Its been 24 years since I tried to hunt turkeys. Djdn do good back then alfhough i did c all in a couple.My questions are for indiana hunting im thinking i will try to locate them nd then get up on the ridges where theres fire trails and some flats and trie to call. I really dont have any low land and fields. Will the woods and high up on ridges and flats be good to try?

Its been 24 years since I tried to hunt turkeys. Djdn do good back then alfhough i did c all in a couple.My questions are for indiana hunting im thinking i will try to locate them nd then get up on the ridges where theres fire trails and some flats and trie to call. I really dont have any low land and fields. Will the woods and high up on ridges and flats be good to try?

Yes the birds should be higher also. You can hear better up high than lo. If you in an area where birds are they will walk deer trails moving from point at to point b where they want to go. They will want to be with hens. Don't over call though.

Thanks. I do know to not over call. I do over think thinfs though.I have seen 3 or 4 birds while squirrel hunting up on the ridges. Theres some decent flats up there. Theres a big stand of big pines. An old homestead type area only the yard area is left and you xan tell a ho u se has been there but probably 100 plus years ago.Plenty of fire trails and ive seen turkey teacks in them and droppings.

Good to call off the ridges your call will carry further that way. Call early and sit back and wait if you get a response.

Good advice. I hunt the hills and hollows of Ohio. The easy toms gobble as they come to the call. The toughest toms either gobble and stay with hens, or sneak in silently.

It is wise to scout your area so you are confident that toms are around, then setup and call, and then wait them out. Or run and gun and try to fire up a tom that will move in on you.

Not sure why, but generally it is easier to get a tom to move from a hollow up to a ridge than the reverse.

I saw birds all morning , in the morning they will leave the roost at dawn and head to a field are open area , and horse around till they get bored or hungry , they head to grassy trails or oak or thick brush to feed . By noon time they seem to find a good dusty place to lay down. I cant keep up with are birds roost as they change it a lot this time of yr . so I target the areas they head to after the field . from 830-9am to 1045am this morning every 15-20 minutes I did something wrong enough to mess up every chance I had . Yet the action this morning had me grinning .

I may not do things the same as others on here, I never call until the toms have flown down. Around here, the hens will lead a tom away from other hens.It's hard to wait till fly down, but knowing if a real hen is around has made the differance more than once for me.If a tom hits the ground gobbeling, I'll get right on him, if I hear hens, I'll wait to see what happens. Sometimes I've called in the hens and had the toms follow. Thanks John

Use a shotgun....lol. Just kidding, but you'll know what I'm talking about when you start "bird-watching" gobblers in easy 3" magnum #6 range that refuse to come any closer. There's an article in the Apr./May TBM on hunting ridgeline vs field edge birds. Good luck!

Here in TN, I notice turkey roosting on ridges facing the sunset a lot. In the afternoon, I can offen find some on logging trails on the ridges

Calling too much isn't the problem, it's knowing when to stop calling is what you have to learn. A good rule is to never call to a bird that's already coming. He knows where your at you just got to be patient enough to let him come in.

good advice from above,, getting lucky and calling to a tom that does not have a hen is plus,, you can kill a bird with no calling if you are on a travel rouute and have a decoy,,

but being out there is the most important,, I feel like I am a good caller, and if the tom has hens,, it might not do anything,, maybe the lead hen will come,, but its all up to what the turkeys want to do, sometimes nothing you do works,, sometimes you just sit there and one comes by,, just gotta be out there,,

You can also overthink calling. A real turkey would never win a turkey calling contest, so remember that. If one is moving toward you, keep calling to a minimum unless he seems to stop moving. Then just a few yelps and shut up. You do need to just get out there and have at it. Sometimes you surprise yourself at how easy it seemed. At other times it seems like you will never get one to come in. It sure is fun though.

some areas that are hunted hard, if you call and see the turkey run the other way,, then less or no calling is needed,, :)

if the bird other hens are calling alot, then you are not going to over call,, or if the bird answers every time you call, you are not scaring him,,,,

if the lead hen is answering every time you call,, just keep calling she will often come to you,, leading the gobbler,,

George makes an excellent point...don't feel bad if you don't sound like the world record turkey caller, the real thing sounds pretty bad and raspy at times. I'll never forget the first bird I ever shot(shotgun I confess). It was gobbling itself silly and all of a sudden I hear the worst hen yelps and cackling I ever heard and though another hunter was working "my" bird from the other side. Turns out it was the real deal and the breeding would have been worth the price of admission. I couldn't see it, but I've never heard such a racket in my life. Soon as they were done the gobbler closed the distance to me like he was on a string and a mission. Still the biggest bird I've ever shot...22 lb. and change.

Called this one in Wed. If I can anyone can.

Nice straydog. Well all this advice confirms what I thought I knew. So I actually had it figured about right. Just need to get out there. Thanks everyone and good hunting.

same spot this morning and one hen just kept walking back and forth between my friend and I . I have noticed that birds come in quicker and closer when I don't use a decoy . I think they can spot the real mc'coy this far in are season . And I don't make sound after a bird shows up .

Ive noticed that too r-man, that they seem spookier. I just figured my decoys aren't any good.

Excellent advice overall. Especially to get out hunting as often as possible!

This is a very important key to success: I hunt private lands! I work very hard year round to obtain and keep permission to hunt on private lands, and maintain relationships with the landowners. I make sure that it is exclusive permission, or extremely limited. I hunt turkeys on the farms, fields, and woods where I hunt deer, geese, and run an extensive trapline. This is a large amount of land scattered over a loop of approximately 20 miles. That way I can hunt many different populations of turkeys.

Having access to hunt so much private land is a huge privilege - but it takes a great deal of planning and work.

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