father and son, new turkey hunters looking for tips

MRBJWB

Button Buck
About two months ago my oldest son (12yr) showed an interest in hunting. I have slowly progressed him down the path toward his first hunt with a few trips to the range.. Last weekend we took the hunter safety course and are now waiting for our cards. It looks like turkey season may be our first opportunity to hunt. I am planning to take him out during the youth season, hoping it will not be as crowed as when the full season starts. I do not know any hunters in the area and it looks like we will have to start on public lands.

I have been researching turkey hunting in general for about the last month. I have never hunted turkey, only deer and they were not in NC. I have looked at the harvest statistics and I am tentatively looking at Caswell. It does not look too far from the Raleigh area and does not require a permit. (not sure if we will be able to get our license before the permit application deadline for other public lands)

So with that I will leave it open to tips, suggestion and general information on turkey hunting. I currently have a shotgun and box call, any other must haves?

Thank you.
 
jug

jug

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
You should try for a permit. Lots of youth hunt permits will be available. Caswell gets alot of hunting pressure. I would not take my son hunting there. I would only take my son on a permit hunt if I were you. Turkey hunting is hard enough . You may want to try a guided hunt if I was you.
This year is gonna be a learning year for you. I would concentrate on a good learning experience for your son.
Sandhills, Jordan, Lee , Chatham, and Harris would be good.
 
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Aaron H

Aaron H

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Turkeys are a real challenge, perhaps finding a good place to hunt them being the greatest challenge. Watching some You Tube videos can help give you the feel of a hunt and a little about how to do it, BUT..... many videos would have you believe you have to do it "all out" with many calls , decoys, and every other thing made for selling to turkey hunters. Keep it simple and go for the experience and to learn something each time you go. Hiring a guide might be the easiest way to get to see some birds and hear some gobbles. If you know someone with land that has turkeys and would let you hunt some- that's best. Shoot the gun with the ammunition you plan to hunt with at some different distances so that you know how the gun does BEFORE you hunt. Good luck and BE SAFE!
 

MRBJWB

Button Buck
jug said:
You should try for a permit. Lots of youth hunt permits will be available. Caswell gets alot of hunting pressure. I would not take my son hunting there. I would only take my son on a permit hunt if I were you. Turkey hunting is hard enough . You may want to try a guided hunt if I was you.
This year is gonna be a learning year for you. I would concentrate on a good learning experience for your son.
Sandhills, Jordan, Lee , Chatham, and Harris would be good.
Click to expand...
Thanks Jug! I will look into the permit hunts for him, it will definitely be closer. I do understand this will be a learning year (as will every subsequent year) and I am looking forward to learning together with him. I have also signed up for the turkey hunting class put on by the Wildlife Commission.
 

MRBJWB

Button Buck
Aaron H said:
Turkeys are a real challenge, perhaps finding a good place to hunt them being the greatest challenge. Watching some You Tube videos can help give you the feel of a hunt and a little about how to do it, BUT..... many videos would have you believe you have to do it "all out" with many calls , decoys, and every other thing made for selling to turkey hunters. Keep it simple and go for the experience and to learn something each time you go. Hiring a guide might be the easiest way to get to see some birds and hear some gobbles. If you know someone with land that has turkeys and would let you hunt some- that's best. Shoot the gun with the ammunition you plan to hunt with at some different distances so that you know how the gun does BEFORE you hunt. Good luck and BE SAFE!
Click to expand...
Thank you for the advice Aaron! I am definitely planning on keeping it simple. I wish I knew someone with some land to hunt, but I do not. I understand this is a starting point on a journey we can enjoy together. I am going to take him out to pattern the gun over the next few weeks. I have done that before when I went goose hunting, thanks for the reminder.
 
Winnie 70

Winnie 70

Ten Pointer
Do not take your 12 yr old on a first hunt and every thing be blind to both of you....he get a bad experience and lose all interest, and you could too. You got several weeks to find someone that could possibly take you, find a good guide, find a good track of land to hunt, all this needs to be done before you just go out on your own and sit down under a tree hoping to kill Mr. longbeard that first morning.....probably would be a bad day unless you are real lucky. Just go checking around, looking for someone that turkey hunts, ask some questions to these people, you will hit on something I feel like. Anyway, if you get bit by this bug, you are in for a itch that will never go away. Wish you the best.
 

