nine shot because there are certainly more pellets in the pattern. The problem is they don't penetrate a turkey's head very well. We could, on the other hand, hunt turkeys with buckshot, as a single pellet will surely punch right on through a turkey skull. The problem is a shotshell contains only about a dozen pellets and most likely none of them would hit the little skull. 14 of 34

15 There must be a "just right" combination of pellet size and pellet energy to be lethal and to have enough of them to guarantee a few of those lethal hits. We buy a 12-gauge magnum turkey gun, and most of them are about the same. We add an aftermarket turkey choke, and most of them are about the same. We buy a box of turkey loads, and they are mostly about the same. We choose our shot size, four, five, six, or perhaps even 7-1/2, and they are very much NOT the same. By choosing larger and larger pellets to get more punch at longer distances you get fewer and fewer pellets in the shell to guarantee hits. 'Point of diminishing returns' is a term that relates to gaining and loosing at the same time, as is the turkey shot size predicament. We typically call our gobblers in so close that any of the above turkey loads will work. It's only when that boss gobbler hangs up that we wish we had done more homework at the patterning board. Get the Most from Your Shotgun The first step in getting the most from a turkey gun is to know what size shot it takes to penetrate a turkey's skull or break their spine at various ranges. How far down range will 6's penetrate well? 4's? 5's, 7-1/2's? There are no exact numbers. Hard lead shot penetrates better than the soft lead shot usually found in inexpensive shotshells. Copper or nickel plated lead shot penetrates better than hard lead shot. Steel shot is light for its size, loses energy quickly with range and doesn'tpenetrate very well. The new Hevi-Shot, heavier even than lead for its size, penetrates extremely well. Higher velocity loads help penetration a bit, but lose more than they gain because that extra velocity doesn't pattern as tightly. Plated lead shot is still popular in turkey ammunition and is less expensive than "the hard stuff". I know of a few hunters who use 7-1/2's and limit themselves to 15 of 34

16 thirty-five yards and have not lost a bird. I've heard of hunters who have lost birds with plated lead 6's at 50 yards, so I use 40 or maybe 45-yards as a maximum. Plain old lead 4's once killed ducks at beyond 60 yards, so I assume plated 4's will penetrate a turkey's skull at that distance. Five's are fine at 50 to 55-yards. When we consider the advantages of the added punch from the larger pellets, we often miss the fact that there are considerably fewer of them in each shotshell. They may have the energy for long range, but are no good if the pattern is too thin to guarantee a few lethal hits. While there are 450 pellets in a 2-ounce load of sixes, there are only 270 of the number four pellets. You are losing 40% of your pellet count to get that extra punch. There are so few number four pellets that a distinct possibility exists that many shotguns will not throw a lethally dense pattern beyond 35 yards. We know that sixes will penetrate well out to 40+ yards, and there are 180 more of them in the shotshell and in the pattern. All those extra number six pellets will give us a lethally dense pattern all the way out to 50-yards, but no, we don't have an effective range of 50-yards because the number six pellet runs out of energy at 40 to 45-yards. But yes, switching from number four shot to number six shot does increase our maximum guaranteed effective range from 35 out to 40-yards. Number Five Shot What about number five shot? There are 340 of them in a 2-ounce shotshell and they're lethal out to 50-yards. It's possible and perhaps likely that number five shot will provide a lethally dense pattern out to 45-yards and have plenty of penetrating energy at that range. Fours run out of pattern density at 35- yards and sixes run out of energy at 45- yards, making fives the best choice for that tight patterning shotgun and choke carrying both energy and density out to 50-yards. Hevi-Shot began as a substitute for steel shot for waterfowl, but it was soon found that it is ideal for Turkey as well. The small, denser (heavier) than lead pellets give 16 of 34

