First Turkey Season

kingsize

Four Pointer
Hey looking for some advice on my first turkey season and will be hunting on various piedmont gamelands. I am trying to get started on a budget of $75 and already have the camo, shotgun, and shells.

What kind of call is essential? Box, diaphragm, or friction call? Get one of each?

Should I purchase a few inexpensive decoys? If so do y’all think hens, jakes, a gobbler in strut?

Thanks for any help!
 

josh

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Skip the decoys

Calls are all about preference, one of each style would be good to start with. You may prefer the box over a slate or vice versa etc, the diaphragm will be needed when the birds get close and is the most versatile.
 

TravisLH

Old Mossy Horns
I’d suggest multiple calls as well, I personally use a few different box calls and then a push/pull pin call for when they get closer. I’ve been playing with and without decoys and there’s no easy answer, each bird/situation is different, I’ve had times where if I’d had decoys out it would have helped bring em in, I’ve also had decoys out and a Tom didn’t like the way they looked and went the other direction.
One of the hardest lessons I’m learning is locating the birds and how to get set up on them in the dark without busting them on the roost. It’s very addicting and the first time one drums and lets out a thunder gobble you will be forever hooked!! I’m amazed every time how much louder a wild turkey is compared to penned domestic birds.


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gobbler

Eight Pointer
in the grand scheme of things youd be alot better off to buy yourself a decent rod and reel with that $75, this game is addictive, and the learning curve is long, folks just dont go turkey hunting, you either try it and quit or it envelopes you to the point where it changes you, and one day you wake up in the truck miles and miles from home having spent entirely to much money and its cold the wind is blowing your dead tired your legs ache and for just a split second your sanity returns and you ask yourself is this worth it? but then as you step out into the early morning darkness to relieve your aching bladder you hear one gobble off to the east , and your mind is again reset to turkey mode and yes yes it does seem worth it
 

Ol Copper

Twelve Pointer
This is your first turkey season and it's already Feb.17th. You have 2 months to get ready. Get a good box call and a good pot call of your choice. Learn to use them well.
Skip the dekes and the diaphrams and the videos and scout...scout...scout. Put yourself into turkeys, it won't be long til they're gobbling. Learn where they are roosted and where they are at 10 a.m.. Go back with said gun and a call you have learned to use and kill one gobbler turkey. Keep it simple.
The part about getting away from other hunters on public is a given......
 

stanley

Four Pointer
Get the call you can make sound the best, get a cheap decoy it can't hurt, call very little, get a comfortable seat, and sit tight when you are ready to leave stay 15 minutes longer at the end of that 15 minutes stay another 15 minutes every time your ready to leave. spend time scouting and hunt the fresh sign, good luck. Hope this helps you a little.
 

m23cbl

Six Pointer
You've gotten some good advice on here about calls and decoys. But my best advice is to get hooked up with somebody that's been turkey hunting at least five or six years. Most of the guys I know that have been doing it a while get just as much joy of putting somebody (young or old) on their first bird as they do killing one themselves. You need to have some decent turkey ground, don't expect them to take you to their spots. Its kind of like trapping, quite the learning curve.
 

turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
Keeping it simple is the best advice easy to over think it getting started there is no better advice than being on land that has birds next is to know 2 things roost location which you can find at daylight and dusk when they fly up pick a high point to listen from when scouting. 2nd is figure out where they are going easiest way to kill a gobbler is be where he is going or at least on his route this will change as season goes but if you scout where you here them 2st week April safe bet they will be there opening day being on public will have some effect. Ad far as calls if you've never used mouth call I would recommend the old boss hen by Quaker boy its simple double reed that is easy to learn with some practice. 2 calls you'll want to start with are a box and slate both fairly simple to get basic yelps and clucks out of you can get all 3 them calls I mentioned for under 50 bucks practice as much as you can sit on porch and practice away youtube has many easy follow instruction videos. You don't have to sound perfect just gotta find that lone gobbler sit tight most unsuccessful hunts happen because people get caught moving a gobbler may gobble like crazy then go silent when coming in or hens may show up first and if your fiddling around your busted. When the gobbling stops I always keep my eyes peeled patience in turkey hunting is very important
 

Blades

Six Pointer
Good advise here by a lot of expienced hunters.

