need your help

[Dave223]

Im on a deer lease in Ms, our game cameras are showing a group of 18 turkeys that make the rounds of all the food plots every day. My 11 yo son wants to hunt turkeys this spring and is really excited about it.  My problem is, all of the turkeys look like hens, no beards that I can find in any pictures. Is this common? I have never hunted turkeys before and If I can pull this off, I will have him hooked on hunting.
 How can I find the toms? Ive tried calling the last 3 weekends with no luck. What can I do to bring them in? Im totally lost when it comes to hunting turkeys an I have no one else to ask help...Thanks Dave

[Ranger99]

the ones i've hunted were all
rio grandes, so i don't know if
that would help you. the hens
were more brown in plumage
where  the jakes and toms were
dark brown/black. i've not seen
a jake or tom without a beard,
although there may be, and i've
heard of some hens that were bearded.
the ones i've seen were blue and
red headed, and the hens were
just blue. you may have to slow
down on your calling because i've
learned it's easy to overcall turkeys.
most all i've seen stand and carry
their selves different between hens
and toms. you might look up some
photos and study to help differentiate
between the sexes.
good luck

[mcbammer]

Im on a deer lease in Ms, our game cameras are showing a group of 18 turkeys that make the rounds of all the food plots every day. My 11 yo son wants to hunt turkeys this spring and is really excited about it.  My problem is, all of the turkeys look like hens, no beards that I can find in any pictures. Is this common? I have never hunted turkeys before and If I can pull this off, I will have him hooked on hunting.
 How can I find the toms? Ive tried calling the last 3 weekends with no luck. What can I do to bring them in? Im totally lost when it comes to hunting turkeys an I have no one else to ask help...Thanks Dave

In the  fall  and  winter  the  toms  form  bachelor  groups  an  keep  pretty  much  to  themselves.  If  you  have  hens  dont  worry  the  gobblers  will  be  there  come  spring. In  my  area  we  have   no  fall  turkey  season.  You  have  to  bust up  the  flock  in  the  fall  for  calling  to  be  sucessfull.  They  will  want  to  regroup  then  you  can  call  them  in.

[Dave223]

Ok that makes sense about the toms. Ive never hinted turkeys before an have no clue what to do or where to even start. Any advice is welcomed!


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[luckydawg13]

get a good box call learn how to use it take the boy hunting
if you see a lot of hens there are Tom's my son got his first
tom last spring it had a 91/4 beard 1 7/8 spers he started
turkey hunting when he was 11 years old at 13 he got one
make it fun bring food let him sleep check him for ticks
at the end of the days hunt good luck

[Dave223]

Thanks luckydawg. Im going today to get ammo for this years spring hunt. My brother in law just called me from his deer stand saying they were coming down from the roost, saying 3 toms strutting and 6-7 hens. We cant wait till march!!!


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[Dave223]

Im thinking of going out 2-3 weekends in Feb to do some locating and scouting. What would yall reccomend i do?


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[luckydawg13]

best thing you can do is get in your woods wile its still dark and listen
AND DONT USE YOUR TURKEY CALL  they get wise to that they like to gobbel
a lot at sun up and sundown. oh go on ytube look for Marlin Watkins turkey calls
good luck 

[Ranger J]

I have three bunches of turkeys that show up at the bird feeder just outside my house every day.  Other than one hen that showed up for just two days all of them have been toms.  One bunch we call the gang of twelve as they will run off the other two smaller bunches every chance they get.  One group of three we refer to as the three tenors and another group of four we haven't given a name to yet.  When breeding season comes the flocks will bust up and search for the hens.  If you have hens the gobblers will come  the same goes for deer.  If you have does the bucks will come just looking for love.    I don't hunt turkeys but the are fun to watch.  I haave nothing against hunting them but prefer them picked and cleaned ready for the oven.
 
RJ