It’s an addiction. I realize some places are easy to call in birds, and if it was that way here I may have never gotten addicted. I spend a lot of time and money chasing these stupid birds!!

It’s unlike any other hunting here except maybe archery for deer as far as range to kill.

Their eyesight and hearing is beyond anything else out there. You’re going against nature to get a gobbler. In nature, he gobbles, drums, and spits and the hens come to him. You’re now the hen and you have to make him want to come to you.

If you set up where he can clearly see there’s not a hen, he’s not coming any farther. If your setup is right and tight, he’ll come within range trying to find that hen he heard. If it’s not, all you’ll get is a beautiful display of courtship out of range.

Make a move at the wrong time and he’s gone.

I will say this, woodsmanship will offset mediocre calling.

What’s even more interesting is different species have their own unique characteristics. Here I can get in front of an Eastern. You aren’t chasing down a Merriam or Rio. Those jokers hit the deck and have a destination already in mind and if you don’t know where that is, you aren’t killing them. Thats why roosting is important to me. My idea of roosting a bird is not knowing an area, but what tree or limb he’s on.

Different terrains also make things interesting if you’re used to hunting one species. Osceola’s will walk through an area so thick a rabbit wouldn’t even consider it. I’ve seen Merriam’s come down an almost vertical mountain face. I’ve seen Rio’s respond to a call at such a distance where I could watch them gobble and go back into strut with optics before hearing their gobble.

Each species sound different. Well, sorta. Eastern’s and Osceola’s sound the same, and Rio’s and Merriam’s sound the same to me. We have that thunderous gobble, the Western birds have “yodel” sound to them. I love hearing them all.

The allure of picking a state, getting on OnX, and planning a hunt adds to the addiction. Arriving on site and hearing birds and then killing a bird really really adds fuel to the fire!!

About the only thing I think that would compare to the action would be calling in a bull elk, moose, or coyotes. Our only advantage is turkeys can’t smell human scent. Or rather, human scent plays no factor in a turkeys demise. If it did, there would be very few turkeys killed.

Good description!

It’s an addiction. I realize some places are easy to call in birds, and if it was that way here I may have never gotten addicted. I spend a lot of time and money chasing these stupid birds!!

It’s unlike any other hunting here except maybe archery for deer as far as range to kill.

Their eyesight and hearing is beyond anything else out there. You’re going against nature to get a gobbler. In nature, he gobbles, drums, and spits and the hens come to him. You’re now the hen and you have to make him want to come to you.

If you set up where he can clearly see there’s not a hen, he’s not coming any farther. If your setup is right and tight, he’ll come within range trying to find that hen he heard. If it’s not, all you’ll get is a beautiful display of courtship out of range.

Make a move at the wrong time and he’s gone.

I will say this, woodsmanship will offset mediocre calling.

What’s even more interesting is different species have their own unique characteristics. Here I can get in front of an Eastern. You aren’t chasing down a Merriam or Rio. Those jokers hit the deck and have a destination already in mind and if you don’t know where that is, you aren’t killing them. Thats why roosting is important to me. My idea of roosting a bird is not knowing an area, but what tree or limb he’s on.

Different terrains also make things interesting if you’re used to hunting one species. Osceola’s will walk through an area so thick a rabbit wouldn’t even consider it. I’ve seen Merriam’s come down an almost vertical mountain face. I’ve seen Rio’s respond to a call at such a distance where I could watch them gobble and go back into strut with optics before hearing their gobble.

Each species sound different. Well, sorta. Eastern’s and Osceola’s sound the same, and Rio’s and Merriam’s sound the same to me. We have that thunderous gobble, the Western birds have “yodel” sound to them. I love hearing them all.

The allure of picking a state, getting on OnX, and planning a hunt adds to the addiction. Arriving on site and hearing birds and then killing a bird really really adds fuel to the fire!!

About the only thing I think that would compare to the action would be calling in a bull elk, moose, or coyotes. Our only advantage is turkeys can’t smell human scent. Or rather, human scent plays no factor in a turkeys demise. If it did, there would be very few turkeys killed.

Interesting side note on a different non game bird.

If any of you know a brown headed cow bird, they also strut and have a "gobble". I watched one in a gas station parking lot do his gobble and strut dance for a female and it was quite the show. Just like a strutting tom at 1/50th the size. Super neat!!

I didn't know about their matting dance but I sure have shot a LOT of them. Since they lay their eggs in other birds nest and take off from what my grandparents bird lady neighbor said. Her yard was full of feeders baths and looked like the wildlife viewing station at the nature center at state parks except about 3/4 acre in size. She gave me permission to shoot starlings, grackle, and cow birds. I was at my grandparents every weekend my red rider and later 5mm Sheridan blue streak got worked out.