|
As soon as you find an Old Tom while turkey hunting, the next you need to do is to move in close and call him into shooting range. Your objective is to slip in as close as possible without spooking him off. Then you “set up” and attempt to call him near enough for a shot.
Keep in mind: while coming close to a turkey, if he spots you, he’s gone! Be careful not to be seen. Landscape and vegetation normally dictate how close you can get before setting up. Veteran hunters rarely approach inside 100 yards. They may set up as far away as 300 yards if the earth is flat and there is little foliage to hide their movements.
Use the land to your advantage as you approach a gobbler. Stay behind hills, thickets or other features that will block your movements. Walk as quietly as possible in the leaves, and don’t bust any sticks during the turkey hunt.
When setting up, pick a place that offers the gobbler an effortless course to your place. There should be no creeks, gullies, fences, thick undergrowth or other barriers between you and the bird. Also choose a place that is on the same contour or a little above the turkey’s place. Don’t try to call a gobbler down a steep slope. Pick an area that provides you with a considerable view of your environment.
Sit against a tree, stump or other object that is wider than your back and taller than your head. It will hide your outline and protect your back from a hunter who might move in behind you. Face the turkey’s direction with your left shoulder (for right-handed shooters), this provides you with a greater mobility of your gun when aiming. Above all, keep your movement to a minimum as you call. If the gobbler is working toward you, then goes soundless , don’t move. Sometimes gobblers will sneak in quietly .
If you set up and an ol Tom answers your call but won’t approach, you’re going to have to change your game plan. You may need to circle around and call from another location. You might change to another call. If you’ve worked him a long time and he’s still hung up, you might depart the Old Tom and come back in a few of hours and try yet again. Many hunts require several moves and/or strategy adjustments.
Once you get a bird working to you, get your gun up on your knee pointed in his general path with the stock against your shoulder. When a gobbler finally walks within range (inside 40 yards), wait until he steps behind a sapling or other impediment to move your gun. When he reappears, aim carefully at his head/neck junction, and then squeeze the trigger. When an ol Tom struts, the neck is compressed and the head is often partly hidden by feathers, making for an even more compact target. If the gobbler is strutting, wait until he extends his neck to shoot. A clean, one-shot kill should be the objective of each and every hunter.
It’s a wonderful moment when a long beard answers a hunter’s call. This is when all the scouting and planning pay off. It may not always result in bagging the bird, but that’s part of the chase and the memories. If you listen to a veteran turkey hunter, you’ll note that the hunts most often remembered are those where the gobbler, and not the hunter, won.
Click here for more information on turkey hunting and some great turkey hunting tips
|