Conference vmsnet::hunting$note:hunting

    
    
    Does anyone have any information on turkey hunting in NH???
    We were interested of hunting up there this year, but have
    no clue when the season is, or what the best places to go are..
    We'd be bow hunting... if that makes any difference
    
    

    	Hmmmmmmm. My favorite hunting spot, OK
    
    	IT's east of New York state, south of Vermont, north of Conn,
    and west of Boston. That should narrow it down a bit!!??!! 8*)
    
    	Not to be to rude but the location of spots that produce for me 
    never slip from my lips or out my finger tips.
    
    	Now IF I could have found a spot that would produce this year
    I Would have been all set.
    
    	I did work 2 nice birds this year but was not able to get them
    in close enough for a shot I felt would make a sure, quick kill.
    
    	Story time will have my years hunt in it one of these days.
    
    	Steve Who_will_be_eating_Deli_turkey_loaf_this_year.. 8#( Not
    to mention a little Crow.... 8^)

    
    
    Does anyone know the rules for hunting turkeys in NH?????
    
    

    I have a copy of the N.H. turkey hunting rules.  It covers both
    shotgun and archery rules.  I also have the kill reports for the
    past two seasons which will list the towns where birds were taken.
    It can help narrow down some potential hunting spots.  Our fall
    season is archery only and a tolal of three birds were taken last
    fall.  If your looking for a challenge try fall turkey in NH.
    Send me a mail message and I'll make a copy and send it to ya'.
     How did you guys make out in Mass this spring ?? Has anyone else
    out there taken any gobblers this season ?
    
    Bruce

    
    
     Can anyone give me any suggestions on how to field dress one of these
    wiley old birds ? Only 10 more days !!!!
    
                                             Mark

    Ever done a pheasent? Same thing just bigger!!!!!!!!!!!

    Went on my first "look see" of the season yesterday. I found some
    promising sign, and did hear one or two birds (before I even started
    into the area). Once I went in I'm sure I was too noisy, the crusty
    snow made a hell of a racket.
    
    I have some questions, and I want all you experienced turkey hunters to
    let it all out, above and beyond my questions.  So lets get things
    rolling for this spring season (mass.), there is a fall season this year
    too. I am still a virgin, of baging a turkey, so all the info you can
    spare would be very helpful.
    
    What are the birds eating this time of year and where? ie. cow fields,
    woods?  When they roost, how high do they go in the tree, and what type
    of trees?
    
    I'm really looking forward to this hunting season, good luck guys/gals!
    
    Don
    
    
    

    I finally did see some birds..  WOW!   Is it obvious I cant wait for
    the season to start..  Well anyway, they were on posted land (next step
    is to meet the land owner) just off the road. We stoped, got out and
    looked at them for a while. My buddy gave one little cut on his call
    and whoosh, they all took off for the far side of the field they were
    in. I said "remember that sound, and NEVER repeat that again!" . They
    must have interpreted it as a danger signal. They all took off at the
    same time and gave a similar call. I thought the danger call for a turk
    was a double putt (putt putt). Am I wrong?
    
    On a somewhat different note:  While watching the 6:00 news on channel
    4, the sports segment to be exact. An interview with Wade Boggs was in
    progress when he was asked, "if the lock out lasts much longer what
    will you do?" Wade replied "well spring turkey season it just around
    the corner". One of the only good things I've heard him say. Lobell
    also asked about his relationship with Oil Can Boyd, Wade said "I
    always thought we had a good relationship", what can you expect from
    Wade, he also thought he and Margot had a good relationship...  :^)
    
    Can't wait...
    Don
    

    
     I've been waiting for the 1990 spring season to start since last
    April !!  I'm ready.
     It sounds to me your friend has perfected the "alarm putt".  You
    gave him some good advice when you told him "remember that sound
    and NEVER repeat it again".  He may try to tone it down a little,
    less volume, and get away with it.  The cluck and the putt are very
    similar in the way they are produced with the putt being more
    aggressive (louder).  I would not practice my calls on turkeys I
    intended to hunt unless you have several different types, box, slate
    or diaphragm.  Practice with the ones you don't intend to hunt with.
    
    Good luck this spring, I'll be out there.
    
    Bruce

    
       I'm mostly a deer hunter but have often thought of turkey hunting!
    I live in New Hampshire and my question is , how does a person go 
    about getting started? I have all the camo clothes but I wouldn't
    know were to go,what to look for for sign.Besides actually seeing 
    the gooblers,is there any other way of telling if there in an area?
    
                                              ,gus

    Gus,
    
    There is a lot of good info in this notes file. Note 339 is good, or
    do a dir/title="turkey" and you'll get most of the turkey notes, but
    there are others too. There are videos you can rent, and there are
    plenty of them. One of the better ones that I've seen is by 3M (I
    think) titled "How to find and hunt Eastern Wild Turkey". Its a little
    long and they seem to reiterate a lot, I guess they try and drive home
    the info.
    
    Don
    
    

    3 rookies, bag one Jake!
    
    It was a text book hunt! I really learned a lot about these birds
    during our week in the woods.
    
    Sunday night (5/6) we managed to put a gobbler to bed. We did our
    homework weeks before and had this area fairly well surveyed. Earlier
    in the day we walked an area that we hadn't checked out, looking for
    sign but with no luck. We went to our area that we had some sign and
    split  up to cover as much as possible. Once the real owls started
    hooting, I did as well. On the way out of the woods we had a gobbler
    responding to us. We marked the spot and hiked out.
    
    We were back there before sunrise, spread out along our mark and
    started into the woods. As we were walking in that guy just gobbled
    up a storm. He really helped us locate him. At 05:15 we were in
    position and all gave some soft tree yelps to let eachother know we
    were set and aprox. where each of us were.
    
    At 06:00 I saw him glide down out of his roost. A beautiful sight! My
    brother was in the center doing the calling, as he has the better call.
    While my buddy and I flanked him. Damon (my bro) was up higher than us
    on a small knoll, while we were in small valleys that led up to him,
    one on each side of Damon. I was the only one who saw the Jake fly
    down, my heart was going a mile a second! Well our system worked, he
    came up the valley to the right of Damon, I was on the left :^(  . At
    06:30 Scott fired and shot him. 
    
    He had stopped gobbling some 45 min. earlier. Scott said if he had not
    gobbled just before he walked up towards Scott, he would not have been
    ready to fire. I, on the other side of the knoll did not hear the last
    gobble. The woods really eat up the sounds, so if you hear the guy,
    you're pretty close. After the shot, I sat still for a few seconds and
    I saw a hen run by then take off. 		A great first day!
    
    That night Damon and I put another to bed. It was raining, so our foot
    steps were soft and quite, plus the rain was making noise. We walked up
    on 3 hens as we were locating the Boss Tom. We figured he was a bigger
    smarter Tom cause we hunted him for 3 days. He just would not come in.
    The Jake was anxious and came running in that first day. On Tuesday
    (5/8) we had been sitting for 3 hours when another hunter came up
    behind us making all kinds of noise. This guy was tring to locate a
    bird, and would not shut up. He would call, wait 20 seconds then call
    again. This went on for over an hour, we were hoping this guy would
    leave. Finally we got up and spoke to him (as nicely as possible) and
    tried to work our bird again. No luck that day, we packed out.
    
    We ate the Jake on Wednesday night. He dressed out at 14 lbs. Boy did
    he taste good! Very moist and tender, better than a store bought bird,
    I really didnt expect that. We had some things to do so we didnt get
    back to our spot till Friday (5/11).
    
    We had that Boss Tom gobbling all morning. He wanted us to come to him.
    When it sounded like he was leaving, we did try to move closer. A big
    mistake! What had happened was, he dropped behind a small ridge, so it
    sounded like he had moved off when in fact he moved about 20 yds. We
    walked up to the edge of the ridge and I saw him leap into the air he
    was gone in a second. Done for that day!
    
    On Saturday (5/12) we had the same Boss Tom, in the same area. We didnt
    move this time, but after 3 and 1/2 hours he stopped talking and we
    figured he got some hen to go to him and well, he was busy... We waited
    a while but to no avail.
    
