turkey Tips?

This year i will be hitting the woods for the 3rd Wisconsin turkey hunting season. I am not sure if i will have any out there with me this year to do my uncle having to work. So i was just wondering if i can get some tips about calling, Decoys or no decoys, when to shoot them in full strut or non strut, what to do after the shot. some people say step on the head, My past 4 years have been turkey less and hopefully this is my year. Any tips will help.

Thanks,

Chris

I find calling less is almost always better.

Early in the season I say use a decoy – Either a lone hen or a hen and a jake – Have them faceing you – and no more than 2/3 the distance away from you that you feel comfortable shooting.

I prefer to take my shot during Non strut

Best of luck to you – Hope this is you year!!!

Chris, everyone has there own opinions on using decoys or not using them…and both are right. I guess if I’m set up in a blind I like to use decoys for the visual….especially if I’m hunting them with archery equipment. Early season seems to work best for decoys also as I’ve found the birds haven’t seen them for a while. If you plan on running and gunning then the less to deal with the better…so leaving the decoys back is usually what I do. Although a collapsible decoy in the vest works too.

Calling depends on the mood of the turkey. They may come into the softest of calls or you may have to really break them down in order to get them to come. It’s basically an experiment every time you head out. What might work one day may not the next. You’ll have to take there temperature so to speak to see what they really respond too.

I prefer not to shoot the birds in full strut just because you’ll no doubt ruin the tail feather. But nothing says you can’t It’s nice to have that head and neck stretched out though for a nice clean kill…this way you nail that you won’t have to worry about stepping on his head!

Good luck to you and hears to you ending that turkey drought!