I am relatively new to turkey hunting, I have helped my brother call in birds and videotaped as well. We obtained permission on a new property with a set of pines that is a dynamite roost site. there is turkey crap everywhere in there and feathers galore. Just to make sure the turkeys were still using the roost, I went last night and watched the roost. Sure enough, I watched 2 birds fly up, one of which I was pretty sure was a gobbler. I went this morning and sat about 150 yards from where I roosted them and again, sure enough, at 520, that gobbler went off. There is another gobbler or jake with him, that bird doesn’t gobble very much at all. I could see the gobbler fanning out in the tree and see him gobbling, that was really cool to see his fan in the tree with the sunlight in the background. A total of 5 birds flew down into a cow pasture (really typical from what I have seen in our area) and the one bird gobbled for 15 minutes in the pasture. I could not see him but I’m assuming he was strutting for the hens. I’m assuming that a couple of those 5 were hens. after about 6 am, he shut up but also had moved about 300 yards from the roost site.
My question is this: how do I hunt him? I’m assuming that he gets henned up fairly quickly and won’t leave the hens. Here’s my plan and let me know what you think. First off, I am hunting with a bow and he will need to be within 30 yards for me to be comfortable. I found a spot to place the pop up blind that is about 125 yards from the roost but behind some brush so none of the birds should see PTB and I walk in. I plan on setting up the blind the night before my season starts. From this location, we should be able to see them fly down and see the strutting zone.
After he wakes up, I plan to call softly to him but not much at all because it is so late in the season and I dont want the hens to lead him the other way. I may or may not use a hen decoy.
When he lands, he should be 100 to 125 yards from us and I’m hoping he will come toward us either from calling or if I use a hen decoy.
What are your thoughts? Brad