    All and all a great time. I used to hike quite a bit years ago, and it
    was great to get deep into the woods again. What a pleasant difference
    from pheasent hunting. I cant wait till the fall hunt, and next year's. 
    
    Don

    Well, my pre-season scouting was a disaster. I managed to trash the
    engine in my Bonco II (its a long story). But we did manage to locate a
    couple of birds. Sunday night we put one to roost, and we worked him in
    the morning. Unfortuneately, another hunter heard the comotion and set
    up on the same bird. We then had the bird going back and forth between
    us (no doubt very confused!). 
    
    Finally the bird went silent, and a second bird started gobbling a
    little futher up the ridge. No we had two different birds going in the
    same area. In a few more minutes the second bird showed in front of the
    other group, a shot rang out, and the first bird flushed right over my
    head. 
    
    So much for opening day...
    
    Saturday we were back in the same area. We linked up with a bird at
    about 9 oclock, but he'd come no closer than 100 ft. I could see him,
    but he was a wise bird. At 10:30 we were headed through a field to call
    it a day. For the fun of it, I let loose a call, and got an immediate
    answer...not too bright...never call unless you are sure you can get to
    some cover. We hoofed it to the stone wall bordering the woodlot and
    called again. Got an immediate answer. This bird was on the move...
    We were in a good position and I could now see the bird (a young jake).
    As he closed to within 50 yards, you guessed it...a shot rang out, the
    bird tumbled and a hunter appeared to claim "his" bird. He never some
    much as called once.
    
    Oh well...all in all, I had a great spring. I made 5 trips to the woods
    either scouting or hunting and scared up at least one tom each time.
    I learned a few more tricks to add to the bag for next year. Hopefully
    next year I'll have the whole week.
    
    
    Guy
    

    Ok, I want to hear from the fall turkey hunters (Mass). Did you go? How
    was your luck? I heard on the radio that 2000 birds were taken, can
    anyone verify?
    
    Also how did you find the crossing seasons, deer (archery) and turkey
    (bow or shotgun). I was concerned that we would ruin each others
    hunting, or worse there could have been an accident.
    
    While I was in the woods. I know there were bow hunters in the area. I
    did not see any turkeys and I wonder if my scent did spook any deer that
    may come into the area.
    
    
    Don
    

     Well, here's a first (for me, anyway).  I was driving southbound this
    morning on rt. 495. About a mile north of the rt 110 exit in Haverhill,
    I caught some motion ahead along the side of the road. Lo and behold,
    there was a huge Tom winging his way in for a landing, right beside the
    highway during rush hour. Got right up to the area where he landed, and
    there he was, just struttin around.
     I never would have believed these critters would knowingly zoom in so
    close to civilization.
    
    Too much!
    
    Bob

    Love makes you do strange things!

    
    Just saw a beautiful tom yesterday as I was riding around. Must
    have had at least a three inch beard. Not bad for northern MA.
    Didn't even know there were any of em around here.....
    
    sjn

    
                         I heard N.H. has opened up
                         turkey hunting to the entire
                         state starting May 4 is that
                         rumor or what? Any pointers
                         for N.H. Turkeys!!!!!!!
    Thanks Mike 

    Went to pick up my hunting/fishing partner Sunday AM, but he was still
    in bed. So, took a drive a few miles out to where we've seen birds
    in a field before. Pulled over, took out my new owl hooter, blew
    a 'who-cooks-for-you?' and damned if _two_ gobblers didn't start
    going crazy! about a hundred yards into the woods. They gobbled for
    ten solid minutes back and forth. I am definitely hot for May!
    
    (And here I thought this owl-hooter was just a bunch of hooey them
    good ol' boys down south was selling us Yankees! ;-) )

    Has anyone received their Mass Turkey Permits? They were suposed to be
    mailed April 1st. 
    
    Don

    nope

    I called the Fish & Wildlife in Westboro. They said they're not going
    to send them out until 10 days from today...So..~4/26...
    
    
    Steve

                  
                      
                        I got my stamp and regulations.
                        N.H. has no closed Towns for 
                        Turkeys. Can anyone recommend
                        any good turkey calls for Tom's.
    Thanks Mike  
                 

    re .23
    Mike,
    
    The Rio Grande turkeys we hunt here in Texas respond reasonably well
    to the LYNCH box call. I have been lucky enough to get at least 1 tom
    a year for the last 10 years. Last year I got my first one with a bow.
    To keep your hands free (ala bowhunting) you can glue velcro to the
    bottom of the call and sew the other half of the velcro to your camo
    on the top of your thigh. keeps the call handy and in-place in all
    positions for hunting. 
    
    GOOD LUCK and have fun,
    Harvey
    

    RE: .22
    
    	Thats cutting it kinda close if you are going the first week. Oh
    well, I hope the postal service doesnt let Murphy sort my mail.  :^)
    
    RE: .23
    
    	"Here, turkey turkey!"   :^)
    
    This is the one part of the job that takes time and experience to
    learn. What may work on one Tom may not on another. Change your calling
    style if things are not working. Go from soft contented yelps to loud
    excited cackels, or vise versa. Change your call as well, just the
    tone change from going to another call may call him in.
    
    I'm going to try a new method this year called the "fighting purr".
    It goes against the normal calling/hunting style. We'll see, I'll let 
    you know how it works.
    
    Don

    You might want to pick up a casette tape on turkey calling, and listen
    a few times to the experts. While you probably won't be able to
    duplicate their calls exactly, at least you'll know which call o
    use when. (With numerous exceptions, of course.) 
    
    I personally use a slate call, combined with an owl hooter for early
    morning 'shock' calling. I expect that someday I'll try a diaphragm
    call, but not now. (I'm already driving people crazy practicing ;-) )
    
    The important thing is to get out there and try.

    I have found the best place to practice the diaphragm is in my car on
    the way to and from work.  (No wonder Mass. drivers are so bad). Unless
    you car pool there is no one to bother, you have a casette player right
    there, and your hands are occupied just as if you had a gun in them.
    People just think you are singing along with the radio when they look
    at you.  Naturally I will try to one hand a slate call one of these
    days on the way in.  This is my first year at turkeys, so if the
    weather is good and I don't get shot, I'll consider it a successful
    hunt.
    
    Paul

    Yea, I used to do that with my goose call, but boy did I ever get some
    strange looks at stoplights!
    
    Mark,
    

                 Thanks I picked up Turkey Call box
                 by Primos a broud Hen call. The call
                 sounds great but will have to wait and
                 see. The season opens Monday I hope can get
                 out by the weekend. What benefit is to have 
                 the Owl call?  Good Luck to all!!!!!!!! 
    Mike G.

    
    
        Mike,
     ya ole huntin fool, now your gonna start chaseing turkeys too(-:
    
       The owl hooter is a good thing to have along when you go out just
    before dark to listen for a turkey to go on roost, at last light let
    rip with a whooo coooks foooor yooooooou and wait a minute if there is 
    a gobbler in the area it will probably start to gobble. put a mental
    direction and distance on the bird, then try to go home and sleep ha
    ha.
        then before first light try to get into 100-150 yrds from the bird
    and sometimes you can make them gobble in the morning by owl hooting
    also., when you make the first calls make them low volume, they call it
    tree calling, then if they answer you it makes it easier to tell if you 
    need to move in closer or not.
     
         Once you get the tom talking I ussually answer him unless there is 
    a long absence of gobbling then I will cluck  or putt a few times and
    that ussually got the bird talking again. 
         set very still and AFTER you verify that its a bird when it walks 
    behind the first tree pull a bead on it, allways shoot for the head,
    get to the bird as quick as possible after you shoot(they run faster 
    than you can) if the bird is still flapping be carefull of the beak and
    the spurs.
        And one very important thing, WATCH OUT FOR OTHER HUNTERS! not
    meaning that you may shoot someone but there are guys out there that
    think stalking a bird in the spring is the best way to hunt them even 
    though its against the law. 
    
       you may also want to try a crow call at night also, they work too.
    
