Turkey searching is plagued with previous wive’s tales, folklore, and myths. A few of that is innocent. A few of it may need an excellent clarification. However among the misbeliefs may cost a little you a punched tag this spring.
Plus, the reality nonetheless issues. So, within the spirit searching with higher data, listed here are 23 turkey and turkey searching myths to ditch proper now.
The 23 Dirtiest Turkey Myths
Delusion 1: Turkeys see shade like we do.
Some suppose turkeys see in shade similar to we do, however they don’t. Turkeys do have nice shade imaginative and prescient, however not in the best way we expertise it. The format of cones and rods of their eyes are totally different from ours. Whereas the precise composition of their imaginative and prescient isn’t identified, it’s believed they see shade, however a lot otherwise than people. That mentioned, similar to whitetails and different prey animals, their eyes detect movement extraordinarily properly.
Delusion 2: Turkeys don’t have any sense of scent.
Wild turkeys actually don’t have a way of scent like whitetails, however they aren’t nostril blind, both. Turkeys do, in truth, have a slight skill to scent. In fact, it isn’t important sufficient to impression the way you hunt them.
Delusion 3: Turkeys hate or love the rain.
Some say turkeys hate the rain. Others say they like it. Neither are true, actually. The explanations wild turkeys spend a lot time in open fields throughout rainstorms are twofold. First is safety. The wind and rain make it troublesome to see inside cowl. Second is meals. Bugs and grubs head to the floor when the water desk rises. I’ve watched gobblers rip off gobble after gobble within the rain, too. They didn’t appear to thoughts it an excessive amount of. Examine ideas for searching turkeys in unhealthy climate right here.
Delusion 4: Turkeys, particularly poults, drown after they search for within the rain.
Turkeys younger and previous don’t drown by wanting up when it rains. If this have been true we’d discover lifeless turkeys far and wide after heavy rains. They do, nonetheless, head for open fields when the drops begin falling (except they’re roosted).
Delusion 5: Turkeys all the time roost in the identical tree each evening.
In prairie settings the place roost bushes are drastically restricted, this fable can maintain up. That mentioned, all through most of America, it often isn’t true. A small variety of turkeys routinely roost in the identical actual bushes, however that is the exception and never the norm. Wild turkeys nearly all the time rotate by quite a few roost bushes and even roost areas. Plentiful numbers of native birds could make it appear to be a roost is getting used each night by the identical turkey.
Delusion 6: As soon as within the tree, turkeys don’t change roosts.
Turkeys do just like the roost limbs they fly as much as. However that doesn’t imply they’ll stay there. I’ve watched as roosted turkeys moved from one limb to the following. I’ve additionally roosted a turkey in late night, went again the following morning, and there wasn’t a turkey in sight. With out query, turkeys generally change roost limbs, and even roost bushes, after flying up.
Delusion 7: A roosted gobbler is a assured bagged chicken.
Simply since you roost a turkey doesn’t imply you’re assured to kill it the following morning. In actual fact, I not often kill roosted turkeys. Most different hunters have informed me the identical.
Delusion 8: Heat late-winter climate drastically hurries up the breeding cycle.
An unseasonably heat late-winter or early spring may get turkeys to gobble and strut a little bit extra, however that doesn’t imply breeding will happen any sooner (measurably talking). The wild turkey breeding cycle is pushed by photoperiod (daylight size), and that doesn’t change a lot yr to yr.
Delusion 9: Calling closely will hold turkeys on their roost limbs.
Some say that steady calling to a roosted gobbler will hold it on the limb later into the morning. That isn’t true. If that turkey refuses to fly down, it’s as a result of it’s seen or heard one thing it didn’t like. Even when it’s gobbling, it would bear in mind one thing from earlier.
Delusion 10: Name-shy turkeys stop responding to calling.
It’s lengthy been believed that calling an excessive amount of can lead to call-shy turkeys. That mentioned, hushed turkeys at the moment are attributed to gobbler removing, elevated searching stress, and elevated predator populations. It’s not as a result of elevated calling by turkey hunters. Ever heard an enormous spring turkey flock? They actually make a ruckus.
Delusion 11: Hens can’t gobble or strut.
Suppose that hen turkey can’t gobble or strut? Suppose once more. Nonetheless don’t consider me? Watch it occur on this video. Whereas very uncommon, it’s believed to be a present of dominance towards different hens.
Delusion 12: Gobblers don’t yelp.
Gobblers don’t simply gobble. They make different vocalizations, too. One among these is the tom yelp. This three-noted yelp-yelp-yelp has the identical normal construction as a hen yelp, but it surely’s a lot deeper, raspier, at a slower tempo.
Delusion 13: Turkey poop all the time appears the identical.
