# First time Turkey hunting.



## Buckbaker (Aug 3, 2015)

I never find morrels when I look for them. Only when I trout fish or turkey hunt.


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## No-Bama (Jan 1, 2013)

Lumberman said:


> Already have a thermacel so no worries there. Haha.
> 
> And probably to early for morels. I'm a much better Morel hunter then I am a turkey hunter. Lol


Wow.....that's a big haul of morels!


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## thegospelisgood (Dec 30, 2012)

ezcaller said:


> 1. Box call is the easiest to learn by yourself. Slate and peg is more realistic with a little more effort.
> 
> 2. Any mast, acorns beechnuts. Turkeys are going to eat what is available. Early spring, not many bugs yet so they will scratch out any left over seed and most things that are greening up. If you don't have any thing that looks like a food source. Concentrate on travel areas. River bottoms or ridges.
> 
> 3. Seeing birds in the fall can be very little help for spring hunting. There is still natural food left and birds should be moving to winter food sources. Winter bird sightings will help you more because birds will stay on that food source until its gone or lack of snow helps start the spring dispersal. If you have a winter flock you can sometimes follow the topography they might travel as they look for food and nesting areas.


^^this

Although for calling I started on the "Raspy Old-Hen" from HS. I got pretty good with it watching videos and driving the wife and co-workers nuts making turkey calls in the cubicles. Good times...best part is I work in a social work office so people really have NO CLUE what it is...


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## Lumberman (Sep 27, 2010)

Ended up going with a slate call. I watched a few YouTube videos and have been practicing a little. I don't think I'm any threat of ever winning the turkey calling championship. Haha. 

But I am getting better slowly. 

I'll be using my Benelli supernova with 31/2 inch shells. I picked up a jelly head choke tube at cabelas the other day. But now I wondering if I even need it because my regular full Benelli choke shoots some fairly tight groups. 

If it's not necessary for $70 I might take it back. Thoughts. 

I've been shooting 31/2 inch longbeard XRs. 6 shot.


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## Kennybks (Mar 29, 2010)

Good choice for a call. Use of a diaphragm mouth call will give you the ability to seal the deal without motion. They're cheap, so if you don't have confidence you won't feel bad throwing it away.

$70.00 is a bit pricey unless you're dead set on using it. I'd just use the full choke and pattern several rounds until you find the best coverage. 

Instead of focusing on long range, concentrate on calling, blending in and being motionless and fooling that bird until he's close enough you could use a .410 or your compound without worry. 

That's when it really leaves a smile on your face.


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## Lamarsh (Aug 19, 2014)

Your deer hunting strategies will do you well in the turkey woods. The fact that you apparently already have some patterned may pay enormous dividends. Believe it or not, you're a step ahead of most guys that will be buying a turkey tag this spring. 

To answer your specific questions:

(1) Box call. It is not only the easiest to use, but IMO it is the best overall call in terms of sounds. Do I use a slate call to make certain sounds that my box call can't make? Sure. But IMO you don't need a slate call, and I've harvested plenty of toms with just a box call. A mouth diaphram can be useful when bow hunting, or if you need to compel a tom to gobble in order to adjust your body to take a shot, but otherwise I do not think they are necessary. I also use owl and crow calls to locate turkeys when I don't want to necessarily cause them to step down from their roost (i.e., before or after hunting hours). 

(2) Turkeys eat a ton of different things, from mast to bugs, however, if you already found a roosting tree and dusting area you likely don't have to worry as much about food sources. In the spring I have found they are easy to pattern by the fact that they like to group up in open areas in the early morning. 

(3) Fall patterns will differ quite a bit from spring patterns, however, if you find an area with turkeys in the fall they will likely not be too far in the spring (i.e., where you saw them in the fall is not necessarily where you will see them in the spring, but it's a great place to start scouting). 

Best of luck. I hunt pretty much everything, and spring turkeys are right up at the top as one of my favorite animals to hunt. There is nothing quite like calling in a tom and watching the show.