     I have seen several turkeys within a mile of the house in the last
    week, yesterday there was a really nice gobbler just outside my back
    yard.
    
                    Good luck to you all,
     
                                                Lee
    
    p.s. ya dont have to be a stranger mike, they invented the phone a long 
    time ago.
    

    Went out early one morning this week. Took my lady friend to show her a
    wild turkey. Because I know I can call one in!!!   :^)
    
    Well, I thought if we saw some sign it would be a successful scouting
    trip. And Linda could experience some of the "great outdoors"! The trip
    was a complete success. We started hiking in about 04:00 along an old
    cart road. After an hour of walking, we went off the trail to a spot I
    know that has held turkeys. Walking slowly, its just starting to get
    light, and Linda taps me on the leg with her walking stick. I look at
    her and she points up into the trees. I think this girl is crazy, she
    must be seeing things. It took me about 40 seconds to see and outline
    of what might be a turkey, I think to myself NAW... Then the damn thing
    moved. I pointed to a base of a tree and we set up right there. 40 min.
    later, its bright enough to see its a hen. While we set up I could see
    the hen was nervous, and tring to see who/what we were. After we sat
    for the 40 min. she forgot all about us and started doing her thing.
    She started flufing her feathers, talking, stretching and flapping
    her wings. 5 min later she glided to the ground and was gone.
    
    Linda was thrilled! I never really thought we would see a bird. Too bad
    it wasn't a tom, being that close (55 feet) hearing and watching a
    tom gobble would have knocked me out. The experience was great! Now
    Linda understands a little more about why I go out there...
    
    Hunt safe. Good luck out there. 3 days to go!
    Don

    Does COPPER shot make a real difference?  What are the advantages over
    lead or steel.  Some where in this note I read that using steel gives
    you more pellets per ounce thus a better chance of catching the bird
    with a few, especially if you are trying for a head shot.  A sales
    clerk told me copper has better penetrating power, is this true or was
    the attempt to penetrate my wallet.  Is it like a vampire and a silver
    bullet, the turkey realizes it go hit with "copper shot" and
    immediately drops to the ground. :^).  Seriously are there any
    benefits?
    
    Paul 
    
    I got the second Mass. Spring season, so I'll be batting clean-up, May
    11-23.

    
    
       Paul,
       the best advise is shoot what paterns the best out of you shotgun
    and dont be afraid to use 7 1/2 shot for a head shot. they are a tough
    bird to put down but a head hit will drop them on the spot.
    
        Copper and steel shot would be a good choice later in the season
    because it holds a good patern out farther and thats where the birds
    will be later in the season after becoming call shy.
    
                                                             Lee
    

Well, my partner & i finally got to go turkey hunting. In Ontario, to
hunt turkeys you have to take a 1 day course, which was available in
Ottawa for the 1st time a month or 2 ago.
About 300 birds have been released in various areas of Ontario since
1984 and the population is now ~10000.

We picked a spot that was close to my inlaws cottage & then purchased
the 1:50000 topo maps and then went down & looked at air-photos (using
a stereoscope) to get a feel for the terrain and check the mix of
hardwoord/softwood. The spot we picked had some good hills, a mixture
of hardwood/softwood, a creek ran thru the main valley, and it was an
agreement forest (hunting was allowed).

We got there Wednesday afternoon (season opened on Monday) & did some
scouting. We found a couple of tracks, but couldn't get any response
at dusk with the owl hoot.

We arrived the next morning about 7:15 (alarm didn't go off so we were
late). I hadn't mastered the diaphram calls yet so my partner had
purchased a box call at the last minute. As we got out of the truck i
gave a couple of squaks with the diaphram call, my partner then gave a
short gobble with the box call & we got an immediate response from
about 200 yds up the hill. We were using the 2-man ambush method, i
had the shotgun and he was using a bow and calling. He set up & i
found a good spot on the intercept course, but we never got another
response. We tried for an hour. We wandered the forest trying to get a
respobse, but everything was quiet, so at noon (when the hunting day
ends) we got out the woods. We returned at dusk, and couldn't get any
response with the owl/crow calls.

The next day we got there earlier, but no response. We wandered
around & finally got a distant gobble (500 yds+). We made our way to
the top of the next ridge & got another response, but he was in the
next valley, and it was very open from there to the ridge we were on.
We tried for a 1/2 hr, but no more responses. So we gave up & wandered
again, but nothing. It was raining hard at dusk so we didn't do any
locating calling.

Saturday (our last day) we got there just after daybreak & as we got
out of the truck i heard a gobble from about 200 yds away. We picked
our spots, again with me on the intercept course. Unfortunately, the
terrain was quite open between the gobbler and us. My partner called
for 2 hours, and the gobbler kept repsonding, but wouldn't come any
closer. All of a sudden, we got a new gobble from our right, but this
put me on the wrong side of my partner. I snuck thru the bush to my
partners right, but couldn't get in front without fear of the gobbler
seeing me. The gobbler came to within 20 yds of my partner, but
neither of us could se him. He gobbled & gobbled. but wouldn't show.
My partner tried some soft yelps on the diaphram (to keep his hands on
the bow), but the gobbler moved away gobbling all the while. We got up
& moved out on the road & watched him walk & gobble away about 200 yds
up the road. We got back in the truck & drove up the road, hoping to
get on the other side of him, but there was another truck parked at
the top & we didn't want to intrude on another hunter. We parked the
truck back where we were & walked up the road to where we had been
calling, as we were walking we heard a very close gobble from where we
worked the 1st bird. Again we set up, with me between the gobbler &
the caller. The 1st call brought him into view, and he strutted and
gobbled every call as he worked his way towards me. Because he was
walking towards me i couldn't make out a beard, but at 20 yds he
finally gave me a profile and i could see the beard dangling, that was
all i needed.

1 Turkey (Jake)
Beard Length - 5.5"
Spur Length  - 3/16"
Weight	     - 14 lbs

I have to admit, it was exciting. My heart was pounding as he worked
his way towards me. I can't wait til next year (by then i should have
mastered the diaphram call).

    re .32
                                    
    As re .33 noted pattern your gun.  EVERY gun shoots different depending
    on the ammo.  My Winchester 1200 shoots wonderfully with copper plated
    shot, as it does with magnum lead (hard lead), but with steel it just
    plain stinks in anything tighter than improved cylinder.   The pattern
    is very spotty, and I wouldn't think of shooting at a turkey using the
    stuff.  From my duck/goose hunting experience copper plated/buffered
    shot is fantastic...and is more forgiving from gun to gun.
    
    Killing power - steel should be good if you are shooting for the 
    head, remember steel will not deform when hitting the bird and most
    likely pass through, but if it's in the head/neck this shouldn't be
    a problem.  When legal I always go with lead, but I mostly hunt birds
    on the wing, and I would like my pellets to remain in the bird for
    energy transfer...if I could hit their heads consistently steel would
    work very well...
    
    On patterning, I use scrap cardboard, place a large dot (bullseye) in 
    the center, place a tack on a piece of string 15" long with a pen at
    one end.  With the tack in the center of the bullseye make a circle
    with the pen, and you have an official shotgun patterning target, a
    30" circle.  Of course use a different piece of cardboard or use paper
    over the board for every shot.  Count the pellets within the circle,
    shoot from 30 yards.  You could also modify this using a turkey pattern
    within the circle and shoot for the head and see what you get.  This 
    may be more appropriate for you.
    
    Just some thoughts from a duck/goose hunter...
    
    Kevin

    I have taken my first wild turkey. It was great! details to follow in a
    day or two.
    
    What I need to know right away is what to do with the tail in order to
    get it ready to mount?
    
