What's your plan for 2024 Spring Turkey?

AFTER signing up for the Big Gobbler Contest, let me know if you have any special plans for this year's hunt.

I have inherited by Grandfather's Winchester Model 12 that hasn't been shot in the last 60 years and I hope that I can use it this spring to take a species that wasn't even available in this guns initial hunting career. He was there when I shot my first grouse, so its only fitting that I be there for his gun's first turkey!

I have another little project in the works, so if I am lucky enough to try for a second bird, that plan may come together as well.

What different equipment, tactics, places or strategies are you planning on rolling out this season?

nothing special for me, not even hunting opener, it is my sisters birthday and I have missed it every year so figure this is the year I should visit.

Opening day with crossbow for me

Been practicing mouth call hard, so hoping that pays off !

The fist day I can get out will be May 11th. Between the wife's birthday, Bear baiting and Mother's day this is as good as it gets for me... lol

Oh and BTW I ordered a Stevens 301 Turkey gun end of February and it's still not in. LOL No big deal it's not like I need anytime soon... :)

hoping to get one reaping on public land thats about it.... just kidding :)

I’m thankful every year to be able to hunt turkeys. I haven’t harvested one in the last two years so my goal this year is to get the monkey off my back and end this curse lol

Hunting my cousin’s farm as usual, but plan on trying a new tactic on the birds that roost along the river treeline edge of the big bean field. They always fly out far into the field out of range of a treeline blind in the mornings, and always manage to return to the treeline somewhere else than where we are set up.
I have had one of those 1 man chair blinds for years, and I’m going to set it up well out in the beanfield way before first light, along with an Avian-X hen and a Thunder Chicken jake, and see if I can call one of the toms in.

get out well before sunrise, sit against a tree, cluck and pur some. wait until a bearded bird walks by and bang put some lead about the head and neck...repeat next day.

your a good brother to visit your sister on her birthday, but do you have to visit her at sunrise? maybe go for the morning hunt and bring her some turkey! :)

my plan is like always, hunt as much as I can and try not to miss any birds this year! lol. I would also like to try a couple new spots that I have never hunted or haven't hunted recently.

@newbiehunter - once you master the mouth call, I think you will hardly every use anything else. So nice to have your hands free, and minimal movement. I do use my pots or box calls when I am trying to "reach" out further, when just searching for wandering toms, or on windy/rainy days when the extra volume is important.

I have always wanted to try "fanning" a tom, something about belly crawling across a field behind a turkey fan sounds like fun.

Over my turkey years I have gone from roosting birds at night, barely sleeping, up hours before dawn, hauling around blinds, chairs and multiple decoys, tripods, gopros, etc., and with some success, but alot of work and sleep deprivation when compared to my current midday minimalist, run and gun approach - no decoys, no blind, no cameras, just camo, gun, thermacell and mouthcall.

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Originally Posted by Lenny

@newbiehunter - once you master the mouth call, I think you will hardly every use anything else. So nice to have your hands free, and minimal movement. I do use my pots or box calls when I am trying to "reach" out further, when just searching for wandering toms, or on windy/rainy days when the extra volume is important.

I have always wanted to try "fanning" a tom, something about belly crawling across a field behind a turkey fan sounds like fun.

Over my turkey years I have gone from roosting birds at night, barely sleeping, up hours before dawn, hauling around blinds, chairs and multiple decoys, tripods, gopros, etc., and with some success, but alot of work and sleep deprivation when compared to my current midday minimalist, run and gun approach - no decoys, no blind, no cameras, just camo, gun, thermacell and mouthcall.

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Thanks. That's exactly the type of hunting style I am after as well..
Used to setup blind, decoys, only to find that I leave those behind whenever I need to move closer to birds [emoji12]

Looking forward to this season, planning on taking my 6 year old son on his first official hunt, been scouting my property to find the best spot, set up a camera a week ago to see when the gobblers seem to be around. Hoping for some action to keep the little one interested. Lots of activities on the camera between the Coyotes, deer, and turkeys this time of year.

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Originally Posted by tom gobble

I’m thankful every year to be able to hunt turkeys. I haven’t harvested one in the last two years so my goal this year is to get the monkey off my back and end this curse lol

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Only two years ? Not too bad, try a 5 year dry spell and not for lack of trying either. Hurt my back last year and didn't get out until the last two days. Or nothing but hens would come to me , missed a big boy because he was too close and once had a huge Tom and 3 of his girlfriends out in a field but then a coyote and a monster size Buck showed up and I swear I could hear that Spaghetti Western music playing as the tres hombres had their stand off.

So just got back from a scouting/prep mission and looks like its going to be a weird opener. Got to my go to spot well before sunrise and found it quiet....too quiet :sad:. Took a drive to the back side and at least saw 3 toms and a couple of jakes basically 2 farms over. Strange though no hens around them and they all had a calm demeanor. Turned around to head to my secondary spot and saw a couple of lone hens crossing the fields 2 farms over from where I hunt. Swung by a public bush and found a tom with 4 hens around him, 2 satellite toms and lone jake off in the distance in the adjacent private property field. If the bush wasn't so destroyed by old blow downs and not so visible would consider it might still check it out if other options don't pan out. Got to my other spot and saw a decent lone tom pasturing infront of my usual spot and had to wait a good hour till he strolled away to set up my popup as it'll be my cold/wet weather option spot. Making my way home had a hen try and cross the 400 just north of the north bound service center. She change her mind at the last second. Popped into Basspro to pick up my license for a no hassle tag purchase managed to pick up this years regs book and a reminder from the clerk to report by June 4th.

Monday to Wednesday I have some heavy scouting planned for a couple of new areas. I'm staying out of my regular haunts to not spook anything. I'm still scouting with a rifle and coyote calls hanging around my neck to take advantage of any eventuality.

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Originally Posted by Markster

Opening day with crossbow for me

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Curious...do you use the guillotine set up, or a regular arrow?...and typically are you aiming dead center of the bird? Hoping to get out for crossbow a few times

Thanks

ihunt you are correct and last sunday the farmer told me he bought a new farm over the winter that has more turkeys than the other places he has, so I have decided to go out in the morning to this new spot and visit sister in afternoon. One sleep left, vehicle load except for gun. forecast -4C and light winds for when I plan on arriving. Good luck all

I went to scout my usual spot for turkey.
it was an old/small abounded logged path

Somehow over the winter it has turned into some kind of highway for atv or sleds it seems, too many tracks ! no Gubbles, but I got there afternoon ...


so instead of setting up at a spot, I think I will try walking instead tomorrow.

never seen another sign of another hunter there past few years, but with all the tracks, I might be in for a surprise tomorrow morning.

How does Walk and gun work for turkey ? walk slow, call once in a while, stop often and take short breaks and make a couple calls, then move again another half mile ? Ive always picked a spot I could hear them Gubble, and just sit and wait.

I use the same broadhead that i use for deer and aim broadside where the wing attaches to the body.
I’ve only done it once so far, but it dropped the bird in its place.

good luck everyone, and stay safe. Weather looks like a beautiful opener.

@Ata83 - the "run and gun" approach is my favorite, just go slow, stop, listen, watch for 5 mins after you stop. Call softly at first, projecting a few different directions. Listen, wait, call again a bit louder. Sometimes you get an immediate response, sometimes you get busted by a cautious bird that comes in quietly, you never know. Its a good opportunity to shed hunt, figure out a new bush, etc. For me it seems to work best mid morning on, after the initial fly-down and breeding takes place, once the toms start to move for the day......if they start to move. Later in the season it can be very effective. Good camo & little movement. Good luck!