JFH3006

Ten Pointer
Get some camo and tick spray. Maybe a ground blind and small seat that is comfortable. Might be a turkey hunter here that would take u out for a youth hunt


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
MRBJWB said:
About two months ago my oldest son (12yr) showed an interest in hunting. I have slowly progressed him down the path toward his first hunt with a few trips to the range.. Last weekend we took the hunter safety course and are now waiting for our cards. It looks like turkey season may be our first opportunity to hunt. I am planning to take him out during the youth season, hoping it will not be as crowed as when the full season starts. I do not know any hunters in the area and it looks like we will have to start on public lands.

I have been researching turkey hunting in general for about the last month. I have never hunted turkey, only deer and they were not in NC. I have looked at the harvest statistics and I am tentatively looking at Caswell. It does not look too far from the Raleigh area and does not require a permit. (not sure if we will be able to get our license before the permit application deadline for other public lands)

So with that I will leave it open to tips, suggestion and general information on turkey hunting. I currently have a shotgun and box call, any other must haves?

Thank you.
Click to expand...
make a real adventure out of the process and book a trip with Conman's guide service. best money two novices could spend.
figure out by calling the ncwrc how to get your licenses in time to put in for the youth permits at falls and jordan.
I think they can fix you up on that.
If you get drawn at Jordan I'll help you get around some turkeys there and maybe someone else will help you at falls.
I admire your efforts and hope you enjoy the ride.

there aree several threads in this forum on advice for newcomers, you might benefit from those.
 
turkeyfoot

turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
I would highly recommend picking an area learning the land best you can then later in march go out for some daylight listening trips leading up to April. I would treat this year as scouting, learning turkey sign, learning pressure of others type year and of course try get one then when fall comes in get him on some squirrels so he can practice moving in woods learning to handle gun safely and gets some jitters out to that you don't get shooting at paper only comes from hunting. You could get one first year or he could go 2 or 3 with no shot with squirrels he'll get shoot most days early season especially plus looking at animal tracks and identifying is fun same with rubs scrapes turkey scratching and droppings
 

MRBJWB

Button Buck
oldest school said:
make a real adventure out of the process and book a trip with Conman's guide service. best money two novices could spend.
figure out by calling the ncwrc how to get your licenses in time to put in for the youth permits at falls and jordan.
I think they can fix you up on that.
If you get drawn at Jordan I'll help you get around some turkeys there and maybe someone else will help you at falls.
I admire your efforts and hope you enjoy the ride.

there aree several threads in this forum on advice for newcomers, you might benefit from those.
Click to expand...
Got his application in for the permit. Now we wait and see. Thanks for the tips! I plan on making it an adventure for both of us. I will look into the guided trips, thanks for the lead.
 

MRBJWB

Button Buck
turkeyfoot said:
I would highly recommend picking an area learning the land best you can then later in march go out for some daylight listening trips leading up to April. I would treat this year as scouting, learning turkey sign, learning pressure of others type year and of course try get one then when fall comes in get him on some squirrels so he can practice moving in woods learning to handle gun safely and gets some jitters out to that you don't get shooting at paper only comes from hunting. You could get one first year or he could go 2 or 3 with no shot with squirrels he'll get shoot most days early season especially plus looking at animal tracks and identifying is fun same with rubs scrapes turkey scratching and droppings
Click to expand...
I am definitely going to pick an area and learn it and he will go with me. I want him to see it is not like what he sees on youtube, it takes work and may take many failures to become successful. Thanks for the squirrel advice, that is definitely on my radar. I was hoping to go at least once this year but it looks like I am going to run out of time. Thank you for the tips.
 

MRBJWB

Button Buck
Winnie 70 said:
Do not take your 12 yr old on a first hunt and everything be blind to both of you....he get a bad experience and lose all interest, and you could too. You got several weeks to find someone that could possibly take you, find a good guide, find a good track of land to hunt, all this needs to be done before you just go out on your own and sit down under a tree hoping to kill Mr. longbeard that first morning.....probably would be a bad day unless you are real lucky. Just go checking around, looking for someone that turkey hunts, ask some questions to these people, you will hit on something I feel like. Anyway, if you get bit by this bug, you are in for a itch that will never go away. Wish you the best.
Click to expand...
Thank you for the words of wisdom. I see where you are coming from and agree an unsuccessful first hunt may turn him off. I am also trying to balance that with waiting too long to get out there. This is one of the reasons I am working so hard to make sure the first hunt is fun. I am trying to manage his expectations and talking with him about the fact that harvesting an animal is not the only factor in a successful hunt.
 