    Don

    I bought a tail mounting kit and talked to the guy at the store. There
    was also instructions on the package. I skinned the bird around the
    tail and beard so that all the feathers were still attatched by skin. I
    also left feathers around the beard area, the mount picture did not do
    this but the display in the store did. It looked real nice. I also left
    alot of the smaller feathers in front of the tail in tack. I then
    scraped off as much as the meat as possible making sure not to get to
    close to the feathers. They said if you got too close when it dried the 
    feathers could fall out. The kit came with Borax which was rubbed
    heavily into the remaining skin/meat area. It also said to tape the
    beard ~1/2" (With medical or electrical tape.) to prevent it from
    falling apart in the future. Then just place it together and tack it
    into the plaque. WHich I'm taking to be engraved today!!! I may need to
    modify the back of the plaque because I left extra feathers in tack,
    but it looks nice. The kit cost ~$15.00. I bought it at the check in
    station...B&G Sporting Goods. The guy at the store said you could use
    salt if you had no Borax.
    
    Hope this helps,
    
    Steve

    This year is the first time I went Turkey hunting. I got one this
    spring and now it's coming to the fall season. I've heard that hunting
    them in the fall is different. I was told that one should learn to
    master the Kee Kee call(?). I bought a double kee kee diaphram
    call...but don't know what the call should sound like. It sounds
    nothing like the yelp of a call box. Although, this is my first
    diaphram call and I know I need more practice. Is it supposed to have
    the same sound as a yelping hen or is it different???
    
    Steve

    Steve,
    
    The kee-kee or kee-kee run is problably one of the more difficult
    calls to master on a diaphram caller.  Good call to use in the fall,
    Not a bad call to use in the spring for that matter.
    
    It sounds like a high pitched or shrill sounding whistle.  Its 
    almost musical like.  The cadence is roughly the same as yelping.
    
    To make the call, force air between your tongue and the latex.
    More tongue pressure makes a high pitch sound, and less makes
    a lower pitch.  Get a high pitch sound and try saying the words
    "pee pee" or "tee tee."  You might want to throw in a yelp or 
    two after three or four kee kees and then start over.
    
    I don't think that you can imitate the sound on your box caller.
    I've heard Dick Kirby do it on a slate but I don't know how he 
    did it!  Just practice and you'll get it.
    
    Scott.

    re: .32
    
    I think copper "COATED" hard lead shot has an advantage over steel or 
    soft lead shot.  Steel shot is lighter than lead so you may be able to 
    get more pellets per ounce, but a shotshell only holds so many pellets
    no matter how much they weigh.  Therefore the lighter shot would be
    a hindrance rather than a benefit.  Sure, steel generally will give a 
    tighter pattern than lead due to its hardness, but its light weight
    in my opinion is a detriment in turkey hunting.
    
    Copper coated hard lead shot when loaded with grex or other buffering
    will retain its roundess giving a good tight pattern with minimal
    "flyers" just like steel, but since lead is heavier than steel, the
    shot charge will retain more energy...- It'll hit harder!
    
    The only advantage steel has over lead is that steel is legal and lead
    isn't in waterfowling.  So save your steel loads for ducks and pattern
    some copper coated pellets in your turkey gun!
    
    Scott.

    I will have to re-patten a new turkey gun this spring, in May the day
    before the season opened my house was broken into an my gun got stolen
    along with my stereo and all my turkey calling tapes that wasn't all
    they got just the most important.  What timing.  I started practicing
    my calls this week on the way to work once again, this year I'll get
    out there if I have to use a lead filled copper pipe as a club. 
    
    The copper coated shot did patten better than lead for me.
    
    Paul 

    Last year I joined, The National Wild Turkey Federation, it seems
    to be a legitimate organixation with many positive goals.  They send 
    a bi-monthly magazine "Turkey Call", which has interesting articales on
    many aspects of the wild turkey, not just hunting but conservation, 
    preservation and general turkey interest.  I can't remember the cost 
    but I think it was around $25.00 a year.  If any one is interested 
    the address is:
    	
    	The National Wild Turkey Federation, Inc.
    	P. O. Box 530
        Edgefield, SC  29824
    
        Phone: 1-800-THE-NWTF
    
    
    
    Paul 

I cant believe I forgot to post the most important turkey story of my life!

This week being a little slow I was perusing the notes file and found my note
399.36. In it I say I'll post the details of my  May 1992 hunt in a few days, 
then I wait almost a year to do it.   Sorry boys and girls.  Well better late
than never, here goes.



3 of us went into the woods and set up a camp on Sunday May 3rd. A great spot
near a stream, and central to the area we hunt. That night out scouting and
giving the old owl hoots.  Nuttin!  So opening day was spent trying to locate
some birds and just sitting tight hoping some came by. Having hunting stop at
11:00 gives you the rest of the day to catch up on sleep and enjoying the great
outdoors. You really need this (and I thought they did it for the birds) as, in
evening, I walk 30 min to an hour to an area, sit quiet for 40 min or so, then
owl hoot.  This puts the time to be aprox. 7:45 and I am usually hiking back to
camp in total dark. Once you grab a bite to eat and get ready for the next days
hunt it's 11:00pm. Then up again at 3:00 or 4:00, depending on where I'm hunting
This does not give you much rest, so that's why you can only hunt till 11:00am,
to catch up on sleep!

So now its Monday (5/4) evening and we all go separate ways to try and locate 
some birds. Again, Nuttin!  For me that is, my brother Damon had a gobble off in
the distance, and our buddy Scott failed to locate a bird that night. Sitting
around the fire we decided on Tuesdays hunt. I will go with Damon to try and bag
the tom he had talking. I am the only one of the trio without a tom, so the boys
were nice enough to give me a crack at this one Damon had located. Scott had an
area he wanted to check out that he thought was promising.

Up early, get the fire going, eat some quick breakfast and outta there. Damon
and I were set up a little later than we would have liked but once we were set
we called. Damon was to my far left, almost behind me, about 15 feet away under
a pine. I was also under a pine, we like setting up in dark shadows as it helps
hide you. 20 min later we called again and this time we got a response almost
immediately. It was the sickest sounding gobble I have ever heard. About 30 
seconds later I see off in the distance, not one, not two, but three black 
shapes coming towards us, off to our left. We had set up perfectly for them,
going left to right about 25 feet in front of us. Now the mistakes come in! 
Because there were three jakes, I was afraid to move having 3 pair of turkey
eyes watching us. Everything I knew of these birds (which aint much) was they
would be alone in the spring. I knew to put a bead on them as they walked behind
a tree, but with three of them there was never a time when all three were behind
a tree. I froze not wanting to scare them off. Now they are in front of me and
starting to walk away, Damon gives a few soft yelps to try and turn them back.
That's when I said to myself its now or never as the shot is getting longer and
more difficult with the way I was sitting. Now during all this my heart is just
about to fly out of my chest. I move slowly to bring my gun up on the closet
bird, which happens to be the middle bird, aim and fire. He drops in his tracks,
then I hear Damon's gun go off, miss. Damon was shooting at the last of the 
birds and he took off like the shot out of our shotguns. The first bird (big
mistake) decides to chase the bird Damon had missed. This brings him right in
line with Damon's sights and, BLAM! He goes down. A Double! If anyone was 
watching us they would have laughed their butts off watching us dance in the
woods. 

Once the smoke cleared, and we settled down. I put a feather in my hat and we
just sat there and reflected on the event. Appreciated the surroundings and the
beauty of the the birds. Gave thanks.

My bird was 12 lbs and Damon's was 13 lbs. Our buddy Scott was a little put out
by missing all the action that day. We did manage to locate a bird for him in
the next two days but no tag was used. I kinda enjoyed this cause Scott killed
his first tom his rookie time out, then has been skunked the next two seasons.
This was my 4th time at a spring hunt and my first bird. Damon is in the lead
with two birds, one this past spring and one last year too.

Well sorry this took so long to put in folks. Happy New Year! Good luck and be
safe in all your future hunts.  Oh yeah, one more thing, that jake tasted great!

Don

    Great story, thanks for putting it in.. One of these days I'll have to
    try my luck at turkey hunting....Happy New Year to you and the rest of
    you noters!
    
    Gus_who_can't_wait_for_hunting_season_again.

    Only January and I'm ready to go NOW.  There's too much snow up in the
    foothills to do any serious scouting yet.  Just enough to get stuck!
    
