1st Turkey hunt!

[Realtree]

I put in for and was drawn for my first Spring Turkey hunt this year, and I have to say, I don't think I have been as excited about anything recently as I am for this upcoming hunt!

I have been re-reading through old threads in the Pheasant-Turkey boards and I am overwhelmed with all of the great info shared by MNO Members and Staff. This is what originally attracted me to MNO several years ago and what keeps me coming back today! 

[Mayfly]

I put in for and was drawn for my first Spring Turkey hunt this year, and I have to say, I don't think I have been as excited about anything recently as I am for this upcoming hunt!

I have been re-reading through old threads in the Pheasant-Turkey boards and I am overwhelmed with all of the great info shared by MNO Members and Staff. This is what originally attracted me to MNO several years ago and what keeps me coming back today! 

Very cool! What weekend are you going??

[Ryan]

How many people are are drawn in the spring?  The other day I had to drive from Shakopee to New Market then to Minnetona and I probably saw about 200 turkeys.  The population really seems to be growing around here and the way it is going they might get a little out of control.

By the way, congrats on being chosen Scott.

[Realtree]

How many people are are drawn in the spring?  The other day I had to drive from Shakopee to New Market then to Minnetona and I probably saw about 200 turkeys.  The population really seems to be growing around here and the way it is going they might get a little out of control.

By the way, congrats on being chosen Scott.

I was drawn for one of the alternate time periods I listed: F-May 10-14 in permit area 463.

There were only 30 permits issued for our permit area per time period this spring according to DNR records.

I have seen a bunch of turkeys over the past couple of weeks also. I am hunting down near Otisco along the Wilton River on my Dad's property. He sent me a couple of emails last week with pics of about 15-20 turkey out on the south side of his house right outside the dining room. I'll see if I can get one or two of the pics posted.

[Mayfly]

Why not just pop one out your back window.. Heck, get me one too. I'll pay for shipping 

[HD]

Can I come hunt with you? 

[DroptineDC18]

Very cool pic.  That has to get the blood boiling!

[thunderpout]

Scott... I dont know how much you are into the calling aspect, but here's what I did to get good at using a diaphram mouth call.... get a calling tape/cd (with all the turkey vocalizations on it) and practice whenever youre in the car going somewhere... you wont drive people nuts at work and at home, but ya do get some weird looks when sitting in your car at a stoplight....

[Realtree]

Scott... I dont know how much you are into the calling aspect, but here's what I did to get good at using a diaphram mouth call.... get a calling tape/cd (with all the turkey vocalizations on it) and practice whenever youre in the car going somewhere... you wont drive people nuts at work and at home, but ya do get some weird looks when sitting in your car at a stoplight....

That's a great idea thunderpout, thanks for the tip! I already get weird looks from time to time when I am sitting at a red light in my FedEx truck singing along to the radio so practicing my turkey vocalizations should be no worse than normal...LOL 

[Realtree]

Very cool pic.  That has to get the blood boiling!

for sure FutureDC9...he sent me a couple of even better ones than the one I posted, but I can't find where I saved them to in my pictures folder right now. If I come across them I will post them too.

[Outdoors Junkie]

You should use the training J cooke taught you in Greensboro at the dance club.   

[thunderpout]

Scott.... at least you can practice at work most of the time then and get away with it.... my first year turkey hunting,  I worked at Aveda's mfg. plant up in Blaine and when Id be walking around through the warehouse I'd be workin on my diaphram doin cuts, yelps and purrs non stop to every ones amusement and most thought I was freakin crazy... really good acoustics in those big open warehouses! (no turkeys though) and on the way home alot of nites, Id swing by a house where they had a bunch of turkeys penned up and would let some yelps rip out of my trucks window, and they would all go off, they lights would come on.... and Id skeedaddle.   I may have had a warrant out for my head...or a shotguns bead on my truck...

[kenhuntin]

I know the excitement Scott. My first turkey hunt lasted 15 minutes but it still thrills me. Those May hunts are tough The toms will fan to the sound of your calls but rarely gobble or come to investigate. It can be really frustrating in late season. Hang in there though all of a sudden some times you have multiple birds on top of you.

[thunderpout]

Yep... you get those ghost birds late in the season.... its happened to me alot... I always wondered if it was that most hens have been "serviced" or if it was from getting hunting pressure/call smarts that puts them into that stealth mode... Be ready for everything Scott.... Have fun out there!

[Realtree]

Thanks for the encouragement guys! I picked up a mouth call today, double reed w/bat cut, so I can have plenty of time to practice before my hunt.

