Wild Turkey has been a staple in the American wilderness for centuries. Thanks to conservation advocates, hunters, and the North American Model of Conservation, turkey numbers are higher than ever, despite recent population declines. If you set out to hunt them, you must engage the turkey’s eyes and ears to attract a big tom.
To successfully attract a turkey you first need to engage their sense of sound by engaging them with clucks and chirps using a hen call. Then once the turkeys are within sight, you will need to use a decoy, to really bring them in close.
Eyes
A turkey has some of the best eyesight on the planet. In addition to seeing a full 270 degrees without turning their head, they also have three times the visual acuity of a human with 20/20 vision.
Since their head is mounted atop a long, nimble neck that allows them to move up, down, and around to get different angles on a target, they can see anything before it sees them.
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A high-definition decoy is the best way to leverage a turkey’s vision when hunting. Decoys come in all shapes and forms for every price point out there, but nothing will beat a foam decoy that you have meticulously glued turkey feathers onto. This will give your decoy the most realistic look.
Fanning is also a great way to fool a turkey’s vision. Outside of calling, fanning is possibly the best way to bring in a turkey. You simply take a turkey fan and crawl toward a gobbling tom. The tom will see the fan and come charging it, believing it to be a competitor.
This method is ripe with controversy because it works so effectively. The naysayers do have a point concerning safety.
Many turkey hunting accidents are due to hunters mistaking other hunters for turkeys. They are camouflaged and making turkey noises, after all. Before you fan, ensure you are fully aware of the safety considerations and any legal restrictions in your area.
Ears
The most well-known method of attracting a turkey is through calling. The general idea is to make the same sounds a hen would make that is looking for a tom. Toms will hear this and come to try and breed the hen. This can be done in various ways based on preference, method of take, and skill level.
Box Calls
Box calls are a timeless classic of turkey hunting. They are constructed from various types of thin wood made into an open box. Another thin piece of wood is attached to one end by a hinge. The hinged portion forms a lid that can swivel with relative ease.
To make the call work, the lid is scraped over the box in a quick stroking fashion. This produces a variety of sounds that imitate the clucks and purs of a hen that is ready to be bred.
Box calls require a little practice, but they are quickly mastered. For many years, the box call was the standard turkey call that almost all hunters used.
The reason was simple, any young hunter could pick one up and have gobblers respond to the noises they make. Today, though there are many calls on the market, something like this box call from Quaker Boy is one of the most solid box calls you can spend your money on.
Pot Calls
Pot calls can be made out of glass or slate. No matter the material being used, the mechanics of a pot call never change. A wooden striker is taken in one hand and held like a pencil. It is then used to rub the pot being held in the other hand.
This is a challenging method of calling turkeys, but not as tricky as a mouth call. Different strokes, angles, methods, speeds, and striker woods can produce various sounds to imitate breeding hens.
Primos make a great friction call for seasoned turkey hunters and beginners. Made with a quality striker and base material, it is effortless to make clucks, cuts, and purrs to imitate the hens a big gobbler is hunting for.
It will take practice to master the various sounds, but the practice will make it much more rewarding when you harvest a big tom.
Diaphragms
Diaphram calls are some of the most effective calls on the market. They are generally for serious turkey hunters that are willing to take the time to practice with them. The main advantage of diaphragm calls is it allows you to have both hands free.
This minimizes movement that could alert a turkey and allows for solo hunting. A well-practiced diaphragm caller can imitate all the sounds a hen makes with relative ease and no movement.
While devout turkey hunters will always debate the power of one diaphragm call over another, they will all work. However, some work gives you a little more flexibility than others.
Phelps Game Calls makes a trio of turkey diaphragm calls named the MeatEater 3 Pack. This 3 Pack gives you everything you need to imitate any hen noise that will cajole a gobbler into coming to check out your decoys.
Locating Birds
If the turkey can’t see or hear you, none of this matters. In order to be able to use the turkey’s eyes and ears, you need to be close. Luckily, finding them is pretty straightforward. Pick a location that will likely have birds and drive there the night before.
Once you are there, step out of your vehicle and blow a crow call. If turkeys are in the area, this will likely induce a “shock gobble.” No one understands why turkeys do this, but if they hear a sound they deem out of place, they will gobble at it aggressively.
Though many things will induce a shock gobble, a crow call is a natural sound that carries a long distance. Once you hear a gobble, you know where to go the next day with your decoys and calls. Happy hunting.
If you enjoyed this article, check out these articles from Pinetreesandsolitude.com:
- 3 Tips For Hunting Western Turkeys
- Where To Find Turkeys: Tips For This Season
- What’s The Best Turkey Call? Top Picks
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