Hunting Other Game
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Stewart Keen from GA asks:My message got cut off last time, about the two decoys. Thanks for your answer. I think the picture link will show this time. When the season started I wanted a big gobbler. Now I have found that where I hunt on trail camera there are only jakes. I saw them when I was checking it one time too. Now that the season is almost over, I would love to settle for a jake, but last time we hunted there, I was giving some yelps, and about 70 yards behind us, I could hear one clucking heading down the ridge behind us. How do I know if it was a jake, or a hen? I clucked back to it for a little bit. I think what made it cluck, is when it heard me yelping. I never saw it though. I jumped them in there at about 1pm. I think I will be in there at about that time today. Here's the picture of the two decoys, if you remember.http://s1165.photobucket.com/albums/q590/stewart104/?action=view¤t=DSC_0030.jpgWinke Responds:Stewart, Both hens and toms cluck. Generally hens do it more. My guess is that it was a hen, but I can't say that for sure. Are you hearing any gobbling in the mornings? Even jakes will gobble a little bit on the roost (though not as much as older gobblers). I am no expert on turkey hunting so my advice is not all that valuable. It is also possible that you spooked a turkey. They putt when they are spooked. It is a more dramatic, sharper sound than the cluck (which is usually soft and soothing). The putt is a warning sound like a deer blowing. You might want to think about that. I would get out early, listen for gobbling and ideally hear some before setting up in an area where the turkeys like to go during the morning (usually open areas on ridges) nearby to where they are gobbling. If you don't hear gobbling, one of these areas is still a good bet. If you don't have any open areas you have to find slight ridges with ideally open cover. Try to figure out where the turkeys go when they fly down and simply get ahead of them. Good luck. (5-1-12)
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Aaron from IA asks:Bill, I went on my first turkey hunt this weekend and I think I'm hooked! The other guide and myself (all him) were able to get a kid his first bird!! I posted a pic on your MWW Facebook page. I'm hoping to get mine soon. While sitting in the blind this early morning waiting for the birds to come off roost, I started wondering if a hen that has nested already and laid eggs, do they leave those eggs to roost or do they brave the night on the ground? The group of 26 hunters got 9-10 birds over the weekend, including a young lady that might have shot the #2 bird in the state, it had almost 2" spurs. It was an amazing weekend of hunting and fellowship. God bless Thanks, AaronWinke Responds:Aaron, Congrats. That is a lot of fun. I really enjoy guiding turkey hunters more than hunting. They are perfect for that. It is my understanding that the hen lays the eggs one per day until she has laid the designated number (not sure what determines that) and then she starts sitting on the nest - 24 hours per day. That starts them all at the same time so they hatch at the same time, roughly. Great job on the weekend of hunting. Good luck. (4-30-12)
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Stewart Keen from GA asks:Hey Bill. I love the off-season show! My dad had a hen decoy for years around the house from when he tried turkey hunting years back. I started using that, even though the rod was lost. I used it last year (my first year turkey hunting) and started to use it this year with a wooden rod I made for it. Yestday we were at the store and I bought a new one, an HS Strut Sweet Sally hen. I was very exited because it looked good on cover of the package. I got home and opened it, and wasn't sure whether I even liked it better than the old one. They looked so different from each other so I was wondering which was they real turkey, if you know what I mean. I thought it looked way to small, but I can't decide which is the real one, if they look totally different from each other. I attached a picture of them together. Sweet Sally is on the left, my old one on the right. Just in case you need to know, I live in the north Georgia mountains and I only hunt in the woods, like I don't have a place to stWinke Responds:Stewart, The message got cut off (I have a word limit). My sense is that both decoys will likely work fine in the woods where the tom has to get reasonably close to even see the decoy in tyhe first place. In the open fields the larger decoy might be better because of visibility, but turkeys have such good eyesight that it is likely that the smaller one is just fine. I would try the smaller one (less to carry) and if it works fine, that is the one I would be toting. Good luck. (4-30-12)
