HuntOnly.com tag:www.huntonly.com,2008://8 2008-04-01T16:43:17Z Movable Type 3.2 Understanding Turkeys/Turkeys Habits 101 tag:www.huntonly.com,2007://8.2035 2008-03-05T09:00:00Z 2008-04-01T16:43:17Z Turkey habits vary greatly by region and local area. Some Eastern and Merriam's birds become accustomed to human activity and inhabit cities and towns, while a few miles away the mere sight of a car will send birds into... T.R. Michels Turkey habits vary greatly by region and local area. Some Eastern and Merriam's birds become accustomed to human activity and inhabit cities and towns, while a few miles away the mere sight of a car will send birds into cover. In some western areas birds may frequent farmyards, use groves and buildings for roost sites; exhibit no fear of humans, dogs or livestock; and become pets.

]]> Reaction to Danger
Wild turkeys are extremely wary, with excellent eyesight, but they don't hear much better than the average human. However, they are very aware of suspicious noises, their first reaction to possible danger is alarm and usually flight. Turkeys have better eyesight than humans, but, because of their widely spaced eyes they have poor binocular vision and depth perception. They see very little in front of them with both eyes at the same time, which makes it difficult for them to determine relative size and distance of objects. Movement makes them alert.
While the first response of a turkey to danger is an alarm putt and then flight, it will not usually leave it's home range. Because of the small size of their brain turkeys don't have the ability to learn as well as animals with larger brains. With limited ability to learn, and because they inhabit a traditional home range, fleeing turkeys usually do not leave their range but fly back into it; or if they do leave they return soon after. Because they have not been outside their home range the risk of danger is greater outside the home range than in it. Turkeys seldom vacate their home range because of hunting pressure. They may be hunted out but not driven out. They do not even avoid places that have been dangerous to them in the past. I have shot turkeys in the same area where they were shot at and missed the day before.
Flocking Behavior
Turkeys habitually occur in flocks. Hens and young of the year often stay together throughout the summer in family groups or flocks of several families. In the fall young males or "jakes" form their own flocks and stay together through the winter and join the adult males in the spring, during the breeding season. Adult male flocks form in the summer after the breeding season and remain together until spring, when some birds go off by themselves, but, males may form small groups of two or more birds during the breeding season. Groups of gobblers may form an alliance and fight other groups for dominance and breeding rights.

Winter
During the winter turkeys separate into flocks of different sexes and age groups. The old and young hens remain in one flock, the young males in another and the toms in yet other flocks. This flocking instinct is strong in most grazing animals that depend on their ability to see and hear for defense. Because they spend so much time eating they can't always be on guard, therefore, the more animals there are together the more time each one can spend eating while others watch. There is security in numbers.

Spring
With the approach of spring the weather gets warmer, daylight hours become longer and the urge to mate comes over turkeys. The jakes join the toms and begin forming small groups that search for hens. The toms begin to associate with the hens as they all look for new spring growth, succulent grasses, forbes and insects that appear near stream beds and on south facing slopes that warm up first. They look for leftover agricultural crops, mast crops of nuts and acorns, and pick through cow chips, cattle feeding areas, and old and new plowing for insects and leftover food. Where turkeys inhabit hilly or mountainous terrain they may even change home ranges, seeking higher elevations as snow depth decreases and new forage becomes available. They may travel from as little as a half mile, to as many as several miles between their winter and spring range.