17 up their energy more slowly than lead pellets, (and much more slowly than steel pellets). The main reason shotgun patterns spread with distance is that a majority of the pellets get severely squashed as 10,000 PSI pushes them down the barrel. These badly misshapen pellets begin odd spins and act like a pitcher's curveball. They may fly quite straight and stay in a nice tight pattern for a while but, just like the pitcher's curveball, when the curve breaks, the pattern spreads quickly. While hard Hevi-Shot pellets can appear a bit misshapen before they're shot, they exit the barrel in much better shape than lead pellets. Traditional shotgun patterns are measured as an even pellet distribution in a thirty inch diameter circle at forty yards, where 70-percent of the pellets going into that circle was considered a full choke. Today's turkey loads not only throw patterns of 90-percent or better, but they have dense centers. A better guide to judge turkey patterns is to measure the hits in a fifteen inch diameter core circle instead of 30. I lay a 30" Plexiglas doughnut having a 15" hole over the patterning paper to find the densest center. No pattern has perfectly even distribution when you start marking individual pellet hits. There are always a few little globs of pellets and a few small areas with few hits. To prove a pattern effective, bend a coat hanger into the shape of the head and neck of a gobbler and move that coat hanger around in the fifteen inch center of your pattern. Assure yourself that there are NO places in that circle where the turkey would not have been well hit. It takes 60 or more evenly spaced hits in the circle to do that. If you were to shoot a little bit beyond that guaranteed lethal pattern, you'll likely kill 9 out of 10 turkeys you shoot at. A little bit farther away and the holes in the pattern are larger and more numerous, and you'd likely kill 8/10, and so on. This reminds us of the "Golden Pellet" idea that it takes but one lucky pellet in the head kill a turkey. I prefer to know my maximum guaranteed range. Hevi-Shot, or at least high-density shot is proving the most effective for turkeys, and there's little reason to use larger than #6 shot, as it is lethal to 60-yards. Before your gobbler comes into view, measure with a rangefinder a maximum range perimeter of rocks or trees. When he steps inside your circle, there's no question, he's yours. You can always let him come a little closer. 17 of 34

18 How do you know your shotgun's maximum range? Taking one or even two shots at turkey head targets and looking for a few pellets in the head and neck just isn't enough. Shotgun patterns just aren't uniform enough for that, and a few lucky pellets can give you a false sense of effectiveness. You'll need a 4x4-foot blank paper, mark an X in the center, and the first shot should be at 25 or 30-yards to insure the shotgun is hitting center. On another paper at, perhaps 40-yards, again shoot for center. Draw a 15-inch diameter circle around the densest shot area. Bend a coat hanger into the shape of the outline of the lethal area of a gobbler's head and neck. Pass that coat hanger around inside that 15" circle and insure that nowhere in that circle would the gobbler have survived. Work your way back to find your maximum range. When you begin to see "holes" in the pattern where the turkey would have survived, you are beyond your maximum guaranteed lethal range. When you think you have found it, shoot a few more test targets to be sure. 18 of 34

19 4 Why Patience Pays For Persnickety Toms By Judd Cooney "C'mon, let's go after those gobblers across the creek," coaxed my cohort."or maybe we ought to try the gobbler back over the ridge, or even the gobblers tearing it up down the creek bottom a quarter mile below us," implored my totally antsy and frustrated turkey hunting client, as we listened to gobblers sounding off all round us, just as the sun was gilding the tree tops on the ridge above with its golden light. "Just shut up and be patient." I admonished my client. "There're too many turkeys in the woods for us to try to sneak anywhere. All we'll do is spook birds. Besides the object of calling turkeys is to let them come to you, so sit back and be patient." We'd gotten into position on the edge of a small clover plot at the bottom of a wooded slope, adjacent to a dirt dam that backed up the creek for a quarter mile above us. My client and I were comfortably ensconced on the shadowed side of a large maple tree, with a clear view of the open plot and wooded slope above. I explained to my client on the drive to the hunting area, that regardless of how many gobblers we heard, we were going to stay put and let a gullible gobbler come to us rather than try to sneak within calling range of a roosted bird. I learned a long time ago that when dealing with lots of turkeys in an area, and especially areas where there are a lot more hens than gobblers, it's often more effective to find a good calling location and set up to call, than trying to set up on a specific gobbling tom. 19 of 34

