10 Fall Hunting Myths Debunked

By: Steve Hickoff

You hear a lot of ideas about turkey

hunting, some with merit and others, well ...

Myth or Fact?

Following are just 5 topics that showcase

study before you load up and head out for

this fall.

1. Spring turkey hunting is a long

tradition.

The turkey hunting tradition actually has its

roots in autumn and winter hunting. Before

the notion of “spring is for beards, fall is for

antlers” came into the minds of modern

turkey hunters, flock-seeking sportsmen

sought out their game during the woodstove

months. Back then some hunters held a

prevalent notion that taking a breed-minded

gobbler in the spring was easy. Even unfair.

A Pennsylvania native, I first hunted wild

turkeys in 1971 at age 12. I can still

remember old-timers (guys my age now!)

talking about how turkey hunting in the

spring was just flat-out wrong. You see,

Pennsylvania had just legalized spring

turkey hunting in 1968 after being closed

since 1873. Yet, by 1984, a month-long

Keystone State spring turkey season was in

place for bearded birds, and has been since.

Traditions shift.

As reported by the Pennsylvania Game

Commission, “Since 2000, the number of

spring turkey hunters has exceeded that of

fall turkey hunters in Pennsylvania. This

switch is not only the result of fall hunters

switching to spring turkey hunting, but also

an influx of new turkey hunters who hunt

only in the spring.”

2. You can’t call fall long beards.

Not unless you try. Thinking like a turkey

will help. In spring, toms are inclined to

seek out hens to breed them. Our calling

tradition then focuses around making clucks

and hen yelps to lure gobblers in. In fall,

male turkeys roam in gobbler gangs.

Survival — primarily roosting and feeding

— and pecking order rule their movements.

To call a fall long beard to the gun or bow

you have to adapt your calling. Clucking,

gobbler yelping and gobbling can do that.

On a Vermont fall hunt, my English setter

Midge broke up a flock of gobblers my

buddy Lawrence Pyne had seen while bow-

hunting. Our hunting partner Marc Brown

would be the shooter. Our calling included

clucking, gobbler yelping and, most

importantly, aggressive purring.

I watched as one long beard skirted our

setup and moved on past. Not long after,

another approached silently and looked

toward the calling. Just then, Brownie

purred aggressively, and I watched as the

tom’s brick-red head turned red, white and

blue. The fired-up tom, his shoulders

hunched like Count Dracula, stalked into

range. That was the last thing that long

beard done.

3. Fall turkeys are too easy.

Some are. Some aren’t. Autumn turkeys can

be easy once you find them, but locating

flocks isn’t always a sealed deal. Food

sources can be widespread in October and

November, the heart of fall-turkey hunting

around the country.

As a result, groups of birds can roam widely.

This is especially true for ridge top turkeys

in mountainous regions. You may find sign

in the form of scratching, tracks, droppings,

and dusting areas, but never contact the live

birds. When you do though, yes, it can be

easier, but not always.

I’ve tagged fall turkeys on opening day not

long after fly down. I’ve hunted autumn

flocks on a Vermont ridge for days, with

fresh scratching all around me, without

filling a tag. Is this anything different than

spring hunting? Turkey hunting is turkey

hunting.

4. Scattered gobblers won’t regroup for

days.

Big gobblers flush far.

Sometimes they take their

time regrouping, but other

instances prove otherwise.

I’ve seen some flushed

fall male turkeys attempt

to regroup with clucks and

raspy three-note gobbler

yelps within the hour,

often sooner. And yes, I’ve called them in.

It’s not uncommon to hear these birds

gobble as they regroup. As mentioned

earlier, aggressive purring will also draw

their attention as it suggests a pecking order

dispute. Haven’t tried it? Why not?

I’ve scattered mid-September gobblers

during the New Hampshire archery-only

season, which begins Sept. 15 each year. On

one occasion, I managed to send a gang of

five into all directions. I set up at the flush

site and waited. Maybe 20 minutes later, I

gobbler yelped. A gobble ripped back from

the near woods.

Another bird answered in the other

direction. Soon all of them were regrouping.

If you haven’t enjoyed the sound of five fall

long beards gobbling to each other as they

locate flock members you’re missing

something. Did I kill one of those birds?