Breeding Activity
Gobbling is the tom's way of expressing dominance, telling all birds in the area he is ready to breed, and to fight for the right. Toms also use gobbling as a means of attracting hens. Supposedly, the toms call to get the hens to them, but toms do respond to hen calling and will go to the hen. The advertising strategy of the tom changes once it is with a hen. Gobbling is used to attract hens from a distance. When the tom is within visual distance of the hen it begins to strut, relying on the color of it’s head, it’s expanded tail, and it’s puffed up body size to attract the hen; to prove it is the biggest, healthiest, most colorful male. This explains the dimorphism (the difference in coloration, size, or antler growth) in many animals. The strongest, healthiest male with the most coloration or largest rack, attract more females, breeds more females and passes on his traits to the offspring.
I don’t doubt that toms gobble to get hens to come to them. But, in my research I found that the hens were often in a feeding/strutting area first, often using the adult version of the lost yelp, then the toms showed up, gobbling as they came. Once the toms saw the hens they usually started strutting and pursuing the hens. Only then did breeding occur. I believe that in may instances the toms respond to the calling of the hens, not the other way around.
A graph of turkey gobbling and breeding activity is much like the graph of rubbing and breeding activity in whitetailed deer. Turkeys, like deer, are influenced by photoperiod (the number of light hours per day), but it is lengthening hours of daylight not shortening hours, and warmer spring temperatures that trigger turkey breeding behavior.

Phase 1: Initial Gobbling Period
As the spring days become longer the toms start to gobble. The earliest gobbling is usually performed by adult males, and as the days grow longer more males gobble. The first gobbling begins about two months before the gobbling peak, which is during phase 3. In the south gobbling may begin as early as early February, in the north as late as early March. At this time both the hens and toms begin establishing dominance, which may be accompanied by alot of chasing and sometimes fights.
While the hens may not be willing to breed at this time the toms are. They usually answer hen calls, but may not come in. Supposedly, it is the hen that goes to the tom, because the tom uses gobbling to attract the hen. Because this is when dominance is established toms will often come to the sound of a gobbler to exert dominance, or to the sound of a hen to initiate breeding.

Phase 2: Breeding Period and Gobbling Lull
As the days continue to grow longer, and the weather warms, the hens become interested in breeding and may spend more time near the toms. When the hens are within visual distance the toms use displaying (strutting, showing their colorful head), and spitting and drumming to keep the hens nearby. Because there is more strutting there is less gobbling. This is when it is difficult to get a tom to respond to a call. About a month after the toms begin to gobble most of the hens become receptive and gobbling activity is at it's lowest. This phase may last from a few days to a couple of weeks, depending on the number and sex ratio of birds in the area, and the weather.

Phase 3: Post Breeding Period And Gobbling Peak
As more of the hens are bred they begin to nest, and the toms, still interested in breeding, gobble more frequently. Approximately a month after peak breeding occurs most of the hens have been bred and are nesting. Gobbling activity reaches is highest level while the hens nest and the toms try to attract any unbred hens. This is when the toms are most willing to respond to hen calling.

Breeding Activity and Weather
Late snow and spring rain, with cold weather and cloudy days, can disrupt or delay the gobbling activity of toms, and the willingness of hens to respond to gobbling and to breed and nest. Wet cold weather may affect nesting success and cause a second nesting attempt if the eggs are destroyed or young die off. This in turn may cause another decrease in gobbling activity, making it difficult to call the birds. If the weather warms up earlier than normal the hens may begin breeding and nesting earlier than normal.

One of the best tips I can give you on turkey hunting is to know which breeding phase the turkeys are in, and then use the right calls and hunting techniques for that phase. During Phase 1 and 3, calls and decoys work well to bring toms in because the hens aren’t ready to breed yet but the toms are. During Phase 2 you can get between the toms and the hens, and hope the toms respond to your call or come by; pattern the toms and ambush them when they come by; or wait until the hens have gone to nest and then call a tom to you or ambush it as it leaves to go to a new feeding/strutting site.

If you are interested in more turkey hunting tips, or more turkey biology and behavior, click on Trinity Mountain Outdoor News and T.R.'s Hunting Tips at www.TRMichels.com. If you have questions abouttuerkey and turkey hunting log on to the T.R.'s Tips message board. To find out when peak gobbling occurs in your area
click on Peak Turkey Gobbling Dates Chart.


This article is an excerpt from the Turkey Addict’s Manual ($14.95 + $5.00 S&H), by T.R. Michels, available in the Trinity Mountain Outdoor Products catalog.

