I posted a thread asking for advice because somehow I missed this sticky. Great thread, very informative. I appreciate it! I'm learning on my own, so every little bit helps. I might have to try to find someone I can hook up with who can show me ropes better. I currently only know a few calls, and when I hear people say find the roost, I don't even know how to do that. So I will definitely keep researching. Thanks again

Same for me, I started out on the Cahaba WMA teaching myself and would get some distant gobbles but never anything close. After two years with no luck on the WMA the third year I had the opportunity to hunt on private property and got one. I have had good success and lots of fun on private land ever since but still don't think I have learned enough to hunt public land. I still have not had a Tom come up in full strut or to a decoy either. The second is probably my fault as I don't give them enough time to get a look around...

Well, I thought I had posted in this thread a long time ago when I signed up and stopped lurking, but apparently I did not. That said, I just wanted to say thanks for the advice guys!

I had never really been turkey hunting, even though they are pretty thick on some of my family land. I went a few times here and there, and even with guys who are very knowledgeable but never got one to the gun, though occasionally we would see one. I had the calls and a decoy when the were legalized, but never could get lucky.

Fast forward to 2012. After reading this thread and itching for an excuse to get out in the woods I set myself to trying to finally kill a gobbler. Opening day that year I laid the smack down on a big gobbler on Choccolocco WMA. Didn't really call to him, but I clicked a few times when his harem got within sight. They came to investigate and he was right behind them. When I shot he was at 20 steps and the hens were within 5 steps, which got wild when they were trying to bug out.

I called up a second one later that year on Choccolocco. He wasn't as big as the first but I knew that I got him interested and curiosity got him a face full of shot.

The advice about not calling so often and using woodsmanship rather than trying to do like they do on TV helped me kill those birds. I moved that summer and haven't been able to chase them like I want to since then. I won't be chasing them this year either as i just had to get a few screws put in my ankle due to a sports injury. But I already have the itch to get after them next year.

Theres a ton of good hunters and people on here, as well as good info. Just wanted to thank you guys for sharing some of it with us newbies. Good luck this season to all!

Give a turkey some room on your side of the creek when you are trying to get him to cross.-If it's open woods, get 100 yards away or so, depending on the terrain and cover. Just get away from the creek.

No particular reason for posting this.

My question fits in this topic. Beginner turkey hunter here and new to the forum. I've been in the woods looking for turkey a total of 2 times this far with no luck or sign of turkeys. I spend most of my time on Freedom Hills WMA in Colbert County and some on private land in a deer club where I'm not even sure turkeys are around.

Can some of you vets give some tips on what type of geography I need to look for to find turkey sign, and any other beginner scouting tips and locating/calling tips? I only have 1 more week but would like to make the most of it learning.

I was gonna post this on the first time hunter thread but it might fit better here. The guy was asking about Dekes.

Although I usually tote a Jake, I think it's a crap shoot. The minute you call they will have you zero'd. They know exactly where you are, period.

Sometimes if they reply, I will immediately close as much distance as I can quietly cover and try and catch his ass sneaking in to where he thinks i am.

There are other times that I will hide behind the deke and use it for a blind.

I've sat in front of a great Deke and had birds run like hell at first site of it. Usually they have gotten a beating recently.

I think that there are A LOT of situations where the bird will hang up waiting for a hen to close the last 40 yards, so you will have to move anyway.

There are definitely times that birds get spooked when the close and don't see a deke and can't hear a bird moving around...(sometimes raking leaves can help).


Every dang day turkey hunting is different anybody here that says x, y, or z works every time and never spent any time hunting.

It sure as hell aint like the Editors on tv make it look.

The most successful guys are the guys that can adapt to a fluid and constantly changing situation. If you can't adapt you will not have any success beyond blind luck.

If you are gonna sit in a ground blind over turkey dekes and throw yelps off a box call like the guy on tv did and expect to kill turkeys, i would say save your money and time and stay home.

Just read through the whole thread again and it is Gold. Its been said before, but most the time the best thing to do is softly yelp, flop your hat, yelp a little louder and then sit tight. It may take him a while, but if he answered you. He's coming. Thanks to all the guys for sharing your wisdom. Lost 300 acres of land this year, so Public land it is. Still new to the game. If only I could find an old-timer who could show me the ropes:) Thanks again, can't wait for March 21 and 22, 2016.

I just read through this thread again and want to say Thanks guy's this will be my first year... now if I can just remember all this next week I will be doing good..

Oh wow! Love this thread! Brings a lot of info for a first time turkey huntress! Thanks guys for all the wonderful insight!

I had played at turkey hunting a few times. And a little discouraged. Then, last Saturday, a buddy who I introduced to fly fishing/tying (something I have been doing for 40 yrs) went turkey hunting with me, and was my caller. He truly showed me how to hunt a turkey! We never saw the Tom (worked him for nearly 2 hrs, and he circled us 360 deg) but I learned a ton! Best hunt I have ever been on. Felt like I should be paying for a guided hunt! And now I really know how/what it takes to turkey hunt. Will def enjoy it a lot more! Thanx Doug!

lol ,,,,, yep!!!!

last year 7.30 am opening day i heard a cluck sound them 7 to 8 gobblers talking/ i try every thing with my lynchs fool proof box call the hen was clucking gobble gobble gobble then i started clucking like her happy hour the hen came first then 7 toms talking strutting what a sight i had one hen and 4 toms 3 jakes standing 30 ft in front of me plus 2 Avian-X LCD Lookout Hen Turkey Decoy i raise my lever side by side 16 ga made in 1927 i took a real big long aim and yes tom fever came over me boom i killed 2 Osceola turkey & 2 70 dollars decoys what joy

Something i learned this year. When you have a Tom coming in and a hen starts to call from behind you. Let her call and draw him in. But if she is headed toward him to take him away. Wave your arms so the hen can see but not the Tom and run her off. That way you are the only :"hen" he will be looking for. If not she will walk past you and take the Tom away.

Call too little is better than calling too much

i just read the whole thread. i read tom kelly's book decades ago. i'll be a 67-year-old tyro this season, but i do have three turkey hunters who will help. thanks for the thread, fellas.

Why are you using turkey calls to locate before season...all new hunters, here is a tip: Do not educate the turkeys to calls before season...locators are fine but absolutely no turkey sounds...

Do yourself a favor. Don't start