Fall turkeys are an exciting challenge and pair perfectly with hunting the pre-rut. Many states, like Pennsylvania and West Virginia, have a week or two when both deer and turkeys are in season and obtainable on the standard license. These same two bowhunting powerhouses also have their archery bear seasons in as well, so TALK ABOUT EXCITEMENT!
Love the Oaks
Deer, bears, and wild turkeys love acorns, and if you can find a stand of oaks that are still dropping or have dropped a surplus of nuts, you have a keen spot for success. Best of all, whatever gear you are using for whitetail deer will work well for turkeys or bears, and if you are dressed in camo and in a tree stand or saddle, you’ll likely get a shot at a relaxed animal. Aiming points for turkeys are the neck and center of the back for close shots, and the top of the leg, which is virtually the center of the bird on a broadside angle.
Fool a Flock
The three toms shown in the lead photo fed in front of my stand this morning, one week before the PA season opens. Although they were in a failed late-season cornfield, they basically ate grass as I watched them through my binoculars from a friend’s Amish-built elevated box blind. Gobblers form bachelor groups at this time of year, and if you spot one longbeard, you are likely to see several. Large flocks of turkeys are often hens and this year’s poults. Gobblers don’t usually strut in the fall, but they do gobble and can be lured with a raspy, yelp that has a deeper sound and slower cadence than a hen call.
Light Gear
With the rut approaching, a hunter can easily load up with rattling antlers, a grunt tube, scent attractants, bleat call, and more. Luckily for a fall gobbler, all you need is a mouth diaphragm or, better yet, a box caller with a “gobble side” that easily makes the sound of a tom. Since deer and turkeys often occupy the same terrain, calling like a wild turkey won’t spook deer and may act as a confidence sound that “the coast is clear.”
Enhanced Accuracy
The box blind I hunted this morning is designed as a rifle stand for shots at 75-100 yards. I’m not interested in shooting at those ranges because an animal’s slight movement can ruin the shot, yet I have complete confidence out to 50 yards. I’m a longtime fan of Burris Optics, especially their OracleX scope that has a built-in rangefinder, and I set it atop my Barnett Raptor BCX. With the push of a button, the scope ranges and provides a tiny red aiming point, perfect for the small kill zone of a wild turkey. The window for multiple game animals in season is very short, so do your best to get into the woods. Good Luck!