20 I informed my client that we would hear lots of gobbling, and I would call every twenty minutes until I got a gobbler or two to actually respond to my calling, but it may be mid-morning before this happened. After almost two hours of being serenaded by the vocal gobblers surrounding us, and watching several longbeards pay court to their harem of hens on the distant hillsides (my client counted over 265 gobblers!), I finally got a response. A pair of gobblers on the timbered ridge above responded enthusiastically to my yelps, and when I started cutting excitedly, they left little doubt about their interest, gobbling and double gobbling enthusiastically as they closed the distance. Ten minutes of yelping, clucking, cutting and finally soft purring brought both gobblers out of the woods and into the clover patch at 30 yards, where my hyperventilating client made a clean kill on the largest tom which sported a heavy 11" beard and 1 3/4" spurs. I have done my share of "run and gun," turkey hunting over the years, but the more I hunt these irascible and unpredictable birds, the less inclined I am to chase after them unless there is simply no other way. Since I started actively guiding and outfitting for spring turkey hunters in Iowa, Missouri and Nebraska almost twenty years ago, I have found that my clients and I are far more successful when we use patience and perseverance in our turkey hunting. The more turkeys you have in your hunting area the better this tactic works. One of the biggest obstacles to conning longbeards anywhere, regardless of the subspecies hunted, is HENS. The higher the hen-per-gobbler ratio the tougher the toms are to call. A henned up tom is a firm believer in the old axiom, "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush." A gobbler's brain is the size of a pea, but even 20 of 34

21 pea-brained gobblers are hesitant to leave a harem and venture several hundred yards through the woods or across an open meadow, to check out the sounds of another hen he can't see. However, the longer the gobbler hears the seductive sounds of a hen the more his curiosity is aroused. You can bet he will remember EXACTLY the location of that vociferous and seductive sounding hen, and IF and WHEN his hens wander off or scatter out ignoring him, he's more than likely to check out the location where he last heard the hen or even more likely to check out the persistent hen if she's still calling. This may be a few minutes or a few hours, but the chances of a gobbler checking out your calling increases as time goes by, rather than decreases as most callers think. One of my turkey hunting buddies from a southern state, hunted Iowa with me for several successive springs after I had spent several years chasing Mississippi and Alabama gobblers with him. We covered lots of country down south chasing after gobblers. But when he came to Iowa, he used the same tactics with far less success, even though we had many times the turkey concentrations on our private leases. After the second year's season was over he humbly admitted that he felt he had only managed to call in a couple of Iowa gobblers. In fact, most of the time the gobblers ignored his best calling efforts, and sometimes even headed the other direction. I'd always chided him that his southern drawl could not be comprehended by the "Iowegian" birds. He was an excellent turkey caller. I told him though, that he had without doubt called in lots of gobblers during his hunts, but that he was never at the calling location when the tom's got there. On his last turkey hunt he was guiding a major call manufacturer who was shooting a turkey hunting video segment. After spending an unsuccessful morning "running and gunning", they had several turkey encounters, but no gobblers called up for video. At mid-afternoon I told him exactly where to go and set up, with 21 of 34

22 specific instructions to stay put regardless of how many gobblers he heard on the lease. He was to call every twenty minutes or so until he got a gobbler to come in or it got dark. But under no circumstances was he or his hunter to go chasing after any vocal toms. Two hours after setting out decoys and dozing off several times between calling spurts, a gobbler responded and strutted across the open field in front of them and around the decoy, providing the best video this company had gotten all spring. Patience was the key to their success. On Midwestern turkey hunts I've called up and killed more gobblers between 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM than during any other time frame. Throughout the early morning and as they leave the roost, almost every gobbler in our hunting area will have hens in sight or have hens around them. This makes them difficult to call right off the roost, or later as they spend the morning feeding and loafing. With high hen to gobbler ratios, the hens are far more aggressive and will jealously pull any gobblers around them, away from anything that sounds like a competing feathered female. This is a major problem on our Iowa hunting leases from the seasons opening day, to the final day's sunset. By mid morning the birds are scattering out and the hens are wandering off looking for nest sites, or nesting until later in the afternoon when they rejoin the toms for the evening roost. Typical with males of any species, some gobblers are simply going to lose interest in their present companions and look for new conquests. The seductive or excited hen calling they've been hearing from you all morning, or before the flock moved out of hearing has piqued their interest, and you can bet-your-bippy those longbeards will have pinpointed your location to within a few yards. When I set up to call, I make sure I get comfortable enough to remain for a long period without moving. I often use varying decoy set-ups depending on the time of 22 of 34