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## Lamarsh (Aug 19, 2014)

Lumberman said:


> Ended up going with a slate call. I watched a few YouTube videos and have been practicing a little. I don't think I'm any threat of ever winning the turkey calling championship. Haha.
> 
> But I am getting better slowly.
> 
> ...


If I can offer a few pointers for using a slate call. Aside from the basic hen "cluck," which sounds close to a box call when being made by a slate call, one advantage to a slate call is the ability to make "cuts". Just jab at the slate call a few times directly down, and it will make a aggressive chirp/cut sound. It's a good way to diversify the sounds you make. 

Also, keep in mind that there is nothing wrong with also carrying a box call. There's something to be said for carrying the ability to make two different sounding hen calls. 

One extra pointer, when you are calling in turkeys but they are not quite close enough to see you yet, take your baseball hat off and wack it really fast against the ground as if you are making wing beats. This sounds so much like turkeys flapping their wings. It's great to do right at dawn when the turkeys are getting down from roost, but be careful doing it much later because wing flaps can signal trouble to turkeys. 

Regarding the choke tube--while I think you'll do fine with that Benelli factory full, I do recommend keeping that turkey choke. Sometimes your only opportunity may be a 45 yard shot, and the patterns from an xtra full choke can make a difference. IMO you want everything going in your favor during spring turkey. I have an Benelli SBE2, and I have compared the factory full choke to my Indian Creek Turkey Choke, and there is definitely a difference.


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

I do a lot of cutting with my box call. Simply put your thumb on the top of the paddle and tap the end of the paddle with your other hand.


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## Lamarsh (Aug 19, 2014)

multibeard said:


> I do a lot of cutting with my box call. Simply put your thumb on the top of the paddle and tap the end of the paddle with your other hand.


Me too, and that's a great tip, but (at least with my calls) I can make much louder cuts with my slate call. I have a bunch of turkey calls, but I only use two calls, one cheap box call (wet willy) and one cheap slate call (primos, I forget the name).


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## Lamarsh (Aug 19, 2014)

Also, to the OP, one more pointer I forgot to mention regarding the slate call (and this also sort of applies to box calls, but not as much), and that is the fact that much of their sound and performance is affected by HOW YOU HOLD THEM. You should practice cupping your calls in your hands in different ways and just experiment different positions. You'll notice there are various "sweet spots". You can also change the sound / tone on a slate call by scuffing the call in varying degrees (scuff part of the call heavily, and other parts of the call not as heavy, for various sounds.


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## Gobblerman (Dec 19, 2004)

multibeard said:


> All the info given is great so far but they missed one thing you need.
> 
> Buy your self a themocell. You will not regret it.
> 
> One warning. If you do not want another addiction in you life, give up on the idea of hunting turkeys. The first tom you call in strutting and gobbling will get you addicted for life


Yea that! Thermocell and it's very addicting!


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

I am still using the first box call I bought back in the early 80's. I wish I had kept track of the number of turkeys it called into the gun. It is a Roger Lathum True Tone walnut box. I usually carry a butternut box for when they want a high pitch call.

I need to find out if Jim Clay is still making calls. I got stuck on one of his diaphrams calls about the same time I bought the true tone. All the ones I bought years ago have finally worn out.

Other than those calls all I ever carry is a Primos Freek strapped on my thigh.


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## Lamarsh (Aug 19, 2014)

Turkey hunting is addicting, since it's so darn fun, but, to me, compared to other hunting and fishing hobbies, it's a very unimposing "addiction." You use a shotgun, maybe one or two shells, a few calls and maybe a few decoys. It's a short season and relatively not gear intensive. I do promise that after the first time you get out there and hear those gobbles, you will be doing it every year!

It's the guys with interest in getting into duck hunting that deserve a warning about its addiction.


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## Buckbaker (Aug 3, 2015)

Lamarsh said:


> Turkey hunting is addicting, since it's so darn fun, but, to me, compared to other hunting and fishing hobbies, it's a very unimposing "addiction." You use a shotgun, maybe one or two shells, a few calls and maybe a few decoys. It's a short season and relatively not gear intensive. I do promise that after the first time you get out there and hear those gobbles, you will be doing it every year!
> 
> It's the guys with interest in getting into duck hunting that deserve a warning about its addiction.


