The Art of Turkey Hunting
Anyone who has ever been turkey hunting knows that it isn't easy. Wild turkey have outstanding vision and hearing, making them very difficult to hunt if you don't do things the right way. With this is mind, in order to be a successful turkey hunter, you sometimes have to do things differently than you might expect.
In a perfect world, you would walk to your set up spot, pop up some decoys, sit down, call a bit, have a gobbler fly down right to your decoys, and fill your tag at first light. But, that isn't always how it's going to happen. Decoys and perfect calling tactics don't always mean a gobbler is going to come right to you. Although they might be interested, you may have to change things up a bit if they get hung up or stop responding to calls. This is when you have to be creative with how you approach your hunt.
Expert Advice
Not sure how to do that? Well, luckily, Michael Waddell from Bone Collector has some insight on how to try and make your hunt successful when things don't go according to plan.
"The biggest tip I can give on turkey hunting, is to not be afraid to be aggressive. Turkey hunting is like fishing, it’s all about the angle! You have to be willing to go where a turkey wants to go or at least where it feels very comfortable going. So if a turkey is hung up, don’t be afraid to adjust and change angles. Be a hen that is walking in the woods feeding, moving slowly, while getting closer, or moving to the right or left. Sometimes it might take circling all the way around."
Waddell also says that the way you maneuver and call when approaching a tom is a major factor in your success in the stalk.
"Also, remember turkey rhythms are very important. Turkeys sound a lot like humans walking. When they scratch, there is a rhythm. It’s typically one, then one two. The same goes with calling. Use soft calls but use good rhythm and you can call more. There are so many subtle things that will help you kill turkeys. You have to mix it up a bit."
So, the next time you head out to the turkey woods, remember that it may not go exactly according to plan. You may have to get creative in order to have success, and if that ends up being the case, use these tips and tricks from Waddell and see if they help change the outcome of your hunt.
For more turkey hunting tips from Michael Waddell, check out the video below.