I’m on my 4th year now and learned quickly my first season that less is more for calling. Diaphragms take some practice so a box might work well to start out with. Box calls also carry well through the woods but don’t go crazy with it like you see on the shows (one of many first year mistakes).

As far as decoy, a hen will do. I like them because you an upper hand to gun positioning since they will be concentrating on the decoy. Once you move up and get a Tom or Jake decoy it’s fun to watch them whoop up it.

Lastly always be cognizant of your movements, they can bust you far easier than a deer from my experience, their eyesight is said to be 5-10 times better than ours.
 

shadycove

Twelve Pointer
Get a GOOD chair first, learn how to sit perfectly still in it for 30 plus minutes at a time. You will not find this at Wally W. [+/-$39.00]
Similar to this one.https://www.midwestturkeycall.com/seats/4195-alps-vanish-chair-mc-nwtf-mossy-oak-obsession.html
Go to Wally World and buy a pot call and learn to run it [there are thousands of free vids on youtube].[$19.00]
This leaves you $7.00 for gas to go scouting. Make sure that the GLs that you want to hunt are open to hunting. [most GLs in the Durham area are lottery permit only].
Scout by walking deep into the woods before daylight to listen for birds.
GOOD LUCK.
 
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ncscrubmaster

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Don't do it it's a trap run fast. Just joking I started the same way. Took a little time to get the monkey off. Once we did we kill regularly. You just need a box call, mouth call, slate call and a good low chair. Decoys are a personal preference. If your like me I learn something new every time. You will also need some kind of locator call. I use a owl hooter pinpoint and move in but not to close and sit still. Listen for gobbling at made made noises also. I have heard them gobble at sirens, loud trucks and horns and different sounds.
 

CRC

Old Mossy Horns
"Reaping" or "fanning" or stalking turkeys using a fan of turkey feathers is also becoming a tactic used more and more.

Just something else to look at.
 

TravisLH

Old Mossy Horns
"Reaping" or "fanning" or stalking turkeys using a fan of turkey feathers is also becoming a tactic used more and more.

Just something else to look at.

True but there absolutely no I mean NO way you should ever attempt that on public lands


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TravisLH

Old Mossy Horns
Well its legal on public lands in NC.

Doesn’t mean it’s not a horrible idea, that hunting style is the most likely to end up getting a hunter shot. Several instance hunters in the same group have ended up shooting each other and they knew members is the group were fanning. On public land where there are plenty of other hunters only increases the chance of getting shot.
I’m not against this kind of hunting but it’s dangerous at best on private lands, and you should never have suggested it to anyone for public lands as the OP stated, let alone a novice.


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TravisLH

Old Mossy Horns
So your not a fan of reaping, but suggest it to a first time hunter and on public land at that??? I honestly don’t know what to say to you right now so I think ill just step away from this before I get banned.


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CRC

Old Mossy Horns
I’m not a fan or a hater of the practice. No interest in doing it from me. it But if it was that dangerous would it not be outlawed by now?

On second thought op I would just stick with calling even if other methods are legal. Good luck
 
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turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
So your not a fan of reaping, but suggest it to a first time hunter and on public land at that??? I honestly don’t know what to say to you right now so I think ill just step away from this before I get banned.


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I was thinking exact same thing a person really should think before typing very irresponsible thing to reccomend for brand new hunter. The number one and always number 1 goal is to return home unharmed to many trigger happy people on public racing to get that bird and now with TSS easily found gonna be a touch more risky from few nuts.
 
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kingsize

Four Pointer
Thanks to all y’all for the great advice. I’ll be picking up some calls soon and maybe a cheap decoy as well.

Sounds like I really need to hit the woods and do some scouting soon. I did know about the permit at Jordan and Falls and will be applying for that shortly. Is it legal while scouting on GL’s to bring ur calls and move around while calling? Didn’t see this anywhere in the regs

Also if anyone ever is looking for a newbie to tag along around the triangle PM me. I’m young and hungry to learn...and willing to tote your bird

Thanks!