    I'm one of those types who can't figure out if I call a turkey to 
    hunt, or if I hunt a turkey to call.  Do you guys like diaphragms
    or boxes?  Tubes or slates?  Do you master one call and stick with
    it or is your call bag as heavy as your shotgun?  Can anyone gobble
    on a diaphragm caller? 
    
    Just thought I'd try and wake up this note cause' I got the fever 
    again!  

    
    
       Well its funny that someone else has the itch to go turkey hunting
    already because just yesterday I was figuring up my vacation time and
    I have alotted a few extra days in may for spring gobbler. 
    
         For the last few years I have been trying to get back to Pa for a
    spring hunt but with work and all it just never happened. last year I
    was only able to get out a couple mornings here in New York state and
    I had what I would call good luck I saw turkeys both mornings although
    out of range but I did get to see them.
    
         I primarily use a diaphram call, it requires no hand motion to
    operate which leaves both hands for the gun, and also there is alot
    less chance the bird is gonna see you moveing to set the call down, and
    its possible that when you set a box call down for it to fall over or
    get bumped over and let out a horrible screach at the wrong time as
    ussual ( this happened to me one day).
       I have been trying for years to master the gobbler's gobble on a
    diaphram call but I still sound like a gobbler with croup. so I pretty
    much stick with the basic calls, cut,purr,cackle,putt,and the kee kee
    run. they seem to work for me.
       For a locator call I have used an owl hooter, crow call, and a
    gobbler shake tube at dusk to locate birds. they all will work but not 
    all the time, especially on older gobblers that have been shot at a few
    times, it doesnt take long for them to wise up.
    
    
                                                            Lee
     

    I've broken out the calls to bone up on them. I also use a diaphram but
    do carry a slate and box calls. From my experience one call is all you 
    really need but I have the others cause of the pros saying, "when one 
    call doesn't work try another type". Whenever I've been in a situation 
    of putting a tom to bed, and then calling to him in the morning one call 
    is all that was needed. This has not happend that often, one time I got
    the bird another I was watching my friend bag a tom. I haven't yet had a 
    cagey tom answer my call and not come in, forcing me to try the others.
    But I have been in the woods just making noises with them all in the
    hopes some tom will hear me. There was one time my first year that we
    had a tom respond but not come in, but that was when I was a rookie and
    made every mistake in the book. 
    
    I have a tube call now that I'm trying to master. You can make every
    sound a turkey makes with this one call. I can't quite get the gobble
    but I know it can be done. My brother can and it drives me crazy cause
    I can't get the hang of it.
    
    Itch'en to get out there!
    Don

This weekend I was driving by the Crain WMA, in Falmouth Mass., and I noticed
"REWARD" signs.  So I stopped to see what it was all about, the signs had the 
silhouette of a turkey in flight and said $250.00 reward for info leading to the
arrest and conviction of any one illegally killing wild turkeys in Mass.
I haven't seen these before at any other WMA's in Mass., maybe they were there
and I just never saw them.  My guess is that they stocked some turkeys at
the Crain and are trying to get a flock started there.  Maybe some day we will
have a season in Eastern Mass.  I would be nice to see them back living all 
over the state even if we couldn't harvest them state wide.

Paul

    Did anyone videotape the wild turkey special on Wild America? I am
    looking for part 1. I have part II.
    
    Thanks,
    
    Steve
    
    DTN: 237-2314
    

    Heard (in Mass.) that there are some regulation changes. This is what
    I've heard, 1) We will have to place a small blaze orange sticker on
    the stock of our shot gun, just under the rear sight. Idea being we'll
    see this while aiming and make us think about proper gun safty
    practices. 2) Hunting hours will be extended, 1/2 hour before sunrise
    till noon. 3) Shot restricted to nothing larger than #4.
    
    Anyone else hear this? I was planning on calling the Fish and Game this
    afternoon.
    
    Don

     Yep, al true!  Anyone else getting ready?  I leave for PA on
    4/30.
    
    Jeff

    I've got my calls out. The weekend of the Sportsman show at the Big E,
    I also scouted the area I hunt. I saw 2 Hens in the woods and later
    while leaving I saw 3 toms. We got out of the truck and took pictures
    of them. They moved down the road but did not take off... Think
    they'll be that nice opening day. Maybe I should disguise my gun as a
    camera!!! My sister, who lives on the land I hunt, has seen tracks all
    over and flocks with as many as 7 toms just roaming around waiting for
    ME... I'm going out there to scout this weekend and probably next...
    I'm glad the hrs were extended...
    
    Steve

>    I don't know about you but I am chomping at the bit to get out there.
>    I have been practicing with diaphrams on the way home now for several
>    months and can't wait for the turkeys to make me look stupid.  You
>    never know though, I may get lucky.  Can turkeys be retarded?

I too have been practicing on the way home. Last year was my first year,
and my partner & i each got 1. We firmly believe that to get 1, the bird
has be dumber than the hunter (so they must be retarded!!).

    mark

Good luck.

    Anyone receeve their permits yet? 
    
    They were sending them out last week and this week...
    
    
    Steve

    Nope, not yet!   Its not bad enough we're waiting anxiously for opening
    day, they want us to chew all our finger nails waiting for the permits
    too!
    
    2 weeks, 2 days, and 10 hours till opening day.
    
    Don

    Where is there a reliable source for the time of "Sun Up".  Don't want
    a warden to Bag me because I didn't know what time it was.  Is Fish and
    Wildlife going to send out the little orange dots or do we have to go
    find a place that sells approved dots.
    
    Thanks,
    
    Paul 

    I would think that we will get the orange stickers and an update on the
    Regs. with our permits.
    
    As for sun rise, I buy a local paper, of the area I hunt, that has a 
    weather section. They usually have that type of data in it.
    
    Don

    I have a questin concerning diaphrams.  I have listened to a couple of
    tapes where they are using diaphrams to "cackle", it even got me
    excited.  I try to duplicate the call, but can't get it to sound right,
    or I get some weird squeal right in the middle of it.  I wish someone
    would put out a video where they call with the diaphram in and with it
    out, so you could hear the exact sounds that they are making.  I have
    the clucks, yelps, purrs, etc down, but can't seem to get the cackle
    right, should I worry about using this call?  Do you guys use it or
    stick with the basics. 
    
    What  kind of diaphrams do you have the best results with if you do
    make this call?
    
    Wess

    Wess
    
      I use the cackle alot as a locator call.  It seems to get birds to
    sound off real well.  Also use it if i want to pump a bird up. 
    Describing how to do it is tough.  What I do is make a sound like 
    "CA ca ca ca".  Without a call in it sounds like "cat" without the "t".  
    Hard to describe.
    
    Jeff

    I think using English words to make the sounds is the best way to keep
    your sounds consistent.  Try the words "chick" "chalk" and "chuck" use
    them in various sequences and intencity that may help.  A word of
    CAUTION; Never eat hot Pizza the day before using a diaphram. The top
    of your mouth will peal right off :^)
    
    Good luck and safe hunting,
    
    Paul

      I would not worry too much if you have a little squeal in the middle
    of your cackle.  Turkeys don't always sound the same.  Some are raspy
    while others are high pitched.  The cackle is more of a rolling call,
    with no distinct breaks as opposed to "cutting" which is an erratic
    series of clucks.
     One of my favorite diaphram calls is the Quaker Boy, "Old Boss Hen".
    It's just a double reed but I can produce all the basic calls with it.
    The three and four reed diaphram calls I don't care for beacuse the
    reeds stick together after a few times of getting slimed up in my mouth. 
    At least the double reed calls I keep the reeds from sticking together by
    placing a piece of a tooth pick between them when not in use.
     I had great success with "Cutting" last year, mostly with a box call.
    I use an M.L. Lynch "World Champion, Deluxe" and would recommend it to
    anyone.  The turkeys would respond to other calls but did not come in
    until I started cutting.  It seemed the hens would come to the excited
    cuts and in turn the Gobblers would follow.   I called in a hen and two
    nice Gobblers by cutting last spring.  The hen walked right to our
    hiding spot within 5 yds. and both Gobblers were within 15 yds..  The
    only problem is it was the day before the N.H. season opened.  The guy
    that was with me has still not stopped talking about it since that
    morning.  It was the first time he had a Gobbler display for him, and
    as all you turkey hunters out there know, it is a sight we both will
    never forget.
    
