Spring Turkey Hunting: Habitat, Tactics, and Calls

Henry David Thoreau once said, “One attraction in coming to the woods to live was that I should have leisure and opportunity to see the spring come in.” After a long hard winter the welcoming of spring brings a boost of energy for all of Mother Nature. The sights of green and buds appearing on trees to warm breezes on our faces one can’t help but feel refreshed. Perhaps one of the greatest joys of spring is not what we see or feel but what we hear. That thunderous gobble makes every Turkey hunter’s heart skip a beat. In essence it is the beckoning of the spring season.

Habitat & Senses

Turkey hunting can be very rewarding if you carry a few basic rules into the field each time. For beginners this guide will surely help you improve your chances in the turkey woods this spring. To begin lets examine the turkey and some of their basic habits. Turkey’s use two primary senses to examine their surroundings those being vision and hearing. Turkey’s have excellent vision, according to Bob Eriksen a retired biologist for the NWTF turkeys have better peripheral vision then humans as their eyes are located on the side of their heads rather then in the middle like humans. Turkeys also have a wide range of head movement giving them a 360-degree like field of vision. Hearing is a turkey’s second greatest sense, listening is one of the primary ways turkeys communicate with one another. All those gobbles we hear in the spring or putts made by hens are all signals to other turkeys in the area. Turkeys will also use their hearing to track or follow when they hear a noise of interest. These senses are important to keep in mind when hunting. Try to make sure you are extremely camouflaged and if possible provide a barrier between you and the turkeys; this could be a ground blind made up of plywood or even tree limbs as the slightest movements can be picked up by a turkey. When it comes to noise, it is important to remain quiet but also present the correct sounds or calls to bring the turkeys close enough for a shot; we will cover some basic yet effective calls later on. Another note to keep in mind when turkey hunting is a turkey’s sense of smell, unlike other animals such as whitetails a turkey’s sense of smell is poor and therefore you do not need to worry as much about wearing scent protective gear.
 
Now that you know more about a turkey’s senses lets look at their habits. One key to remember when turkey hunting is these birds roost every single night, what this means is turkeys fly up into trees in the evening to sleep. Many times turkeys will roost in a particular area, and if you are able to identify where turkeys are roosting you will be able to hone in on where you need to setup for hunting. Remember that you cannot shoot a turkey while they are in the roost. Turkeys prefer lateral cover, so areas of large canopies of trees with grasses or other areas rich with insects are proven turkey grounds. Areas of swampland are also typically a great place to locate turkeys, as the ground is soft enough for easy pecking and scratching.

Hunting Tactics

One of the best things about turkey hunting is you don’t have to sit in the same spot forever and just wait. Turkey hunting is about making contact with toms and then coming up with a game plan. To make contact with potential toms in your area you can do a couple of different things. One way is to simply look around and scout out areas where you think you might see or find turkey sign. The other way is to call and listen for a tom to gobble back at you. Depending on which you choose, will help determine your actual hunting setup. Often times you can do both, however if you decide to call and then react you will want to ensure you are mobile. Being mobile is critical when calling, as you may hear a gobble way off or right next to you so you have to be able to quickly move into a concealed area where you are covered enough that you wont be spotted yet give yourself enough room where you can make a clean shot. When doing this type of hunting you may consider just having a seat cushion with you and when you hear a tom gobble you should try to find a tree where you can quickly scrape the leaves away from the base to lessen the noise and sit leaning up against the tree. If you have an idea of where the turkeys are in your area you may want to setup a pop up style tent or build yourself a small ground blind that you can sit in, preparing beforehand can really help your chances.

Types of Calls

There are a variety of turkey calls; the most popular include box calls, slate calls, diaphragm or mouth calls, and locator calls. Locator calls are used to locate a tom in your area often times you will find an owl or crow call referred to a turkey locator call. The idea behind a locator call is to not attract the tom to you but simply learn of their location. Often times a tom will gobble at the noise of a crow or owl call. A box call is one of the true and tried calls of turkey hunting and for beginners one of the easiest calls to master. Box calls require a sliding like motion with the handle as the bottom scrapes against the “box” of the call. These types of calls mimic putts, purrs, clucks and yelps that hens will make. Slate calls are very versatile because of their size, they are compact and provide high-pitched sounds that carry well over long distances. Creating friction between the handle and base of the call produces these noises. A more advanced call that takes some practice is a diaphragm call, diaphragm calls are the most versatile among the calls because it provides hands free calling as a diaphragm call is placed in your mouth. These calls can produce all types of sounds and is ideal when a gobbler is in close range. Turkey hunting is one of the most exciting hunts you can experience, it is loaded with adventure so take these tips and have a fun & safe spring turkey season!

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