Explain something to me part 2

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
I hear here and other places that some hunt turkeys without using locator calls.
I was taught immediately why and how to use them so i cannot understand why anyone would not use locator calls ever.
I get that you might like to let them start gobbling on their own on the roost, but what if they dont?
Likewise after flydown if you not just sitting why in the world would you not use a locator call to help you find one?
I count loud turkey sounds as a locator as well as in cutting with a box, tube or gobbling on a box.

Like alt on the strutting I must be missing something here.
Not arguing just asking why that tool isnt used by some?
 
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DBCooper

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I bowhunt turkeys from a blind. I don’t use locator calls, but I have a darned good idea (wink-wink) where the birds I’m after have roosted.

My older cousin is one of the best outdoorsmen I know. We used to duck hunt together, when I lived in Mount Pleasant (near Charleston). I thought he was a great caller, and told him so. He said “the key to being a good caller —— is to set up where they want to come, anyway” ?
 

sky hawk

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
The reason I don’t use them a lot during the day is I have much better results with a hen call, and setup locations are plentiful. I walk 200 yards and hit the call when I’m next to a good spot. Yes, he could be silent, but if he won’t answer a hen, he won’t answer a crow, and I will bust him if I keep walking anyway.

On the other hand, I usually will use them first thing in the morning.
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
I bowhunt turkeys from a blind. I don’t use locator calls, but I have a darned good idea (wink-wink) where the birds I’m after have roosted.

My older cousin is one of the best outdoorsmen I know. We used to duck hunt together, when I lived in Mount Pleasant (near Charleston). I thought he was a great caller, and told him so. He said “the key to being a good caller —— is to set up where they want to come, anyway” ?
well the flip side of that is to find out where one is so you can set up. That is the value of a locator call to me. I would agree they wouldnt make much difference in a blind.

skyhawk, they will gobble at a crow while refusing to answer a hen. ime.
 

Ol Copper

Twelve Pointer
I think that a lot of people try them, don't have any success a few tmes, then just jump over onto a turkey call to try and make one gobble, then say locators seldom work.
I use locator calls quite frequently, depending on the situation, especially if Im the one closing distance from afar. I dont want him coming to me as Im going to him, but I will course him with a locator. I wait for the turkey calls until Im in the spot I think he'll come to.

Or...it could be that they dont use them right...let me get about 20 crows flying in and raising sand...he'll gobble.
 

Eric Revo

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
If he isn't talking by the time I think he should I'll soon be trying to make him talk. I typically use owl hoots first light, crow calls after that and have been known to use door slams, horn honks, coyote howls, woodpecker calls and even bought a peacock call one time but I've only used it once I think..too embarrassed to try it again. Sometimes a shock gobble is a whole lot better than trying to injun up on one.
 

Familyman

Twelve Pointer
I use locator calls most every time I turkey hunt. I may occasionally use a turkey call instead to try and elicit a gobble, but in those cases its more a situational thing than a preference. I agree locator calls are important tools to keep on your belt.
 

nchawkeye

Old Mossy Horns
I don't usually use them in the Uwharries simply because I don't want to announce my presence to others...

I know where they are and where they are going so I slip in close...Usually they get to gobbling on their own, the less they gobble, the better my odds on public land...I prefer that the other hunters here when my gun goes off... ;)

But then, what the heck do I know?? :)
 

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wolfman

Old Mossy Horns
I try to locate with a turkey call. I've had limited success with a crow call. I do recall one time chasing two gobblers all over Person County that would only respond to a crow call and wanted nothing to do with any turkey sound I made.

My point is, if I'm standing in a location and no gobbler answers my crow call, I'm going to switch to some hen sounds before I move on anyway. I've had so limited success with non-turkey calls that I just go straight to talking turkey. I've gotten some close responses before but I've never been in a situation where he was coming so fast and so close that I couldn't find a good tree to set up on him.
 

DBCooper

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
well the flip side of that is to find out where one is so you can set up. That is the value of a locator call to me. I would agree they wouldnt make much difference in a blind.

skyhawk, they will gobble at a crow while refusing to answer a hen. ime.

