Home Forums Birds & Dogs Turkey Hunting Fall Turkeys

Just applied for a fall permit. The quota is high for where I'm going so the chances are good. I know alot of you guys don't have the fall option, unless you travel around to other state(s), so I consider myself lucky.
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<br>Lord only knows what will work this year. The possibilities are endless, based upon the behavior of these birds. I really think that unless you get just plain lucky, one must really have an in depth knowledge of the bird to get them within range in the fall.
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<br>Regards, sse

SSE,
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<br>I'm a novice turkey hunter, having only this spring taken my first two turkeys. I've learned a lot but I think I've only scratched the surface of turkey hunting knowledge. I understand the basics for spring hunting but I haven't got a clue what the fall holds in store for me. Would you or anyone else give me a little overview of the fall season. Do you use calls, decoys, ect. or do you just pattern them like deer and try the 'ole sneak on them?
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<br>Jeff

I never intentonaly hunt for turkey in the fall. I will sometimes shoot them when I find them while deer hunting but not often. I prefer to hunt them with call and shot gun druing the spring season. In Texas, any turkey tags you use in the fall you don't get to use in the spring. I have no knowledge of calling during the fall but through observation, I would iminage that lost calls and jake yellps might work if there are turkey in the area.

Hey Jeff - I'm new , too, but I have read alot about how the fall deal works. The classic is how pds describes. You break up a flock of hens and youngins', set up, then do kind of a whistling sound and they come back after awhile.
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<br>Now toms are entirely different and there are exceptions to every generalization you can make about fall hunting them. They collect in small groups of 3-5, are difficult, if not impossible to call in from any distance. A gobble call may be of help here.
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<br>What I have distilled is that you must pattern them and then have a little trick up your sleeve when they come by. They may respond due to curiosity or angst as they travel their circuit du jour. The sound of other turkey activity can be irresistible to them, but if not done right, can cause 'em to turn and run.
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<br>Decoys may be the thing to aggravate them and cause them to investigate.
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<br>This type of hunting is a matter of art.
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<br>Regards, sse

Prairie Dog Shooter,
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<br>Can you shoot turkeys with a rifle in Texas, if so, where do you hold on the bird?
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<br>sse,
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<br>Thanks for the info, sounds like a whole different ball of wax than the spring season. How about a locator call, like an owl, will fall toms shock gobble in response?
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<br>Jeff

X_J - I know that some gobbling does go on in the fall. I am not sure whether a shock call readily receives a responsive gobble in the fall. If I run across any further info on that I'll let you know.
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<br>Regards, sse

Yes, you can shoot turkey with a rifle in Texas. In fact, I have taken them with a muzzle loading rifle as well as centerfire rifles, archery tackle and shotguns. Two of my buddies use their Rugger 10 -22 's with bull barrels. My old Game Warden / hunting partner took one with his 357 service revolver.
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<br>WhereI hold depends on what I am shooting. When I use my 220 Swift and have any kind of rest I take the head shot. If I do not have a good rest I shoot for the thigh on a broad side bird and the base of the neck on birds facing away or towards me. I use Serria 63 gr semi pointed bullets in the Swift and get instant kills with no damage to the breast meat. With the archery tackle or muzzle loader I just hold center mass for good kills and very little meat loss. The rimfire rifle is strictly head shots only. You must have a rest. We use 3 X 9 scopes and call the birds into shotgun range anyway. Kills are instant.
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<br>Most Fall turkey are killed with a rifle. The turkey season runs concurent with deer season so anyone out hunting is going to be carrying a rifle. Most don't really go for turkey in the fall. They just happen to find them while hunting deer.
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<br>I much prefer to hunt turkey in the spring with calls and shotgun. I have passed more fall turkey than I have killed for two reasons. One, I would rather hunt them in the spring. and Two, in the fall, I would rather be hunting a trophy buck than shooting a turkey. I do carry a turkey call with me while hunting deer. I noticed long ago that deer will show themselves early if there are turkey about. The turkey give the deer confidence that everything is safe. I have been known to place a turkey decoy at the edge of a wheat field and yelp a little from the deer blind. It does seam to bring the deer out eariler in the evening. I have had turkey come to the decoy then but never shot any. I was looking for Mr. Buck at the time.
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<br>On a side note, I have also used turkey decoys and calls to bring in varmints. Namely bobcats and coyotes. Once I had a bobcat attack a decoy. That was funny.

Thanks for all the info p.d.s. and sse, I appreciate the help.
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<br>Jeff

X_Jarhead - Here's the best I'm gonna do. You have know a travel route between, or at, roosting and feeding.
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<br>Patience in waiting is key. If you have a good spot, don't call at all. If you call, try clucks of gobbler yelps. These can be slower, deeper sounding, sometimes raspy sounding yelps. Another option is a fighting purr. With any of these, you have to be very still, because they will be approaching very cautiously.
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<br>Good luck, sse

One other thing, a decoy or two could be the ticket.
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<br>Regards, sse