Spring turkey hunting is just around the corner. There is no better way to learn how to archery elk hunt than to hunt Spring Turkey. Now some may say that Montana Grant is nuts! An elk weighs in at 800 pounds and a big gobbler is maybe 20 or so pounds on a fat day.

I can assure you that the tactics of both these hunts are amazingly similar even if the meat pole rewards are different. You use the same strategy, diaphragm calls, camo to the max, no need for scent control, close quarters calling and shooting, and the excitement is awesome.

Gobblers and Bulls are on the hunt for a female to breed with. This is the time when they will let their guard down and make a mistake. Here is how the hunt will go.

Listen for the calls at sunrise. High ground is best. Scouting for sign is important.

                Once you locate the male, get within 100 yards. Noise is not a factor. Get close, fast.

                Scent is not an issue for turkeys but for Bulls, hunt/approach into the wind.

                Best luck for me has been calling them in from the same level, down a ridge, off a ridge. Calling them across a watershed, or uphill is harder.

                Set up, camo up, set the decoy, and become the female. Call sexy and soft.

                Once you get a response, get ready

                Once in range, don’t move

                Take your first best shot. Aim for the kill zone

Once the critter is down, I will say that a turkey is way easier to get back to camp.

You can certainly shoot a turkey with a bow, but this is way hard. A Black powder gun also requires more skill. A shotgun is also a good shooting tool for turkeys. Pick what is best for your skillset and comfort zone.

The mouth diaphragm call is also a challenge for many hunters. Once you learn how to whine, purr, and gobble, you can use the same call to chirp, grunt, and bugle. When elk hunting, an amplifying tube extends your range. If you are challenged by using a mouth call, look at Rocky Jacobsen’s YouTube video on how to use a diaphragm call. Rocky is an amazing hunter that owns Rocky Mountain Game Calls. 

Both Bulls and Gobblers have amazing vision. Managing your personal movement takes practice and experience. Sometimes an eyeblink can ruin the set up. Decoys help to take the attention off the shooter and away from their position.

Spring is a wonderful time to set up a hunting camp and enjoy being afield. While you chase gobblers, you may find a nice fishing hole or even some sheds. Shake off the Winter blues while waking up to the sound of gobbling turkeys.

Gobble, whine, purr, and tag a great trophy!

Montana Grant