Hello, my name is Buck. And I am addicted to duck hunting....


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## thegospelisgood (Dec 30, 2012)

Hi buck!


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## Locked and Nocked (Oct 30, 2010)

Anyone have experiences with custom calls? I bought a Primos slate last year and it worked okay but I had problems with parts of the call not making any noise when i would scratch it with the striker. Basically inconsistent performance. I was wondering if I would have better luck with a custom made friction call.


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## thelastlemming (Sep 11, 2009)

Locked and Nocked said:


> Anyone have experiences with custom calls? I bought a Primos slate last year and it worked okay but I had problems with parts of the call not making any noise when i would scratch it with the striker. Basically inconsistent performance. I was wondering if I would have better luck with a custom made friction call.


It's been my experience that you can find some great sounding factory calls. My first call was a cheap Primos that sounded sounded great but had a lot of plastic and looked.. well cheap. Custom calls are more about getting an exact tone that you're looking for and the cool factor of having something made to your specs. I have a Music City custom that I really like and also one made by "Firefighter" a member on this site that sounds great if you decide to go that route.


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## Lumberman (Sep 27, 2010)

Thanks again everyone. Can't how many people keep telling me it's addicting. Now I can't wait. Haha. 

How about decoys? Yes no. What do you think.


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## thegospelisgood (Dec 30, 2012)

I've used the inflatables from Cherokee sports with success..they r cheap and I liked them. Buy I'm spending my allowance on avian x this year if I can.


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## Lamarsh (Aug 19, 2014)

Hello, my name is Josh, and I'm addicted to duck hunting. I promised my old lady I'd buy a new bed and couch for our house, but spent the money on decoys and dog training gear. I lie about what everything costs. Every single thing I buy is always "the last thing I need this year". I have a problem.


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## Lamarsh (Aug 19, 2014)

Lumberman said:


> Thanks again everyone. Can't how many people keep telling me it's addicting. Now I can't wait. Haha.
> 
> How about decoys? Yes no. What do you think.


You'll hear from some that decoys aren't needed. That can be true, I've killed a few toms with no decoys; however, there are plenty of situations you can get into where a tom will not close the final distance without being able to associate the hen calls with a visual. I will never be in the spring turkey woods without at least a hen and jake decoy. I have not noticed any added benefit to adding more decoys or using fancy decoys. IMO a cheap collapsible hen and jake combo for $35 will serve you well. Be careful where you place them so as not to cause toms to come in at an angle that they are looking straight at where you are sitting (isn't always easy, but try your best to avoid it). 

As just an added entertainment benefit, it's entertaining to watch a tom attack a jake decoy, but you haven't lived until you see a tom try to have sex with a hen decoy.


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## Lumberman (Sep 27, 2010)

Ended up drawing the second hunt. Was hoping for the first but a least I'll get to hunt!


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## Kennybks (Mar 29, 2010)

Lumberman said:


> Ended up drawing the second hunt. Was hoping for the first but a least I'll get to hunt!


Good luck with your new passion! Hopefully the weather will cooperate for us.

Please give all of us who provided advice a live report and a vote on the "best advice". Might be fun relaying your experience with specific advice.


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

Lumberman said:


> Ended up drawing the second hunt. Was hoping for the first but a least I'll get to hunt!


No one is denied the chance to hunt any more, there is always the 234 hunt available OTC.

You would really have been disappointed back in the mid to late 80's. I went 5 or 6 years with out drawing a permit. I actually drove to Gladstone to get a left over permit for the Garden Peninsula in 1989. I hunted there every year until they came out with the experimental season that is now 234, because the chances of drawing a K permit was almost impossible.


