1st time Turkey hunter

[Shwangman]

I have done the spring but never fall. Which time frame is the best or does it not make a difference? And do you stalk the birds, or what? Some one told me,calling is no good.

Thanks.

[DonBo]

Don't think the time frame matters much. Turkeys can be called in the fall. Mostly you are hunting young of the year birds and the young dumb ones can be called away from a flock if you are close to them. That being said, I think a still hunt, stalk, ambush set up is the best way to go, especially if you are targeting older birds or toms.

A blind set up in areas known to be used by birds might be the best way to get your fall bird. Pre season scouting is invaluable.

Good luck.

[Shwangman]

Thanks don for the good advise.

[Borch]

Pattern them just like deer and you can often pull them a little closer with some calling. Know there travel routes will be most important though.

[Shwangman]

Thanks for the tips.

Ken

[Hotspotter]

As mentioned, patterning and travel routes are key points to hunting fall birds. It seems like every year that I've been successful in the fall hunt, food sources play a major role in determining these patterns and routes. Even when I'm not hunting, birds are all about the grub this time of the year.

In my neck of the woods, corn is usually king. Esp. poorly picked fields, spilled grain near hauling operations, etc. However, last year, I had birds keying in on sumac and wild plums. They crossed the road at the same spot each morning, fed all day in the river bottoms, and came back across the road and up the hill to roost.

Another good food source with a late summer/fall that's warm is the last of the insects. We killed a bird a few years ago with a group that was frequenting an overgrown alfalfa field. It's crop was just loaded with grasshoppers and beetles. A few good hard frosts will shut that down however.

Lastly, don't overlook a great acorn crop. If birds don't have to range far for food, they won't, sometimes flying down and feeding in the same few hundred yards' circle all day before flying up again.

Alot's going to depend on the habitat you're hunting, the predominant food sources, and how roosting locations and this habitat relate to one another. Like Donbo said, scouting is key, and I think the above are good reasons why. There's usually a good reason or two birds frequent certain areas during the fall, esp. in farm country.

Joel

[Cooter]

The above posts are excellent. I'll just add you might want to decide what you want to shoot and how you want to hunt. If you want a longbeard and don't mind hunting them like whitetails from a 'stand', then go for it. If you want the calling aspect and are fine with a hen or young bird, then by all means hunt such a flock off the roost or bust em - either off the roost or once they're on the ground.

On certain fall mornings you might get lucky and hear some gobbling. On most fall mornings if you can get close to a flock of hens and little ones you'll often hear an incredible amount of turkey talk - it is cool and well worth getting out of bed early for.

Side note = in WI you can legally shoot any turkey in the fall, I'm not sure about MN regulations.

[Hoyt4]

You can take a hen or tom in MN.I like to have a tag in my pocket when bowhunting deer.Just nice if a flock walks by.I always carry my calls with me in the deer stand.It's always fun to call to them anytime of the year.A couple years ago I took my first hen I called in 5 hens to my setup and was able to take 15lb hen.Was fun then I missed a doe at the same range from the ground blind who would think that.As Joel said food is huge and the patterning of the bird.Unreal how they show up at the same time everyday in the fall if they are not spooked.

[Shwangman]

Thank You to all who responded and have given me great ideas and tips to use. Hopefully I get the draw, I will be traveling to the southeastern part of the state to hunt these birds and check out the deer pop.I plan on bringing my new DB blind with and using that during part of the day while I'm not stalking around after them.

Thanks.

Ken