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Ron from AL asks:Bill: First off I'd like to say good work on the shows I never miss an episode. I've seen you guys use and talk about the turkey tom-o-hawk broadhead and would like to try them but its very hard to find them and have been told they are discontinued. Any insite on where I can get some and if Rocket is going to start making them again. ThanksWinke Responds:Ron, Do a Google search for Rocket Turkey Tom-O-Hawk and I think you will find some on line. If you are fearful that they are discontinuing the head, just buy a bunch of them now. I have not heard anything from Rocket that they are discontinuing the head, but they don't necessarily tell me everything either. I guess I would be surprised if they do since it is a good niche product, but it could happen. Good luck. (4-27-12)
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Aaron from WI asks:I know you've answered this before, but I couldn't find it when looking through the Ask Winke section: What broadhead would you recommend for turkeys? I shoot a 55 pound draw weight and 29 inch draw length if that helps. Thanks!Winke Responds:Aaron, Penetration is rarely an issue with turkeys so you go for maximum tissue damaage with the biggest head you can find. I would shoot the Rocket Turkey Tom-O-Hawk head. That one opens up to a 2 3/4 inch cut and does a lot of damage to anchor the birds quickly. Good luck. (4-23-12)
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Brandon from MO asks:Bill, Any tips on setting up ground blinds in fields for hunting turkeys? Do turkeys tolerate a blind being set up without being conditioned to it first, similar to how whitetails behave around blinds? Thanks for the help. -BrandonWinke Responds:Brandon, It is amazing, but you can just set the blind up in the morning with no brush around it and hunt it immediately and the turkeys won't think one thing about it. Not sure why, but they aren't very suspicious of blinds. Deer are much more suspicious. With deer you have to leave it up for a few weeks and ideally really brush it in, but not for turkeys. Good luck. (4-21-12)
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Skylar from IA asks:If you went youth turkey season do you have to wait until 4th season to go again?Winke Responds:Skylar, I believe that is true, but you had better check with the local game warden. Also, the county recorder can likely tell you since they sell a lot of tags every year. Our daughter is in that same boat. Good luck Skylar. (4-18-12)
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Dalton from KS asks:Hey Mr. Winke, love the show!! You've done such an amazing job on it. Spring thunder keeps my blood pumping when I am not in the field myself. I had a quick question for you, how long would you say it takes for turkeys to come back to a property when i spooked them soundly. Thanks and good luck to your season.Winke Responds:Dalton, Thanks for the kind words and for watching the shows. Turkeys aren't like deer. I would say that you will be back sooner and if you didn't spook them while hunting (like calling them in and then spooking them), they will still be reasonably huntable. I would say that you can go back to hunting the same birds in more or less the same place in two to three days. Good luck. (4-15-12)
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Skylar from IA asks:Have you ever heard of stalking a turkey behind a fan?Winke Responds:Skylar, Yes, I have seen it done a couple of times and the guys in the office are always talking about it but I have never tried it nor do I plan to. Just be sure you are doing it in a safe way. Anytime you try to pass yourself off as a turkey, you run the risk of some low grade hunter taking a shot at you. Personally, I would not do it in an area with other hunters around. What happens if someone sitting 300 yards away thinks it might be fun to take a crack at that big turkey with a rifle. Like I said, it comes with some risk. Be careful out there. (4-14-12)
