Fall turkey hunting can be extremely underrated. Most turkey hunters will tell you “there is no point to hunt turkeys in the fall,” and “you can’t call turkeys in the fall.” But that’s just simply not true.
Sure hunting in the fall for turkeys might be more difficult, or turkeys might not gobble as much as they do in the spring, that doesn’t mean it’s not just as rewarding to bag one as the leaves are changing and falling of the trees.
Finding Turkeys
Finding turkeys can often be the most difficult task in your journey to bag a fall turkey. The great thing is as you become better at finding turkeys in the fall, it will be that much easier to locate them in the spring. To find them in the fall you must rely more on the “why” of the turkeys and less on the gobble.
The “why” of the turkeys let you key in on the “where” of the turkeys, and also how to get them within shooting range. For example why turkeys make a specific sound, or why turkeys are traveling from one location to another.
Key places to look for turkeys are:
- Fields
Fields or open areas turkeys will often be in during the early mornings or late evenings depending on the weather. If the weather is very cold or rainy the turkeys might be there mid-day because the ground is a little warmer and in the case of rain so that turkeys can hear and see predators easier. - Roosts
Finding a roost tree is a great way to ensure your chances of taking a fall turkey. There can be a whole flock in one roost tree. If turkeys are roosting in a particular tree there will usually be a large number of droppings around the tree as well as some feathers. - Tall Wooded Areas
This is a place where turkeys can usually get caught traveling through or during mid-day. Signs of turkeys in these areas are V-shaped scrapes on the ground where they are trying to uncover the ground from debris and leaves. Another thing to keep an eye out for is feathers or droppings.
Calling Tactics
These are some of the more important calls for turkey hunting in the fall:
- Cluck
Clucks are great to use when birds are close. they let the bird know you are there in a friendly manner. But be careful not to make the cluck too sharp which can represent an alarm call, try to stay a little more relaxed and drawn out with your call. - Kee Kee Run
This sound is usually made by young jakes. Younger birds make this sound when learning to talk, but get separated from the rest of the flock. - Purr
Purrs are made by happy feeding turkeys. They are meant to let other turkeys in the flock know that they are near and content while feeding. - Yelp
Hens make this sound to communicate with other turkeys including their young. This is also made by lost turkeys trying to locate each other.
Here is a great website to learn about the different types of calls along with getting a chance to listen to each one.
Get Out There
With turkey hunting about to start in many states, there is no better time to try out some fall turkey hunting. If nothing else it is a great time to be in the woods. So just get out there and explore and see if you might be able to get yourself that Thanksgiving turkey.
It is also a great time to hone some of your skills for spring turkey season.
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