Newbie gear ?

[RedCloud]

Being a newbie at this turkey thing what would you guys suggest to get a guy started being on a limited budget ?

The only shotgun I have is a model 1300 Winchester that will shoot 3" shells and was looking at the undertaker chokes that are on sale at the DEN for $18

I have messed around with a slate call that Dante let me use last year and I don't know that I could do mouth calls. The slate was pretty cool and I thought I was getting fairly good at it for a first timer lol.

What range do you guys pattern your shots at ?

Anything that you guys can help with on info would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Huckleberry Finn]

PM sent - you are more than welcome to borrow my decoys and a few slate calls. I'll throw in my vest and bad luck for free!

--

Wingsupply normally has good deals on calls and decoys as well, but now I'm gonna be pissed if you turn down borrowing mine!

 

[xbowguy]

I have an undertaker choke on my 11-87 20 ga. Does a great job out to 30 yards. I've not used it further than that to know the pattern.

 

[jagermeister]

That choke will work fine for just starting out, Adam. Heck, for that matter, your factory full choke will work well enough, too. You really don't need anything fancy or complicated to kill turkeys. One of the easiest calls to run is a push button type call. Get yourself a cheap featherflex decoy or two... a hen, or a hen and a jake. If you have some camo with green in it, that'll work just fine. You can have all the gadgets in the world, but what it really boils down to is your setup. As far as patterning goes, I pattern my guns at whatever ranges I feel I have a chance at shooting while on a hunt. I want to know exactly what my chances are at any given distance. Last season I put a red dot scope on my turkey gun... I sighted it in with regular Federal target loads, then took a couple shots with the Hevi-13s I picked up... once at 20 yds, another at 40 yds. That was pretty much all I needed to do. The Hevi-13 is some amazing stuff.

 

[RedCloud]

Thanks Jim. I will take a look at the pattern with my factory full and see if Huck's undertaker will fit my Winchester since there are 2 model numbers for the Winchester I'm not sure what one goes in mine lol.

With the limited birds we have up here my learning is going to have to be fast and accurate lol. We don't have enough to mess up and still have a bird in the woods that wasn't there to work on lol. The largest group I have seen is 5 birds on my current properties so no room for error here lol.

 

[hickslawns]

I feel you there Adam. Pretty much how I feel right now. I am going to try it this year and there just aren't many birds to hunt. I better get it right the first time.

 

[jagermeister]

Thanks Jim. I will take a look at the pattern with my factory full and see if Huck's undertaker will fit my Winchester since there are 2 model numbers for the Winchester I'm not sure what one goes in mine lol.

With the limited birds we have up here my learning is going to have to be fast and accurate lol. We don't have enough to mess up and still have a bird in the woods that wasn't there to work on lol. The largest group I have seen is 5 birds on my current properties so no room for error here lol.

You'll be surprised. They're not really as smart as you'd think. Get out and do some scouting before the season starts... try to locate tracks in the mud, scratches in the leaves, and/or dust bowls in the fields... basically, figure out where the turkeys are spending a good bit of their time. If you set up near there, I'm sure you'll have some action. Like mrex said in his turkey tips thread, calling too much will get you in trouble sometimes. The best thing you can do is just get out there and hunt the darn things. You'll figure out pretty quick which tactics work and which ones don't.

 

[RedCloud]

You'll be surprised. They're not really as smart as you'd think. Get out and do some scouting before the season starts... try to locate tracks in the mud, scratches in the leaves, and/or dust bowls in the fields... basically, figure out where the turkeys are spending a good bit of their time. If you set up near there, I'm sure you'll have some action. Like mrex said in his turkey tips thread, calling too much will get you in trouble sometimes. The best thing you can do is just get out there and hunt the darn things. You'll figure out pretty quick which tactics work and which ones don't.

I hear ya man. I have been following the thread Mrex started and reading the comments and learning a lot from his thread as well as other TOO members threads over the past 2 years. I guess I will never learn unless I actually get out there and try so that's what I'm going to try this year. See what happens lol.

