If I were into turkey calls and calling, this article would be mostly about turkey calls and calling. I find calling a turkey very forgiving. Like people, different turkeys have different pitched voices. It’s more the timing and rhythm of the call that is important. Less is better. Like people, anyone who talks too much is bound to run out of the truth sooner or later!
Camo is good, especially on your hands and face. I prefer a face mask and mesh gloves. It is hard to beat a load of number 5’s through a Briley Super Full Turkey choke. It’s my favorite turkey load. If you prefer 4’s or 6’s, that’s okay too. But use a turkey choke! A normal full choke will not consistently do the job past 20-25 yards.
A hen decoy is a valuable tool, not only to help centralize your shooting area, but also to mark distance. If you set your decoy at 15-20 yards away, your chances of a shot within 30 yards go way up. Before you start calling, use a range finder or just walk off the yardage out to 35 yards. Know your range so when it’s time to take the shot you will know if the turkey is in range or not. Don’t take the shot unless the bird is in range. It’s not worth the risk.
It’s our experience that the greater the range, the more precise the shot must be – even with a shotgun. If you take a long shot, it is imperative that you center the pattern on the turkey’s neck. The center of the pattern is always the tightest part of the pattern. If the muzzles moves as little as ¼ of an inch when you pull the trigger, it could result in not only a miss, but worse, a non-lethal shot. Hard to believe, but I know it is a fact. This is why we recommend the point of aim be on the turkeys’ neck where the feathers stop.
This is also why we recommend you never go into the turkey woods without shooting sticks. Turkey hunting is more like deer hunting than bird hunting. You can bring all the right stuff to go hunting, but if you can’t make the shot when it’s time to take the shot, nothing good can happen.
On a recent fishing trip to the 74 Ranch, I talked to two of the guides about the most common mistakes people make while turkey hunting. Jeff Clark explained to me that many of the people he guided were either inexperienced or physically challenged. Guiding these types of hunters presented some unique challenges to him. He had to get the birds in close, in order for his hunters to be able to make a good shot. Decoy placement is critical and the hunters need to be concealed. He would spend many hours scouting and building ground blinds. Jeff also agreed with me that the most common problem people have is being able to make a good clean shot.
Milton Groff explained another problem he sees in the people he guides on turkey hunts. “People move way too fast when turkey is in range and they are getting into position to take the shot. We typically see hunters move slow when setting up and beginning to call, but they get excited and move way too fast when getting ready to shoot.”
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