Turkey Hunting (How to?)

[Lazy Ike]

It seems a few of us were drawn for Turkey so I thought I'd start this thread. I'm going in with 0 experience and the few people I know who actually hunted Turkey in AB have been unsuccessful. I've seen plenty, indeed I saw close to 30 in a group on the edge of 305 last summer. What kind of tactics work? What kind of Terrain should I set up in/ What kind of calls and what is a good load? Thanks, man I am stoked!

[Elnino54]

I'm going for the first time this year myself. Its going to be a learning experience for sure. Last weekend I picked up the HS Strut push button Turkey call and started practicing in the truck when I'm driving around (My wife had enough in the house after 5 min with it). For Loads, I picked up a box of Kent 12ga #5 Turkey loads(lead) which should do from what I've read. I guess the #4-6's are what people are using. I suppose time in the field and luck will be the most important factors.....lol

[Turkey Huntin']

Hi Guys,
If you come out to the Boat/Sportsmans show in Calgary this weekend I will be putting on a turkey hunting seminar every day at the show. I'm not claiming to be an expert but I've harvested my fair share of birds. I can be found at the National Wild Turkey Federation booth and would be glad to help anyone out with what works for me. Glad to hear that so many are getting interested in turkey hunting. I have to warn you though, it's habit forming.

[Reeves01]

I used to live in S.E. B.C. & saw them often. Also raised them (Eastern).
Picked up calls & drove mine nuts learning all the calls !

Have fun !

[Lazy Ike]

I'm trying to free up some time to attend the show this weekend, what time are the seminars running?

[jrs]

Of the people i know who hunt the birds, they both simply get out there at dawn and walk cutline/cutblock type habitats. There hunt was 15 minutes last time drawn, i think their one bird had a 9'' beard and the other 7''. Not sure what that means but they never said it was a terribly hard hunt after finding birds in the past. (creatures of habit)

[Shedcrazy]

I was drawn last year and got a bird the first day but only a jake. It was a fun hunt and I would agree finding them is the hardest part. Scouting pays off big time. This year should be a lot easier as there is a lot more area opened that has not been hunted before and some of those birds are TAME.....It was fun and frustrating to watch the big toms... Get permission early if you want to hunt private land as some land owners only give permission to a few hunters.

[Tucumseh]

For you first time hunters that may not know exactly where you are going, finding the areas they feed in might be your biggest task. With all the snow on the ground right now, a scouting trip would be very helpfull. Dawn and dust seem to be the best times to find turkeys. If your lucky enough to find a roost, this would be a good place to set up, call and wait. I feel confident I could get a bird using the spot and stalk method for I see many turkeys when I am out elk hunting in the fall and most of the time they are in the same locations. I hear the weapon of choice is a 12 gauge shotgun using a 3 inch mag, #2 shot shell.

I would say turkeys are not that hard to hunt, you can usually hear them coming before you see them. They are noisy little critters and their chuckling and gobbling is somewhat comical.

[Reeves01]

Keep in mind their eye sight is better than humans & they see in color.

[Re: Turkeys]

The time for the "Lets go turkey hunting" seminars are as follows,

Thurdsay 7:30
Friday 4:30
Saturday 10:30 and again at 7:30
Sunday 1:30 and again at 3:30

Hope to see you there.

[ex811]

Hunted them a number of years (4) when I lived in Ontario and was successfull every year. Every year it seemed to get harder as birds got to know that people with guns was not a good thing for them (got one one year with a bow).
Good camo and good cover where essential when sitting and calling. A good gun (I used a camoed up side by each double, 12 Gauge, #4 lead) and really good calling techniques. Once I used a crow call (natural enemy) at daybreak and that got them calling to each other, gave me a good idea where to start. Other years I did some scouting pre season and when I located lots of fresh tracks (in and around 'food plots') I'd start out there...never failed to call one out.
Like most guys I don't like putting things in my mouth a blowing, so I used either a box call or a slate. Both worked really well as long as you practised and knew a variety of calls. I went to a friends farm and practised on his domestic turkeys, when they responded positively I kinda figured I was OK.
I never used decoys but from talking to locals who have used them it's a 50/50 split on effectivenes. I think it boils down to proper placement and calling sourrounding birds into them, kinda like duck decoys.
Sounds like Turkeyhunter is giving a good seminar at the show, hope to see him there.
Let us know how you made out with the hunt, think I might put in for that draw one of these years.

[ruger300]

I hear the weapon of choice is a 12 gauge shotgun using a 3 inch mag, #2 shot shell.

Either the regs have changed but I thought #4-6 shot is all that is allowed for turkey hunting.

ruger300

[Northern Hunting Mom]

Pretty silly reg to have if that's true. Most turkey hunters I've known use #2

[Tucumseh]

Either the regs have changed but I thought #4-6 shot is all that is allowed for turkey hunting.

Ruger, I'm not sure about that, I'll have to dig out the regs and take a look. Turkeys have thick feathers and I don't know if a # 4 would get the job done.

Remember the further the shot, the wider the pattern.

[Re: Turkeys]

Well guys let me clear it up for you.
The regs read as such " nothing larger than a number 2 and nothing smaller than a number 6". This means all shot sizes from 2 to 6 are legal shots.
As for using a number 2, nothing wrong with this but you are limiting your percentage just due to the fact that there are less pellets per shell. To be honest the fact that turkeys have lots of feathers should have nothing to do with it. You do not want to shoot a turkey anywhere else than in the head. Don't try to shoot him when he's in full strut or in the body. Pattern your shotgun so you know where its shooting and aim for the head when he comes out of strut and sticks his head up to see where that hen is! I personally use a number 6, mainly because you get more pellets per square inch in a pattern so you stand a much better chance of hitting the bird. It only takes one pellet in the right place to kill a bird so may be something to consider when you are choosing your shot size. Many of the current "turkey loads" available are excellent choices.
Good luck this spring with your hunts!!

[Cowboy Al]

Went to the turkey hunting seminar put on in the hunting tent at the Sportman show. I learned quite a few things and felt it was well worth attending.

[Seminar]

Thanks Cowboy Al,
I really enjoyed putting on the seminar's. It's great sharing knowledge with fellow turkey hunters. We're looking forward to the show in Edmonton. We'll be putting on the same seminar sessions there for anyone who wants to attend.