 Photo by John Higley
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Favorite fall tactics
Scattered doesn't always mean covered when hunting fall turkeys
Not so long ago, the primary fall turkey hunting tactic I used was the scatter. The idea behind it is to locate a flock of turkeys and rush them like a madman, causing them to panic and scatter in all directions. Then you set up at or near the breakup point and try to call them back. The tactic works well with groups of hens and their broods as they want to get back together promptly. Scattering works, but not as reliably, when it comes to small bachelor bands of gobblers, because they may not regroup for hours after separating.
While scattering is certainly still an option, these days I prefer to engage the turkeys in a routine calling situation and coax them in with a few yelps sometimes mixed with kee-kees and clucks. Quite often, a curious lead hen will come to confront the newcomer and bring her flock mates with her. I've found that 1½-year-old jakes, often seen in small groups of similar individuals, will also come to the calls.
Spring tactic, fall calling
Alex Rutledge, host of "Bloodline TV," radio and media personality and lifelong turkey hunter, has these observations about fall hunting.
"Scattering flocks of hens and their offspring works, and I do that sometimes, but it's not the way I prefer to hunt," he said. "Instead, I like to roost birds just like I do in the spring and set up close to them early in the morning. When I hear them waking up, I call softly to get a conversation started, then mimic them."
Sometimes Rutledge puts out decoys to sweeten the pot.
"When they see [the decoys] the bunch usually comes right in," he said. "All I have to do is get my gun up and be ready when they come close enough."
When the opportunity comes, Rutledge enjoys sparring with longbeards in the fall.
"When I'm dealing with a small gang of mature toms and hear them fussing amongst themselves, I join in with aggressive gobbler yelps or cutts, or whatever it takes to get them riled up and bring them in spoiling for a fight," he said. "For them, it's all about establishing the pecking order, an ongoing process that takes place even in the fall."
An evening rendezvous
Hunter's Specialties pro staffer Matt Morrett thinks scattering makes good sense under the right circumstances.
"I like to ease along and blind call until I get a response, then set up and try to get them to pay me a visit," Morrett said. "If that doesn't work and the situation is right, I'll move in and try to scatter the turkeys."
Morrett says busting up flocks works great almost any time of day, provided the birds are completely separated, but his favorite time to flush them is in the evening, when it's too late for them to regroup.
Find the food
Both Rutledge and Morrett stress the importance of locating flocks of turkeys in the fall.
"Fall birds are quiet much of the time, so it's harder to hone in on them by listening for them," Rutledge said. "I look for all kinds of sign, but finding the food source they're using at the moment is the best way I know to put yourself where the turkeys are."
Morrett agreed. If he doesn't see or hear turkeys, he searches for food sources.
"Depending on what's available, the turkeys may feed on hard mast, like acorns and nuts, or bugs in a field or on what's left of a harvested farm crop," Morrett said. "Everything usually falls into place after I find enough fresh scratching to indicate where the turkeys are feeding daily."
What the pros use
Rutledge relies on mouth calls for most of his fall calling. He can make most turkey sounds with a mouth call, but feels single or double reed designs are best for kee kees.
"The new Bloodline Coma 3 diaphragm is a really good all around fall call, and I can kee kee great with the Bloodline Super Slate too," he said.
Morrett, who has won five World Friction Calling Championships, recommends Hunter's Specialties' new Smokin' Gun glass call, which he says can produce better kee kees than some mouth calls.
"With a graphite striker, it's pretty simple," Morrett said. "Keep the striker near the outer ring of the call where the pitch is highest, and don't allow it to break into a yelp. With a little practice anyone should be able to do it." — John Higley