23 season, from a lone hen, to several jakes and a couple hens, to a strutting tom and lone hen. I get out three calls; a Quaker Boy Jagged Edge diaphragm call for general yelping, cutting and clucking; a loud super sounding Paul's Calls box call for distant reaching yelps and cuts; and a sweet sounding slate call for close-up purring and clucking to bring a gobbler in that last few yards. I usually call every twenty minutes keeping track on my watch, as judging time in a calling situation can be difficult at best, and over calling will spook more gobblers than under calling. Once I get a gobbler in sight or know he's coming, I let his actions and vocalizations set the tempo of my calling responses, and I generally call less than the gobbler. On a number of occasions I've been calling for an hour or more, and finally have gotten a gobbler or two to respond enthusiastically to my calling, only to have a silent gobbler suddenly appear out of nowhere trying to steal the hen from its vocal competition. Spring turkey calling is an endeavor in conning a gullible gobbler to come within shooting range. Your deadliest and most effective assets may not be your calling expertise or chosen hunting gear, but simply PATIENCE and PERSEVERANCE. So sit back, get comfortable and let it happen! 23 of 34

24 About the Author: Judd is from Luverne, Minnesota, a small farm community in the southwestern corner of Minnesota. Growing up, he spent most of his spare time hunting, fishing, bowhunting and trapping in this rural area. He bowhunted the very first archery season held in Minnesota in 1954 and harvested his first whitetail buck, a huge non-typical during a South Dakota hunt at age 13. After high school he attended South Dakota State College where he majored in wildlife management and got a B.S. degree in Judd started working for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game during his junior year and was working for them when he graduated. While in the Army he married Diane Graff, and he was post game warden and managed the hunting and fishing program on the post at Fort Carson near Colorado Springs. After his discharge, Judd worked for the Colorado Division of Wildlife as a Wildlife Conservation Officer. During this time he began writing about and photographing wildlife. He has had numerous articles and photos published in various outdoor magazines, and has spoken at seminars around the country on bow hunting and big game hunting. In 1977 Judd started his own guiding and outfitting business and shifted into high gear with his writing and photography. During the past 30 years Judd has been writing and photographing on a full time basis in addition to his guiding and outfitting operation. Judd currently has monthly columns in Fur, Fish & Game magazine, Bow & Arrow Hunting, Predator Extreme, and Whitetail Journal magazines, as well as being a frequent contributor to many other publications. He also has consulted on and co-hosted a number of TV outdoor programs and shows. Judd still thrives on being able to help people enjoy the outdoor experience through outfitting, photography and his writing. 24 of 34

25 By Tracy Breen 5 Go Lean and Mean for Turkeys If you're packing too much stuff, you're more apt to head for the truck early. Bruntons GPS As the sport of turkey hunting has grown dramatically over the last couple decades, more companies have jumped on the turkey product band wagon. If you walk into a box store or mom and pop hunting store, you'll quickly realize that you could use a different turkey call every day for a year and never run out of new calls to try. During the year, you could try dozens of decoys, guns, vests, turkey hunting boots, gloves, face masks and a variety of other products and never use the same products two days in a row. As a result, most turkey hunters have more turkey gear than they will need in ten lifetimes. To justify the expense of buying all this stuff, most of us load our vests down with gadgets on opening day. We feel like a cross between a turkey commando and Agent 007. The truth is most gadgets aren't needed and in some cases may hinder success. In the heat of the moment when trying to Brett Berry, Pro Staffmember for Zink Calls decide if you should "run and gun" or stay put, a vest heavy with gadgets can create problems. Deciding which call to use when a tom is hung up is gets complicated when you're carrying too many calls. Should you use the Double Clucker Plus, the Hot and Heavy Hen, or something else? 25 of 34

