New to Turkey Hunting....

[ScottC]

....but very excited to put a THWACK on a big bird with my bow.

When I was getting ready to move to Michigan back in April, I figured I would get a rifle and deer hunt. I had a lot of shooting experience (pistol & rifle), but little hunting experience. At my hunter safety class, I nailed the two clay pigeons during shotgun, and I was psyched. I hadn't picked up a shotgun in twenty years.

As I was talking to this guy who owns a breakfast & lunch place near my home, he started talking to me about bow hunting. When my wife and I were first married almost 11 years ago, she tried to buy me a bow for my birthday. Things fell through, and we were living in Chicago at the time, so it didn't bother me. Now I was getting an itch. I started to research bows, learn about bow hunting, and the itch got bigger. The kicker came when my wife said I probably would get bored easily with rifle hunting, and she was right, I most likely would.

Now after getting my bow, joining a bow club, having a couple old timers work with me, I was flying high in anticipation of deer season. I kept seeing threads on turkey hunting and never visited. After doing a bunch of PMs with a Double Bull Pro Shooter about my new Matrix, he was telling me about his turkey hunts...and now another itch started.

Thank you for reading this long post, but once deer season ends, I want to look ahead to spring turkey hunting. Any and all information about it will be greatly appreciated. What broadheads do you use? I already know which blind I will be using, but what call do you like? One of my friends that is taking me deer hunting likes to use mouth calls, and I will pick his brain too after he stops dreaming of bucks.

Again, thanks for reading.

[admin]

Scott, one of our members, huntintomsinvt, says Turkey Hunting is his speciality, maybe he'll come by and give you some advice.

[michihunter]

I recommend mechanicals with a wide cutting edge.I'll explain more tomorrow. When spring comes, I'll be out for sure!! They didn't have a fall season in my Unit. Do you have a location scott? Maybe we can get together and do some hunting!!

[ScottC]

No location as of yet. Be glad to go hunting with you. Thanks Ted.

[marksuttonjr]

I can't help with archery equipment, because a shotgun is my primary weapon for spring turkey. We have only had 1 fall season, and it coincided with early archery season so I used the same equipment I was using for deer.

If you guys from Michigan, or anyone else want to pay the outlandish price for an out of state license I can set you up on some good birds here in Southwestern Indiana.

[admin]

Hey Mark, I'm not in Michigan, but I wouldn't mind possibly taking you up on that offer. I've never been Turkey Hunting and would like to give it a whirl. I'm hoping to go with my bro inlaw if he decides to go this year but no guarantee.

[marksuttonjr]

Mike
Let me know if hunting with your inlaw does not work out, and I can put you on a few birds down here.
Being from Indiana you won't have the rediculous license price to deal with that the out of state guys would have. It still won't be cheap, but not nearly as bad. I have heard rumors of another price increase next year. That makes me even more glad that I dropped the $750 on a lifetime a few years ago before the last big price increase

[admin]

I hear ya Mark, I wish I had gotten the LTL

[ScottC]

Thanks for the offer Mark. I may head down there sometime. My county has a lot of birds, heck I see them driving down the road in town sometimes. A friend of mine who has taken me deer hunting also hunts turkeys, and we are already starting to plan our spring hunt (if we are lucky enough to draw a tag).

[DDragon47]

I hunted Quail Pheasant Ducks and Geese maybe a Turkey would be fun.

[marksuttonjr]

I have ben adicted to turkey hunting ever since I made that 1st bird gobble.

[4pointer]

This spring was my first time huntin turkey's ~~~~
advice [glow=red,2,300]DON'T DO IT ~ YA'LL BE HOOKED FER LIFE[/glow]~I KNOW
I'm, Can't wait till spring ,
Scored on the first day out ,Me and a buddy pulled a perfect double....Went back and got another tag~~~
HOOKED FER LIFE, here a pic of the birds

Thats me on the right & my Buddy on the left & his daughter
is was with us

[admin]

That's a couple beauty's, congrats to you and your buddy.

[ScottC]

Nice looking birds!

I was told when applying for our (MI) spring hunt to apply with a buddy. It increases your chance of getting a tag. I am going to apply with a guy who has private land to hunt. This will be great, he said he saw turkeys every time he went deer hunting.

[hunter243]

nice lookin birds.

[4pointer]

hunter243 said:

nice lookin birds.

Thanks Hunter243,, This new ground that I'm on,seein alot of long beards,,, ;D

[buffalocounty32]

scott- turkey hunting is my #1 passion
I know and steve have been talking about DB so you are on the right track there, as for broadheads any head will kill a turkey if you hit it right. but I reccomend a mechanical...you want to pound that bird with alot of shock...try something like the rocket hammerheads or spitfire gobbler getters, either will do more than enough damage. for calls I say try a pushbutton yelper becuase they are sooo easy to use, plus with them you can purr to sweet talk that tom real close. I would say the best though is a mouth call but they are hard to master, but they are the easiest to use because you can call while at full draw. also I would reccomend a box or slate call to make some real good souding yelps to clal in birds from farther off. just watch some birds a couple mornings and nights, at night, watch where they go in to roost, watch where they fly down in the morning-and where they go from there- once your hunt day comes, set up about 30-50 yards away from the roost in the direction they fly down, once a tom or two gobbles just let out a few soft yelps and maybe a purr....if one answers, just sit tight he knows your there- if not wait about 10min and do the same...if they are in the area they will be curious at the new hen. that or you can set up farther back in the direction they walk after they fly down and pull an ambush. that way you will not need much calling...if any at all.
good luck I want pics ;D