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Chris from LA asks:Hi Bill. Just wanted to let you and anyone interested know this. I picked up an electronic predator call Saturday evening. It's a Flextone Echo and I paid $150 for it. I've seen them cheaper online. In two evenings I've called in 3 yotes and have successfully removed 2 of them. Dr. Grant Woods says that removing coyotes is one of the best ways to increase deer numbers. It will be interesting to see if we see a significant or noticeable increase in our numbers if we continue to have some success removing the coyotes. I know it's early but based on what I'm seeing I think it can be doneWinke Responds:Chris, Thanks for the information. From everyone I have talked with, trapping is the only sure way to remove them. They get wise very fast to hunting methods. It is fun though and continued good luck. (4-6-12)
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Derrick from WY asks:I'am goona hunt for spring turkey soon here in wyoming and wondered should i just use a hen decoy or both hen and tom. Also what blind do you recommend that is the easiest to use with a bow/gun. Thanks DerrickWinke Responds:Derrick, I personally like the old Double Bull style with the vertical oval shaped windows. They are durable and the windows are just big enough to give good shooting ports but small enough that you can stay hidden in there. They may still make that. I believe it was called the Pro Staffer. I have a couple of them here that I use quite a bit. Keep the windows vertical and not too wide. Only open the ones you need so it stays dark inside so the turkeys can't see in as well. I know that the guys here like a strutting tom with a hen. I have only ever used a hen decoy. They seem to work pretty well for me, but the big strutting tom decoy is likley visible from longer distances. Good luck. (3-23-12)
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Larry from MO asks:Bill, I've never bowhunted for turkey but am considering to do this Spring. What broadhead would you recommend? I currently use Rage for whitetail. Thanks for the help!Winke Responds:Larry, The Rage will likely work OK, but I like a really big three-blade like the Turkey Tomohawk from Rocket. That thing is huge. You aren't worrying about penetration with a turkey so you can shoot a huge head and increase your chances for a clean kill. Good luck. (3-16-12)
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Stewart from GA asks:Hey Bill, I'm not sure if my last question made it. I can't wait until the off season show! I was wondering if you tried coyote hunting, or just predator hunting in general on your farm to manage them, and the deer. Thanks! StewartWinke Responds:Stewart, We have tried a bit of hunting here but they are much harder to kill in decent numbers with a gun than with traps so I will likely start trapping at some point. Might not be until next winter as I suspect my window for trapping may be closed or rapidly clossed for this year. Thanks for all the support. Have a great day. (2-15-12)
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Lee from KS asks:Bill, I have an opportunity to go Elk hunting this year in Colorado with some other experienced Elk hunters. I have never pursued Elk before. Would you suggest a novice go with a gun or a bow? What changes would I need to do to my bow and broadhead set up for Elk compared to Whitetail Deer? I shoot 65 pounds on my Hoyt and 100 grain broadheads with carbon arrows for deer. Any other elk hunting resources are appreciated. Thanks for your input and help.Winke Responds:Lee, You are always going to do better with a gun than a bow for simple reasons of maximum range, but I love the mountains in September so the bowhunt is the most scenic and peaceful. If it is a good area where you will hear bulls bugling, that is another reason to go in late September - when they are rutting and calling more. You shouldn't have to do much to your bow and broadheads. I wouldn't use a big mechanical but smaller mechanical and fixed blade heads will work fine. There are some good elk hunting books out there. I think Pat Meitin wrote a good one recently that Intermedia Outdoors is selling. Good luck. (2-13-12)
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jeff from VA asks:bill,we have a good population of bear in virginia.and i would like to know if i planted some big and beasty would the bear like the turnips in the late season since they are sweet.Winke Responds:Jeff, I have no idea on that one. I would call John at Frigid Forage and ask him. That is a good question though. Happy New Year (12-28-11)
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josh from MN asks:when is the best time to go bow hunting in the more northern part of Minnesota?Winke Responds:Josh, I am not a big bowfisherman, but I would guess it is when the carp are up shallow spawning - I am guessing probably in June in your area. Better ask someone with more experience.
