I like to get aggressive too, if they aren't playing like I want but, a few times I've been afraid to move, and have had to wait them out.Kylimblifter wrote: ↑February 20th, 2022, 5:09 pm I agree that patience kills turkeys no doubt, but so does being aggressive a lot of the time if you know what you’re doing. For me it’s all preference. I would much rather not kill a bird on a given day than sit by a tree for 4 hours and have one come walking in and shoot him. Nothing against either style because I know both are very effective. I just prefer to hunt turkeys by moving around and playing the game
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Patience kills turkeys
Re: Patience kills turkeys
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Re: Patience kills turkeys
A friend of mine has had them to hangup and strut. He waits till they turn their back in strut, and runs closer to them. Then drops and gets ready for a prone shot.
"I live in America, why do I have to press 1 for English?"
Re: Patience kills turkeys
About 6 years my dad and I were hunting during record setting heat and finally heard a gobble across the property got set up and started calling. He just wouldn't move then he finally started moving but he was trying to circle us so we started stalking him about 45 mins later he stopped gobbling so we stopped to listen after 600 yards of walking he gobbled right where we started. After a couple of yelps later he gobbled closer so we knew he was coming 2 mins later he popped out and he took one for the team.
There was another time I was with my Dad and we sat through a rain storm and we got a break in the rain and then out popped a flock of jakes and my dad and I doubled up. I definitely this turkey hunt takes patience!
There was another time I was with my Dad and we sat through a rain storm and we got a break in the rain and then out popped a flock of jakes and my dad and I doubled up. I definitely this turkey hunt takes patience!
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Re: Patience kills turkeys
Oh yeah. It can be one of the most rewarding or most frustrating sports.TRKYMAN wrote: ↑February 21st, 2022, 5:45 pm About 6 years my dad and I were hunting during record setting heat and finally heard a gobble across the property got set up and started calling. He just wouldn't move then he finally started moving but he was trying to circle us so we started stalking him about 45 mins later he stopped gobbling so we stopped to listen after 600 yards of walking he gobbled right where we started. After a couple of yelps later he gobbled closer so we knew he was coming 2 mins later he popped out and he took one for the team.
There was another time I was with my Dad and we sat through a rain storm and we got a break in the rain and then out popped a flock of jakes and my dad and I doubled up. I definitely this turkey hunt takes patience!
"I live in America, why do I have to press 1 for English?"
Re: Patience kills turkeys
I run and gun alot when I can . Lost slot of land over the years so I am alot more patient these days . Killed one our opener Saturday morning . Gobbled first time at 707am . Killed him 8 gobbles later 1044 am.
He never answered me . But when called at 1017 on top of him he cut the distance by half and gobbled at 1038am when he stepped out in the road at 10 42 his head was changing colors red , white and blue every 3 seconds . I knew he was the one that had been gobbling all morning . Al.ost 3 hrs 45 mins and he was a good older bird .
Our spurs are lacking here , killed a hundred with 1 to 1 1/16 spurs . Over 30 years .
This one was 1 1/8 & 1 1/16 with a 11 in beard and 21 lb 7oz .... ain't much way he was a 2 he old .... just my thoughts .
He never answered me . But when called at 1017 on top of him he cut the distance by half and gobbled at 1038am when he stepped out in the road at 10 42 his head was changing colors red , white and blue every 3 seconds . I knew he was the one that had been gobbling all morning . Al.ost 3 hrs 45 mins and he was a good older bird .
Our spurs are lacking here , killed a hundred with 1 to 1 1/16 spurs . Over 30 years .
This one was 1 1/8 & 1 1/16 with a 11 in beard and 21 lb 7oz .... ain't much way he was a 2 he old .... just my thoughts .
10th Legion legionare !
Re: Patience kills turkeys
Sounds like you had a good hunt. Long and probably exciting and frustrating though. Congratulations.
"I live in America, why do I have to press 1 for English?"
Re: Patience kills turkeys
Our season opened Saturday April 2. Called in 2 jakes that morning, and passed on them. Not heard hardly anything the last 2 mornings.
"I live in America, why do I have to press 1 for English?"
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RBMTDJager
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Re: Patience kills turkeys
New member first post.
Been hunting turkeys for 35+ years occasionally three states but mostly in only two states. I hunt 75% public and 25% private ground. My friend hunts 90% public ground also with me in two sates. I have enjoyed a 90%+ success rate in the last 26 seasons.
My success rates skyrocketed once I became more aggressive in hunting them starting about 28 seasons ago. I turkey hunt with two friends have been for over 25 years now. Myself and one friend are very aggressive turkey hunters the other is far less aggressive and he significantly less successful than either of us and kills more Jakes and fewer Toms than either of us do as well.
Having said that I must say under certain circumstances and conditions patients is far smarter move and has a greater chance of success than being aggressive, allow me to give such an example.