26 Maybe it's time you pack light. Andy McCormick, VP Sales & Marketing for Legacy Sports Brett Berry, a pro staff member for Zink Calls ( recommends bringing only a couple of calls into the woods. "I use diaphragms. They are lightweight and sound great," Berry said. "Besides mouth calls, I usually bring a friction call of some type and a locator call. "Two or three calls are all I need most of the time." Zink Calls makes the Avian-X line of turkey decoys and Berry usually has a decoy with him. "Most decoys are lightweight and collapsible so it makes sense to bring a decoy. I rarely bring more than one. If I bring two or three, I take a lot of extra time to set them up and take them down. With just one, I can pull it out of the ground and be running and gunning in no time." When thinking about lightweight hunting, one thing most hunters overlook (myself included) is the shotgun. Some of the most popular turkey guns on the market are built to shoot 3½" shells. Bigger is better, right? That's what we are led to believe. Andy McCormick, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Legacy Sports (maker of the Escort line of shotguns at says, "I've talked with many gun retailers over the years who say they sell a lot of guns with 3½" chambers, but not as much 3½" ammo. That tells us that many hunters like telling their friends that they have a big gun but they prefer using 3" shells," McCormick said. If you're in the market for a new turkey gun and you want to keep weight down, consider purchasing a 3" gun instead of its big brother. After hunting all day, a heavy gun can wear you out. Studies show that today's high-tech 3" turkey loads are effective at 40 yards and beyond. What more do you need? I spend much of the fall hunting big game out west, deep in the backcountry. Early in my hunting career, I stuffed my backpack to the brim as I left the truck but didn't end up using many of the things I packed. As the years went by, I started packing lighter, only bringing exactly what I needed. Packing light allows me to cover more ground. The same can be said about turkey hunting. Sometimes you must wear out the soles of your boots to find a hot gobbler. If you are packing a lot of stuff, you're more apt to head for the truck early. Packing light can help you cover a lot of 26 of 34

27 ground in search of the longbeard of your dreams. "I love covering as much ground as I can while turkey hunting. Running and gunning is fun if I pack light. I don't often do it if I am lugging ground blinds, a vest full of calls, and four decoys," Berry added. Do you want to increase your chances of success this spring? Pack light and you'll likely be willing to walk farther, work harder and call more birds than if you bring the entire Cabela's store with you in the woods. Oh - one last thing. Pack a Havalon knife. It weighs less than an extra shotgun shell. Abouth the Author: Tracy Breen is a full-time outdoor writer and consultant in the outdoor industry. He works with a variety of outdoor brands and television shows including Havalon Knives and the MeatEater. Learn more at 27 of 34

28 6 How To Find A Gobbler's Bachelor Pad On Pressured Land An advanced lesson in hunting pressured gobblers. By Steve Sorensen Think gobblers are pressured where you hunt? Think about my home state of Pennsylvania, with nearly a million hunters. Not all of them go after spring gobblers, but many who do, buy a second tag. That keeps pressure on the gobblers all season long, so they need a place where they can put up their spurs, relax, and entertain the ladies. They need a bachelor pad. Hunters sometimes don't realize it, but lots of gobblers are killed at their bachelor pads. That's where a gobbler wants to be, and when you find that place, that's where you kill him. At least three factors play into how a gobbler selects his bachelor pad - the place where he meets the ladies. Look for it on the high ground. 1. Where he can be safe - Contrary to what many hunters think, the first priority of a gobbler in the springtime isn't to breed. It's to survive. Without safety, he won't get to pass on his genes to a new generation. Gobblers often take up residence in open hardwoods where they can be seen and heard from a distance.. Since all kinds of hunters want to eat them, turkeys must be masters of survival 28 of 34

