[TurkeyMike]

Just wanted to see how some of you all like to hunt. Wondering first if you would rather hunt alone or with others. If you would rather hunt with others would you rather be the caller or the shooter?

Personally I think for me, I would rather take others out and be the caller. Of course I would carry my gun, but killing the bird is not really what I enjoy most about turkey hunting.

I like being able to focus on calling the bird in, rather than killing the bird. When I am by myself I find that I use my friction calls a lot less. I am addicted to custom calls and making turkey sounds with them.

Also I like to be the shot caller so to speak, reading the bird and the chess match is what I live for, knowing when its time to relocate to get a better angle, when to call, and having the reins on the hunt. Now I always want to discuss any moves I think will work with the person I am taking out, and take in their input as well.

However I do have a few friends that when we hunt, we both would know when to move, when to call and that sort of thing. It is neat to call with someone and mimic hens bickering and such.

So if you had to choose to hunt alone, or with some one else what would it be?

IF hunting with someone else would you rather be the "shooter" or the caller.

 

[dce]

I love to hunt turkeys but have little interest in actually killing one any more.I'd much rather have a shooter with me,preferably my son.I've yet to carry a gun of my own this season and so far have called in 22 birds,mostly jakes.

 

[nomad_archer]

I have never really hunted as a team with anyone. We usually hunt the same area and spread out. My buddy and I were 100 yards or so apart this year and I called a few birds into him. He kept moving and was more or less cutting me off each time he moved. But that is a different story. Although I still got into birds that came in around him it still felt like he was cutting me off a few times which was kind of frustrating. But the birds didn't come in the way either of us was expecting so I guess its a moot point. I have never hunted with someone that was a really good caller. I am ok running most of my calls and can get an answer a lot of times. I have called some in but everything recently has been hanging up or staying just out of range. I still have a lot to learn and I have never hunted with someone that was an excellent turkey hunter. One day I hope to be proficient enough to call birds in for other people.

 

[Callmaker60]

Alone or with grandson's.

 

[Pa.Bone]

I mostly hunt by myself and can't find many people interested in hunting turkeys. My one son goes on occasion. Next weekend my buddy from Dubois who lives in NC is coming up to hunt a couple days. I would prefer to hunt with a shotgunner and with me carrying a bow it usually works out best, unless your a turkey.

 

[Birch812]

I usually hunt turkey in the spring with two other people. We set up in a arc with a open field in front of us. Main focal point is the field in front of us but we are spread out far enough that 360 degree shooting is safe.
Two of us hunt from pop-up blinds and one doesn't.
The flock is consistent enough in the area we hunt that we all take turns calling, do not need decoys because its just a matter of time till the birds come out into the field.
Its fun to watch, especially when we are calling at the same time and the birds become confused and aggressive.
Using this technique it is very rare that we all do not get a bird.
I took off all next week to hunt and even if one gets a bird we still go out using the same set-up till everyone fills their tag.
Having a good knowledge of how the birds are moving and feeding seems to be more important then who the caller is.
Personally I still enjoy being the shooter but knowing the people I am with had a good time means more.

 

[TurkeyMike]

I have never hunted with someone that was a really good caller. I am ok running most of my calls and can get an answer a lot of times. I have called some in but everything recently has been hanging up or staying just out of range. I still have a lot to learn and I have never hunted with someone that was an excellent turkey hunter. One day I hope to be proficient enough to call birds in for other people.

Others may disagree, but I am a believer that you don't have to be a great caller to call in turkeys and shoot them. I will admit that I upped my game from last year 10 fold, but after going to calling contests I cant even shake a stick at a lot of the guys. And just shows how bad I was last year at calling.

But some how I mananged to tag 2 birds by the first Thursday of the season.

I think the biggest thing really is reading the bird, and putting yourself in the best position where he can come in. I am still a rookie, but this has been my experiences the last 2 years where I got serious about hunting them and paying more attention to what was happening.

There is no science to calling, or to reading a bird IMO. They are all different, and on any given day they are different than yesterday. LOL But I have yet to have a bird hang up because I called too little, but have had plenty hang up because I called too much.

The thing I learned the most is. Just call enough that it keeps him interested, don't answer every time he gobbles, and get out and listen to hens, or watch you tube. If you notice they don't call a ton.

 

[PAlimbhanger]

I usually hunt a few days by myself, then on weekends I take my daughter out to try to get her one. My son and I go for a week and we hunt together also. I would rather be the caller than the shooter. I sometimes take other people but not until my kids are done.

