When the cold winter months finally pass and the weather starts to warm up, there is usually only one thing on a hunter’s mind: turkey season. To some, turkey hunting is even more addicting than deer hunting.
What makes it so fun? The challenge of turkey hunting is that things can go right, or it can go very wrong really fast. Luckily, we have you covered with some great tips to ensure you get your turkey this spring!
1. Pre-season scouting is a must
The best way to scratch the itch to get out in the woods is to do just that: get outside! If you explore your intended hunting grounds well before the season starts, you will have much more success when it counts. While scouting, look for things such as:
- potential food sources
- tracks
- droppings
- roosting trees
Finding where the turkeys are at will cut back on the time it takes during the season to find them and make your hunting days much more productive!
2. Roosting a Gobbler
Speaking of roosting trees, one of the best ways to kill a gobbler in the spring is to find his roost the night before. Go out that night and listen for any gobbles or use an owl or crow locator call to get a tom to gobble from his roost.
By finding him in his roost, you will know exactly where to hunt the following morning. Go in before light and set up not too far from his tree and let out some soft calls. When it becomes light enough, most toms will fly down and head in your direction in order to investigate.
3. Learn Your Turkey Calls
Calling in turkeys is the number one way to kill them. Learning to properly use your calls and how to use them before the season starts is essential.
While a basic turkey yelp sound is often the only thing you might need to bring in a lonely tom, the real difficulty comes when they hang up. Learning a variety of calls and when to use them will greatly increase your success!
4.Use Decoys
Calling in turkeys is one thing, but if you pair your calls with the appropriate decoys then you will see turkeys are much more willing to come into your setup. While there are plenty of different decoys out on the market today, you can’t ever go wrong with a single hen or two set up in front of you. Some soft yelps and clucks will make it hard to resist to most big toms.
Turkey season is right around the corner, and by taking the time to properly prepare yourself, you can see much more success this season. Whether you are a seasoned turkey hunter or a beginner, we can all continue to learn a thing or two about these amazing birds and be more successful hunters every spring!