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Jim from MI asks:Hey Bill, HUGE fan of the online show, I keep up weekly. I just got back from a successful turkey trip up north where I bagged my biggest (weight) turkey ever, nearly 26 pounds. My question is, I have can use the box and diaphragm calls really well and I have a slate call, but I just can't seem to be consistent with it. Do you have any tips for me? Can you do a short segment on becoming a better slate caller? Thanks Bill, keep up the great shows, really appreciate all your help and input. Jim W.Winke Responds:Jim, Congratulations. That is a great bird. I hear the MI turkey numbers are good now. Key to slate is to scuff it up good with fine grit sandpaper (and the end of the striker) so you get good friction. Then cup it in your hand so your palm is well away from the bottom of the call. Place the side of your other hand against the edge of the call and hold the striker like a pencil. Make small ovals at various locations around the face of the call until you find the spot that sounds best. Usually, it will be out near the edge with the oval pointing toward the center. The ovals are only about 1/2 inch in size, possibly a bit larger for other calls, so they are not big motions. There are many other sounds you can make easily with a slate too: cutts, putts, purrs, high pitched yelps, low pitched yelps, kee kees, pretty much every sound a hen turkey makes. If we get time in the next episode we'll do a quick turkey calling segment. Just bare in mind that I am far from a champion caller. I think volume, timing and cadence are more important than the exact sound of the call. Good luck and thanks for your support.
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I shot at a jake and drew feathers but didn't kill him. He flew off; would you try to call him back?Josh from WI asks:Hey there, this is Josh Peterson from Mondovi,Wisconsin. I was out turkey hunting last weekend and I went by my self because my dad was busy with some stuff. I called in a jake and it was about 40 yards away went I shot at it. Right after I shot, there were feathers and stuff around where I hit it, but it flew in a tree about 60 or 70 yards away. Would you try to call it back in or what would you do?Winke Responds:Josh, I would sure try, but my guess is that he would not be too quick to come back. It can work, though, especially with a jake. So it is definitel worth the try. You may be able to call him back into the same general area in the future too. Good luck.
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Kevin from WI asks:Hi Bill, we had the turkey youth hunt saturday and sunday, i've already killed 3 turkeys with a shotgun so this year i decided to go with my bow. saturday morning we were covered in turkeys, but they stayed out at 30 yards. i didn't want to wound the turkey so i didn't shoot. i was just wondering how do you guys get them to come in so close, or is it just that the camera is zoomed in. also how far do you usually shoot turkeys at, and how far do you put the decoys at? thanksWinke Responds:Kevin, No, we actually get them in that close. When I was turkey hunting with a bow a lot, I set my decoys at about five to ten yards from the blind. I think that is the key. Sometimes the birds just won't come that close. My ideal range is 15 yards or less. You did the right thing not shooting. Bowhunting turkeys takes much more patience than gun hunting them. I only recommend it for people who have the time.
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brian from IA asks:Hi Bill, Iowa has a dove season, yeehaw! Do you have any stategies for planting food plots for doves and do you think hunting doves would hurt the hunting of deer on my property. I have a 231 acre farm in extreme southern Warren county. Also, what opionions do you have of southern Warren county as a deer producer.Winke Responds:Brian, I guess they love sunflowers and deer do too, from what I am told. I have never planted sunflowers. I think if you are in there in late October shooting doves, it would be a bad idea, but having a few shoots there early in the dove season won't affect too much. It is not ideal, but deer aren't the only thing on the planet worth hunting and managing. I think they will figure out that you are not there to hunt them and they will just wait until dark to come out. If that persists for long, they will still be on nocturnal patterns come the times when you want to hunt them. Warren is one of the best B & C counties in the nation. I remember a study done several years ago and Warren was either number one or one of the top three nationwide! Things may have changed since then, but no doubt it is still a great buck producing county - probably because there are enough small residences around the homes of commuters that don't allow hunting. I have not hunted Warren, but drive through it all the time. Good habitat for sure.