 

[nomad_archer]

I have never hunted with someone that was a really good caller. I am ok running most of my calls and can get an answer a lot of times. I have called some in but everything recently has been hanging up or staying just out of range. I still have a lot to learn and I have never hunted with someone that was an excellent turkey hunter. One day I hope to be proficient enough to call birds in for other people.

Others may disagree, but I am a believer that you don't have to be a great caller to call in turkeys and shoot them. I will admit that I upped my game from last year 10 fold, but after going to calling contests I cant even shake a stick at a lot of the guys. And just shows how bad I was last year at calling.

But some how I mananged to tag 2 birds by the first Thursday of the season.

I think the biggest thing really is reading the bird, and putting yourself in the best position where he can come in. I am still a rookie, but this has been my experiences the last 2 years where I got serious about hunting them and paying more attention to what was happening.

There is no science to calling, or to reading a bird IMO. They are all different, and on any given day they are different than yesterday. LOL But I have yet to have a bird hang up because I called too little, but have had plenty hang up because I called too much.

The thing I learned the most is. Just call enough that it keeps him interested, don't answer every time he gobbles, and get out and listen to hens, or watch you tube. If you notice they don't call a ton.

I agree. I have called in a few birds with some down right terrible calling. I had fun one day we were out because there were a bunch of hens around us making a racket. My buddy that I hunt with in my opinion calls too much and I cant seem to get him to wait 10-15 minutes between calls. When he gets a gobble he calls again. This is his second season turkey hunting so he will learn. I do think I had birds get close when he was calling like crazy because I quit calling. When I say I need to get better at calling, I need much more practice cutting. The hens I was around this year were cutting more than yelping/clucking. I am working on positioning. I always seem to be 70-100 yards out of position the last couple of years. I see or hear the birds close enough to get gun into position but they don't or wont make the final approach.

Thanks for the perspective it really does help. I have kind of hunted turkeys since I was 14, I am now 32. I have two under my belt and 3 more that should have happened but I thought about the shot to long and the moment passed. I have never really dedicated myself to hunting them. Nothing more than a few days a year so that doesn't help my odds. Now I am starting to make more of an effort with limited time but I am learning to pay more attention to whats going on instead of walk out into the woods, sit down, and start calling.

 

[beagler]

Alone or with my young daughter.

 

[xarcher]

I will hunt turkeys anytime with any body. Prefer to call but sometimes the turkeys turn the tables on that plan.

 

[Fairchild #17]

.......................Solitude.............................

 

[Shed Antler]

I liked to hunt turkeys alone! That said I hunt with my brother all the time. But we usually go opposite ways. Now if one of us already got we will help the other get one. Now there are times where the hunt dictates we hunt together. But for the most part I like it alone.
I have a friend that want to go together all the time he wants to be together on the same bird all the time. Drives me nuts. I like to get in an area I know birds are and figure out what they are doing.
I do prefer to bow hunt deer with someone. Mostly my brother. I used to love to get 5-6 guys to go after them in the fall.

 

[brittanyman]

I hunt once in awhile with a few older relatives but they restrict my hunting since there older and cant do much walking. I used to hunt with my brother but he died in a car wreck two years ago so Im by myself mostly now. If I knew someone who was in shape and put in the scouting and the time also I would have no problems hunting with them. Im a runner and gunner so if I hear a turkey on top of a hill Im going up that hill. I do enjoy calling in birds for people but once they tag one thats the last I see of them for the season I've learned. Id prefer someone who would still put in the time for me to tag one also but haven't found anyone like that yet.

 

[Honkers51]

Usually by myself...or if my in-laws want to go.Ive killed 95% of my past gobblers by myself and either on the second day or second week.

 

[Shawnm]

turkey hunting is a solo endeavor for me.may have a few guys at camp but we always go our separate ways.we'll compare notes and come up with a game plan for the following day.just spent five days in tionesta hunting solo and had a blast.

 

[chester farmer]

Occasionally enjoy solo hunts/running and gunning. Get more joy out of calling for others and seeing there smile when they connect. I have shot several birds I called in for others as they spooked and tried to escape or were missed. The old beater long barreled 10 Guage ending a path to freedom.

 

[Moss]

Mostly hunt alone but I've been calling for others this year. I'm heading out with a friend in the morning on some private land.

 

[gobblergetter]

I enjoy calling for others. I only ever had my father call for me or have one buddy that's a competetion caller we try to get together once a season to hunt he has called for me before. I would say 99 percent of the time I the one doing the calling when I go with others. To me it feels like it is a lot easier to call them in for others than it is to bring them to my own gun barrel.

 

[A.J.]

Im one my second season of spring gobbler and still looking for my first one, I feel like calling is my weak spot, I'm teaching myself as I go so Im sure calling isn't the only one