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## itchn2fish (Dec 15, 2005)

Don't let any weather conditions (wind, rain, sleet, snow, whatever...) stop you from hunting. The best time to go is when you can. Never give up, even when discouraged & you aren't hearing or seeing anything. Be patient. Be persistant. Try as many calls as you can get your hands-on. If you're a hunter, you'll become a turkey hunter. Keep @ it and try to keep a positive outlook, no matter what. If you miss hearing your alarm clock, and don't get out there before daylight, go hunt anyways; I've probably killed as many birds between 11am-2pm as in the early morning; even shot quite a few near dusk in the evening. But my best advice is, do not ever let yourself get discouraged. Best of luck to you & to everyone!


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## Kennybks (Mar 29, 2010)

multibeard said:


> No one is denied the chance to hunt any more, there is always the 234 hunt available OTC.
> 
> You would really have been disappointed back in the mid to late 80's. I went 5 or 6 years with out drawing a permit. I actually drove to Gladstone to get a left over permit for the Garden Peninsula in 1989. I hunted there every year until they came out with the experimental season that is now 234, because the chances of drawing a K permit was almost impossible.


That's exactly right Multi - I recall the first year they denied my 1st choice and I drove to the leftover location (don't remember exactly where) and put in for a private land only in Branch/Calhoun despite their recommendation to only do so if you already have a confirmed place. 

The next three weekends I spent scouting until I found a couple of farms reasonably close and one I could camp on. 

I hunted down state for the next 15 years for turkey and it opened up the best deer hunting I'd seen in Michigan. Win-win

234 is the best choice for many people with busy schedules and other commitments providing multiple weekend opportunities. 

Some years it's the best due to late weather issues.


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

Kenny we might maybe making a mistake giving away the secret of the 234 season. I have hunted the late hunt like I said when it was called the experimental hunt. Until the last couple of bad winters it has been relatively easy to fill my tag. The last two years it has been harder due to the decline in the turkey population where I hunt. It really ticks me off that the DNR still holds a fall hunt when the population of or turkeys has been declining. All about the $$$$, not scientific management.


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## sureshotscott (Jul 7, 2011)

Got my first choice and bought all my licenses today and got a few days vacation to burn in April.

So what is a Jake exactly?


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## Buckbaker (Aug 3, 2015)

sureshotscott said:


> Got my first choice and bought all my licenses today and got a few days vacation to burn in April.
> 
> So what is a Jake exactly?


A young Tom. Smaller, shorter beard, center tail feathers longer than the outer feathers....


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## Lamarsh (Aug 19, 2014)

sureshotscott said:


> So what is a Jake exactly?


A jake is what Buckbaker said above, except I would caution that some jakes have such short beards that they are not visible without moving feathers around. The fan on a jake will have shorter feathers on the ends than the center like Buckbaker said, however, it is unlikely you will ever see a jake fanned out so you wouldn't see those tail feathers like that until you've shot one. Jakes are legal to take, so you will need to know ways to distinguish them from hens--since the beards and tail feathers on a jake can be difficult for a hunter to see before the bird is shot, IMO the best way to distinguish a jake from a hen is head color (and also size, if other turkeys are around to compare). Hens have an all greyish/light bluish, sort of fleshy colored head. Toms have a distinctly red and blue head with a white on top, like the colors of the American flag (yup, pretty awesome). Jakes have a similar color scheme on their head as toms, except it is often not as distinctly red and blue. 

The best way to become familiar with the distinctions between hens, toms and jakes is to simply study some images on Google image, and also maybe watch a few YouTube videos of turkeys interacting. It's important knowledge to have before stepping into the turkey woods for the first time.

One way to distinguish a hen from a jake in the spring if they are all together, if you are having trouble, is to simply rip off a hen call, and the jakes (if they are jakes) will very likely gobble shortly after your hen call, whereas hens will not. When it is difficult to determine which bird made the gobble back at you just by listening, you can also tell visually because when jakes/toms gobble they extend their necks out towards the sky and hold them like that through the gobble (also a great time to make that last final movement to steady your gun to firing position since they often aren't looking around while gobbling). 