Last year my friend and I were taking my son on a youth hunt in my home state. I had roosted two Toms and several hens the night before, and I watched one Tom go to roost and knew the exact tree he was roosted in. The cover and topography allowed us to set up within no more than 50-55 yards from one of the two roosted Toms. We were set up in good cover on a mowed road for access to the crop fields in the area. There is a rater steep drainage ditch the splits the narrow roost and you must use the only spot to cross it as it is impossible to cross it otherwise.
At first hint of light I spotted the roosted Tom still in the same tree as I left him in on our side of the drainage ditch. He was about 55 yards away from us a little to the left of my son. The other Tom I heard fly up and due to his gobbling last night, had a quite accurate estimate of his location which was about 75 yards away to our right also on our side of the ditch. They both gobbled quite well and flew down about 30 minuets after legal shooting light. We never saw the Tom to our right. I watched the other Tom essentially fly straight down off the roost 100% certain he was on our side of the ditch.
First I Threw only one VERY soft series of calls his way which he gobbled back at. Then after he didn't show up after about 10-12 minuets threw 4 or 5 VERY soft yelps and purrs which he didn't answer. We remained silent and waited another timed 45 minuets during which we saw and heard nothing from the Tom. I began to think The Tom had gone down a few hundred yards and crossed out of sight into the picked field behind us. I told my friend and son I was going to literally crawl over to the edge of the hedge row we were set up in and glass the field to see if the Tom was out in it. I no sooner rolled out of my turkey chair and was on my hands and knees and out of the brush popped the big ole Tom spots my form and instantly vanished back into the cover.
I knew absolutely better than to move so soon due to many past experiences when I had a turkey fly down within 150 yards or less of me that took up to an hour even more several times to come in to gun range, but youth season is only for two days and I allowed that to make me impatient and make a utterly inexcusable greenhorn mistake.
Under admittedly rare occasions being patient is essentially a must and being aggressive is just stupid and the above was one of those situations. I absolutely KNEW based on past experiences the odds were very high that Tom was in the cover unseen to us likely in gun range as he popped out about 35 yards from my son to the left of him. Like I said bone head green horn mistake.
Been hunting turkeys for 35+ years occasionally three states but mostly in only two states. I hunt 75% public and 25% private ground. My friend hunts 90% public ground also with me in two sates. I have enjoyed a 90%+ success rate in the last 26 seasons.
My success rates skyrocketed once I became more aggressive in hunting them starting about 28 seasons ago. I turkey hunt with two friends have been for over 25 years now. Myself and one friend are very aggressive turkey hunters the other is far less aggressive and he significantly less successful than either of us and kills more Jakes and fewer Toms than either of us do as well.
Having said that I must say under certain circumstances and conditions patients is far smarter move and has a greater chance of success than being aggressive, allow me to give such an example.
Last year my friend and I were taking my son on a youth hunt in my home state. I had roosted two Toms and several hens the night before, and I watched one Tom go to roost and knew the exact tree he was roosted in. The cover and topography allowed us to set up within no more than 50-55 yards from one of the two roosted Toms. We were set up in good cover on a mowed road for access to the crop fields in the area. There is a rater steep drainage ditch the splits the narrow roost and you must use the only spot to cross it as it is impossible to cross it otherwise.
At first hint of light I spotted the roosted Tom still in the same tree as I left him in on our side of the drainage ditch. He was about 55 yards away from us a little to the left of my son. The other Tom I heard fly up and due to his gobbling last night, had a quite accurate estimate of his location which was about 75 yards away to our right also on our side of the ditch. They both gobbled quite well and flew down about 30 minuets after legal shooting light. We never saw the Tom to our right. I watched the other Tom essentially fly straight down off the roost 100% certain he was on our side of the ditch.
First I Threw only one VERY soft series of calls his way which he gobbled back at. Then after he didn't show up after about 10-12 minuets threw 4 or 5 VERY soft yelps and purrs which he didn't answer. We remained silent and waited another timed 45 minuets during which we saw and heard nothing from the Tom. I began to think The Tom had gone down a few hundred yards and crossed out of sight into the picked field behind us. I told my friend and son I was going to literally crawl over to the edge of the hedge row we were set up in and glass the field to see if the Tom was out in it. I no sooner rolled out of my turkey chair and was on my hands and knees and out of the brush popped the big ole Tom spots my form and instantly vanished back into the cover.
I knew absolutely better than to move so soon due to many past experiences when I had a turkey fly down within 150 yards or less of me that took up to an hour even more several times to come in to gun range, but youth season is only for two days and I allowed that to make me impatient and make a utterly inexcusable greenhorn mistake.
Under admittedly rare occasions being patient is essentially a must and being aggressive is just stupid and the above was one of those situations. I absolutely KNEW based on past experiences the odds were very high that Tom was in the cover unseen to us likely in gun range as he popped out about 35 yards from my son to the left of him. Like I said bone head green horn mistake.