CutNRun

CutNRun

Ten Pointer
Contributor
I go to a state parks in the region to listen for and practice calling to turkeys. That way, I won't be messing with birds that are hunted (least I hope not anyway). It gets me tuned in to the pulse of the woods, turkeys sounds, and helps understand what turkeys will & won't tolerate. Patience and learning to sit still are absolutely key in the turkey hunting game.

I started turkey hunting a long time ago and am still learning as I go. The suggestions offered in previous posts of going with a guide or at least a seasoned turkey hunter will definitely help shorten your learning curve. Turkey hunting is almost as much about learning what NOT to do as it is about learning what to do in order to succeed. The hardest learned lessons are the ones best remembered, but it can be painful to blow an opportunity on an approaching gobbler because you missed a detail. That's turkey hunting though. Get used to it and enjoy the journey. Good luck & have fun!

Jim
 

shotgunner

Ten Pointer
Study the area on google earth or maps. If you use google maps make sure and turn on the satellite images. While scouting keep up with your location on the satellite images. Learn what is really on the ground and how it looks from the images(called ground truthing). This will help tremendously if you have a bird that maybe is not in the exact area you are familiar with. Remember any obstruction, and it is amazing what turkeys find as an obstruction, can and will cause birds to hang up. For me that is one of the most helpful pre hunt things I can do.

Keep calling simple and to a minimum.

Every bird and every day is simple. What works today may not tomorrow and vice versa.

I feel fortunate the way I learned to hunt. There were no turkeys in my part of the state growing up. No one in my area knew anything about turkeys. When we finally got birds and a season me and a friend went at it. We made every mistake in the book but still managed to kill a few birds. I really believe that is why I appreciate every harvest so much.

Y'all will have a ball and years from now look back and probably enjoy some of your mistakes as much as the success. I know me and my buddy probably remissness and laugh more about all those screw ups than we do the kills.



Enjoy and PM me if you have any specific questions.
 
Winnie 70

Winnie 70

Ten Pointer
MRBJWB, the poet laureate of turkey hunting Tom Kelly has several books you need to pick up and read "Tenth Legion" and "The Best of Tom Kelly" are two that come to mind. He coined the phrase that when you make that mistake hunting that ole bird, you cannot bring it back. Remember that, because in your quest to outsmart him much sooner than later you will experience this....I assure you. If everyone on here would admit it, we have made that mistake and immediately knew when you did. Still do, and nothing more frustrating when trying to close the deal and you do something to screw it up. Enjoy your days afield with your son.
 
Hunting Nut

Hunting Nut

Old Mossy Horns
I highly second the recommendation of Conman's Guide Service for a guided hunt.

I'll also say that on some turkey hunts, my most important piece of equipment was a Thermocell..... LOL

Best of luck to you and your son. The memories you will make together are fantastic and last a lifetime !
Be safe !
 

MRBJWB

Button Buck
CutNRun said:
I go to a state parks in the region to listen for and practice calling to turkeys. That way, I won't be messing with birds that are hunted (least I hope not anyway). It gets me tuned in to the pulse of the woods, turkeys sounds, and helps understand what turkeys will & won't tolerate. Patience and learning to sit still are absolutely key in the turkey hunting game.

I started turkey hunting a long time ago and am still learning as I go. The suggestions offered in previous posts of going with a guide or at least a seasoned turkey hunter will definitely help shorten your learning curve. Turkey hunting is almost as much about learning what NOT to do as it is about learning what to do in order to succeed. The hardest learned lessons are the ones best remembered, but it can be painful to blow an opportunity on an approaching gobbler because you missed a detail. That's turkey hunting though. Get used to it and enjoy the journey. Good luck & have fun!

Jim
Click to expand...
Thanks for the tip. I never thought of practicing the calls at a state park.
 