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Travis from KS asks:I was wondering if you have ever hunted elk and if so what camo pattern you would recommend. I am going to Idaho this Sept. for my first elk hunting trip (a week of archery elk hunting). I have some camo that is Realtree AP, was wondering if any other pattern would be better.Winke Responds:Travis, I have hunted elk quite a bit and I've even hunted them in Idaho. I spent nearly as much time fly fishing as I did elk hunting on that particular trip. The temperature was really warm. I think Realtree AP is a great choice for that time and place. It is a good universal pattern. The main thing with elk is keeping still. They aren't as alert to forms as some species you may hunt. As long as you are not moving, you can get away with a lot. Good luck. Sounds like a fun trip.
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Bill from IL asks:Bill, have you ever done any bow fishing? If not what do you do in the warmer months to stay sharp besides target practice?Winke Responds:Bill, I have done only a small amount of bow fishing. I used to shoot 3-D tournaments but staying competitive required so much practice time I eventually had to give it up - or get my butt kicked. I wasn't about to do that. So now I shoot occassionally during the off-season until about August and then it is all business after that. It is kind of like riding a bike, if you have done a lot of it and learned the fundamentals of good form from good teachers it is only a matter of getting the strength back, going back over the fundamentals and you are ready to go. Our son wants to bowfish, so I am sure we will be doing it soon.
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Ryan from IA asks:Hey Bill, I was reading a few of your facts on previous questions about the kill zone of a Turkey. You are correct about the money shot being approx. the size of your fist at the largest however, ( Laughing ), I found another terrific spot... When the turkey is standing broad side to you and you are burning the pin in where the wing meets the body just level and above the beard location, wait until the turkey's head lowers to feed which will allow you to enter at the wing and deflect off of the wing joint and glide upward to completely sever the spine resulting in an immediate kill shot. I only bring this up as a funny story because that is how I took my Jake this year. Lucky shot but down is down right? See ya later Bill, RyanWinke Responds:Ryan, Congrats on a great shot. Yes, if waited for that exact shot, we might be waiting a while. I shot a bird in Texas several years ago with a giant Vortex mechanical head and caught him just a shade high. I practically cut him in half catching the backbone squarely with both blades wide open. He just folded and dropped right on the spot. Big heads are a very good idea.
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Ryan from IA asks:Hey Bill, Hopefully you could shed some light on things...I hadnt really thought about this until I was asked today from a friend...When hunting turkey's, are they an all day animal hunt or typically are they morning and evening...I really didn't have much of an answer due to the fact that I usually harvest in the first hour of daylight or the last two hours of daylight. So with all of this hopefully YOU could shed some "light" on this... Thanks, RyanWinke Responds:Ryan, They are an all-day hunt. Just keep in mind that it isn't legal to hunt them all day in some states. Often, when you have a hard time calling them off the roost because they are henned up, you can come back to the same area late in the morning and get the tom fired up at a time when the hens are all bred. It takes a fairly aggressive approach. You have to move and call until you find a gobbler that will answer. In my experience, if you can get them to gobble past mid-morning you have a very good chance at calling them in. This is a good strategy in the middle of the turkey season when most of the toms fly down into a group of hens and don't leave them until they are all bred.
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Brent from MI asks:Hey Bill, I realize that the recovery rate on archery tackle turkeys is probably pretty low. So...if I am hunting with my normal whitetail set-up(same arrows with same rage broadheads) where do I need to hit the bird to obtain a quick recovery? Thanks Very Much!Winke Responds:Brent, You have basically three places to hit them: the base of the beard (where it meets the feathers) if he is facing you, where the wing attaches to his body if he is broadside and the center of his back (exit at the base of the beard) if he is facing away. If he is strutting away, aim at the center of his fan (his butt). If he is strutting broadside, wait for him to lay the feathers down so you can see where to aim. Any other shot is going to produce a wound. The kill zone is the size of your fist (at the biggest) so the bird has to be close (I like ten yard shots) to assure a good clean kill. Good luck.
