In Need Of Help!

[ate1cropy]

I got a phone call from my brother in law today telling me to go over to Gander Mountain and fill out my application for the Minnesota fall turkey season. I've always wanted to try and take a turkey with my bow and now I have a chance! The only problem is I dont know one thing about turkey hunting. So I'm looking for a little help here. If I do get drawn I will be hunting on a private farm with birds all over the place.

Do turkey come to decoys and calls in the fall? That might be a stupid question but I really have no idea.... so any help I could get as far as what kind of broadheads, calls, decoys, blinds, camo, time of day anything you can give me to make what I hope turns out to be my first turkey hunt a success... Thanks from Minnesota

[Born4it]

Man...that's a big question! I'll do my best. I won't claim to be an expert, but I'm sure you'll get a few other responses. They will be less likely to respond to calls and decoys in the fall. That doesn't mean that you shouldn't use them at all. Fall isn't their mating season, so you'd want to stay away from really aggressive calling, and probably not use any gobble calls. What I would do to get them close is actually pattern them a little like deer. Turkeys are fairly predictable in certain areas.

Find a brushy area where they frequently pass by, set up a ground blind since you're bowhunting (it will cover your movement the best), wear whatever camo you would wear for hunting in that area, and be patient :-) The camo won't matter quite as much if you're in a blind, but you want to be ready in case you need to make yourself mobile. If you choose to use decoys, Feather Flex, Carry Lite, Flambeau, Primos, and a number of others make decent ones.

For broadheads, look at Gobbler Guillatines (sp?) if you're an experienced archer and very accurate with your bow. Otherwise, look at Muzzy, G5, Thunderheads, or really anything else suggested by people in here and at your bow shop or Gander Mountain. Same with calls...I use Primos for the most part, but H.S. makes good ones, Quaker Boy, MAD, Knight & Hale, and others make decent calls. Just find ones that you're comfortable with and can use properly. Then practice with them, no matter how much it bothers the other people in your house :-)

For time of day, catching them off the roost at first daylight will be a great time to pattern them. Go out a few different nights and listen for them at dusk to see where they're roosting. Using a crow, owl, woodpecker, or other locator calls will help encourage them to make noise. Then try to set up on them in the morning depending on which direction they fly down if you can.

I don't want to try to tell you everything to do...you should experiment with different tactics and figure out what works for you and the game in your area. These are just a few guidelines and suggestions. I wish you the best on your Minnesota hunt, and have a great time! Let us know how you do!!!

Take care,

Ryan

[ate1cropy]

thanks

Thank you so much... That helps a lot!