It took me about 15 minutes (and some helpful tips from one of the customers on my FedEx route who is an avid turkey hunter) before I got ANY kind of sound out of it.

After a couple hours (and a few strange looks from pedestrians downtown) I think I have the basics out the sounds figured out, as far as tongue and mouth placement to achieve them. Now I need to be able to make the specific sounds that I want, when I want to, instead of when they "come out" inadvertantly.

I am thinking of also picking up the Primos "FREAK" friction call also...has anyone used this one and if so what is your opinion of it?

Thanks

[Cody Gruchow]

scott this year will be my first year turkey hunting also. but unfortunatly i wont be able to use my shotgun because i wasnt drawn  so i will be hunting with my bow..first turkey kill with bow on first ever turkey season would be something else wouldnt it? ill be out the last 2 weeks of the season in 601 been playing with the mouth calls for months and they do drive people nuts and are hard to figure out but once you do figure them out then there real easy. good luck!

[Realtree]

Bow hunting is next on my "Bucket list" Cody!

I have deer hunted for the past 18 years with shotgun here in southern MN and joined Dennis and his gang up at URL deer camp 2 years ago using my father in laws .308 rifle, so bow hunting at deer camp will be next for me and then we will add turkey to the bow hunting list after that.

My wife has already told me that if I need to practice "that thing" i better take it outside because it's annoying the heck out of her....LOL

[kenhuntin]

Thanks for the encouragement guys! I picked up a mouth call today, double reed w/bat cut, so I can have plenty of time to practice before my hunt.

It took me about 15 minutes (and some helpful tips from one of the customers on my FedEx route who is an avid turkey hunter) before I got ANY kind of sound out of it.

After a couple hours (and a few strange looks from pedestrians downtown) I think I have the basics out the sounds figured out, as far as tongue and mouth placement to achieve them. Now I need to be able to make the specific sounds that I want, when I want to, instead of when they "come out" inadvertantly.

I am thinking of also picking up the Primos "FREAK" friction call also...has anyone used this one and if so what is your opinion of it?

Thanks

I would definately have a slate for sure as well as a box It helps to sound like a flock of different hens to attract a Tom. The same way a group of women laughing in a bar attracts attention. I use a Primos old glory. I also have a copper pot for long range calling. It is a big help to have the harness that straps to your leg so you aren't fumbling around. The Freak seems to be a good one. They all work. Mouth calls do not carry the sound as far as a box or slate but are great for finishing off a bird when they are close enough to see you moving. Those birds know by the sound exactly what tree you are leaning against.

[thunderpout]

Ken's right, the diaphram calls are perfect for the finish call when ya have your hands on your gun...  I like real slate calls and wood strikers the best, they just sound more realistic, problem is, moisture kills that great sound.  Even moisture in the air affects the sound.  Get a few different slates and a few different strikers, wood, carbon, & plastic ones... you'll get multiple sounds using different strikers, plus you'll sound like different birds, rather than sounding like the same bird yelping over and over.  Keep the real slate calls and wood strikers in a zip lock to keep rain off them, plus you can use them while in the bag so they dont get too wet...(same with the box calls) but the moisture in the air will mess up real slate calls sound so make sure ya also have some glass and synthetic slates and carbon strikers for the wet nasty weather.  There are a ton of good slates out there so I wont give ya names...  Strikers are often overlooked, there is alot of cheap junk, and there are some really sweet ones... get a good call kit too, or make your own for slates & box calls... a 3M scotch pads, 300 grit sandpaper and some chalk in a ziplock is all ya need.  When sittin on the ground for hours, you'll be surprised how often you need to tweek your calls to keep em sounding right, even when its nice out....

[Realtree]

I spent the morning out in the woods today and called in 2 beautiful Tom's and a hen to within 50 yards of where I was sitting. I also kicked up 5-6 deer while scouting further around the area later in the day. I can't wait til my May 10th turkey hunt!

I picked up a Primo's Heartbreaker box call last week and have been playing with that every night and most of the weekend since I got it. I also picked up a Sonic Dome mouth call and a power crow locator call.

A friend of mine is going to let me borrow his full set of decoys: a strutting Tom, a couple different positioned hens and a jake i think he said he has.

So, I think I am set with the basics for this upcoming hunt and after the morning I had in the woods, I cannot wait for my May 10th hunt to get here.

I hope to get out again sometime this weekend or next week on my day off to do some more scouting and try to pinpoint where I will start hunting from. I will try to get some pics next time and post them.