 

[Hoytmania]

Hey Adam just want to throw it out there. You are more than welcome to come over and sit in a blind with me at The Ridge some morning. I can't promise you anything as I am about as green as you are when it come to turkey hunting. Hey at least we will have fun failing together.

 

[bowhunter1023]

I'll make you a deal on the Strut Stopper choke I listed if Huck's don't work. It should fit your gun...

 

[RedCloud]

Thanks for the offer Steve. I might just have to come over for comic relief for ya lmao.

Jesse,

I will get with you as soon as I can meet up with Huck and see what works or not. Thanks for the heads up and offer of the choke man.

 

[Huckleberry Finn]

Jesse,

I will get with you as soon as I can meet up with Huck and see what works or not. Thanks for the heads up and offer of the choke man.

Get Jesse's. Mine is for Remington's and won't fit your Winchester.

 

[RedCloud]

Get Jesse's. Mine is for Remington's and won't fit your Winchester.

Just replied to his thread lmao. :smiley_clap:

 

[dante322]

You dont really need to spend a dime buddy. I've got plenty of calls, and decoys. you're welcome to use them any time. Hell, you can even use my gun if you want. Might as well make sure you like it before you spend a bunch of money on stuff.

I got called for jury duty starting may 1st. I dont know if I'm gonna have to do it or not. But with my luck I'll end up missing all but the first couple of days of turkey season. If not, we can both go out and call for each other.

 

[RedCloud]

You dont really need to spend a dime buddy. I've got plenty of calls, and decoys. you're welcome to use them any time. Hell, you can even use my gun if you want. Might as well make sure you like it before you spend a bunch of money on stuff.

I got called for jury duty starting may 1st. I dont know if I'm gonna have to do it or not. But with my luck I'll end up missing all but the first couple of days of turkey season. If not, we can both go out and call for each other.

Sounds good. Still going to grab that choke from Jesse though lol.

 

[buckbuster217]

Hey RC, if ya want to make a trip down to guernsey/muskingum county I would be happy to put ya on some birds one weekend, I can show ya how to screw it up down here!!!

 

[RedCloud]

Hey RC, if ya want to make a trip down to guernsey/muskingum county I would be happy to put ya on some birds one weekend, I can show ya how to screw it up down here!!!

Not to far from the TOO gathering we had last summer right ? I am sure I could screw up a turkey hunt down that way and the best part is....nobody would ever know since there isn't much for cell service lmao.

 

[Duck Commander]

I'd definitely take some time to learn a mouth call. It doesn't take as long as you might think. Once you get to the point where you're able to make any sound with it, that's when you start to understand how it works. That's when you can start to fine-tune your sound. Don't worry about purring and all that just yet. A simple cluck and yelp will suffice when you start. If you want to learn purring though and can't manage to do it with your throat or tongue, just flutter your lips like you're making a motorboat sound while making a high pitch noise with your mouth call. It's not how turkey hunters on tv do it but that shouldn't matter, both ways work on turkeys.

 

[Diablo54]

I'd definitely take some time to learn a mouth call. It doesn't take as long as you might think. Once you get to the point where you're able to make any sound with it, that's when you start to understand how it works. That's when you can start to fine-tune your sound. Don't worry about purring and all that just yet. A simple cluck and yelp will suffice when you start. If you want to learn purring though and can't manage to do it with your throat or tongue, just flutter your lips like you're making a motorboat sound while making a high pitch noise with your mouth call. It's not how turkey hunters on tv do it but that shouldn't matter, both ways work on turkeys.

Imo the best way to learn is to make a high pitch and then a long low pitch. Practice doing that an the. Slowly bring it all together.

 

[brock ratcliff]

I have enough turkey gear to know I don't need it. My dad had one little slate call, an 870 Wingmaster chambered in 2 3/4, and greenish coveralls. He killed a turkey every season he wanted to. Its hard to believe all the gear and guns that have developed over the years to turkey hunt when really all a person needs is an alarm clock and a shotgun of some kind. Whatever you wind up with, hope you have a great season!