    Bruce    

    Thanks for the replies!  I tried some of the tips on the way home and
    it sounded much better, at least to me.  
    
    A friend of mine called me last night and told me that his dad popped
    a gobbler yesterday in Ky.  It was the first time he had ever turkey
    hunted and didn't arrive at the woods until 10:00.  He said a flock of
    crows were going wild and had the gobbler sounding off.  He slipped to
    within 100 yards and started yelping with his diaphram.  He said the
    turkey responded all of the way in.  He let him have it at 15 yards.
    He said it was one of the most exciting hunts he had ever seen.  He
    said it wasn't a Boss gobbler but he was pround none the less.
    
    His son went out too and was working a mature Tom about 75 yards out.
    He said he was coming his way, when the turkey looked over to the side
    of the field and took off like a bat out of ....  He said two
    tresspassers were trying to sneak up on the bird.  He was slightly mad.
    
    My 6 month old woke my up last night about 2:00 and I turned in the bed
    for 1 1/2 hours thinking about turkeys!  I hope it hurries up so I can
    get a good nights sleep!
    
    Wess

    Wess,
    
     When they have lockjaw we generally will start walking and calling.
    By that I mean that I will walk a ridge and call until I get something 
    going.  I'll call every 150 yds or so.  It's worked several times.  
    I think it gives more birds a chance to hear you. Alot depends on the
    area your hunting and how many hunters are around.  We've got 2700
    acres in PA on my buddies farm and no one else should be hunting.    
    In the early morning we sit on a good listening spot and try to hear 
    one that starts on his own.  If they don't we'll try to get them going 
    and if that fails we start moving.
    
     Two days from today I'll be in PA!  Can't wait.  Good luck to all
    you guys and be careful.
    
    Jeff    

    
      Sounds like your doing things right.  I think the lack of gobbling is
    due to the late spring.  It's probably close to the hight of the
    breeding period and the gobblers have the hens with them.  No need to
    draw attention when the ladies are with them.  I would also think as
    the weather warms up and the hens start sitting on the nests the
    gobbling will pick up.  Well at least I hope so...
     
     Don't give up, all it takes is one "Hot" bird.
    
    	Bruce

    Well my knee feels pretty good, not 100% but enough to get me to a spot
    and sit.  Cant wait to get out there. Will be doing some scouting and
    setting up camp this weekend. Monday is opening day in Mass.
    
    Cant wait.
    
    Hang in there Wess. You'll get one....
    
    Don

    Guys,
    
    Thanks for the encouragement and advice.  I talked to the landowner a
    while ago and he said he hunted wednesday and he heard 3 gobble.  He
    said the warmer weather was probably helping.  I plan to go at least 2
    more times before it is over, so you never know.
    
    Good luck,
    Wess

    Well,
    
    I went again this morning.  I set up where the gobbler was seen the
    other day.  None gobbled at daylight so I started calling.  About 10
    minutes after I called some guy comes sneaking along the field right up
    to me.  I whistled at him so he wouldn't shoot me and he came over and
    started talking to me like we were best friends.  He didn't know what
    whisper meant I don't think.  He talked for about 1/2 hour, I kept
    trying tell him "Well, good luck", but he kept talking.  
    
    I ended up walking about 150 yards every 20 minutes as recommended
    before, but never got an answer.  The guy I talked to, said he thought
    the neighbor had them baited.  The only thing I know is that he made
    the 11th or 12 guy on 260 acres.  
    
    I did see one hen.
    
    Wess

Our story...

 My partner & i were hunting Southern Ontario for the 2nd year (each
got a bird last year). Turkeys were introduced in '84 and have been
doing great.

Heaven:
 We started Wednesday morning (season had been open for 2 days
already). We got there @5:30 and let go with a couple of yelps. We
immediately got a response to the east (~500 yds). We moved east about
200 yds and made contact again. We set up, but the bird seemed to be
still moving east. We decided to drive east to get past the bird & set
up. I went back to the truck and started east, but my partner was
crouched in the bushes just east of where i left him motioning me to
back up. I parked and he said that 2 birds had crossed the road about
100 yds in front of him heading north. We got a couple of responses,
but they kept heading north. We moved to where they crossed the road &
saw a couple of other vehicles, so we decided to move 400 yds east and
call the birds. As we moved east another bird moved north from the
edge of the road. We set up and called, and about 15 minutes later we
heard 2 shots from where the birds went, but during that time we heard
another gobble to the south. We moved south and got within 200 yds of
the bird & heard another hunter calling them from the other side. We
set up and gave them everything we had (fighten purrs, yelps, purrs).
The 1st response told us they were moving our way. I was 40 yds in
front of me partner who was doing the calling when 7 birds came over
the ridge (2 gobblers and 5 hens). I checked the gobblers for
beards and saw 3" beards. They were moving towards me fairly quickly
and i was trying to get both gobblers, when the 1st gobbler (@8yds)
decided he didn't like me and turned. I nailed him @11 yds, but then i
had 6 birds with their heads down all running like hell and couldn't
pick out the other gobbler. (Jake - 13.4 lbs with 4 1/2" beard taken
@8:20am).

We took him back to the truck and drove about 1/2 km south and called
again. Immediately another responed about 100 yds up the hill. We set
up again with me doing the calling. He kept responding but wouldn't
budge. We shuffled positions a couple of times, but couldn't get him
to move. We were on a pine ridge with no obstacles. My partner circled
to the far side of the gobbler as we heard another caller trying to
work the bird. At 11:15, the gobbler and 3 hens came down out the
trees and we never heard another peep. We had been working them since
9:20, and they could see every move we made from their roost.
We had seen 14 birds, and heard 6 gobblers!

Purgatory:
We could only hunt til noon, so we checked the bird in and couldn't
wait for the next day to bag our other bird. Next morning was clear
and bright and NO gobbling. We drive all around calling every 300 yds
or so. We finally got a response a long way to our east again, so we
drove east about 200 yds to try to get a better fix. I stopped the
truck and as we were getting out i saw another hunter about 40 yds in
the bush with his gun up, so we exited as quietly as possible. We
backtracked about 10 minutes later and saw the hunter packing up. He
had a gobbler about 40 yds out, but he wouldn't come any closer.
We decided it wasn't the same bird, since his was gobbling a lot and
the one we heard only answered us twice. We drove about 1 km east and
called again. We got a response 100 yds up the hill. We set up, but
took too long as he had crossed the road and was west of us already.
He responded 2-3 times, but kept going west away from us. We moved
west, but he wouldn't respond.

Hell:
It was raining steady at 5:30am when we got there on Friday. We called
and called, but nothing was answering. We finally heard a faint
response from the same area that the other hunter had missed.  We
moved slowly towards it calling every 75 yds, but no response. We
started moving back towards the truck when we got 1 answer. We moved
towards it, but again, not another gobble. We retreated to the truck
for a change of clothes (still raining) and decided to slowly circle
the suspected area. We finally got a response about 150 yds up the
hill after we had walked for about 45 minutes. We set up (my partner
was using his bow now), and tried to call him in. He would answer, but
didn't seem to be moving. I tried to be coy, and only called every 5-6
minutes, but he lost interest and seemed to move away. I got shit from
my partner for the next 1/2 hour for not being agressive enough.
(Lesson #1 - never let your partner bond to a bird if you are going to
screw up)

Saturday, was even worse. It was sunny again, and we walked for 5
hours and never heard a gobble. We saw one running thru the woods, but
couldn't turn it around.

