When you’re listening before sunrise or wondering whether to move to another spot, take a moment to consider whether it’s a mistake or smart move. Then, decide and do it.
The first wild turkey I ever saw strut across a field toward my setup hit the magic spot. Everything was copacetic. The bird had gobbled strutted a bit and then came across the field toward us.
“Shoot,” whispered Johnny Sikes, who along with his brother, Ricky, guided at the now closed Landmark Lodge in southwest Alabama. “Shoot him … now.”
The last we saw of the bird was it soaring higher amid the trees. The brothers were unhappy. I didn’t know what was going on. This was my first hunt, first bird, first everything. I loved it, other than missing that gobbler. They asked to see my shotgun, an older 12-gauge pump I’d had for 20 years.
“Improved cylinder?!?! What are you doing with this?” they sputtered. “That’s like throwing a handful of sand out there.”
Since then, I’ve killed a few birds and missed a few more. Mistakes, I’ve made a few. That first one with the Sikes brothers stuck with me: always check your shotgun, each part of it, to make sure things are good to go. Check the choke, bead or sight, ammo, make sure it cycles ammo, all the things. Shoot it at the range to pattern it. Going undergunned to a turkey hunt is like showing up with a knife at a gunfight. The turkey almost always will win.
Here are some other mistakes I’ve made or heard of about turkey hunting. Avoid these if you can and perhaps your walk back to the pickup will be a bit happier.
Not Choosing the Right Setup
Turkeys aren’t members of Mensa but they are pretty darn smart about picking up on weird or new things in their orbit. If you choose the wrong setup and then have to wiggle or shift to get comfortable, realize you need to move or otherwise aren’t in the right spot, it can ruin your hunt.
Pick a tree, if possible, that is as wide or wider than your back. Leaning against that should help you blend in better if your camo is correct and you’re not a wigglepuss. Not every hunting spot has towering, wide trees, so you’ll have to do your best. But a big tree definitely helps you blend, with turkeys in front of you maybe not seeing you as well and anything behind not seeing you at all.
Not Choosing the Right Camo
This is not an ad for a specific camo pattern or to get you to drop hundreds on the hip, trendy StalkerOakTreeWoodsyFade pattern that is the “best of the year” in the latest clickbait story.
But, camo matters. Mix and match if you want to do so. Wear something 30 years old with patches. Wear fatigues and a jacket from the military supply store. Wear a fedora, black brogans, khaki pants and a plaid shirt like Grampy. He killed turkeys decades ago before camo was a thing.
Doesn’t matter, as long as you blend in and don’t move. Movement is killer. Turkeys have a 270-degree field of view and eyesight three times better than a human with 20/20 vision. They see your movements. I think they can see your eyeballs flickering and eyelids closing, if they’re close enough.
One thing I believe about camo, though, is it should be dialed into the time of the season. If it’s still brown and yucky with only buckeye and redbuds blooming, don’t go out in bright green late-season camo. If it’s late season and everything looks like the Lucky Charms leprechaun should be behind every tree, wearing all brown probably isn’t a great idea. Choose wisely.
Also, cover your hands and face. Gloves and masks are important. I like the old boonie-style hat with a mask so I can bunker in and hide in shadows. Since I wear glasses, I want to reduce any chance of glare.
Not Planning for Bugs
Like many of you, I’ve gone hunting without any insect repellent and figured I’d be OK. Wrong. Bad, bad, bad decision. If you’re trying to not move while calling or waiting on a bird to come within range, having mosquitoes buzz your ears, neck and face isn’t helpful.
Tuck your pants legs into boots, to help reduce ticks from getting on your legs and nasty bits, and spray down liberally with your favorite dope. I use Sawyer repellent and always have a bottle or two in my truck. Good stuff, works well. If you’re a fan of Off, Ranger or another brand, cool. Just don’t go without it.
I highly recommend the ThermaCell portable unit, which can be placed on the ground near or between your legs when you set up. It creates a bubble of sorts that repels mosquitoes and some other insects. They’re fabulous. I’ve used them since they first came out, for turkey and deer hunting. They’re worth every penny. Don’t forget to check the fuel cylinder and repellent pad, and take extras.
One other thing I recommend is combining these with insect-repelling apparel, such as the Sitka Equinox line. The clothing is treated with permethrin, which along with spray repellent and the ThermaCell should greatly help reduce bites from mosquitoes, ticks and other insects. The line has a hoody, pants, gloves and everyday Henley pullover.
Be smart before going turkey hunting and then when you’re in the woods. Making mistakes is inevitable, but you can reduce the number of them by learning from the past and planning for the future.
Article by Alan Clemons