Well, I’ll just say that locating and flushing

autumn turkeys is one thing. Arrowing one

is yet another...

5. Autumn seasons hurt turkey

populations.

Wild turkey management is a modern

success story. Fall turkey hunting,

depending on where you do it, is regulated

in a variety of ways. Season length is one

method. Limiting tags is another. Opening

hunts to residents only is yet one more.

Biologists regulate seasons based on kill

numbers and harvest data — spring and fall.

Hunter participation in this effort helps.

We’re all in this together.

In their report, “Pennsylvania Turkey

Hunting,” PGC biologist Mary Joe Casalena

and NWTF biologist Bob Eriksen wrote:

“We are privileged to be able to enjoy both

spring and fall hunting in this state. To

continue to have the outstanding hunting we

have come to expect, fall harvests are

carefully monitored and trends in spring

harvests are watched. Modern research has

shown that spring gobbler hunting can

provide maximum recreational opportunity

to hunters with little impact on the turkey

population. Research has also shown that we

can maintain fall hunting, too. However, we

must acknowledge that as hunter numbers

and the popularity of the sport grow, fall

hunting opportunities might not expand as

rapidly.”

6. I’m not into shooting hens or young

turkeys.

Then don’t. Set your sights on taking a long

beard. The adult males are out there; you

just have to find them. And to some, taking

a tom is the ultimate experience, far

outranking tagging a spring long beard.

I’ve enjoyed hunts for either-sex turkeys,

young and adult, for many years. As

sportsmen, we decide what bird to pull the

trigger on as fall hunts go. Letting a young

hunter take a young fall hen can instill the

love of this tradition. If it’s legal, why not?

7. Fall gobblers don’t strut or gobble.

When I hear a deer hunter tell me with

astonishment that he heard turkeys gobbling,

I have to smile. Welcome to the club.

Those of us who spend a lot of time on

October and November ridges occasionally

rely on fall gobbling (and other roost

calling) to locate turkeys. No, it’s not nearly

as consistent as in spring, but it’s not

uncommon either.

As for strutting, I’ve seen it in the fall with

both sexes. You heard right. Fall gobblers

strut. Period. After breaking a turkey flock

during one autumn Vermont hunt, my

buddies and I called in a strutting adult hen.

Doubt it? That’s OK — we have it on film.

So-called “super jakes”— male fall turkeys

born two springs ago, but not yet two years

of age — seem particularly committed to

strutting in autumn. Each November I’ll

often find a group somewhere that includes

several strutting full-fan gobblers, and a

nearby group of adult hens and/or a family

flock.

Yes, I realize this is contrary to the typical

notion that autumn turkeys exist in perfect

flocks consisting of 1) a brood and her

charges, 2) gobbler gangs, and 3) broad less

flocks, but I’ve witnessed it.

8. Hunting autumn turkeys with dogs is

unfair.

Using turkey dogs in states where it’s legal

offers plenty. Mostly it allows you to find

and flush flocks more effectively. But then

you have another challenge: How do you

hide your canine hunting partner in the blind

so that you can call scattered turkeys back?

Training at an early age helps. Still, a dog

eager to get close to those turkeys again

might have a hard time staying still. In truth,

dogs are like hunters. Some are good, and

some are a work-in-progress. The ability to

use dogs effectively is usually done best by

a serious fall turkey hunter. Work on the

latter aspect first.

If I could count how many turkey flocks my

dogs have busted, which I can’t, then

compare it to the birds in those groups I’ve

tagged, you’d ask me why I don’t hunt deer

more enthusiastically than autumn gobblers

and hens. Again, having a canine along for

companionship, and then seeing that dog

find and flush turkeys, is my first measure of

success. Period. Yes, sealing the deal,

calling and killing a legal fall bird is what

it’s all about. But it’s not everything, and it’s

not always easy. Dogs are as fair as any

other tool we use.

9. Why flush turkeys when I can just

shoot one?

The idea of flushing fall turkey flocks to

gain a tactical advantage is based on the

notion you want to call the turkey to your

setup after the birds have been scattered. But

yeah, if you’ve patterned or happened into

fall turkeys — and a bird is in range and you

want it — sure, take the shot. You choose.

Often, though, you encounter a flock on the

edge of gun range. What do you do then?

That’s when you might need to flush them.