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TravisLH

Old Mossy Horns
Thanks to all y’all for the great advice. I’ll be picking up some calls soon and maybe a cheap decoy as well.

Sounds like I really need to hit the woods and do some scouting soon. I did know about the permit at Jordan and Falls and will be applying for that shortly. Is it legal while scouting on GL’s to bring ur calls and move around while calling? Didn’t see this anywhere in the regs

Also if anyone ever is looking for a newbie to tag along around the triangle PM me. I’m young and hungry to learn...and willing to tote your bird

Thanks!


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A lot of hunters don’t call when scouting, I don’t know if it’s a old wives tale but I’ve been told it’s so you don’t educate the turkeys.... no clue if that’s s thing or not


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turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
What happens especially on public is if you call a bird in over and over he will eventually just sit in open spot and gobble till a hen comes to him they have superior eye sight so even if you don't see them they'll see you have to remember on public how many people are doing this Toms are ready and raearing to go before hens you'll feel like a hero caller in mid late March only to when season opens end up with tough conditions and add that to pressure of opening week on public ground can make it tough. Only call you'd need would be crow you could use owl dusk and dawn but they will normally gobble on own in tree. I like a crow after fly down just see where they are headed and I never want to get close. The ideal gobbler hunting is a lonely tom that hasn't been called to or spooked repeatedly off normal routine of course were talking public so just got to do best you can. Right now I would just be learning lay of land then about March 20th id get out every morning I could be at high spot to listen at daylight
 
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turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
A lot of hunters don’t call when scouting, I don’t know if it’s a old wives tale but I’ve been told it’s so you don’t educate the turkeys.... no clue if that’s s thing or not


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You really don't change much by calling one in once its the over and over calling him in not just by person but many others that hurts they will start coming to call mid late March imagine how many people hear that bird before opening day on a pressured gameland I see people every year walking around with their box and pots scouting I generally avoid them areas opening day. Remember its natural for hen to go to gobbler your going against grain all ready by calling him to you.
 
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Brad_Colvin

Eight Pointer
I could go on and on with advice but the most important thing is to fall in love with the pursuit of the wild turkey and the uncertainty of that pursuit. Learn to love it all and the turkeys will teach you everything else you need to know. You don't need a lot of money, knowledge is free if you work for it. Go on YouTube and search REAL turkey sounds. Listen to real turkeys and learn what each call means in what context. Be prepared to become obsessed with it. Turkey hunting is one of the only forms of hunting you can come back to the truck day after day with your butt whipped and still have a smile on your face ready to do it all over again tomorrow. On the subject of decoys, learn to kill turkeys without them,and then after that if you want you can add them into certain situations if you want to. You will be a better hunter if you learn to hunt without them.

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CRC

Old Mossy Horns
I was thinking exact same thing a person really should think before typing very irresponsible thing to reccomend for brand new hunter. The number one and always number 1 goal is to return home unharmed to many trigger happy people on public racing to get that bird and now with TSS easily found gonna be a touch more risky from few nuts.

Sorry for the thread hijack but I guess the only solution to people's fears is to outlaw "reaping" and tss shot on public land in NC?
 

CRC

Old Mossy Horns
Is it legal while scouting on GL’s to bring ur calls and move around while calling? Didn’t see this anywhere in the regs

Don't call while scouting. Leave the calling to when season starts.

Good luck this year, hope you get your limit.
 

TravisLH

Old Mossy Horns
I’ve found that throwing in a few purrs in a cutting sequence will get a response if nothing else will. I’m by no means an expert or even proficient but I do see toms each year


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turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
Sorry for the thread hijack but I guess the only solution to people's fears is to outlaw "reaping" and tss shot on public land in NC?

How about not worrying about outlawing anything and just give a new hunter sound and safe advice so he has a fun season enjoying hunting the greatest animal around.
 

turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
Take Brad's advice on the youtube good demonstrations there and you'll sound better calling outside than onside ad well your family will thank you for cutting outside. If your ever wondering how you sound record it lot people don't think they sound that good when they arevsounding plenty good enough to kill a bird. Your calling doesn't have to be great start with a yelp and cluck and evolve from there
 
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