First time turkey hunting, need help

[brian 50cal]

I live in Norteastern Wisconsin.  I drew my first spring permit this year and am going to give it a try.  The question is what type of call is a good locater?  I have heard of hunters when scouting pre-dawn use an owl call to locate toms on the roost.   I have also heard of using crows once it is light to locate them.  Will this be wise or even productive?  I will be hunting public land near my home that has some turkeys on it.  This past deer season my son saw a few while walking around.  Also what type of call is recommended for a first timer.  I have used double reed diaphrams before.  Normally during the trout season me and a buddy have used them while fishing on streams.  In one location last year we called in two toms.  Thanks

[flintlock]

I have had better luck getting toms to shock gobble using a crow call vs a owl call...but, I carry both....Same with turkey calls...I carry a slate, box and diaphram....I switch off because it seems that some days they prefer one over the other and on windy days I prefer the volumn/pitch of the slate or box....I actually prefer locating a tom by letting him gobble naturally....Usually I know about what area they are roosting in...I usually start with the box, if he calls back, I get setup....after 10-15 minutes I'll go with the slate call....If he calls back I wait another 10 munutes or so and go with the diaphram...If he answers all 3 type calls....I get ready, because I figure he is coming....many time I don't call again...unless it is to get him to strech his neck so I can harvest him.....Good Luck

[wijim]

you're going to get alot of different answers to this...lol

i dont use an owl or crow call to locate.  i put em to bed the night before.  just before dusk....i screech a big yelp pattern and listen for a gobble.  i then know they'll be roosting not far from where i heard the gobbles.

for calling i use a real loud slate for yelping...but only if its windy.  if its not ive always used a diaphragm that way i dont get busted moving to call.

but this year i just bought a nice custom slate call that is much quieter and has very nice putts and purs (real natural sound and volume).  ill use that early..but the if i get one coming i'll switch to the mouth call aain as i'm using bow this year.

i dont wait 10 minutes between calling if i get a hot tom.  i dont want to risk lossing em to a passing hen.  in fact if my first gobbles are long distance...i go chase the sound till it gets to a reasonable distance in which to get em in.

[backwoodsboy]

i actually in my own expierience havnt used locator calls but just ordered a crow and owl call from cabelas so ill be learning, usally i would stalk into a suspected or known roosting area and listen for gobbles, all my locating is done with pre-season scouting, i pattern most of my birds strutting and roosting areas, wich makes the locating easier however this is not always sure fire so the use of an owl or crow call i can see, id buy one and well find out for our selves how effective they are!
good luck!

-cory

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http://www.huntingnet.com/articles/articles.aspx?articles_id=502


I read this article and found it very interesting ... I hunt areas that get alot of pressure so this season I'm gonna apply some tactics mentioned in this artical in hopes of "pullin a wabbit out the hat"   ...

 hope ya enjoy it .....  

[cottonpicker]

anytime you are trying to get a tom to shock gobble,as it is called when trying to locate him,any loud or sudden sound will  caouse him to gobble.i have used my truck horn,coyote howwls,rabbit squelers, and etc.toms will gobble at a owl and crow simply because because they are natural enemies.however,there are times when nothing will get them to open theire mouths

[daddywpb]

Toms will gobble at any sudden noise in the morning, unless they are under a lot of pressure. If you're hunting on crowded public land, like I do, it's possible that you won't hear a peep until sunrise. I have had some luck with a hawk call. With owl and crow calls, not so much.

[TribReady]

My uncle & brother swear by the box call, cause it really carries. I use my regular slate call and just "hit it" a little harder.
I have acrow call but have had little success, primarily because, like others , I'll have apretty good idea where they're at from scouting before my season arrives (Wisconsin is 5 days only per permit).  when I'm running and gunning after a few hours into the day, I just go back to my slate.
Like said, any noise will cause a shock gobble, but where I hunt, they only consistently shock gobble while on the roost.  Once on the ground, to get any response, you better sound like a turkey 
I bet you'll get another 10 posts after this, every area and terrain and turkey sub-species are a little different. Get to know your area, even on public land, and you'll be successful....even if it takes a year or two.
I know it's mundane and always said, but be careful on public land.  Hope and pray for success but always assume another hunter is right there....I know, you're not an idiot, but it's still good advice. Take care and good hunting 

BTW, I live in northwestern Wisconsin, so the turkeys are similar. When I move from Appleton, turkey hunting was still just for a few "hardcore" hunters. It's really exploded in the last 5-10 years. Also, I've hunted over there before and that part of the state gets hit hard. Pay attention to everything and learn from year to year and you'll be successful!! 

[joshco84]

my favorite way to locate turkeys is listen which direction they gobble from when the screen door slams shut!!!  Im pretty lucky, one big bunch is 3/8 mile walk from the front porch.  the other group is about a two mile drive and about a 1/4 to 3/8 walk in.  i always know where they are roosting so i wait and get in close and use a slate to try and locate what sounds like the boss tom or hen.  if you hear a raspy mean sounding old hen get try to get close to her cuz chances are the boss tom isnt far away.  i then stick with a box or slate call (for some reason i just cant work a diaphram, it sounds like some poor mentally handicapped bird instead of a turkey).  but if i am locating somewhere i dont know the roosting location i have good luck giving the crow call three good hard caws, or shakin the bejebus out of my gobble call.  they both work well, and i never had much luck with the owl hooter.

[dukkillr]

Get in the woods.  Scout, hunt, and learn.  You can read things online, watch videos, practice calling, etc... but the only way to become a good turkey hunter is to get out there and take your lumps.  Every year you become more efficient.

[blhof]

Sometimes it's just pure luck.  I experimented some for years in Florida; never getting a tom close enough for a shot.  My first year in Ky. and sitting in a deer stand and listening to hens putting in a thicket about 50 yds ahead of me, I, as quietly as possible switched from slugs to #4buck(my only other shells) and suddenly behind me at 40 yds is a monster tom flapping and gobbling in the middle of the field.  When I turned, he must have seen the movement; he ducked and started making a beline to the hedgerow.  A hen clucked, he stopped, flapped, gobbled and ran straight to me.  Didn't get a deer that day, but had wild turkey for Thanksgining.  He had an 11"beard and filled my roasting pan from end to end.