I’m an admitted turkey hunting stooge. I hunt where a good turkey hunter would run the table, and my successes are few.

I know where they are and I still figure ways to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

If I had to hunt places where I had to be good at this, I’d never kill one. I don’t use locators - because I just don’t have to. ?
 

Part-time hunter

Ten Pointer
I don't usually use them in the Uwharries simply because I don't want to announce my presence to others...

I know where they are and where they are going so I slip in close...Usually they get to gobbling on their own, the less they gobble, the better my odds on public land...I prefer that the other hunters here when my gun goes off... ;)

But then, what the heck do I know?? :)
Yeah it can be unhealthy on some public land to be sounding like any animal, especially a turkey. And if you hear him gobble so will they.
 

Part-time hunter

Ten Pointer
I hunt different ways depending on the place and time of day. Before or right at daylight I have used an owl call with some success to locate one anyway, whether or not I shot the thing. I've wandered over many miles of woodlands during the day blowing a crow call and I have never had one gobble at it. Maybe it's just me but I prefer to use my original Lil Deuce or a nice handmade boxcall I bought years ago from Southland at the Dixie Deer Classic late in the afternoon. And I've had some success with them too. Sometimes I sit in a strategically placed popup blind and don't call at all.
 

turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
I rarely use one but I'm not above it if needed. Truthful if a bird isn't answering a hen call and just a locater then its not highly likely your calling him in turns into stalking game which I don't do. On flip side that I will use crow if say I'm in a laurel thicket making my way to him looping around or what not to get in prime calling position do that just to make sure I don't loose him or get to close. I use my owl more to play with the owls before daylight on walk in than to locate bird. By daylight ive already scouted and pretty much know where they are so I'm set up waiting to use soft hen calls to call him in. I probably use one on out state public that I haven't scouted 99% more than here. Plus like said above I don't want that bird to gobble to much just attracts other hunters
 

turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
I will add that not all locators work equal in all places I've moved around quite a bit hunting birds and I've seen some that completely ignore everything but certain ones like yote call early and somebpaid no attention to any. The timing of season has a little to do with it birds tend to respond better early for few reasons they get used to them on heavy hunted land and most importantly there are just fewer birds alive to gobble late season
 

Helium

Old Mossy Horns
I think many miss the point of a locator call being just that.. to locate them without beginning “the game”.

In other words, so they can get set up appropriately without educating the bird or “starting the game/dance” of working a bird.

With that said, I do find myself using them much less than I use to but still carry them and use as needed
 

Helium

Old Mossy Horns
I know without a doubt from experience you can overuse a locator... I’ve had birds gobble every time I struck a crow or owl hooter as I moved in closer.

However once within 100-150 yards they shut up and would not gobble at the same call they just gobbled multiple times at.

Seems as if they figured out that it’s a hunter
 

QBD2

Old Mossy Horns
I vividly remember one particular turkey. I found this turkey with a crow, and kept up with him as I made a loop around. I got setup, and he never answered anything except my crow call. But he came...

I'd call, and hear crickets. Hit the crow 5 min later and he'd be closer. All the way to 30yds. I'd never have killed that bird without a crow call.

I dont generally try to make turkeys gobble with locators. I try to get crows and owls fired up, and let them make the turkey gobble for me;)
 

1gonewrong

Six Pointer
Being deaf in one ear and very poor hearing in the other I rarely hear a turkey gobble even when he does and would not know where the turkey was unless he gobbled several times. I am a run and gun hunter and I have better luck setting up frequently in spots that look good to me and hope I see or possibly hear him coming. In years past when I did have good hearing I called in and killed several turkeys that never gobbled once so being patient and letting you very infrequent calling work for you will bring success at times.
 

CutNRun

Ten Pointer
Contributor
I rarely use a crow call when I'm hunting. When I do, I'm not trying to make accurate crow sounds, I hit it as hard as I can to make a couple of loud blasts to draw an involuntary shock gobble. Next time you're out, just try it to see what I mean. You'll be impressed how well it will illicit a response. That technique works best for roosting birds right at dark, to know where to get in on 'em the next morning.