29 (and by "hunters" I include not just the ones toting shotguns, but also natural predators like coyotes, foxes, owls - they all love fresh turkey meat). We've all heard that it's more challenging (though not impossible) to call a turkey downhill. The reason is safety. If a turkey is going downhill, his risks are greater. If he turns around to run uphill he loses a precious second or two - enough for a fox or coyote to grab him. And if he meets a threat when he goes downhill, it might be easier to get airborne in that direction, but he'll be heading right for the threat. But if he's going uphill, his best and fastest direction of escape is usually to turn around and flee downhill. After all, it was safe there just a second or two ago. This isn't a conscious decision; it's simply an outcome of natural selection. It's was bred into him. When turkeys retreat downhill, they escape more often, and survive to breed and pass on that trait. That's one reason you'll find more gobbler bachelor pads on high ground than anywhere else. Another reason is that's the place. It's no secret why gobblers strut - they want the girls to notice them. 2.Where he can be seen - Gobblers prefer a meeting spot where they're visible. In hilly country, that's usually on elevated ground. That doesn't mean they'll never choose low land, but if they choose low land it will be a place offering a fast and easy escape from the love nest. Turkeys are not masters of camouflage like some prey animals. Being seen is important to in the bird kingdom where it's always the male that is the pretty one. Males are colorful, females are drab. It's the male that puts on a display to get the attention of females. That's true of the birds at your feeder. Face it, guys, in the bird kingdom, the girls ain't the ones that are dolled up. And the gobblers are the ones who strutt their stuff. Sound familiar? 29 of 34

30 Another reason gobblers want to be seen is that in the world of turkeys, it's the hen that comes to the gobbler. We're trying to reverse that when we take up a stationary position and offer sweet, seductive calls. That's one of the reasons gobblers sometimes hang up - they expect the girls to come to them. So, a gobbler's bachelor pad is a place where he can show of his beauty. Finally, it's a place. 3. Where he can be heard - In hilly country, a hilltop or a side hill offers a place where their gobbles will carry. In fact, in the early spring before the tree canopy has sprouted leaves, on a calm day it's possible for a lusty gobble to be heard a mile away. That might seem surprising, but remember that bare tree trunks and limbs offer little to dampen and absorb sound. So, up high in the hardwoods, the acoustics are great for gobbles to reach out and touch the ears of lots of hens. Late in the season, when trees are leafed out and hens begin sitting on their nests, gobblers get a little anxious about finding hens. So, they might leave their bachelor pads in search of a receptive hen. That means there's an optimum time for finding bachelor pads, and for success at killing the gobbler that entertains the ladies there. Next, I'll share some hunts that demonstrate the truth of what I've said here. Have you ever found a gobbler's bachelor pad? Lots of gobblers are killed at their bachelor pads - the place where they're safe, want to be seen, and can be heard. The reason decoys work is because gobblers want to see a pretty little hen in their love nest. 30 of 34

31 You may have killed gobblers in places like that, even though you may not realize it. Here's how I found three of them. The "Come over here, honey" breeding bed - I know one spot that I feel owes me a gobbler, though I'll probably never collect on it. I've called in several gobblers there, but made some critical mistakes. For several years I considered it my "Old Faithful" of turkey spots. It's high on a hill, gobblers roosted just off the peak of the ridge, and their gobbles ring out across the hardwood ridge and down the hill. On one opening day, I saw just how they used this spot. I arrived before daylight and waited for the game to begin. Turkeys started gobbling, flew off the roost, and marched to this spot, but I had set up wrong. Off to my left about 60 yards away, two Here's the nice gobbler that loved watching the Saturday fights. mature gobblers and a hen began an affair to remember. I watched them carry on for an hour before they left. After they were gone, I walked over there. Feathers were everywhere. It looked like those gobblers raked every feather off the back of that poor hen. I picked up 100 of them, and many more were still on the ground. Any time a gobbler wanted, he could say, "Come over here, Honey," and a hen would cooperate. I said I'll probably never take a gobbler from that spot. The reason - it was loaded with tall, straight, black cherry trees. Chain saws have turned the spot into a timber slashing. Score one for the turkeys. 31 of 34