T.R. Michels is a nationally recognized game researcher/wildlife behaviorist, outdoor writer and speaker. He is the author of the Whitetail, Elk, Duck & Goose, and Turkey Addict's Manuals. His latest products are Hunting the Whitetail Rut Phases, the Complete Whitetail Addict's Manual, the 2005 Revised Edition of the Elk Addict's Manual; and the 2005 Revised Edition of the Duck & Goose Addict's Manual. For a catalog of books and other hunting products contact: T.R. Michels, Trinity Mountain Outdoors, E-mail: TRMichels@yahoo.com , Web Site: www.TRMichels.com

]]> Understanding Seasonal Turkey Behavior tag:www.huntonly.com,2007://8.2034 2008-03-01T08:00:00Z 2008-04-01T16:43:45Z Turkey habits vary greatly by region and even local areas. Some Eastern and Merriam's turkeys become accustomed to human activity and inhabit cities and towns, while a few miles away the mere sight of a car will send birds into... T.R. Michels Gobbling Wild TurkeyTurkey habits vary greatly by region and even local areas. Some Eastern and Merriam's turkeys become accustomed to human activity and inhabit cities and towns, while a few miles away the mere sight of a car will send birds into cover. In some western areas birds may frequent farmyards, use groves and buildings for roost sites; exhibit no fear of humans, dogs or livestock; and become pets.

Reaction to Danger
Wild turkeys are extremely wary, with excellent eyesight, but they don't hear much better than the average human. However, they are very aware of suspicious noises. Their first reaction to possible danger is alarm, the sounding of the Alarm Putt, and they often fly or run away. Turkeys have better eyesight than humans but, because of their widely spaced eyes, they have poor binocular vision and depth perception; they see very little in front of them with both eyes at the same time, which makes it difficult for them to determine the relative size and distance of objects. However, movement makes them alert.

]]> While the first response of a turkey to danger is an Alarm Putt and then flight, it will not usually leave its home range. Because of the small size of their brain turkeys don't have the ability to learn as well as animals with larger brains. With limited ability to learn, and because they inhabit a traditional home range, fleeing turkeys usually but fly into their home range it; if they do leave their home range they soon return. Because they have not been outside of their home range, the risk of danger is greater outside the home range than in the home range.
Turkeys seldom vacate their home range because of hunting pressure. They may be hunted out of their home range, but not driven out. They may not even avoid places that have been dangerous to them in the past. I have shot turkeys in the same area where they were shot at and missed the day before.

Flocking Behavior
Turkeys habitually occur in flocks. Hens and the young of the year often stay together throughout the summer in family groups or flocks of several families. In the fall young males or "jakes" form their own flocks and stay together through the winter; they may join the adult males in the spring, during the breeding season. Adult male flocks form in the summer (after the breeding season) and remain together until spring, when some birds go off by themselves, but, toms may form small groups of two or more birds during the breeding season. Groups of gobblers may form an alliance and fight other groups for dominance and breeding rights.

Winter
During the winter, turkeys separate into flocks of different sexes and age groups. The old and young hens remain in one flock, the young males in another, and the toms in yet other flocks. This flocking instinct is strong in most grazing animals that depend on their ability to see and hear for defense. Because they spend so much time eating they can't always be on guard; therefore, the more animals there are together the more time each one can spend eating while others watch; there is security in numbers.

Spring
With the approach of spring the weather gets warmer, daylight hours become longer and the urge to mate comes over turkeys. The jakes join the toms and begin forming small groups that search for hens. The toms and jakes begin to associate with the hens as they all look for new spring growth (succulent grasses and forbes) and insects that appear near stream beds and on south facing slopes (that warm up first). They look for leftover agricultural crops, mast crops of nuts and acorns; and pick through cow chips, cattle feeding areas, and old and new plowing for insects and leftover food. Where turkeys inhabit hilly or mountainous terrain they may even change home ranges, seeking higher elevations as snow depth decreases and new forage becomes available. They may travel from as little as a half mile, to as many as several miles between their winter and spring range.