This strategy is based on the simple fact that

turkeys are gregarious and the hope that the

flock will want to regroup.

There’s a difference between a good and bad

flock flush, as all veteran fall hunters know.

In a lousy break, smaller groups of birds

stay together. This puts you at a tactical

disadvantage. In one done right, turkeys fly

off or run in all directions. They’ll want to

regroup.

You can set up at that site and try to call one

into range. Also, some might suggest this

approach is more sporting than simply

shooting one that is in range by luck and

circumstance.

10. Spring hunting is just better.

It’s tough to argue with a value judgment

like this when another turkey hunter makes

it. Some waterfowl or deer hunters might

say that our time with wild turkeys is

misspent no matter what the season.

To me, the spring gobbler hunt offers a

range of tactics and intangible pleasures

ranging from hearing turkeys on the roost to

stutters spitting and drumming as they work

toward you. Spring turkey season comes at

the end of winter, and calling Maine home

base as I do makes those opportunities rank

right up there.

But by the end of summer, and months of

fishing — a pleasure, not a passion — I’m

ready to find some fall turkey flocks. How

about you? I’m also a dog guy, so getting

out in October and November with my

flock-minded English setters adds to the

appeal.

As in spring, fall opportunities are many.

It’s up to you to choose how you measure

your accomplishments. Do you count kills

or the October sunrises you enjoy in the

turkey woods? Get out there and debunk

some of these fall turkey-hunting myths

yourself.

Tips & Tactics for Fall Turkey Hunting

Scouting for Wild Turkey

By: Travis Travillian (Pro Staff at Kentucky Outdoors Shop)

September, 21st 2015

Finding Land to Hunt Turkeys

For some reason farmers and land

owners are much more willing to let hunters

on their land to chase gobblers than

Whitetail Deer. In addition to knocking on

doors most states have a vast amount of

public land to hunt on. Your first stop when

searching for a good public land hunting

spot should be your local department of Fish

and Game.

These are your local government

organizations and usually able to give the

detailed information on state forests and

Wildlife Management Areas or WMA’s in

your area.

Scouting Your Area

for Turkeys.

So you found that hopeful and special place

to hunt; now we need to find those turkeys.

Turkeys are pretty much a creatures of

habitat. It is not too uncommon for them to

roost in the same areas each night. Start

scouting in the pre-season and keep track of

where you are seeing the turkeys. If you

were too see a group of turkey in a field

around the same time each day try and arrive

at that field early enough to get set up and

ready. If you find some roosting areas look

for locations close by so you can sneak in

before dawn. You will want to be within 95

to 100 yards of the roosting trees, but you

need to be sure that you can reach this area

without bumping the birds off the roost. Get

a few different locations picked out close to

your known roosting areas. That will allow

you to sneak in before dawn and use a

locator call (I like the Barn Owl call) to

check if the turkeys are still on the roost.

Just make sure you can find these areas in

the dark without having to search around the

woods. Finding roosting areas can be done

after the sun starts to go down a few weeks

before the hunting season.

Food Source

Find the food sources for the time of year;

Turkeys change locations depending on the

time of year and food source available. Just

because you see a large group of turkeys

every day during the spring in a certain area

doesn't mean that they will be there in the

fall. The best time to scout is a few weeks

before you actually are going to go hunting.

Find the Hens

Just because you can't see the gobblers in a

group of hens you shouldn't rule out the

spot. In the spring if you find the hens the

roosters are sure to be close by as well.

The Genesis System eliminates let-off on

light draw weight bows (where it’s

unnecessary) so there are no specific draw

length requirements. The result is a bow

that fits virtually everyone (15″ to 30″) and

that a young person can’t outgrow.

A Genesis bow, set at 20 pounds, stores and

releases energy comparable to that of a 35

pound recurves! Plus, with zero let-off, it

as the ‘holding weight’ necessary to ‘pull

the string from your finger,’ making it easy

to shoot.

The Pursuit

It’s usually done on the ground and in close

range. A very thin line of communication

between hunter and the hunted often leads to

the climax of the hunt. Turkey hunting is a

in your face sport. While most turkey

hunters choose to chase the birds in the

spring, fall turkey hunting is gaining more

and more popularity back. With more people

getting into turkey hunting and a booming

population, you can expect fall turkey

hunting to be a continuing growing sport.