MRBJWB

Button Buck
shotgunner said:
Study the area on google earth or maps. If you use google maps make sure and turn on the satellite images. While scouting keep up with your location on the satellite images. Learn what is really on the ground and how it looks from the images(called ground truthing). This will help tremendously if you have a bird that maybe is not in the exact area you are familiar with. Remember any obstruction, and it is amazing what turkeys find as an obstruction, can and will cause birds to hang up. For me that is one of the most helpful pre hunt things I can do.

Keep calling simple and to a minimum.

Every bird and every day is simple. What works today may not tomorrow and vice versa.

I feel fortunate the way I learned to hunt. There were no turkeys in my part of the state growing up. No one in my area knew anything about turkeys. When we finally got birds and a season me and a friend went at it. We made every mistake in the book but still managed to kill a few birds. I really believe that is why I appreciate every harvest so much.

Y'all will have a ball and years from now look back and probably enjoy some of your mistakes as much as the success. I know me and my buddy probably remissness and laugh more about all those screw ups than we do the kills.



Enjoy and PM me if you have any specific questions.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the info on Google Earth. I am trying to use it, to narrow down areas that look promising., and then go scout them. I do the same with Navionics and Google Earth's historical images on a new body of water I fish. I just don't know what to look for yet, but it is all part of the process.
 

MRBJWB

Button Buck
Winnie 70 said:
MRBJWB, the poet laureate of turkey hunting Tom Kelly has several books you need to pick up and read "Tenth Legion" and "The Best of Tom Kelly" are two that come to mind. He coined the phrase that when you make that mistake hunting that ole bird, you cannot bring it back. Remember that, because in your quest to outsmart him much sooner than later you will experience this....I assure you. If everyone on here would admit it, we have made that mistake and immediately knew when you did. Still do, and nothing more frustrating when trying to close the deal and you do something to screw it up. Enjoy your days afield with your son.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the book recommendations. I love to read up on a new subject I am trying to learn!
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
MRBJWB said:
Thanks for the info on Google Earth. I am trying to use it, to narrow down areas that look promising., and then go scout them. I do the same with Navionics and Google Earth's historical images on a new body of water I fish. I just don't know what to look for yet, but it is all part of the process.
Click to expand...
openings be it clear cuts ag fields food plots pastures etc help a bunch in the spring in narrowing down optios in the spring.
as for books try a amazon copy of gobbler fever by michael hanback. or tomfoolery 2000 by earl groves.
they are good "how to books"
Mr. kelly is in another world in his books but they are shy on how to stuff.
i have most every significant book printed on the sport in modern times and these are my favorites.
 
josh

josh

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I haven’t hunted at conmans but the reviews are nothing less than excellent and those turkey hunts are very affordable

Y’all live in /near Raleigh ?

@woodmoose I don’t know if the fort Bragg qdma branch still does the youth turkey hunts but those used to be very productive 10 years ago or so, again I can’t remember the rules if the youth had to be a dependent of a military person or not but I took my brother to several of those and i learned to turkey hunt as well from the mentors
 
Hevi 13. Anson

Hevi 13. Anson

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
If you are ever in Anson County shoot me a pm. We always have room for a scouting trip or maybe a hunt. Good luck with you new endevour it is addictive and rewarding.
 
stilker

stilker

Old Mossy Horns
like the other guys said Conman's if that's an option for y'all..you could learn a ton from the guide and your chance at killing one would be really good.
 

MRBJWB

Button Buck
josh said:
I haven’t hunted at conmans but the reviews are nothing less than excellent and those turkey hunts are very affordable

Y’all live in /near Raleigh ?

@woodmoose I don’t know if the fort Bragg qdma branch still does the youth turkey hunts but those used to be very productive 10 years ago or so, again I can’t remember the rules if the youth had to be a dependent of a military person or not but I took my brother to several of those and i learned to turkey hunt as well from the mentors
Click to expand...
Thanks for the recommendations. Yes we are near Raleigh, we live in Wake Forest .
 
Hunting Nut

Hunting Nut

Old Mossy Horns
I bear hunted at Conman's. Never turkey hunted there.

If a guided hunt is possible, I couldn't recommend a better place.
A true Christian atmosphere, family oriented, great fellowship, and fantastic food ! (We had meals with the bear hunt, don't know about the turkey hunts)
I was there and felt like they were my family in less than a day. Just all around fantastic people to be around. You couldn't go wrong there, if an option.
 
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