Ruining A Turkey Hunt Is Easy To Do, Avoid These Common Turkey Hunting Mistakes

This spring, hunters will head out early in the morning to chase a long beard. Many hunters will go turkey hunting for the first time. The best way to increase your chances of bagging a spring gobbler is to learn from an experienced turkey hunter. However, if you do find yourself being new to turkey hunting here are a few tips that will help your chances of bagging a spring thunder chicken.

How To Hunt Turkeys And Avoid Mistakes

The wild turkey has the brain a size of a medium peanut and always is outsmarting the best turkey hunters. This really isn't the case. Many opportunities lost while turkey hunting are because of dumb things the turkey hunter does. We want to help you avoid these mistakes and bag a big long beard this spring. Let us look in more detail the five turkey hunting mistakes ruining your hunts

 Mistake #1: Getting to Close While Turkey Hunting

Getting to Close While Turkey Hunting

When I first began turkey hunting in north Georgia the owl hoot would always get the birds to answer me before sunrise but it was difficult to figure out how close they were in order to set up. After scaring a few birds out of trees and having some toms watch me set up then flying down and walking the other direction I came to a conclusion. I realized it is much better to set up a good distance away from the bird if you don't know their exact location. I like to get within a few hundred yards in the direction I think he will go. It's better to be too far than too close. Getting too close to a gobbling turkey in a tree can ruin your hunt instantly.

Mistake #2: Turkey Calling too Soon

Turkey Calling Too Soon Can Ruin A Hunt 

The second way to ruin a hunt early in the morning is turkey calling too soon. The goal of the tom is to meet up with hens right when he flies down. With that being said, it is very important to make sure that the tom is down out of his tree before you attempt to call aggressively. The goal of the game is to get the turkey to come to you thinking you are a hen. If the long beard thinks you are a hen on the ground then he will sit in his tree and gobble in an attempt to get hens, or you to come to him. I have had birds sit in the tree until 1030 in the morning waiting for me to walk to him. Patience is key when it comes to morning hunts. If you are not sure if the bird is on the ground, you can do some very soft tree yelps without getting loud or raspy. This will ensure the gobbler knows that you're a hen and still in a tree.

Mistake #3: Slightest Movement Scares Wild Turkeys Away

Wild Turkeys Have Some Of The Best Eyesight

When the turkey is approaching your calling or your decoys DO NOT MOVE. Turkeys have incredible eyesight and can pick up on even the slightest movements. Have your gun up and ready to shoot when the turkey is approaching. Wild turkeys and birds, in general, pick up on UV light so be sure to hide your skin and cover up in good camouflage. Pick camo for your surroundings such as Nomad, Mossy Oak, Real Tree Original, and others. If you are worried about movement then use of a ground blind can be very beneficial.

Mistake #4: Turkey Calling Excessively

Turkey Calling Excessively Ruins Turkey Hunts

Some turkey hunters make the mistake of overcalling at a bird. When a hunter makes that first turkey sound the birds know exactly where you are. If the bird is interested in what you got going on he will begin moving towards the calling. If he needs to relocate you or make sure you're still excited about him coming he will gobble and then you'll call back. After that, he will get closer and closer. There is generally no reason to call at a bird that is moving towards you.

Mistake #5: Creeks and Fences Ruin Turkey Hunts

Wild Turkey Hesitant About Crossing A Creek On A Turkey Hunt

I have hunted many different properties all over the US for wild turkeys. When hunting properties that you are unfamiliar with the fastest way to ruin a hunt is not knowing where a creek or fence is located. A lot of times birds have a specific place that they cross creeks. If you are not on the known crossing, the bird will either move to a crossing or not cross the creek/fence. With the right persuasion, the bird will cross every time. I've seen them cross creeks, roads, and fences to come to a call but the majority of them are hesitant. One way to get around this problem is to follow creeks and fences to ensure you are on the correct side. This is critical when a bird answers and walks into the decoys or at least gets close enough to shoot.

Better understanding of these five turkey hunting mistakes ruining your hunts will help you bag more gobblers this spring. These are just a few turkey hunting tips and tricks to add to your arsenal this year. If you have any questions or concerns, please leave a comment below or email us at info@hfdepot.com. We would love to hear about your turkey hunting experiences or mistakes. Send us any pictures you get this turkey season to be featured on our social media pages. We hope you will not make these mistakes while turkey hunting and get the prized turkey you are after.