Breeding Activity
Gobbling is the tom's way of expressing dominance; telling all the turkeys in the area that he is ready to breed, and to fight for the right. Toms also use gobbling as a means of attracting hens. Supposedly, the toms call to get the hens to come to them; but toms do respond to hen calling and will go to the hen. The advertising strategy of the tom changes once it is near a hen; gobbling is used to attract hens from a distance. When the tom is within visual distance of the hen it begins to strut, relying on the color of it's head, it's expanded tail, and it's puffed up body size to attract the hen; to prove it is the biggest, healthiest, most colorful male. This explains the dimorphism (the difference in coloration, size, or antler growth) in many animals. The strongest, healthiest male with the most coloration or largest rack, attracts more females, breeds more females and passes on his genes to the offspring.
I don't doubt that toms gobble to get hens to come to them. But, in my research I found that the hens were often in a feeding/strutting area first, often using the adult version of the Lost Yelp call, then the toms showed up, gobbling as they came. Once the toms saw the hens they usually started strutting and pursuing the hens. Only then did breeding occur. I believe that in many instances, the toms respond to the calling of the hens, not the other way around.
A graph of turkey gobbling and breeding activity is much like the graph of rubbing and breeding activity in white-tailed deer. Turkeys, like deer, are influenced by photoperiod (the number of light hours per day), but it is lengthening hours of daylight, not shortening hours of daylight, and warmer spring temperatures that trigger turkey-breeding behavior.

Phase 1: Initial Gobbling Period
As the spring days become longer the toms start to gobble. The earliest gobbling is usually performed by adult males, and as the days grow longer more males gobble. The first gobbling begins about two months before the gobbling peak (during Phase 3). In the south gobbling may begin as early as February, in the north as early as late March. During this phase both the hens and toms begin establishing dominance, which may cause a lot of chasing and fighting.
While the hens may not be willing to breed at this time, the toms are. The toms usually answer the calls of the hens, but they may not go to them. Because this is when dominance is established, toms often come to the sound of a gobbler to exert dominance, or to the sound of a hen to initiate breeding.

Phase 2: Breeding Period and Gobbling Lull
As the days continue to grow longer, and the weather warms, the hens become interested in breeding, and they may spend more time near the toms. When the hens are within visual distance the toms display (strutting, showing their colorful head) and use the Spit call and sound of the Drum to keep the hens nearby; since there is more strutting there is less gobbling. This is when it's difficult to get a tom to respond to a call, because they are usually with the hens. About a month after the toms begin to gobble most of the hens become receptive and gobbling activity is at its lowest. This phase may last from a few days to a couple of weeks, depending on the number and sex ratio of birds in the area, and the weather.

Phase 3: Post Breeding Period and Gobbling Peak
As more of the hens are bred they begin to nest, and the toms, still interested in breeding, gobble more frequently. Approximately a month after peak breeding occurs most of the hens have been bred and will be nesting. Gobbling activity reaches is highest level during this phase, while the hens nest and the toms try to attract any hens that have not been bred. This is when the toms are most willing to respond to hen calling.

Breeding Activity and Weather
Late snow and spring rain, with cold weather and cloudy days, can disrupt or delay the gobbling activity of toms, and the willingness of hens to respond to gobbling, and to breed and nest. Wet cold weather also may affect nesting success, and cause a second nesting attempt if the hen's eggs have been destroyed or the young poults die. When this happens it may cause another decrease in gobbling activity, making it difficult to call the birds. If the weather warms up earlier than normal, the hens may begin breeding and nesting earlier than normal.

One of the best tips on turkey hunting is to know which breeding phase the turkeys are in, and then use the right calls and hunting techniques for that phase. During Phase 1 and 3, calls and decoys work well to bring toms in, because the hens aren't ready to breed yet, but the toms are. During Phase 2 you can get between the toms and the hens, and hope the toms respond to your call or walk by you. You can pattern the toms and ambush them when they come by; or wait until the hens have gone to their nests and call a tom to you, or ambush it as it leaves to go to a new feeding/strutting site.

If you are interested in more turkey hunting tips, or more turkey biology and behavior, click on Trinity Mountain Outdoor News and T.R.'s Hunting Tips at www.TRMichels.com. If you have questions about deer, elk, turkey or waterfowl log on to the T.R.'s Tips message board. To find out when peak gobbling occurs in your area click on Peak Turkey Gobbling Dates.

