Tools for turkey hunters

Improve your turkey hunting success with the proper tools

Turkey hunting is a challenging sport, requiring patience, diligence, perseverance, and sometimes luck, to tag a gobbler. Hunters can help their cause via scouting and practicing calling techniques.

But during the preparation, scouting and hunting process, many turkey hunting “tools” can help improve the odds of tagging a turkey. Some are almost “must haves,” while others are in the “more you have, the better your chances” category.

Binoculars

Consistently successful turkey hunters have a few “tools” they all employ, and one is binoculars. 

Tyler Chappell of Gray Court, SC, said he uses binoculars multiple times on every scouting or hunting trip.

“From the first day of scouting to the last day of the season, I use binoculars every time I’m in the woods,” Chappell said. “They’re valuable when scouting to check fields where turkeys may strut, without getting too close. I’ll watch and determine turkeys at a distance to plan a hunt strategy.”

During a hunt, Chappel said it’s common to hear a bird gobble, then see a bird appear from the general location, but a long way off.

“I’ll confirm if that bird is a target or not,” he said. “When slipping through the woods, I can check fields and food plots from distances.” 

A binocular harness holds this tool securely in the chest area with elastic straps that enable them to be easily raised to the eyes, then released to be held secure. It keeps them handy, but also out of the way when calling or when not being used.

“Fumbling around for binoculars can ruin a hunt,” Chappell said. 

Comfort

Turkey hunting is often a game of patience and perseverance. Veteran turkey hunter, and nationally-known turkey call-maker John Tanner, said multiple items are on his list in terms of comfort.

Tanner said comfort is crucial in terms of remaining still and extending the hunt for a wary gobbler.

“My first thought is of comfortable clothes because the weather can be 30 degrees, or it can be 75 degrees. And the weather can go from one extreme to the other in March and April. If you’re shivering or sweating, you won’t be as focused.”

Tanner said good boots are critical because hunters often must walk long distances, and in various terrain. Good footwear is essential just to go turkey hunting. 

“Tall, waterproof boots are useful because hunting turkeys means we’re likely to be crossing streams, swamps, or hunting in the rain,” he said. “Wet feet and turkey hunting are not compatible. Rubber boots are great. And waterproof, snake-boots are ideal.”

Tanner said it’s common to get locked in with a gobbler for long calling battles before a longbeard approaches his position. 

“A good seat cushion attached to a pack for storage of tools, or a turkey hunting chair, that’s easily transportable through the woods, are essential,” he said. 

Both products have advantages based on an individual’s hunting style and preferences. Nomad makes excellent cushion/pack combos that are comfortable and easy to carry. Millennium produces highly-comfortable portable chairs providing hunters setup options with no tree required. This is often a huge advantage.

Tanner said either the cushion/pack combo or chair keeps you dry in damp grass or rainy weather. But the chair raises you just slightly higher off the ground, supports your back and provides hunters with a tactical advantage via better vision and comfort to remain still. 

“Most importantly, the Millennium chair allows me to set up anywhere and provides improved vision,” he said.

Organization

Having a shoulder, fanny, or backpack to keep your calls and other tools stored and organized, so you know where everything is located, is crucial, Tanner said. These containers organize calls, store a green or red lens flashlight for pre-dawn walking and setup, and hold a mask and gloves. 

Chappell said in the heat of a hunt, you need to instinctively know where each turkey call is located, and important tools such as hand-operated cutters. 

“Don’t bugger an approaching turkey, by being too-slow to make the right call to a hot gobbler, or hide properly,” he said.

Chappell said he always looks for setup possibilities before making a call, in anticipation of a gobbled response.

“When I hear that gobble, my first thought is to grab my cutters and enhance my setup,” he said. “My camo is great, and I look for shady spots to set up. By cutting limbs and branches to blend into that environment, I’ve enhanced my odds of success. The gobbler is searching for a hen, but will focus on anything unusual with that specific spot.”

Blind Luck

Another effective tool is a ground blind when turkey hunting. In many cases, these blinds can be set up and made ready prior to a hunt.

“Turkeys tend to return to specific areas because the habitat is what they prefer,” he said. “These are excellent areas to use ground blinds that you’ve purchased, or took a few minutes to build where gobblers frequent.

“Avoiding movement is crucial, and if I build a blind in the pre-season, or even the day I’m hunting, it doesn’t bother a turkey as long as it’s stationery,” he said. “Deer are wary of a new feature in their area, but they’re a great tool for turkey hunting.”

Decoys

“When I need a decoy, I need it bad,” Chappell said. “They’re worth carrying and I make room for them. Sometimes a gobbler answers and is hot to come in, and I don’t have time, nor the need, to use a decoy. But sometimes, the sight of a hen, and/or a gobbler decoy, can seal the deal with a hesitant gobbler. Set the decoy where the gobbler will be in range when he sees it, or he may just stand and gobble out of gun range.”  

Calls

As a call maker, John Tanner (843-558-5472; www.johntannercalls.com) said he would be remiss if he didn’t mention calls as a “prime tool” for hunters.

“Most hunters have a specific set of turkey calls they prefer to use and they become proficient,” he said. “That’s the correct, basic strategy for success. But every hunt is unique. It’s also wise to have specific calls available for unique situations.

“Wet-weather calls are essential because rainy day hunting can be productive, especially if it’s a light, scattered rain,” Tanner said. “Also, when a hard rain stops, it’s a great time to be in the turkey woods, but everything is still wet.

Tanner said lightweight rain gear in the pack and waterproof boots are essential tools. 

And the need for calls that work when it’s wet are necessary.

“Air operated calls are effective, and wet-weather friction calls are great tools that enable hunters to improve calling diversity,” he said. “I developed a wet-weather Slate/Trumpet call that is excellent for wet or dry weather. The trumpet call is air-operated in the same manner as a wingbone call. And a call that produces unique sounds is an excellent tool for any situation.”

A tube call is air operated and produces a highly unique sound with a high pitch, Chappell said. Tube calls cut through windy weather extremely well. Having a call that makes unique sounds and works in windy/wet conditions makes an ideal turkey-hunting tool. 

Beat the bugs

As the season progresses and weather warms, the potential for bug-borne problems increases. This represents a universal topic for veteran hunters because many learned the hard way what it’s like to remain motionless while a gobbler, within view, steadily approaches when mosquitoes are buzzing and flying into your ears.

More than the immediate problem of mosquitoes, or airborne annoyances of many varieties, it could be a tick crawling on a leg, hunting for a way in through your clothing to burrow into your skin. Ticks carry some terrible diseases that can cause life-changing problems for hunters, so a little prevention goes a long way.

Chiggers are more of a long-term problem. They may not ruin your hunt today, but they’ll make hunting, and life, less pleasurable for an extended period.

Veteran hunters prefer to take pre-emptive measures by using insect repellant (Sawyer makes excellent products) before going afield. Carry it in your pack so you won’t go hunting without it. 

Turkey hunting is challenging enough without having to fend off bugs, search for a specific call or binoculars, or any of the tools that can enhance your turkey hunting success. Think big picture with your turkey hunting tools and your success will soar. 

The post “Tools for turkey hunters” first appeared on CarolinaSportsman.com.