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2024 Turkey Thread

No gobbles again today but I did ease up on some hens but never got a gobbler to cooperate. I made about a 7 mile loop today. I did find what I think is a gobbler's strut zone. There were old and new tracks going back and forth and there was no sign of scratching and feeding. It just looked like pacing back and forth and the spot just said "turkey", if you know what I mean. The spot was way back, and I had to cross a good bit of water to get there. I did not see a single boot track all day. That in itself was a great sign. Tomorrow looks stormy but I may be back at that strut zone before daylight on Saturday.
 
I bought a new beat around 28ga to add to the turkey arsenal. Sighted it in at 40yds the outer rim diameter of the black part of the target is 8”.
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shmelton said:
I bought a new beat around 28ga to add to the turkey arsenal. Sighted it in at 40yds the outer rim diameter of the black part of the target is 8”.
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Looks good, what shotgun is that?
 
Shooting Boss Tom #9’s out of a Carlsons Turkey Choke in the bottom barrel. The top barrel shooting Boss Cu plated Bismuth #7’s thru an improved choke.


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Mschmeiske said:
My buddy Dylan made me this beautiful trumpet call. Desert Iron Wood and a Water Buffalo Bead on the lanyard. Also, this book is well worth the read, I’ve truly enjoyed it.
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That’s a sweet trumpet call! I also have that book. Ray Eye is the man. If you can ever get a copy of his break out article he wrote for Outdoor Life decades ago, its a great one. One of the best turkey hunting articles I’ve ever read on hunting mentorship.
 
Alright I’ve debated posting here but… never turkey hunted before but wanna try my hand at this season. There are only a few tracts of public that are in areas that may even hold turkeys. I have a Primos box call, a ground blind and my bow. No shotgun.

My main question is the best way to get started even finding them. I have seen turkey tracks on public before in open clear cuts. I have not gone out early or in evening to try listen, nor really scouted for them before. Is that the best way to verify if they are even around? We don’t have a huge population in SE LA and while I wanna try my hand, I also don’t wanna go balls to the wall for something that’s not there, so to speak.
 
mschultz373 said:
Alright I’ve debated posting here but… never turkey hunted before but wanna try my hand at this season. There are only a few tracts of public that are in areas that may even hold turkeys. I have a Primos box call, a ground blind and my bow. No shotgun.

My main question is the best way to get started even finding them. I have seen turkey tracks on public before in open clear cuts. I have not gone out early or in evening to try listen, nor really scouted for them before. Is that the best way to verify if they are even around? We don’t have a huge population in SE LA and while I wanna try my hand, I also don’t wanna go balls to the wall for something that’s not there, so to speak.
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When does your season come in?

The best way is to listen for them In likely areas early in the morning. Or do some foot work and find sign. Tracks, scratching and so on. Or even could try in the evening to roost some. You sound like you’re onto the right idea just gotta make it happen!
 
April 6-21 on public.

I am not a morning guy by nature, and not a very early riser regularly either, so anyway that I could scout afternoons or evenings, and be as effective would be great.
 
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mschultz373 said:
April 6-21 on public.

I am not a morning guy by nature, and not a very early riser regularly either, so anyway that I could scout afternoons or evenings, and be as effective would be great.
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SE LA here too, so far you haven’t missed much on early morning scouting trips. Only one gobble heard in the last few days over here. I’ve had more luck finding birds 8-12 in open fields or clearcuts. If I can find them like that I’ll try and stick with them the rest of the day to hopefully hear them fly up to roost so I have a place to start in the mornings. Louisianas one of the toughest states I’ve turkey hunted, there’s birds but finding them and having them to yourself is insanely difficult
 
Yeah, I mean I already struggle enough deer hunting on public down here and I’m a little anxious about putting time in on turkeys and it being unfruitful.

The other drag is that the areas I’m focusing on deer hunting are either closed for turkeys or don’t hold turkeys, so there’s not a lot of overlap with postseason scouting.

I do have access to two small private tracts, 13acres each, one landowner has said he’s seen turkeys before but no idea about this year.
 
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I've never found a brand that makes hotter or better patterning loads than Nitro Company ammo. Apex 10 ga is 2.5 at 1100fps. Nitro is 2 5/8 at an additional 80 fps for 1180. Baddest of the bad
 
mschultz373 said:
Yeah, I mean I already struggle enough deer hunting on public down here and I’m a little anxious about putting time in on turkeys and it being unfruitful.

The other drag is that the areas I’m focusing on deer hunting are either closed for turkeys or don’t hold turkeys, so there’s not a lot of overlap with postseason scouting.

I do have access to two small private tracts, 13acres each, one landowner has said he’s seen turkeys before but no idea about this year.
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My advice is to go into it with the attitude to just have fun. Turkey hunting can be a lot of highs and lows and especially starting off, if you put a lot of pressure on yourself to get one, you most likely will not have a good time. The best way I have found to do it is to cover ground early and make owl hoots, then listen. Hopefully one will sound off and you can make a plan to get in close enough to him to get him. This is with a shotgun. With a bow, under the conditions you describe, I would say make a trip out, especially after an all-night rain, and set up on some fields or cutovers and watch for birds. After being wet and cold all night, the birds will want to get to some sun and warm up. You might just have to make some observation sits to find where they want to be.

It's not all bad if you don't see or hear birds. I get a lot of quality deer scouting done during turkey season. It's been very slow here so far.
 
10essee said:
Looks like a good little beat around gun. Be even better with 3” chamber. Great pattern
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Mine actually has a 3” chamber. Ad said 2-3/4” but it came with a 3”.


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Bwhana said:
Friends don’t let friends shoot federal turkey loads! Try Apex, Verdict, Salt Creek, or any one of the other custom loads for the best patterns. I shoot a 555 and 585 on my two turkey guns. The 555 is a very hot 10 core and the 585 provides a really good pattern in the 10 and 20”.
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I have been off grid for a bit. Is there some issue with the federals that I’m not tracking?
 
iamcorey said:
I have been off grid for a bit. Is there some issue with the federals that I’m not tracking?
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If you want the very best possible patterns and pellet counts, the Federals are better than LBXR or any other lead offerings, but they pale in comparison to more custom/small batch loads available now. Federals can work with the right choke, but is like using a Hawk saddle vs a TX5. They both work, but the TX5 is better in any way you want to compare them except it is not cheap. In the case of Federals, they have increased their prices so much that you actually pay more for poorer performance these days.
 
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