A great time all around. My partner will be back next week and if he
doesn't have him by the following Monday, i'll be out for 2 more
days.

    mark

     Well, we had a great time in PA.  The opening was on Saturday.  We got
    out early and set up just inside the woods line off a field.  My friend 
    had been seeing quite a few birds on his farm but lately they have been
    real quiet.  We ended up hunting till noon and never hearing a bird.
     Sunday afternoon we all split up and decided to cover as much area as
    possible to see if we could roost a bird.  I was on top of a hill that
    had a 62 acre field on it.  Around 8:15pm I hadn't heard a thing and 
    headed down to the road where my buddies were going to pick me up.
    Half way down I gave a short series of yelps.  A bird sounded off across
    the road on top of a big hill!  I shut up since I had him pretty well
    pinpointed.  When the truck came I told my partners what I'd heard. 
    Since I was the only one to hear a bird we decided to go for him in the 
    morning.  We got up at 4.00 and were on top of the hill (mountain?) by
    5:10.  We set up in a litle bowl on top and waited.  Around 5:30 the
    first bird started.  Within 5 minutes 3 different toms were sounding
    off all around us.  We had one in front way out, one to my right at
    mayby 500yds, and the third to my left even further out.  They kept
    trading gobbles back an forth.  We didn't dare move, as we could also 
    occasionally hear hens yelping and figured we'd spoke something. 
    Calling seemed to have no affect on the birds except to get them
    gobbleing.  They wouldn't budge. We figured with all the birds in the area 
    that they probably had hens with them. So we waited till around 7:00 in the
    same spot.  I could hear a hen out in front of us yelping occasionally.
    Thats when it got interesting.  The bird behind us apparently had
    enough and really started in.  When ever she would go he would.  So I
    started calling to her, trying to get her going, knowing that we were
    between the hen and the tom.  HE started in and then she shut up!  So I
    started clucking as soft as I could.  He would answer each cluck and
    kept closing the distance.  Finally he hung up at what I would guesse
    was around 75 yds out.  We couldn't see him but he sounded close.  Then 
    he decided he had enough and headed back the way he came.  My buddy
    then cut in with his calls and he and I went head to head cutting and 
    cackling at each other, trying to get him worked up.  IT worked great!
    He turned and came in to where my other buddy (the landowner) shot him at
    around 35 yds.  Total time was around 30 minutes from when we first
    heard him to the shot.  The bird weighed 18.9 with 1" spurs.  His beard
    was only 6" but showed evidence of being broken off durring the winter.
    A great ending to a great hunt.
    
    Jeff
       

    First day back at work, after a week in the woods of western Mass. I
    had mentioned in an earlier note that I injured my knee. It has healed
    enough for me to walk around in the woods with some discomfort, but
    well worth it. By the end of the week the brace I was wearing was
    causing me more problems...
    
    We set up camp on Sat. and Sun. we did some scouting with no success.
    Mon. (opening day) and Tues. were fruitless. We didnt hear a thing!
    Very unusual for this area. We normally hear lots of birds in the area.
    So needless to say we were discouraged, and tring to figure out where
    the birds were, and/or what happened to them. Tue. night's outing to
    locate a roosting tom again yielded nothing. 
    
    On Wed. morning I went to an area where we had seen many turkeys in the 
    past years, sat and waited. Now we have never taken a turkey by just
    going to an area and waiting. We had always been able to locate
    roosting toms the night before and go back in the morning and grab'em.
    I had fallen asleep, when you only have 4 hours sleep and are beat to
    hell, you tend to take cat naps while sitting cozy against a tree. Well
    I was awakened by a soft foot step in front of me. I look up and see a
    hen not 10 feet from me. Well, my head movement was enough to make her
    say I dont want to hang around here, and she slowly walked off keeping
    a good eye on me. 15 min. later I hear a gobble off in the distance. I
    give several loud yelps and boom, he gobbles right back at me. I
    thought I heard more than one gobble at times, but wasn't sure about
    that till they got much closer. The gobbles keep getting closer but its
    taking them what seems like forever to get to me. As they get closer I
    have to change my position on the tree by moving a quarter of the way
    around the tree to my left, they are coming in behind me. 40 min later
    I see their heads moving then the bodies come into view, and I see 3
    nice jakes. I gave some soft purrs but they stayed out at about 40 yds,
    and kept walking. I had a shooting lane and once I knew they were not
    coming any closer to me I took the shot on the last bird that walked by
    the lane. 42 yds was the shot, after all was said and done I paced it
    off. After the shot, one bird just disappeared, the other just rose up
    into the trees like a shot.
    
    12lb jake, good for a few meals. The next day my brother Damon, bagged
    an 18lb'er, 8.5" beard and 7/8" spurs. There are plenty of other
    stories to go along with this trip, but that will be posted during the 
    slow time this summer.
    
    Don

...continuation of .69

My partner took some time off, but was back again last Thursday. He
could get the occasional answer, but none would come in. I joined him
Monday and we went where he had heard answers the previous day. We
yelped all the way in (without any response) and finally got on on top
of a small knoll. We heard a hen yelp about 75 yds to the south and a
gobbler answer about 300 yds south. I set up on the north side of the
knoll (calling) and my partner moved down the south side just a bit.
The gobbler kept responding, and seemed to move closer a bit, but then
hung up. I heard some rustling to my right and watched the hen move
north around the knoll (it had walked right past my partner).

While calling i got answers from 4 gobblers (north, south, east and
west) all at different distances (the south 1 was closest). After an
hour my partner came up to give me some calling advice and we heard
the gobbler answer from the bottom of the knoll (we were in trouble!).
My partner moved to the edge of the knoll moving his feet like a
turkey scratching. As he sat down i could see the gobbler move west
(he saw us). He kept gobbling, but steadily moved west. I finally hit
him with the fightin purr boxes and he started back, but the last
gobble was 200 yds out. I switched to soft purrs and yelps and moving
the leaves with a stick. Next thing i hear a noise to my right where i
saw the hen earlier, and here's a big gobbler just walking around the
knoll ~25 yds from me. I'm a right handed shooter and there was no way
i could swing. My partner noticed my lack of calling so he started.
The gobbler would stop, but didn't come on top of the knoll, he just
kept moving east til he got 150 yds out and just stayed. We moved
positions and i tried moving away to draw him closer, but he was too
smart for that. It had been 3 hrs, so we ate a snack and heard a
gobbler from the other side of the knoll, but couldn't get him to
respond.

We decided that these guys were spooked so we moved north to try the
2nd closest gobble i heard earlier. We stopped and got the call out
and a truck went by on the highway and we heard 1 respond about 700
yds to the NW. We moved 100 yds closer and set up. I had some camo
netting strung between the trees and my partner moved 50 yds towards
the bird. I yelped again, and he was moving in fast. I gave him the
fightin purrs and next thing you know he's moving away. I yelped and
purred and he just kept moving away. My partner finally gets up and
moves north, he said he heard another gobble (really close) from that
direction. I got back to calling and i couldn't see through the mesh that
well, but i saw his barrel pointing at something. I just did soft purrs
and moved the leaves like a turkey scratching. I saw his barrel pull up
slowly and change sides of the tree, but as he did, his boot moved
some leaves and i heard a LOUD gobble just 40 yds away (to my right
where i couldn't shoot and couldn't see). I just called softly, but
everything was quiet. A couple of minutes later a hear footsteps
behind me like another hunter approaching, so i turn my head quickly
expecting to see some jerk hunter, and this big gobbler is standing 15
yds behind me. I froze with with the gun across my knees. He was
watching me intently, but kept circling. When he went behind the 1st
tree i got my finger on the trigger, the next tree i got the gun up,
but he was moving away and i could just see his head between the trees
over a slight rise. I found an opening and waited til his head popped
up (about 30 yds out) and let him have it. He made it another 10 yds.

19.4 lbs, 9" beard and 3/4" spurs (our best bird yet).

My partner never had a clear shot (the tom made a detour around him).

We had only encountered jakes before. The toms seem to answer till
about 200 yds out, then go quiet and circle trying the keep the sun at
their back. I think the bird that came in and then moved away, might have heard
the tom gobble before we did and decided to exit stage right and leave
the hen to the boss.

    mark

    
    
       Well I finally got back to Pa during spring gobbler season, I
    arrived friday evening, I took off for the woods in hopes of putting 
    a gobbler to roost, and payday the first field I went too there was a
    gobbler out in the middle of it.
    
