Welcome to TheOhioOutdoors
Wanting to join the rest of our members? Login or sign up today!
Login / Join

Turkey Killing Tips

Carpn

*Supporting Member*
2,234
87
Wooster
Your right. Alot of guys strive for super duper tight patterns to reach out but end up missing a close bird. While nice tight, even pattern is important I have kilt alot more birds at less than 20 than I have killed over 40. A tight pattern is good, I kinda think you can take it too far. If they are close ya just gotta bear down and make sure and keep your cheek on the stock. Most turkeys are missed from people peeking at em and takin their cheek off the gun resulting in them shooting over the bird.
 

Gordo

Senior Member
5,515
121
Athens County
This one seems it would be obvious, but I'll let her rip since it screwed me my first time turkey hunting.

I knew I had a bird coming into me from the west, as he was making all kinds of ruckus. When I positioned myself up against the tree I was facing the exact direction he was coming from, straight away.

Well sure enough the bird pops up 20 yards away but to my right. Needless to say in the position I was in I could not swing my gun to the right.

If I would have been set up with my left shoulder facing the direction I knew he was coming from, instead of having my shoulders squared up, I would have dusted his ass.

Hope that one makes sense.
 

Gern186

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
10,171
201
NW Ohio Tundra
This one seems it would be obvious, but I'll let her rip since it screwed me my first time turkey hunting.

I knew I had a bird coming into me from the west, as he was making all kinds of ruckus. When I positioned myself up against the tree I was facing the exact direction he was coming from, straight away.

Well sure enough the bird pops up 20 yards away but to my right. Needless to say in the position I was in I could not swing my gun to the right.

If I would have been set up with my left shoulder facing the direction I knew he was coming from, instead of having my shoulders squared up, I would have dusted his ass.

Hope that one makes sense.

Very good point Gordo. If you know where a bird is coming from then you must think ahead on the positioning of not only yourself but also your swing path of your weapon. Also, get your gun up and be looking down the barrel long before that bird gets within range so that you will have very little movement left to do when he gets real close. That will prevent him from busting you. In addition to that, when taking off the safety, do it as quietly as possible.
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,721
248
Ohio
Sounds similar to coyote hunting. I usually sit on an angle rather than head on. I look straight toward my farthest right shot direction and watch over my left shoulder. Being right handed I can swing my gun left more fluidly than right.
 

jagermeister

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
18,060
223
Ohio
This one seems it would be obvious, but I'll let her rip since it screwed me my first time turkey hunting.

I knew I had a bird coming into me from the west, as he was making all kinds of ruckus. When I positioned myself up against the tree I was facing the exact direction he was coming from, straight away.

Well sure enough the bird pops up 20 yards away but to my right. Needless to say in the position I was in I could not swing my gun to the right.

If I would have been set up with my left shoulder facing the direction I knew he was coming from, instead of having my shoulders squared up, I would have dusted his ass.

Hope that one makes sense.

Excellent tip right there! I like to do the same thing when hunting waterfowl in fields.... Angling the layout blinds just slightly to the right (if you shoot right-handed) allows for a more natural and more comfortable swing of the gun. I never really thought about applying this same mentality to turk hunting, but I sure will now!
 

Kaiser878

Senior Member
2,633
97
ohio
Very good point Gordo. If you know where a bird is coming from then you must think ahead on the positioning of not only yourself but also your swing path of your weapon. Also, get your gun up and be looking down the barrel long before that bird gets within range so that you will have very little movement left to do when he gets real close. That will prevent him from busting you. In addition to that, when taking off the safety, do it as quietly as possible.

Get your gun up? Look down your barrel? Taking off your safety? COme on chad!!!!!!! Man up and shoot one with a bow! hahaha
 

jagermeister

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
18,060
223
Ohio
"""My first Turkey tasted like crap!"""

just a belch here, I have always deep fried em ! Yum. Yum.

Turkey Nuggets are the Bang.

Oh yea oh yea oh yea... breaded and deep fried turkey nuggets smothered in buffalo sauce... love it. BTW, welcome to TOO!
 

mrex

*Supporting member*
439
79
Many times we will start the morning in an area and only hear 1 bird gobbling on the roost. We take that bird out and the next morning there are multiple birds gobbling in the same area. This has happened twice already this season. It's like you kill 1 and 3 come to bury him. It doesn't take subordinate gobblers long to figure out that the beast is dead. This is one of the reasons that public land hunting gets better as the season progresses.
 

mrex

*Supporting member*
439
79
Maybe I need to check out public ground then..... Startin to feel like I couldn't get a Turkey @ Krogers.

As you know, there's not a lot of public hunting in Licking Co, but Perry and Muskingum to your south and east have many thousands of acres. I am fortunate to have 10k+ acres of public hunting within 20 minutes of me and we hunt it a lot...especially the 2nd half of the season. I went on a scouting mission through Zaleski State Forest a few years ago on a perfect morning during the 3rd week of season. I "stop and yelped" every place I could get my truck off the road from one end to the other and made at least a dozen birds gobble from the road...and saw a grand total of 6 vehicles on 27,000 acres of public hunting. Everybody thinks that everybody goes there...so nobody goes there.
 

xbowguy

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
29,632
234
Licking Co. Ohio
To be honest Mike, I have never looked into public ground. In fact, didn't even know there was any in Licking Co. I've always had a place to hunt for deer but not much on the Turkey's. Will have to look that up later on this evening. Thanks Mike.
 

aholdren

Senior Member
Supporting Member
5,178
151
South East Ohio
Can't help much with this one, but I would definitely look at being close to there roosting areas if you have any that are being used consistantly.
 

finelyshedded

You know what!!!
Supporting Member
31,855
260
SW Ohio
How does rainy days like today effect turkey movement? Is it worth even trying? Does effect fly down time? Do they stay back in woods to strut? What are some other observations y'all have noticed when hunting in rain? Thanks