Jakes that are near toms will rarely fan out their tail feathers, since that is a challenge, and they usually know they would just get their butts kicked. Same thing sort of applies to younger toms around older toms. I've even seen groups of mature toms together where only one tom would fan his tail feathers because he was so old and dominant even the other toms wouldn't fan out and challenge him (however, you often will see multiple toms fanning). I recall one time a few years back I had already taken my tom for the spring and I was guiding my cousin and I had called in 3 huge longbeard toms that I could not tell which was the largest (they all had huge beards), so my cousin had to pick, however, as we watched them for a bit we noticed that only one of those toms would fan out and was acting noticeably more dominant, so I told my cousin to take him, which he did, and it ended up being the biggest tom I've ever personally seen taken in my lifetime.


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## Lumberman (Sep 27, 2010)

Kennybks said:


> Good luck with your new passion! Hopefully the weather will cooperate for us.
> 
> Please give all of us who provided advice a live report and a vote on the "best advice". Might be fun relaying your experience with specific advice.


I'll do a live report for sure. Now understand I'm setting myself up for a fairly tough hunt by limiting my area. 

I'm really just looking to get out in the woods in the spring if I see/ kill a turkey that will be a bonus. Haha


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## Lumberman (Sep 27, 2010)

multibeard said:


> No one is denied the chance to hunt any more, there is always the 234 hunt available OTC.
> 
> You would really have been disappointed back in the mid to late 80's. I went 5 or 6 years with out drawing a permit. I actually drove to Gladstone to get a left over permit for the Garden Peninsula in 1989. I hunted there every year until they came out with the experimental season that is now 234, because the chances of drawing a K permit was almost impossible.


Yeah it's amazing how well the turkey population has rebounded. 

It amazing how much opportunity we have as outdoors men in Michigan. 

Maybe someday everyone will get an Elk tag


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

A jake is a young male.
Only bearded turkeys are legal.
I've seen a couple jakes with no visible beards from 15 yards.


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

I have had a lot of jakes fan and strut over the years. Some of the were with toms, just off to the side. I have also had a few hens throw up a fan.

I feel that a lot of the beardless jakes in the spring are those late hatched little bitty poults that we see in late August and September. There is probably the start of a beard under the feathers that is just not long enough to show


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

I agree Multibeard.

My approach to turkey hunting has evolved over the years.
In the beginning it was about getting a bird, any bird.
Then to getting a good bird quickly and hunting with other people, trying to get them a bird. For many years hunting from the beginning to the very last day.
Now I hunt however and whenever.
I've learned that some days birds are fickle and some days they'll come running to a loud fart, it almost feels like cheating. So now I just enjoy each day I hunt and don't over-call. Eventually the birds will play the game and I will put my tag on one. I still hunt with a couple people now and then, it's a great time to be in the woods and it's a lot of fun playing chess with another of God's creatures.


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## Buckbaker (Aug 3, 2015)

My opinion on Turkey hunting is simple. If I get a bird early, cool. If I don't, more time I can hunt, also cool.
I've had years with no bird shot and even one or two with no birds seen. But I have never had a bad season. There is always something cool to see or learn and it's might not have anything to do with turkeys.


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## Kennybks (Mar 29, 2010)

Yep- I didn't have much of a season last year. The year before was epic. 
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/index.php?threads/508117/
Double Spurs


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## itchn2fish (Dec 15, 2005)




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## itchn2fish (Dec 15, 2005)

Buckbaker said:


> My opinion on Turkey hunting is simple. If I get a bird early, cool. If I don't, more time I can hunt, also cool.
> I've had years with no bird shot and even one or two with no birds seen. But I have never had a bad season. There is always something cool to see or learn and it's might not have anything to do with turkeys.


Great post.....as well as all of the other posts...in a way, this relates to never give up, never get discouraged. I've had seasons that ended quickly, filling my tag within mere minutes....& I've had tags that I filled the last minutes of the final day of the season.


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## Lumberman (Sep 27, 2010)

Just wanted to refresh this thread. I'll be scouting this weekend. Good luck to all those put hunting.


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