        So I left him be since it was close to 8 pm and I wanted to get to
    the my farm before dark and see if the turkeys were there that day,
    they are at my place every other day almost a guarentee., well I didnt 
    hear a single peep, so I figured that the first field I stopped at
    would be my best bet.
    
      I arrived saturday morning, and its a day you dream about, getting
    the camo's on and the sky to the east is cherry red, its cool ~50 and
    just as I was getting ready to shut the door on the truck the gobbler
    sounds off with a good voice. he was about 3-400 yrds out, so I make a
    mad dash out across the field out the old oil well road across the over
    grown field and get inside a big pile of brush on the edge of the
    second overgrown field.
    
     I settle into place and get my hats changed, get the call out I picked
    a double reed diaphram call, and most of all I had to catch my breath,
    and I cursed myself for being so out of shape..(but I think it was
    excitement mostly) now this gobbler is coming unglued he must of
    sounded off 7 or 8 times in the time it took me to get to where I went
    and I was sprinting!!
    
      So now for the first call of the 1993 season, a nice pretty yelp and
    he imediatly sounded off with a doudle gobble,oooohhh what a rush, ok
    calm down talk to him, for 20 minutes he is sounding off, finally I
    hear him fly off roost, now he is coming in, ok this is too good to be
    true.  wow theres movement off to my right I look as far to the right 
    as I can my eye balls feel like they are ready to pop out, turn my head 
    just a little bit and there is a big Doe standing 5 feet away looking 
    at me! I swear she was laughing at me! she just kind of walked away. 
    
     Oh yeah back to the turkey, he is still gobbling, then all of a sudden
    I hear a hen off to my left, she is about as far from him as I am, well
    I wasnt sure at first if it was a turkey or another hunter, so the
    gobbler went towards the hen then it would come towards me, this went
    on for a good 20-25 minutes, so I was thinking that it was another
    hunter because she wasnt moveing, so I cut loose with about a minutes
    worth of yelps, clucks, purrs and putts, and for the first time in alot
    of years of turkey hunting I heard a quardouple gobble, and he is on a
    dead run towards me, and I had the gun up across my knees, hes
    gobbling the whole time, then I found out that the hen I was hearing
    was actually a hen turkey she intercepted him about 75 yards out!!
    
      I was Poed but I will say that even though I have gotten turkeys
    before this was undoubtedly the BEST hunt ever! I will remember that 
    quadrouple gobble forever!  I am gonna be back down there for the last 
    3 days of the season and if the birds are still talking I hope to get
    one.
    
                                                        Lee
    

    I found a piece of BLM land that has turkey on it. Cant wait till the
    fall season.  Things are looking up in California...
    The birds were hitch hiking on a fence in the middle of public land
    Imagine that.. the location oh yes well ahhhhh its in yah kern county
    Ya Ya thats the ticket.....
    Joe

    Hello All,
             Seeing as Mass. has made decoys leagal for this season, does
    anybody have any "tips"? I was wondering how you set up your spreads,
    number of decoys in the spread, calling techniques etc.
    
    Any decoy stories welcome!!
    
                        Thanks,
                          Bob

    
    Bob, 
    
    Check out my note 1507.25 from the 1996 turkey hunt decoy worked fine
    for me in that set up. That plastic decoy was a magnet that drew them
    in to the setup.
    
    I was back at the same spot in my note this past saturday while hunting
    birds and came across some tracks on one of the logging roads. There
    was one track that had my attention. From the back finger to the front
    must have been 7 to 8 inches long. Very big and deep in the muddy stuff 
    he was walking in. Can't wait to see how big this bird actually is.
    
    Hope my turkey permits get drawn.
    
    /Irv
                                             

    
    
      Bob,
    
    
         As you look thru the catalogs/stores you will find that only a few 
    manufacturers make turkey decoys, and as with anything everyone has a 
    preferance.
    
         I think the manufacturers are Feather flex, Flambeau, and Delta
    all are collapible, and all will do the job. each of these man. have
    both hen and jake decoys. and of the 3 Delta is the only one right now
    that have a movable hen decoy on the market.
    
      As far as how to use them, well its a pretty simple process, since
    they fold up into a small area I carry mine in a camo bag with flo
    orange band around it, the more you fold and unfold them the more
    plyable they become, and they dont have to look perfect to fool most
    gobblers.
    
       Last year was the first time that I was involved with using a Jake
    decoy, one thing you have to be very carefull of is other hunters while
    using a jake decoy, be extra carefull and pay much more attention to 
    where you set up. As far as how many decoys to set up I used a couple 
    hens and a jake, this setup works great, I wouldnt use anymore than 4
    hens with a jake. 
    
    
        If you locate a gobbler the night before, when you set up set up so
    that the tom is closest to you with the hens close to the jake and when
    you set up set up so that the gobbler woll walk by within 30 yards of
    you to get to the jake decoy. 
    
       I set up all the decoys within 20-25 yards of me, one thing to
    remember while using decoys is you have to limit your aproach of a
    roosted gobbler, the last thing you want to be doing is shuffling
    around in the frosty leaves on a cool spring morning while setting up
    your spread, cause old mr tom will be chuckleing to himself on roost.
    
      As a general rule I try and set up not closer than 200 yards from a 
    roosted bird, sometimes you end up walking in under birds but that will
    happen sometime in your turkey hunting career, and let me tell ya when 
    one of them big winged buggers go crashing out of a tree in the pitch
    black when you dont expect it, it will scare the bejebbers outa ya, one
    hint its not a good time to have a diaphram call in your mouth. 
    
       Calls while using a decoy spread are the same as ussual, purrs are
    used more when the gobbler is closer, and purring with several
    different calls works well, sounds like a feeding flock. If you have a
    jake decoy out you can use a gobbler yelp (sparingly) and altho one
    call that you need to be very very very very carefull with is a gobble
    you should do this only in areas your almost certain noone else is
    hunting, and only gobble ONCE! dont let someone pin down the sound.
    
       What to expect? everything. I have seen gobblers come in very
    cautious, and have seen them run right in when they see the decoy,
    exoect the unexpected, a buddy of mine that does far more turkey
    hunting than me has had gobblers peck his decoys, jump on them, stop
    out 60yrds from the decoys and strut for an hour then walk away. you
    just dont know what a particular bird will do.
    
        Since I have gotten back into turkey hunting it has added a new 
    excitement to hunting for me. there is nothing more exciting for me
    than setting against a large tree on a cool spring morning, and at the
    first hints of daylight emitting a very soft tree call and have a
    gobbler sound off close by, sends a chill up my spine just thinking
    about it. 
    
         hope this helps.
    
               Lee
    

    Thanks Guys,
         
              This will be my 4th season turkey hunting. ( still have'nt
    bagged one ) I've seen a few, actually called in a couple but have
    never got a good enough window for a shot. I figure the decoy's might
    just give me the edge. Beside's, the guys at Cabela's get nervous if
    I don't call at least once a month!!
    
    
                           Thanks Again,
                               Bob

    
    Bob,
    
    My buddy the caller gave me one very important piece of advice before
    we set up.
    
    Become part of the Tree and don't move when they are close.
    
    They can't smell you very well but they sure can see movement. The
    moveable decoy parts may be a good thing as long as it looks natural.
    Sound like the moveable stuffed toy idea for bring in coyotes doesn't it?
    
    The decoy we used looked pretty lame but the 3 gobblers were heck bent
    on impressing it even right next to it, but this may have been because
    the dominate gobbler had been shot the week before and they were all
    trying to be the top gobble in the flock.
    
    Lee the group set up sounds good, does it work with large groups of
    birds? Big bird says to himself "I'll go over there and take away those
    hens from that Jake and kick the heck out of him" sound like it should
    work even if he has other hens already.
    
     
    Above all make the shot go where it supposed to, practice and pattern
    to be sure you know how far and where to shoot. 
    
    /Irv

    Foam at the mouth.....
    
    
    Slobber......
    
    
    AUGHHHHHHH.......
    
    Late April is coming, yes, it is coming....
    
    Wess