Yesterday was my first day Turkey hunting, ever. I ended up arriving late. It was completely daylight time I showed up. Soon as I shut my truck door I could hear the Turkeys. I had an idea where they were because I had scouted prior. I walked back to the spot very slowly. I used my slate call a few times and they reacted to it. Next thing I know I see them in a corn field next to the public ground I can hunt. Of course I'm not going to shoot a Turkey on someone else's property. I sat down for a few hours and called from time to time. Every time I called they would react but would never walk towards me. Seemed like they kept walking away. I stayed until about 11am.
Today I show up at 5:20am and they are roosting in the same tree as yesterday. I walk to the spot and get about 40 yards from them. They were going crazy. Every time an Owl would hoot they would go nuts. A crow would make a noise and they'd go nuts again. So I started using my call. I called very lightly. They reacted. They were still roosting. for about 20 minutes they called so I called. They finally flew down to the ground and I called again. They reacted but kept walking away from me instead of towards me. So I quit calling. I let them call about 2-3 times before I called again. They still would not come near me. They kept getting farther away.
I ended up leaving a little bit ago because they were no longer in sight. I do not have a decoy. Any advice? I'm thinking about getting even closer to where they were roosting this morning tomorrow. I had a shot at one but he was 40 yards out when he hit the ground. I wanted him closer. Do they generally roost in the same tree every night from what you guys have seen? What could cause them to go away from my calling? Am I too loud? Are they just turned off this late in the season?
Thoughts/opinions would be greatly appreciated. I'm still learning! (southern Illinois is where I'm hunting)
Today I show up at 5:20am and they are roosting in the same tree as yesterday. I walk to the spot and get about 40 yards from them. They were going crazy. Every time an Owl would hoot they would go nuts. A crow would make a noise and they'd go nuts again. So I started using my call. I called very lightly. They reacted. They were still roosting. for about 20 minutes they called so I called. They finally flew down to the ground and I called again. They reacted but kept walking away from me instead of towards me. So I quit calling. I let them call about 2-3 times before I called again. They still would not come near me. They kept getting farther away.
I ended up leaving a little bit ago because they were no longer in sight. I do not have a decoy. Any advice? I'm thinking about getting even closer to where they were roosting this morning tomorrow. I had a shot at one but he was 40 yards out when he hit the ground. I wanted him closer. Do they generally roost in the same tree every night from what you guys have seen? What could cause them to go away from my calling? Am I too loud? Are they just turned off this late in the season?
Thoughts/opinions would be greatly appreciated. I'm still learning! (southern Illinois is where I'm hunting)