A lot of the time, male turkey excrement is J-shaped. In distinction, hen poop is often spiral- or popcorn-shaped. These truths aren’t 100% correct, although. Weight loss program, well being, and different elements can impression the looks of untamed turkey poops, altering mentioned waste from the standard anticipated kinds listed above.
Delusion 14: That brief, damaged beard is a case of beard rot.
Some grownup turkeys is likely to be 2-plus years previous with a full fan and a partial or no beard to point out for it. Moreover, these are nearly all the time discolored, generally reaching a blondish coloration. The widespread fable attributes this to a situation referred to as “beard rot.” Nonetheless, it’s actually only a melanin deficiency.
Delusion 15: Turkeys gained’t ever cross a fence.
Each turkey hunter and their brother has mentioned a turkey gained’t cross a fence. And whereas fences could cause turkeys to hold up, I feel it’s much less in regards to the fence and extra about them not likely desirous to be on the opposite aspect of it. Give it some thought. If a turkey is already on the opposite aspect of the fence, it probably has the reason why it prefers to be on the opposite aspect. Moreover, most properties I hunt have an abundance of fencing. One is totally woven wire, and day-after-day, turkeys come out of the woods, fly as much as the fence posts, and hop right down to the opposite aspect earlier than waddling down the hill towards the cow pasture I arrange in. Why? As a result of they already wish to be there.
Delusion 16: Turkeys gained’t ever cross water.
I’ve seen gobblers cling up at streams, creeks, and rivers. I’ve watched them fly those self same waterways. Likewise, wild turkeys aren’t swimmers, however they will swim. See it for your self proper right here. With out query, turkeys do cross, and even generally swim, throughout water.
Delusion 17: Your calling should sound excellent.
No, your turkey calling doesn’t need to sound excellent. It doesn’t should be turkey-calling-championship worthy. In actual fact, even wild turkey hens don’t all the time have the very best voices. Simply hearken to wild birds. A few of them sound like a 5-year-old screeching toys on a tile ground. All that mentioned, the cadence of a wild turkey’s name is necessary, so hunters ought to concentrate on getting this proper.
Learn Subsequent: Turkey Calling Suggestions
Delusion 18: You possibly can’t name a turkey down a hill.
It’s true — I’ve had higher luck calling turkeys uphill than downhill. However I’ve referred to as turkeys downhill, too. Give it some thought — turkeys should stroll down hills in some unspecified time in the future, or they’d by no means go away the hilltops. Normally, when a gobbler gained’t come down the hill, it’s as a result of he’s in a “strut zone” and expects the hen to come back as much as him.
Delusion 19: Henned-up longbeards can’t be coaxed into vary.
Henned-up gobblers have already got the true deal. That doesn’t imply they gained’t go away it to seek out one thing new, although. Whereas the percentages aren’t all the time nice, in the event you play these playing cards proper, you simply may pull a longbeard off an actual hen. Should you can’t pull that gobbler away, strive calling to the hen as a substitute.
Delusion 20: You possibly can’t name again a spooked turkey.
Simply because a turkey is spooked doesn’t imply you’ll be able to’t name it again into vary. Generally, you’ll be able to name a chicken proper again after killing the gobbler it was operating with. Or, if the turkey is admittedly spooked, give it an hour or two, circle round from one other route, and go at that turkey once more. You may have the ability to name it in.
Delusion 21: Jakes efficiently breed.
Suppose a jake makes an excellent daddy? Guess once more. The overwhelming majority of jakes can not efficiently breed. Whereas they will conduct the ritual, most don’t have viable sperm counts.
Delusion 22: Beard dimension is indicative of age.
Plenty of turkey hunters concentrate on the beard, particularly newer turkey hunters. However the beard isn’t the very best indication of age. Wanting on the spurs is a greater method to estimate the age of a gobbler. Usually, rounded off spurs belong to jakes, 4/8- to 7/8-inch spurs are on 2-year-old turkeys, 1- to 1 3/8-inch spurs belong to 3-year-old turkeys, and 1 4/8-inch and higher spurs are discovered on 4-plus-year-old gobblers. However this isn’t all the time the case, both.
Delusion 23: You possibly can’t bag a chicken past 40 yards.
Many elderly-timers will let you know to not shoot at a turkey past 40 yards, and that it’s unethical to take action. Whereas this was and nonetheless is nice recommendation in the event you’re searching with older gear, fashionable turkey shotguns, turkey masses, choke tubes, and purple dot sights have made it doable to make pictures past 40 and nonetheless be deadly and moral. The secret’s to sample your shotgun and discover your personal most efficient vary. Bear in mind, an excellent turkey killing sample is 100 pellet strikes inside a 10-inch circle.