Any suggestions for a new turkey hunter?

[DoggyDaddy]

Funny. That is exactly how I pictured you.

Same here! He's got that Sam Elliott moustache goin' on.

 

[Mongo59]

Lead, I doubt the 'jumping' part if your joints feel like mine.

Mind you I live in Crawford County, so you have to adjust this to the real world:

I had large toms on my back porch for several years that would strut and look at themselves in the reflection of my two French doors.

They would be out there for hours pooping the welcome mat slick.

They were so distracted I could stand on my side of the door, literally 14 inches away, and it didn't effect them at all.

One time I unlatched the door and when he strutted by I reached out and grabbed him by the neck but had to let go because I was afraid he would break the glass thrashing.

This should be enough to discourage the stealthy American Turkey one would reason, but no, he came back with a friend.

I don't like like Wild Turkey unless it is in a glass, so I called the neighbor and found he liked them. So the first day of season I loaded up the Model 12 and walked out the front door while he was at the back.

I figured I might be able to get a shot off before he gets too far away. I come around the corner and there he stands defying me to blast a whole in my wooden deck.

I try to shoosh him off the deck to shoot him but he acts like he is tied to the door with an elastic cord.

Minutes of kicking at him and having him run between my legs and he finally makes a break for it and I blast him in the head before he clears gravel.

Throw him in the back of the truck and take him to the happy neighbor.

Hunt of a lifetime, never to happen again we say.

The next day I have to do the same thing with the tom's friend. The next season I had it happen again with the same results.

Now they leave my porch alone. My doors are intact as is my deck. I no longer have to pressure wash my welcome mats daily and kick my shoes off at the door.

And you guys make fun of Crawford County...

 

[epeery]

It's been years since I hunted Turkey, but my experience was basically this: (sorry, no videos)

Identify a field that the turkeys move to after coming off there roost.
Be there as early as legally allowed and set a hen decoy up 10-15 yards out into the field. Sit against a large tree with a little cover a few yards into the woods near the decoy.

Turkey's arrive after flying down off the roost. When a Tom gets out into the field, call a few times to get his attention. With some luck, Tom will come to court the decoy and begin strutting around.

Follow him with your bead, when he's close enough, wait for him to stick his head out to gobble and squeeze the trigger.

I messed with box calls some, but always preferred mouth calls. Specifically double reed calls for their combination of sound and ease of use. My call typically stayed in my mouth from the time I set up till after the shot (or the end of the hunt). I liked the ability to make a little cluck or putt to elicit a gobble while holding my bead on his head, ready to take the shot.

As Phylo mentioned earlier, Turkey's don't stick around to figure out what is wrong after they notice something, they just leave quickly. I've also seen huge differences between turkeys that are subject to hunting pressure vs ones that aren't.

BTW, this was private land with no other hunters, so consider any necessary changes in the setup from a safety standpoint to fit your situation.

 

[teddy12b]

For an 11-87 is there a magazine capacity restriction? I don't recall seeing one, but wanted to make sure. I just ran a few rounds of #6 & #4 out back to see and I'm going with winchester high brass 2 3/4, 1 1/4oz #4, unless someone knows of a good reason not to.

 

[phylodog]

No magazine restrictions on turkey