fall turkey tactics

[Dcoleinpa]

I would like to hear what you guys do when hunting fall birds..... break em up? cold call? break em up with dogs? 

[Porter]

I've never had any success breaking the flock up

I pattern and try to figure out where they are or going to be.  Then set down and do some kee kee's, kee kee run's, and cluck and purr a lot.  I was highly successful last year with this approach!

[hun10]

Like Porter said.  Find out where they are roosting and bring em down off the roost.  Be patient, it may take em a while but they will show with some subtle kee kees and clucks.  One sure fire way to bust em up is to bring em in within 10 yards, shoot and miss.  Happened to my wife last season....birds were flying everywhere.

[drabndouble]

Hun10 said it ,,,be patient.

I swapped yelps back and forth with a gobbler last fall . He went quiet . So I backed off and only clucked ocassionally . Meanwhile a gobbler in the opposite direction started calling . I chose to stay with the first bird and ignore the second . I don't recall exactly how long I waited but I know now it wasn't long enough. I backed away and got the ridge between me and the first bird . The ridge top makes a bow and the bird was near the top at the far end, probably 250 - 300 yards . I followed the off side of the ridge about 100 yards and then eased very slowly up to the top for a look. Da'gummit! There he was , with six other toms of various ages .They were headed straight toward where I had been set up and called from . The last two toms in that string of gobblers were beard draggers .
PATIENCE !

[wisturkeyhunter]

I prefer to have the dog break em up.

[Porter]

I prefer to have the dog break em up.

I know a break is all about surprising them and either I cannot run fast enough or I'm so darn ugly I scare them to go the same way each time.  I see a huge advantage to a dog... one they can run a lot faster than I can and two, lower to the ground more secretive. 

One question I have, how do you hide the dog when they come back?  I'm sure years of training teaches them not to chase them when they come back, but a dog is always moving around...

Sorry to ask so many dumb questions...  very very interesting though!

[Zumer]

 One question I have, how do you hide the dog when they come back?  I'm sure years of training teaches them not to chase them when they come back, but a dog is always moving around...

Sorry to ask so many dumb questions...  very very interesting though!

Most turkey dogs go into a bag after a break.....

[wisturkeyhunter]

If I needed to put my dog in a bag I'd spend more time training and I'd buy a darker dog to begin with.

[silentk]

If I needed to put my dog in a bag I'd spend more time training and I'd buy a darker dog to begin with.

tru dat.....

[Zumer]

One question I have, how do you hide the dog when they come back?  I'm sure years of training teaches them not to chase them when they come back, but a dog is always moving around...

Sorry to ask so many dumb questions...  very very interesting though!

Most turkey dogs go into a bag after a break.....

Actually, very few do. I know personally several Dog Hunters, NONE of them BAG they're Dogs, not needed. The liver color, blends in, and was bred into the dogs for just that reason. Marlin, I do not think even BAGS his Dogs, and they are Burns Hounds.


Spur,

            All the Brynes dogs from Turkey Trot Acres and Marlin's dog go in a bag after the break.....I've hunted with Marlin in the fall for 6 years and the dog has always been put in a bag.....

            I stand corrected for the comment of MOST turkey dogs....Sorry for the assumtion on my part.....

            Zips

           

[drabndouble]

I would like to hear what you guys do when hunting fall birds..... break em up? cold call? break em up with dogs? 

I am still learning myself . But I cold call . I know the birds are there and it may take more walking to locate them from one day to the next , but they are there.
I've never actually had success in calling to them while they are still on the limb. I believe it is better to wait until they are on the ground ,and better yet if I can hear them pitch out and land and then start calling . They just seem to be more willing to respond early in the day , right after they get established on the ground.
The use of dogs is very interesting , but I don't see any reason for myself to own one , living / hunting in a state that allows only one fall bird .
Breaking them up is ok by me if I'm hunting with someone , but I prefer to ease around and locate by cold calling . Hugging the cedar slopes for cover and shade and casting my calls out into the hardwoods .

[Dcoleinpa]

yep ive never fall hunted.... i plan on cold calling and lots of walking..... being this is my first fall i will take what i can get.... all i want is to trumpet one turkey in thats all and id be  ...... i'll be FOUR strokin too brother

[Mzlhunter]

My expirience has been that cold calling can work if you are in the general direction the bird or birds are heading. If I am hunting a family flock I almost always try to break them up. There is nothing like the sound of 10 or so birds trying to locate each other.

[drabndouble]

I try to NOT call from any place I wouldn't be satisfied as a good setup location . I setup in the fall just as in spring . I want enough ground cover to force the bird to COME IN LOOKIN'. Once the bird or birds have come into view they are within gun range ,,,,preferably 10 - 30 yards . But I have put some extra challenge in it for this fall since I'll be totin' Grandad's old '42 Winchester .410. Any bird beyond 20 is outta range.

For me it's about foolin' tom ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,not fillin' tags . If I do my part right , set up and calling ,,the tag will be filled .

I'm ready !

[TurkeyComander]

One question I have, how do you hide the dog when they come back?  I'm sure years of training teaches them not to chase them when they come back, but a dog is always moving around...

Scroll down to the last story it sounds hard to believe but I can assure you it's true.

http://trkyhntr.home.att.net/buster.html