The night
before, scout the area you intend to hunt. At dusk, make a few
owl calls from the edge of the hardwoods. If things go according
to plan, you'll hear a distant gobble, which lets you know the
toms are there and gives you an idea of the direction from which
your gobbler will come.
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| Place
decoys 20 to 25 yards away from your stand. |
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In
the morning, arrive well before dawn. Take care not to slam
the car door or make any sharp, loud noises that would alert
the turkeys to your presence.
As
I hike to my blind, I wear my coat but keep it open, so when
I sit down I can button it to keep warm. I also take a flashlight
that I use sparingly, and I follow the route I marked with fluorescent
tape earlier.
When
you reach the stand area, set up decoys—if you have them—about
20 to 25 yards from the stand. Then sit in the most comfortable
position you can.
About
10 minutes before full dawn, make a "tree yelp"—a call hens
use when they leave the roost. It's a low clucking sound and
is intended to announce the presence of a hen in the tom's area.
Then at dawn, make a series of sharp calls, known as "yelps."
Listen for a "gobble" reply.
I
find it's best to keep quiet for a while after that initial
reply. Toms have an incredible sense of direction and can pinpoint
the location of a call within a few feet. If he's talking and
coming, he knows where I am. I'll hear him getting closer, gobbling
as he comes.
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| Try
a couple "yelps" at dawn and wait for
the "gobbles." |
|
If
he stops and is merely calling, answer with a couple of yelps,
adding some clucks, purrs and cuttings to further entice him.
When the gobbler comes into range, freeze. Any motion at this
point will send the sharp-eyed bird away like lightning. While
you're in his line of sight stay completely still. When he passes
behind cover, raise your gun and prepare for the shot.
Now
is the time to double-check the identity of the bird. Look for
the beard growing from the centre of his chest. This is the
only true sign of a legal gobbler and unless you can see the
beard, don't shoot. Once you identify the beard, wait for him
to lift his head and look around. When he does, aim carefully,
hold your breath, and squeeze the trigger.
Once
you fire, get off the ground and to the bird as quickly as possible.
A delay may give a wounded bird a chance to recover. If he recovers
and has a chance to hide, the chances of finding him are slim
to none.
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| Sit
with a tree at your back to break up your silhouette. |
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Of
course, every turkey hunt is a little different. Some days the
birds are silent and suddenly appear without any warning. Some
days one call won't get a response while one with a different
frequency will have the birds shouting at you. That's why most
hunters carry two or three different types of calls in their
pack.
Remember
the hunt doesn't end until noon. Even if you're discouraged
by the lack of response to your calling, hang in there. Although
the most active time is the first hour after dawn, there are
other times during the morning when toms and jakes will have
eaten and will be looking for hens. Remember, turkey hunting
takes a great deal of patience. Waiting the morning out may
just give you another chance to go home with a gobbler. 
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