To safely hunt a turkey: Never wear turkey colors—red, blue, black, or white. Call only with a large tree at your back. Drape an orange vest around a tree near your calling location so that other hunters know you’re there. Wear hunter orange when entering or leaving your turkey hunting area.
What should you not wear turkey hunting?
Never wear bright colors, especially not red, white, blue or black because these are the colors of a wild turkey gobbler. Watch out for red, white or blue on your socks, t-shirts, hooded sweatshirts, hats, bandannas, etc. Wear dark undershirts and socks, and pants long enough to be tucked into boots.
Which Turkey is the hardest to hunt?
Osceola Wild Turkey
These turkeys have long legs, strong gobbles and very long spurs, while their beards are usually shorter than their Eastern counterparts. They are considered among hunters to be the toughest species to call into range.
What do you aim for on a turkey?
When hunting wild turkeys with a shotgun, greater success is achieved when hunters shoot at the head and neck area of the bird. The most effective firearm shot for a turkey is to the head and neck. The preferred shot angle for bowhunters is broadside, aiming for the heart or lungs.
What is the easiest Turkey to hunt?
Because they tend to live in more rugged areas, Merriam’s are considered to be the easiest subspecies to hunt.
What color should you avoid turkey hunting?
Never wear red, white, blue or black clothing while turkey hunting. Red is the color most hunters look for when distinguishing a gobbler’s head from a hen’s blue-colored head, but at times it may appear white or blue. Male turkey feathers covering most of the body are black in appearance.
What colors do turkeys see?
Turkeys, however, have seven different kinds of photoreceptors–one rod, four single cones, and two double cones–allhowing them to see a broader spectrum of colors, as well as UVA light. What this means is that in addition to being able to see color better than us, they can also see in the ultraviolet spectrum.
Which state has the best turkey hunting?
Here are 7 states that offer the best turkey hunting opportunities for experienced hunters.
- Ohio. 2021 Harvest Data – 14,546 Turkeys.
- Pennsylvania. 2021 Harvest Data – 28,087 Turkeys.
- Virginia. 2021 Harvest Data – 20,541 Turkeys.
- Missouri. 2021 Harvest Data – 34,595 Turkeys.
- Kentucky.
- Arkansas.
- Tennessee.
What state has the most wild turkey?
What makes Alabama a standout for turkey hunting is really two things: it has the largest turkey population (except Texas in some years), and hunters can harvest up to five turkeys over the fall and spring seasons, at a limit of one per day.
What state has the most turkeys?
Minnesota
Number of turkeys raised in the United States in 2018, by leading state (in 1,000 heads)*
| Characteristic | Number in thousand heads |
|---|---|
| Minnesota | 42,000 |
| North Carolina | 32,500 |
| Arkansas | 31,500 |
| Indiana | 20,000 |
How far away can you shoot a turkey with a 12-gauge?
Lead Turkey Loads
A good compromise is #5 copper-plated lead pellets loaded in a 12-gauge 3-inch magnum shot shell. With this setup, you’ll be good out to 40 yards, and perhaps 50 if your gun is patterned tight. If you want better range and lethality, you’ll need to consider using tungsten shot.
Where do you aim a turkey head?
When aiming at a turkey, keep the bird’s head above the bead. A common practice is to aim for the turkey’s wattle. Killing a turkey with a bow is much more difficult than killing one with a shotgun.
Where do you aim a turkey bow?
When a turkey is facing straight towards you, place your arrow between the base of the beard and the base of the neck. There is often a thin vertical line formed by the breast feathers that can act as an aiming point.
How often should you call while turkey hunting?
every 15 minutes
But don’t call too often – less is more. Calling every 15 minutes or so and starting off quieter and then getting more aggressive/louder as the day goes on are good rules of thumb. If you hear a hen, try to mimic her exact vocalizations.
What time should I start calling turkeys?
When To Call A Gobbler. OK, so let’s narrow it down to the time of day. In my view, the best times of the day are right off the roost, then again from about 8:30 to 9:30 when more hens start to leave the gobbler to go lay an egg, and again from about 11 until noon.
What time of day is best for turkey hunting?
first thing in the morning
Time of Day: Since Turkeys make their nest in trees and on the ground in wooded areas, one of the best times of day to hunt is first thing in the morning. Get out to your blind early and listen for the yelps, cackles, and gobbles of turkeys as they start in search for breakfast.
How important is camo for turkey hunting?
Hunter camouflage is an important part of hunting turkey, but it may present a problem. The better you are camouflaged and concealed, the less likely another hunter will be able to see you, and the more likely you could be mistaken for a turkey.
Does camo pattern matter for turkey?
CAMOUFLAGE PATTERNS
You’ve noticed by now that full camouflage is a necessity for turkey hunting. But having the wrong camouflage can be just as big of a problem as having no camouflage at all. So, scout the conditions of your hunting surroundings and note the colors present.
What shoes do you wear for turkey hunting?
Many turkey hunters choose waterproof rubber knee boots with snug-fitting ankle support. Soles are the next important consideration. They provide traction, shock absorption, lateral stability and under-the-foot comfort. Balance your need for flexibility on uneven terrain, with durability for sure footing over time.
Can turkeys smell you hunting?
Turkeys have a very poor sense of smell, so you don’t have to worry about scent-masking clothing or playing the wind while turkey hunting. The turkey’s other senses — namely its razor-sharp eyesight and amazing hearing — more than make up for its olfactory inadequacies.
Why do gobblers go silent?
In short, the theory goes, we have killed the noisier, more eager toms, leaving the craftier, quieter ones to pass on their genes. That theory sounds good around the campfire, but there is no real evidence or studies to support it, says Ken Duren, wild turkey biologist for the Ohio Division of Wildlife.