Most turkey hunters love to observe longbeards placed on “the present.” There’s nothing fairly like a tom gobbling his head off as he struts all the best way to your gun barrel with iridescent feathers gleaming within the solar. Sadly, that’s not the case more often than not. Regardless that I’ll hunt 4 states and information half a dozen hunters this 12 months, I would get to see the present one or two occasions if I’m fortunate.
Actually, more often than not the present will get canceled. This occurs usually within the early season when the toms are henned-up and spend the whole day shadowing their flock. As a substitute of calling it quits, I prefer to pivot to an ambush hunt. Merriam-Webster defines “ambush” as “to assault unexpectedly from a hidden place.” There are different strategies of getting near noncommittal birds too, like spot-and-stalk or reaping (the act of crawling behind a tail fan to get inside vary), however that is about discovering a great hiding spot and ready for the birds to return to you.
The keys to a great ambush are endurance and understanding the place the turkeys need to be and after they need to be there. Hopefully, you may glean some insights from the hunts detailed under for when the present inevitably will get cancelled for you.
Florida Osceola Mud Bowl Ambush
On my first day turkey looking in Florida, I heard distant gobbles on the roost. I chased a couple of of these distant gobbles for the subsequent hour till the jungle went quiet. So, I made a decision to pound some miles and search for signal.
By the point 11 am rolled round, the warmth turned insufferable. I circumnavigated a big opening, a whole bunch of acres huge, however I wasn’t anticipating to see birds in these situations. So, I used to be fairly shocked once I noticed a flock of turkeys fleeing that opening. It was disheartening to spook the one birds I laid eyes on that day. As a substitute of chasing them, I went to research why they have been there.
I instantly observed a variety of mud bowls. One other highway intersected the highway I used to be on and trailed into the woods. The highway confirmed a number of tracks going each instructions. I figured the flock could be again the subsequent day at about the identical time and made word of it.
After the same morning to the primary, Richard, Garrett, and I headed again to the mud bowl spot round 10 am the subsequent day. We hid within the shaded woods simply off the highway. After a couple of minutes, we watched the primary hens peck their means down the highway. Moments later, the primary tail fan emerged. Ultimately, the tom gave me a shot, and Richard turned his legs into arepas the subsequent day, which you’ll watch right here. No, it wasn’t the standard present, nevertheless it was a profitable ambush and a scrumptious solution to eat turkey legs.
Texas Rio Crossroads Ambush
Max Barta and I have been looking Rios with Jesse Griffiths in Texas early final spring. Max and I roosted birds the night time earlier than, which made for excellent listening the subsequent morning, however we couldn’t persuade the flock to return our means. As soon as the birds left our zone and went quiet, we checked out onX and realized they have been headed within the common route of a crossroads the place Jesse had killed birds earlier than. It was a spot the place two grassy senderos (paths reduce by way of Texas brush) met.
Realizing the birds traveled the senderos, we determined to arrange the place they intersected. We made an enormous loop, discovered a couple of huge shrubs we may lean on, nestled in, and waited. About 45 minutes handed, and as I began eager about our subsequent transfer, Max whispered, “Right here they arrive.”
The flock filtered out and in of the comb. When a strutter entered my periphery at lower than 5 yards, I couldn’t shoot. I used to be afraid to swing my gun barrel and spook the whole flock. I waited, and he finally strutted proper into my pink dot.
“Blauksh” went the twenty gauge, and some days later Jesse made the very best fried turkey tender, mashed potato, and biscuit meal I’ve ever tasted. This was a journey route that these turkeys had most likely taken hundreds of occasions of their lives. We simply wanted to be there.
Nebraska Merriam’s Roost Tree Ambush
After three tremendous early mornings in Nebraska’s Ponderosa pines, Brody Henderson and I have been dragging our tails, with no lifeless turkeys to indicate for our efforts. We simply couldn’t appear to persuade both of the toms to return our means after flydown. It occurred to me that these birds had proven a excessive constancy to this roost location. There was a great probability they’d be again once more. And this time, we’d be ready for them.
We went again early that afternoon, simply as the sunshine was eager about turning golden and tender. We deliberate to separate the ridge. Brody would hunt the north finish, and I might arrange on the south finish. As I crested the hill, I noticed a hen and a tom feeding across the curve of a small finger ridge. I dropped again, made a small loop forward of them, slipped over the primary ridge, and sat down shortly subsequent to a towering ponderosa. I readied my gun within the route the birds ought to come from. They caught to their path of journey, and I quickly had a chook flopping down the grassy slope.
The Factor of Shock
The common turkey makes use of about 200 acres per day. Inside these 200 acres are locations they need to be, whether or not it’s for roosting, water, meals, or loafing. Your job is to seek out these locations and intercept the turkeys as they transfer between them. So subsequent time the gobblers don’t need to play, don’t stop. As a substitute, head to the closest spot you understand they hang around late-morning and set the ambush.
