Sit and Call or Stalk?

[tyson129]

Just seeing what you guys find most effective in your areas. I do both depending on the weather..for whatever reason when its raining I can always find a bunch moving in the fields, so during that time I move in on them. I think that the rain muffles my approach and limits their visibility. Whatever the case, let me know how you guys like getting your birds since the seasons right around the corner! Don't forget to mention your favorite calls and tactics, cause we all like to know what other hunters are doing.

[Flhawghuntr]

It depends on how many people are hunting the state land that I am hunting. If I hear a bird on roost I will usually try to get withen 100 yards or so and sit up. I will keep moving around aslong as I am hearing birds gobbling but later in the morning I tend to stay put more.

If it is later in the morning I usually find me a shady spot and sit and just call every 20 minutes or so. Moving 100 yards or so every couple hours. It works great on these WMAs where I hunt as they usually slip in silent though.

[Trapshooter1]

Stalking is tricky you have to be very careful. I sit in the low light of the morning, and then after it lights up if I get no response from calling I walk very careful. The land I hunt on is a bunch of open field with thin walls of brush every 100 yards. This helps because I can walk up to the walls and look through to see if there is a turkey on the other side. If so I set up a decoy and sit just in the woods off to the side, and try to call it in. It is a great place to hunt about 300 acres of open field and God only knows how much woods. I wish I could deer hunt on it so bad

[mudhen]

Sit and call almost exclusively. But an occasional spot, stalk, and intercept, does occur

[CH/QuakerBoyProstaff]

Sit and call almost exclusively. But an occasional spot, stalk, and intercept, does occur

Agreed.

The only exception I have, is when I hunt in Pa. where legally you're only allowed to hunt from a "stationary calling position". This was more cut and dry when we were required to wear an orange hat while moving between SCP's, but now that the orange law has been lifted, the difference between stalking, and walking to a better/closer, stationary calling position, gets a little gray and sketchy, to say the least.

[tyson129]

I def agree that stalking can be tricky cause those birds have great vision. How do you guys change your tactics between the spring and fall seasons? During the spring when they are mating those calls and decoys really bring them in but do you find that different approaches are better suited in the fall? I still set out a couple decoys in the fall to trick the birds into the area being safe but not so much to bring the Toms in to fight. Any products that you guys feel cant be left at home in the fall?

[hognutz]

Agreed.

The only exception I have, is when I hunt in Pa. where legally you're only allowed to hunt from a "stationary calling position". This was more cut and dry when we were required to wear an orange hat while moving between SCP's, but now that the orange law has been lifted, the difference between stalking, and walking to a better/closer, stationary calling position, gets a little gray and sketchy, to say the least.

That's about the craziest law I've ever heard about. What's the point. Safety for the hunter, or the bird. Anyhow, I call from a blind when feasible, from the ground when not, and stalk as needed. The blind allows for the occassional cup of coffee, and comfort if it's raining. It also lets you stand up once in a while for those of us who are not spring chickens anymore. It's a great sport no matter how you get it done.. Good luck.

[CH/QuakerBoyProstaff]

I def agree that stalking can be tricky cause those birds have great vision. How do you guys change your tactics between the spring and fall seasons? During the spring when they are mating those calls and decoys really bring them in but do you find that different approaches are better suited in the fall? I still set out a couple decoys in the fall to trick the birds into the area being safe but not so much to bring the Toms in to fight. Any products that you guys feel cant be left at home in the fall?

My main Fall tactic is to set up on known travel routes, or in natural funnels like intersections of ridges. As far as my "must have" items, I make sure I have a couple of good double reed mouth calls with Ghost cuts, and an aluminum pot call with a carbon striker. Both of these are what I use for Kee Kee Runs, and Kee Kee's. This when used at the right time, help me pull the Boss hen, and in turn the rest of the flock closer to my set-up.

I also like a good raspy call to do Assembly Yelps with, which turns into a reverse dominance situation from the Spring, where instead of a gobbler getting all fired up, I target the Boss Mamma Hen. If I can get her and the gang near me making a racket, a curious Tom may show up to investigate..

[dangerman]

In northeast Kansas we sit and call during the spring season and spot/stalk in the fall. It seems that everytime I have gone out on a drizzly rainy day, I bring home a bird. When it rain they like to get out into the open so they can see while eating. We find them in a field and then stalk them from there... Alot of fun both ways. KS has ALOT of those thunderchickens!