Turkey First Timmer

[youngmoose]

I want to go turkey hunting this year but I have never been turkey hunting. I mentioned this to my dad and he asked what I wanted to use shotgun or bow. I don't know yet so I was wondering what you guys would suggest to start with?

 

[blake]

While I certainly can not speak for everyone else on here, I would start with a shotgun.

Learn the habits of the turkey, calling techniques, e.g.

Switch to a bow if you want to after you have a few years of successful turkey harvest under your belt.

Whatever you decide to do, good luck with your turkey hunting.

 

[sureshot]

If I were you I would start off with a shotgun. In my opinion it is much easier. Last year was my first year trying to bowhunt for turkeys and I became very frustrated. Well to make a long story short i'm switching back to a shotgun this year, to get a little bit more experience under my belt.

-sureshot1

 

[ironwood]

If you decide to hunt with a bow do it from a blind. You'll have enough going on just learning the sport. It is really difficult to get away with the movement needed to kill a Tom with a bow. I have gone back and fourth gun to bow to gun, as sureshot1 has, until last year with the blind and a bow in hand I finally had success and a blast. I still helped a few family members and friends with their gun harvest. That gave me the best of both worlds I thought. Either way you are going to love this sport.

 

[Ghost]

Talk about an addictive sport to get into.

Pattern your shotgun to find the load/choke combination that gives you a good pattern on paper. Practice your calling and go to the timber for your experience. The more hours you spend hunting them the more you will learn. I would go after them with your shotgun first just to get the experience. Good Luck!

 

[outdoor]

Strat with a gun? Beacuse I think its easier,but I never hunted with a bow. If you do hunt with a gun, use a pump or something, not a single shot. Why? Because last year I use a single shot and I would have killed the biggest turkey I have ever seen. I missed him the second shot(out of range) but the first shot I shot too low.

 

[moosehunter]

I have an old beat up Mossberg thats a turkey shootin' machine. At least I'm 4 for 4 with it. He can start with that. When he figures out how to use spellcheck, he can graduate to a bow......

 

[muddy]

youngmoose, if you have any problems finding a bird while juggling classes, let me know. I might be able to hook you up.

To answer your first question on what to take... take both. Shotgun tags you can use either or. Just a pain to carry it all and you're not very mobil. A bow tag will allow you to go the whole season but is quite a bit more challanging and frustrating.

 

[moosehunter]

thanks fer helping out matt. your the best.

 

[muddy]

Perry, many would argue that opinion, but thanks.

At least I know where to send the guide fees!

 

[gundog870]

YOungmoose, im seventeen and i got a few birds under my belt with the old 870. Me and a buddy got a double one year. it was a blast. Well anyhow I decided to take the bow last year. I couldnt afford a blind so i was just gunna go with my bag full of luck. well to make a long story short. i called in two birds and i had a group of 3 gobblers called in that year. Not to mention hens jakes, etc. But i was able to draw 2 and was seen both times. It turned into a battle for me, and kinda took away some of the fun i think. But boy did i hunt alot. ok getting to the point. If your looking for a great hunt (maybe without success) go with the bow. But I am still young and greedy, and dont like tag soup. So i will be taking the 870. But theres still no garauntees.

 

[gundog870]

YOungmoose, im seventeen and i got a few birds under my belt with the old 870. Me and a buddy got a double one year. it was a blast. Well anyhow I decided to take the bow last year. I couldnt afford a blind so i was just gunna go with my bag full of luck. well to make a long story short. i called in two birds and i had a group of 3 gobblers called in for me that year. Not to mention hens jakes, etc. But i was able to draw 2 times and was seen both times. It turned into a battle for me, and kinda took away some of the fun i think. But boy did i hunt alot. ok getting to the point. If your looking for a great hunt (maybe without success) go with the bow. But I am still young and greedy, and dont like tag soup. So i will be taking the 870. But theres still no garauntees.

 

[DLO]

I think I might be saying what a lot of guys here are either going to disagree with, or be too proud to admit, but it's the hard truth. Hunting turkeys from a blind with a bow( assuming you can actually shoot the bow you take in the field

) is definately "easier" than hunting them with a gun in the open....period. Anytime your movements are hidden completely, you have the cat by the @$$, or the tom my the fan for that matter.

Taking a tom with a bow in the open????? PRICELESS!

