Ok what do I need?

[Tikkamike]

I drew spring turkey again this year, (my third turkey tag 0 killed so far) I heve never given it a full out effort I see turkeys all the time and I always just figure ill shoot one when i happen upon one, well here I am on my third tag and still birdless. This spring I think ill give it an honest effort. What kind of call do you guys reccomend? slate? box? I have a diaphragm call and ill throw it away before i choke on it again. whats the best time of day to call?

 

[winmag]

Trim your diaphragm call with scizors.
I only use a diaphragm call, & have been very successfull.
There are guys who are actually well versed in Turkey calling, that recomends at least 1 of every call made to change it up for whatever the birds like.

I'm not above layin the smack down on a bird from ambush if they're not responding to calls tho, so, I guess I'm not a true Turkey hunter....

I can see how a deek could prove highly effective, but I haven't gone that far yet.

FOR THE FIRST THREE DAYS of the season, most turkeys make a grouse look intelligent. They truly are the DUMBEST birds on the planet.....UNTILL they get shot at once or twice. Then they get all "Super Spooky, Einstein bird, Navy Seal Thunder Chicken" on you, & you have to work for it. They learn QUICK, & can vanish if they here a call they figure is a trap. They quickly become the smartest, & stealthiest critters in the woods by day 4.

Easiest way for success in my experience is
Locate a roost tree
Show up Early, & quiet & get set up
If they're migrating toward you when they leave the roost, STAY QUIET.
Don't be afraid to keep shootin if it gets hit hard, & mysteriously revives & takes flight.... ya....... Another story for later...
On a simmilar note, I.M. is as light of a choke as is ever recomend. F. or X.F. is about perfect IMO, & X.X.F. is just too much.
I also prefer a long choke vs the short stubby flush to the end of your barrel ones. Imo, the longer chokes do a better job of consistant pattering of shot because of the long gradual taper vs cramming it all togather at the end. Just a thought.

Imo, best hours I've found for calling are first couple hours of daylight, & a couple hours till dusk before roost.

Go back a few pages on the Turkey hunting board, & read my story about "ever take a 3 year old turkey hunting...?"
It pretty much sums up every turkey hunt I've ever been on, & any that I have yet to experience. It's a riot, but make sure you don't mind being outsmarted more than once before you bag one
Good Luck Mike!

 

[Tikkamike]

Tj thanks for the info, ill be using a very tight choke, aka 22-250 so no worries there. I am going to order a call or 2 and see what happens

 

[winmag]

Lucky @$%*&$##
We can't use centerfire in Oregon, or I'd have a different technique, & use my old 223wssm that I sold to my buddy!

Soooooo jealous!
Your gonna have fun bud!

 

[HARPERC]

Around here Mike they can't resist the sound of the auger on the feeder-come running every time! LOL. Best of luck.

 

[Browninglover1]

If I could use centerfire rifles in UT for turkey I wouldn't buy any calls. I've spotted them numerous times around 3 or 4 hundred yards away but they won't commit to calls and they spook before I can get within shotgun range. I'd just set up and ambush them in the morning

 

[HighKnob]

You are just doing head shots with the 22-250 aren't you? Anything in the body hard enough to not destroy meat won't kill fast enough and anything soft enough will distroy too much meat. I've seen some birds killed with 222 loaded down to about 2800 with a 55 gr. soft point and they didn't do to bad.

A good 12 gauge 3 or 3.5 inch extra full shotgun with some brand of the new "hevi" type shot in size 5 or 6 should come close to killing a bird with a head shot out to 50 yards. Souldn't be to much trouble to get one that close. I'd try a box or slate call, easy enough to learn and great sound out of either. Mouth calls take a bit more practice.

 

[The Surgeon]

I use custom Slates.

With what ever you use, you need to learn to understand what the birds are saying and learn how to respond to him or her. Learn when a little is enough and when you need to get excited with the call.

If you have them on the roost, just some simple, quiet tree yelps and then shut up. When he wakes up, give him another one or two, that is it. He knows where you are.

Usually in the mornings the Toms are going to hen up. By late morning or noon, the hens will go to nest and the Toms will loose interest. This is the time they will start cruising or get into strutting zones looking for other hens. This is a good time to pick one up.

When you are calling (yelp) you are saying to the rest of the birds out there "Hey here I am. Where are you?" If a tom answers you and you keep doing this (The Yelp) often times a mature bird will either hang up or leave. Add some excited purrs once you have the toms interest maybe a cut or two. But stop continually yelping at the tom. In the spring the "purr" is related to being ready to mate.

Once you have a tom committed and coming in, stop calling. If he acts like he does not want to fully come in, give him a soft purr or two and then wait.

Sometimes you will want to call the hens. Careful, if the hen has a tom and she thinks you are going to steel him, she will go the other way. Sometimes you can call the hen in by acting like a lost younger hen.

Most often time, the hens I call in is done by cutting her down. I listen to how she is cutting and yelping and how often she cuts. I then will cut her a bit more aggressively. If she cuts me 4 or 5 times, I will cut her back 6 or 7 times. My goal here is to have her submit to me and come in.

Turkey hunting is a chess game, sometimes you make the right move and then there are times you don't.

 

[7 loader]

Purrrr and chirp with a mouth call. This tells the boys that your are a hen ready to do the deed. I get the most about 2 hrs after sunrise. This lets the boys get all hot and ready. Do try to walk away from Toms if they won't come in. purring as you go. I have had them run in fast this way.