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Bobby from IL asks:As hard as it may be to finally get my mind off of deer, I am curious as to how you go about decoying for turkeys. I have seen people only use a strutting Tom decoy, others have a Tom with hens surrounding it, and some only use hens. If you decoy, what strategy/arrangement of Toms and hens works best for you? Thanks Bill, BobbyWinke Responds:Bobby, I don't like carrying stuff so I just use a single hen decoy. I try to place it past my position in the direction opposite which I expect the turkeys to approach so they are looking at it and not straight at me. I think there are other strategies that work better, like adding some kind of motion is probably good. I am no turkey expert. The kids and I kill them, but we don't pretend to know much about it. Good luck.
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Jordan from IN asks:hey i was wondering what gun you would prefer to use for coyote hunting. A 22 magnum or a 17HMR? and how much do you think each of them would run?Winke Responds:Jordan, Neither is ideal for coyote hunting, better for small game and small predators. Of the two, the .22 Magnum has much better killing power based on the most unbiased testing I was able to find. However, I think I would be looking for a .22-250 if I was serious about coyotes. Good luck.
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Jarred from OH asks:Bill, Do you do any predator control during deer season in Iowa? I know some states require special permits for coyotes and don't know of Iowa is one that does. I try to shoot them at every opportunity. Can't wait to see the ATA highlights. Thanks for your time, JarredWinke Responds:Jarred, I think it is a great idea, but to really have any success controling them, you need to trap them. I am no trapper so I would have to find someone to do it. You will never shoot enough of them to make a difference, but a good trapper can have an impact. We try to shoot every coyote that comes by when bowhunting (I once shot three in one day from a tree stand) but they have such sharp eyes it is much harder to do with a camera in the tree.
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Jarred from OH asks:Bill, Beside whitetail, what other game species do you enjoy hunting?Winke Responds:Jarred, I really enjoy hunting mule deer. I had a run back in the late 90s and early 2000s when I shot five bucks in six years and the average gross score was 190 inches! Needless to say, I was hooked. I was just on a lucky streak, but mule deer are great fun to hunt. I have not traveled much lately with the kids growing older and involved in more things so I started this online show to give me a way to get more out of my home-time. I also enjoyed hunting Woodland Caribou in Newfoundland until the population took a dive a few years ago. That is another very fun bowhunt. I could hunt whitetails and mule deer for the rest of my life and never feel like I missed anything. I am sure elk are also addictive, but I never got good at hunting them and eventually became a bit discouraged with them. Also, very hard to find good hunting at a reasonable price for elk.
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Steve from WI asks:I'm going elk hunting in Montana this September. I shoot a 60lb bow with 29 inch draw. My arrows weigh 330 Grains with a 75 grain field tip. Can you recommend a favorite broadhead to use for elk. I'm planning on using 85 grain Slick Tricks.Winke Responds:Steve, That might work, but for that bow, I would probably have much heavier arrows. Granted, you give up some speed, but you gain efficiency which translates into kinetic energy (better penetration). I would want something that weighed about 450 grains (total weight with head, etc). Also, I might be tempted to use a two-blade broadhead also, to increase penetration. Don't go light for elk. They are big animals and tough to kill. Gear for penetration. Good luck.
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Ehren Pavese from IN asks:turkey hunting was tough this year for my buddy and i our time off to be in the woods was about done so we had to settle with both of us taking jakes the gobblers were everywhere but stubborn we couldn't get any response to our calling do you have any tricks on how to close the distance to get that gobbler within shooting rangeWinke Responds:Ehren, I am no turkey expert, but from the turkey hunting I have done, I have learned that when the toms are henned up, it pays to come back in mid-morning and see if they are alone at that time. When the hens leave them to go to the nest to lay their egg, the tom often is more vulnerable. Also, study their patterns, like a whitetail. Sometimes you can set up in their travel routes to and from strutting areas. It is not the same as calling them in, but it can be productive. The mid-morning trick has worked for me several times, that might be your best chance when things are tough. Good luck. Bill