 

[PAHunter]

I would definitely have to disagree DLO,atleast from what I've experienced.Over the years I've taken a slew of longbeards with the shotgun,and just recently got into bowhunting them.Big difference!What I honestly don't like about bowhunting them is the different style of hunting and calling tactics one must use.With a shotgun your more free to relocate on birds which is often needed on these stubborn longbeards.Whereas a bow your more confined to one spot,and must get the bird to commit to a much smaller kill area.Put it this way,I usually have three spring tags,and if I wanted to almost guarantee I'd fill all them,I'd take the shotgun, not the bow.Bowhunting them is definitely more of a challenge,atleast for me anyways.

 

[DLO]

You made excellent points. Relocation is definately easier when you're runnin'-n-gunnin' and not tied to a blind. My initial post was assuming all variables were equal....no relocation. I'm positive I gave the wrong impression with the wording of my initial post....my point was supposed to be the following: Blind hunting is the most forgiving way to do it...regardless of weapon chosen. It's certainly harder to put a lethal shot on a bird with a bow than with a gun, but if you are capable with your bow, it won't be an issue. I personally have never changed my calling because I was in a blind or in the open. If a gobbler stalls, he stalls...I just wait him out. For the guys that hunt areas that have lower bird densities, run-n-gun approaches work great, I've never had to do that here, because of the large population of birds in my area.
I personally only bowhunt turkeys. My first(13 years ago) was taken with a 10 ga and from then on, I have gone only with a bow.

Again, my point was supposed to be blinds=easier hunt..at least here where I never have to relocate in the middle of a hunt.

Good luck to everyone this season!

 

[DLO]

[ QUOTE ]
I want to go turkey hunting this year but I have never been turkey hunting. I mentioned this to my dad and he asked what I wanted to use shotgun or bow. I don't know yet so I was wondering what you guys would suggest to start with?

[/ QUOTE ]

Youngmoose... start with a gun. If you have access to a good blind, get a good caller in there with you and hold on! Good luck man!

 

[PAHunter]

Maybe I'm confused here.

[ QUOTE ]
my point was suppose to be the following: Blind hunting is the most forgiving way to do it...regardless of weapon chosen.

[/ QUOTE ]
Without a doubt,a gun in a blind is easier than a gun in the open,just as a bow in a blind would be easier than a bow in the open.If this is what you mean DLO,I agree.

But if you're actually comparing a bow in a blind to a gun in the open,could we both be thinking of different type blinds?Whereas I'am using a blind setup with open windows without any netting.And you're speaking of blind setups with netting that are totally enclosed?Can't speak for the totally enclosed enclosed type.But,with all things being equal,I'd say using the open window type blind with a bow is still harder than a gun in the open,just my opinion.

As for moving or relocating,don't have to here because of the lack of birds,we have plenty.Unfortunately,we get a lot of hunters and pressure,which in turn makes many birds wise up quickly.Over the years,I have found moving about 10 yards or so a few times,helps with stubborn birds.These birds have heard everything by now,where moving some,simulates a live hen moving.This is why I choose to move at times,by adding realism to my calling,rather than sounding like every other hunter,that sounds like a hen tied to a tree.I honestly believe these birds pick up on this,maybe not at the start of the season,but as the season goes on they seem to,where their less likely to commit.

 

[DLO]

[ QUOTE ]
Without a doubt,a gun in a blind is easier than a gun in the open,just as a bow in a blind would be easier than a bow in the open.If this is what you mean DLO,I agree.



[/ QUOTE ]

You got it.

 

[PAHunter]

Your first reply is what really confused me

[ QUOTE ]
Hunting turkeys from a blind with a bow( assuming you can actually shoot the bow you take in the field

)is definately "easier" than hunting them with a gun in the open....period.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm still confused

But I'll agree with you,just to end this nonsense

 

[DLO]

PA, "easier" in the first reply should have been edited to read " more forgiving". Hunting from a blind is inherently more forgiving in terms of a hunter's movement( body movement, not relocation). In my experience, I have found it much easier to call, draw on and kill, turkeys from inside a blind( open window, no netting). That's all I wanted to get across. The miscommunication you and I seem to have had is doing nothing to help answer Youngmoose's original post and I believe it has evolved into an off topic dialogue that is benefiting no one. I respect your opinion and would certainly never describe anything you posted as nonsense, even though I may not be in total agreement because of differing hunting enviroments and experiences afield.

I hope your spring season is productive and wish you good hunting.