The most common strategy for hunting

turkeys in the fall s is to walk a given area

until birds are spotted. At that point, set up

somewhere between where they went and

where they were and start waiting for them

to come back. It seems like a good plan but

sometimes the turkeys never return anytime

soon. Personally, I don’t see the purpose in

intentionally scaring game away from where

they want to be so I keep my distance and

observe from afar.

A better fall turkey hunting strategy is a

hybrid of a typical spring hunt and the above

approach. Try to set up within 95 to100

yards of roosted birds early in the morning.

They usually begin calling from the treetops

fifteen minutes before they flap down from

the trees depending on the conditions. If

you’re not close enough, start moving right

away but move quietly and cautiously and

stay invisible. Once the birds start calling,

mimic their sounds. In the fall the hens are

most vocal. If they are using three note

yelps, give them a three note yelp right back.

The goal is to sound as natural as the birds

you are pursuing. If there are multiple

groups of turkeys around you, get ready. It’s

going to be an exciting morning. These birds

typically flock up while feeding so they

should be responsive to calling.

Turkeys may be on the move but they often

use the same trails to get to where they are

going and moving closer to one of those

trails may be necessary. It’s important to

pack light and stay mobile. Continue to use

cuts and yelps as locator calls. Keep low and

walk quietly until your turkeys are spotted.

From there, it’s a stalk hunt. If the birds bust

you start over again by trying to spot and

stalk. If hunting multiple days, take note of

the trails turkeys used the first day and set

up on the same trail the following morning if

needed.

Even though the objective is the same, a

different strategy is much needed to bag a

bird in the fall. Those eager toms of spring

no longer come running out when hearing

the purr of a hen. They are now suspicious.

Most states allow harvesting either sex in

the fall so that enhancing a hunter’s

opportunity to come home with a

Thanksgiving bird.

The Right Gun

By: Travis Travillian (Pro Staff at Kentucky Outdoors Shop)

September 21st, 2015

I love getting the newest Issue of the

Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide.

With that being said I was reading through

mine and noticed that Kentucky hunters can

use a .410 shotgun. That’s great right? A

much lighter shotgun to take Turkey

hunting. I have owned a .410 for about 11

years now and the only thing I’ve used it for

is Squirrel hunting, but now I can really do

some damage control. I love my .410

shotgun. It truly is my prized possession. It’s

my childhood sentimental artifact. It was

given to me after my cousin passed away.

Someday it will be my little girl’s first gun

and I hope she has a much respect for it as I

do. But this is Turkey were talking about...

And I don’t think that it will have the kill

force I need for more than 30 yards. If ever

using a .410 I think of it as somewhat like

shooting a rifle, but a rifle without range, in

other words the shot has to be right on, no

counting on a big shot pattern. So it means

that you have to have a lot of discipline. You

can't be tempted to take but all the closest

shots. You could have bad luck and keep

calling in birds that won't quite get that

close. If you have the discipline I guess it is

OK. You can forget stalking the far-too-

wary turkey that is actually dangerous and

ineffective in some extreme ways. I

mentioned hunting in the fall. Generally, the

best technique in the fall is to use dogs, how

to do that takes writing a book. But I have

killed turkeys in the fall without dogs, the

same principal applies: the turkeys become

vulnerable when their flock breaks up, and

natural events and other hunters can break

up a flock and you can get lucky. These

birds will want to join back up with their

flock and if it is one or two they lose the

advantage of having 8 to 20 sets of eyes all

looking for you at the same time.

Only problem is, you have to do a lot of

hunting, be in the woods all the time. I

suggest hunting something else and when in

sort of a natural blind, do some calling once

in a while. The young ones can be

absolutely desperate to find their flock if

they are lost. I've had older pairs of toms

come up to me and all they heard was me

walking in the leaves. Just hearing that

doesn't spook them, and they might think

they hear another turkey even. But I was

pretty hidden, never in the open. I had one

hen start circling me, getting in ever tighter

circles, till finally she got close enough to

shoot. You can shoot the females in the fall

most if not all states that have a fall season.

So anytime you hear something walking

around BE on guard.