One of the places I hunt, there's a guy who hunts on the neighboring property who must think he can call in a gobbler with a crow call, because he caws on that thing 5-6 times an hour. It doesn't sound close to good. In the times I've heard him hunting there, he has never gotten a gobbler to respond to that calling. He has heard me kill at least three gobblers and one of them walked around him to get to me.

The locator call I use the most is a Q.B. boat paddle long box. It has a higher pitch and cutting on it has been very productive for me, especially on windy days. I switch to a pot or mouth call as the bird works closer and may seal the deal with leaf scratching.

Jim
 

Aaron H

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I don't own a crow or owl call but I sometimes hear others using them out along the road near a place I hunt. I've never heard those guys get a response from a real turkey though. I think it's become a thing so commonly done in that area that the gobblers ignor the calls. I haven't felt a need for a locater call other than an early morning yelp or two from my box call. There are lots of ways to go at turkey hunting and more than one way to get the shot but I like things simple. A shotgun, box call, cushion for my butt and a nice place to sit against the base of a tree. Hear a few early morning gobbles from the roost trees, make a few calls, watch for him, boom.
 

woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
I hear here and other places that some hunt turkeys without using locator calls.
I was taught immediately why and how to use them so i cannot understand why anyone would not use locator calls ever.


because where I hunt, there are 50-11 real owls hooting already,,,,and the crows fire up at dawn,,,,no need

guess I could do a screamin' peacock but prefer to let them do their natural thing,,,

although grenade/artillery simulators (hunting IVO training soldiers) are an AWESOME locator! So I may have to start carrying M80s or some such,,,,
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
because where I hunt, there are 50-11 real owls hooting already,,,,and the crows fire up at dawn,,,,no need

guess I could do a screamin' peacock but prefer to let them do their natural thing,,,

although grenade/artillery simulators (hunting IVO training soldiers) are an AWESOME locator! So I may have to start carrying M80s or some such,,,,
that has always been one of the mysteries of the sport to me. Owl action.
Some mornings they go nuts and some mornings not a peep. Some mornings turkeys gobble at them, some mornings they do not.
on the crows, in the low country of SC those crows and their mild caw caw (we always called them fish crows) sounds don't seem to cause as much gobbling as the louder upper NC crows.
Just my personal observations.
 

woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
that's cause them ornery things only gobble when they want to tease us,,,,,,,

I'm going with m80s,,,,that way when I am on crowded public land I "blow away" the competitions locator calls!!

OK, just kidding folks - don't go out there with M80s,,,,,
 

30/06

Twelve Pointer
Bird was gobbling behind my house in late May. Was out doing yard work. Slamming 2x4s together got him gobbling pretty good.
 

Randy

Ten Pointer
I pretty much gave up on owl calls because where I hunt there's so many owls that turkeys rarely gobble at them. I tried several crow calls before I found one that they will somewhat respond to. I'm now using one by Dead End, but only sparingly.
 

turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
CutRun made excellent point just blowing on a crow call to sound like crows doesn't work lot times its that sharp blast that draws that shock gobble out. Some are just better calls than others. Lot 9f it has to do with birds mood and time of season if you get out scouting and hot that first peak gobbling they will gobble at pretty much anything fast forward to the lull and you may not hear thing but they are there
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
Sharp blasts from any locator call is the deal ime. if they were already cooperating or answering hen sounds you wouldn't bother. :)
best day I ever had locating was in texas.
Host was looking for birds for his next group. He had no use for the coyote howler I drug down there.
We drove and stopped at 12 places. He called first with his box. then let me play. I was 8 for 12.
He said: "I don't give a damn, I aint using that loud junk." :p
 

woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
one of the hardest running turkey hunters I know is not a fan of locator calls,,,,he likes letting them open up naturally as well, or use a box call/etc as Hal mentioned,,
 
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