As soon as you locate a Old Tom while turkey hunting, the next step should be to move in near and call him into gun range. Your goal is to slip as close as you possibly can with out scaring him. Then you “set up” and attempt to call him close enough for a shot.
Keep in mind: when coming close to a turkey, if he locates you, he’s gone! Be careful not to be seen. Landscape and plants normally determine how near you can get just before setting up. Veteran hunters hardly ever approach inside 100 yards. They may setup as far away as 300 yards if the ground is smooth and there’s minimal vegetation to hide their actions. TurkeyHunting247 provides a great deal of hints that may help you achieve perfect set up.
Use the land to your advantage while you come close to a ol Tom. Remain behind hills, thickets or other features that may block your movements. Step as softly as you can in the leaves, and don’t bust any sticks during the turkey hunt.
When setting up, select a location that provides the gobbler an easy course to your spot. There shouldn’t be streams, gullies, fencing, heavy undergrowth or any other barriers in between you and the bird. In addition opt for a location that is on the same contour or slightly above the turkey’s spot. Don’t attempt to call a gobbler down a steep incline. Select a place which offers you with a decent look at your surroundings. To look at articles or blog posts plus videos to show you the optimal way to accomplish this click here.
Sit against a tree, stump or any other object that’s wider than your back and taller than your head. It will conceal your outline and shield your back from a hunter who may possibly come in behind you. Face the turkey’s path with your left shoulder (for right-handed shooters), this offers a much better mobility of your firearm when aiming. Most importantly, keep movement to a minimum while you call. When the gobbler is working towards you, then goes silent , don’t move. Occasionally gobblers will sneak up quietly .
If you set up and a gobbler answers your call however won’t come, you’re going to have to change your plan. You might need to circle around and call from another place. You may change to another call. In case you’ve worked him a long time and he’s still hung up, you could possibly leave the gobbler and come back in a couple of hours and attempt again. Many hunts require several moves and/or strategy changes.
After you get a bird walking to you, get the rifle on your knee pointed in his basic path with the stock against your shoulder. When a gobbler finally walks within range (inside 40 yards), wait until he steps behind a tree or other obstacle to move your gun. When he reappears, aim carefully at his head/neck junction, and then squeeze the trigger. When a Old Tom struts, the neck is compressed and the head is often partly hidden by feathers, making for an even smaller target. If the Old Tom is strutting, wait until he extends his neck to shoot. A clean, one-shot kill should be the goal of each and every hunter.
It’s a fantastic moment when a long beard answers a hunter’s call. This is when all the scouting and preparation pay off. It may not always end in bagging the bird, but that’s part of the challenge and the memories. If you pay attention to a veteran turkey hunter, you’ll note that the hunts most often remembered are those where the gobbler, and not the hunter, won.