32 The "good old boys" ringside seat - It was late one Friday morning, and I heard a gobbler sound off not far away. I quickly set up and gave a call. He gobbled back, but ambled along as though he had all day. I guess he did. I finally had him within 35 yards, but he was screened by the top of a fallen tree so I had no shot. He finally strolled back to the spot where he started. On Saturday I was back in that area, and heard him sound off at daylight down the hill. I set up where that fallen tree wouldn't be a problem. Soon he was coming up the hill, but angled to my right and headed straight for the spot I had called him from the day before. I could see him over there, all fanned out, without a hen anywhere around. Soon, I heard a yelp behind him, and two jakes walked over, circled around in front of him, and proceeded to beat the stuffing out of each other. That went on for 10 minutes. Finally they walked off, and the big gobbler followed. I could hardly wait until Monday, but couldn't get into the woods until 9:30 AM. This time, I inched my way to the spot where he watched the fight. At 10:00, I made a couple of calls. Again at 10:10, and at 10:20. I finally got an answer. He came in with three jakes The "I'm not leaving until I'm carried out" hermit - This gobbler frustrated me for a week. I knew where he was, but there were other turkeys close to him and I couldn't approach him without flushing them. Every day I'd hear him, sometimes I'd see him, and twice I called in other birds. But he wouldn't budge from his spot. This had to be a preferred bachelor pad - if only I didn't have to worry about all his friends. Finally, the day came. All his younger buddies and girlfriends had abandoned him, but he stayed put. I sneaked in to about 50 yards of his roost tree, and he began gobbling his head off at 5:30 AM. He was frantic; no one would answer him until I gave him the softest call I could make at 5:45, and again at 5:55. He flew down at 6:00, and I was tagging him at 6:05. He wouldn't leave unless someone carried him out. I obliged. In all three of these cases, almost any turkey hunter could have killed these birds. It was a matter of being where they were most comfortable. And if you do everything else right, that's where they die. 32 of 34

33 About the Authors: Steve Sorensen is an award-winning outdoor writer and speaker he loves the Havalon knife, and has been a fan of knives since he begged his dad for a hunting knife when he was six years old. His articles have been published in Deer & Deer Hunting Magazine, Sports Afield, and many other top magazines across the USA. Invite Steve to speak at your next sportsman's event, and follow his writing on his website, Judd Cooney has been writing and photographing full time for the past 30 years in addition to running his guiding and outfitting operation, spending hours a day trying to avoid working an 8-5 job. He says, I wouldn t change it for the world! He has articles or photos in many of the outdoor magazines every month, covering bowhunting, muzzleloader hunting, big game, small game and predator hunting, plus turkey, waterfowl and upland game hunting. He can be reached through his website, John Trout, Jr. from Southern Indiana is a full-time freelance writer and photographer specializing in whitetail deer, wild turkey and black bear. He has authored eight books and his work has appeared in nearly every publication in North America. You ll enjoy a visit his website at Ed Hall has been hunting since he was just six years old when his father gave him a.22 revolver because he was too small to properly hold a rifle. He lived in Vermont for many years, but then decided to move a few miles across state lines into New York for better hunting property. As well as writing for the Havalon Post and other hunting publications, his credits include: Guns & Hunting Field Editor, Fur-Fish -Game (15yrs.); Field Editor, Bear Hunting Magazine (6 yrs.); Gun Editor, Woods & Waters USA (30yrs.); Rifles and Optics Editor & Handloading Editor, Bear Hunters Online (1 yr.). Ed is an active member of, OWAA, NYSOWA & NEOWA. 33 of 34

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