Note that I did not say I was *stalking*

these birds. They came up to me because

they thought I might be another turkey and I

was in a natural blind or at least pretty thick

cover at these times. I will at least try it.

Who knows, it may be the best gun for me

during turkey season. We will find out.

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Turkey Call’s

By: Travis Travillian (Pro Staff Kentucky Outdoors Shop)

September 21, 2015

When selecting your Turkey Call(s)

keep in mind the quality. You can buy

any call in the world but you have to

make sure it’s smooth and you can

actually communicate with the birds.

PRIMO’S makes amazing and easy to

use calls for everyone. Get proficient

using them before you get out to the

woods and start. I suggest you go out to

your hunting spot and use it a week or

two before hunting season and see how

well it and you performs. If you hunt

with a partner, it will be easier to

accomplish and successful hunt

knowing your partner is proficient with

the call that way all you have to do is sit

and wait. Turkey have the world’s best

eye vision. They can see from long

distances. If you’re out in the open

without cover, it will be extremely hard

to get a gobbler or a hen to come in

range. Especially if your scratching on a

slate call. I always prefer hunting in

thick cover or a blind just so I don’t

have to worry about making the wrong

move and getting noticed. Be

disciplined with your calling and try not

to call too much at one time. You can

start making mistakes and that will turn

the bird the other way. Just remember

“Patience is a virtue”. If your stalking or

chasing turkey and you hear them

getting nervous just stop and use some

calling techniques to get them calmed

down. Turkey are always looking for

food, What works best for me when I

am stalking is using some pecking

sounds. That’s telling those other

turkey that its okay there’s just another

turkey in the woods scratching around

trying to find food. At that time it’s just

best to stop and rest and observe them

until they get back into the motions.

There is no reason to rush. If you’re just

getting in the woods and getting setup

before dark a good trick is to make a

few kee-kee sounds to get their

attention and take your hat and flap it

up and down in the leaves. Make it

sound as if another turkey is coming off

the roost. That’s just a little “Redneck

Ingenuity” being from Southern

Kentucky I should know. Other turkeys

respond and follow your lead by coming

off their roost. At the time you can see

clearly start calling them in to your

location and let the action begin.

*Note in the State of Kentucky Electronic

Call’s is Illegal. Make sure you know your

hunting laws and regulations.

Our goal at Kentucky Bucks and Beards is to provide hunters fair chase in bagging their

dream whitetail buck. We are located in Bracken, Mason, and Lewis County in Zones 1 and 2.

We have successfully been hunting deer here for years and hope to introduce other hunters

to the growing popularity of Kentucky whitetail hunting.

While Kentucky has always been a great state to hunt whitetail, is just recently receiving

the praise it deserves. Last year, Outdoor Life magazine rated it the number one state in

the country to hunt whitetails by examining the trophy production, hunter density, cost of

outfitted hunts, and hunter friendliness from 2010-2013.

We hope you’ll join us for a good time chasing great Kentucky whitetail bucks.

Archery

5 Day Hunt

$1,800.00

Deposit $900.00

Rifle

5 Day Hunt

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Deposit $1200.00

Please feel free to contact us at any time by calling (606)-584-1600.

The Greatest Grilled Turkey

Recipe by: Christine

"Although not very traditional, grilling turkey is the best way of cooking it -- it comes out tender and

juicy every time! The turkey drippings may be used to prepare a gravy by placing a metal pan under the

turkey inside the roasting pan, and mixing in about 1/2 cup water, adding more water as necessary to

prevent the drippings from scorching. Remove the pan about 30 minutes before the turkey is done

cooking."

Ingredients

3 h 45m 18 servings 460 cal’s

12 pounds whole turkey

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

salt and pepper to taste

Add all ingredients to list

Directions

Prep 30 m

Cook 3 h

Ready In 3 h 45 m

1. Prepare an outdoor grill for indirect medium-high heat. 2. Rinse turkey and pat dry. Turn wings back to hold neck skin in place. Return legs to tucked

position. Brush turkey with oil. Season inside and out with Italian seasonings, salt, and pepper. 3. Place turkey, breast side up, on a metal grate inside a large roasting pan. Arrange pan on the

prepared grill. Grill 2 to 3 hours, to an internal thigh temperature of 180 degrees F (85 degrees C). Remove turkey from grill and let stand 15 minutes before carving.