This article contains excerpts from the Turkey Addict's Manual ($14.95 + $5.00 S&H), by T.R. Michels, available in the Trinity Mountain Outdoor Products catalog.

T.R. Michels is a nationally recognized game researcher/wildlife behaviorist, outdoor writer and speaker. He is the author of the Whitetail, Elk, Duck & Goose, and Turkey Addict's Manuals. His latest products are Hunting the Whitetail Rut Phases, the Complete Whitetail Addict's Manual, the 2006 Revised Edition of the Elk Addict's Manual; and the 2006 Revised Edition of the Duck & Goose Addict's Manual. For a catalog of books and other hunting products; or for information on a wide variety of Natural History Eco-Tours, viewing and photographing regional and national scenic areas, songbirds, big game animals, elk bugling, wolf howling, sandhill crane, swan, prairie chicken, sharp-tailed grouse, swan tours or other trips with T.R. Michels contact: T.R. Michels, Trinity Mountain Outdoors, E-mail: TRMichels@yahoo.com, Web Site: www.TRMichels.com.

]]> Hunting Merriam’s Turkeys tag:www.huntonly.com,2007://8.2037 2008-02-28T13:03:24Z 2008-04-01T15:48:24Z The sun was already high in the sky when Bill and I saw our first Nebraska turkeys. They weren’t in the wooded ravines where I expected them; they were just off the highway that ran through the Sandhills region of... T.R. Michels Strutting Wild TurkeysThe sun was already high in the sky when Bill and I saw our first Nebraska turkeys. They weren’t in the wooded ravines where I expected them; they were just off the highway that ran through the Sandhills region of north central Nebraska. I had just been commenting on the lack of trees, except for those around the numerous abandoned and occasionally occupied farmhouses. Then I saw the two tom turkeys, strutting 20 yards from a highway department sand pile, 50 yards from a farmhouse, complete with a dog lying in the dust near the front porch and several cats. Because of the amount of white on their tail feathers and rump I thought they were domestic turkeys. But, when we passed a flock of fifteen turkeys walking across the prairies 15 miles down the road I realized I was seeing my first Merriam’s Turkeys.

]]> I couldn’t understand what the birds were doing on the open prairie until a few days later, after I had been hunting. Because of the limited habitat available to the big birds in Nebraska, turkeys have learned to adapt to their environment. On the Great Plains the forested areas usually associated with turkeys and turkey habitat occur mainly along the major rivers and their tributaries. In general, the only areas with trees large enough for turkeys to roost in are along the rivers or near the widely scattered farmsteads and small towns. Several farms and towns in this area have their own resident flock of turkeys.
I’d chosen this area to hunt because a map provided to me by the National Wild Turkey Federation showed that one of the highest concentrations of Merriam’s, and Merriam’s/Eastern hybrid turkeys in North America occurs along the Niobrara River near the town of Valentine, Nebraska. The area is primarily wooded bluffs and river bottoms, west of Valentine you are likely to see more pine forest than hardwoods. The change doesn’t seem to bother the turkeys however, because we found birds in both types of forest. On top of the bluffs, away from the river, the surroundings change to the endless rolling plains of grass common to the Dakotas and Nebraska, which is more suited to sharptails, prairie chickens, long billed curlews and coyotes than to turkeys. Water is limited and trees are scarce on the prairies, which explains why the turkeys I saw earlier were near the farms.
Turkeys prefer to roost in trees where possible, and the groves around the farms may offer the only trees for miles around. The farm sites also offer feed in the form of grain for the cattle and insects associated with cattle droppings. The overflow from stock tanks and the stock ponds on the farms provide needed water for the birds. Since many of the local people don’t hunt, the turkeys move right in and become semi-tame. Many of the farmers and their wives look upon these birds as pets, and don’t allow hunting. Even if they did, trying to get within range of these “yard bird ” turkeys on the open prairie is next to impossible. There is just no place to set up. Hunting their “country cousins” along the river bottoms, however, is much like hunting turkeys anywhere else. After obtaining permission to hunt on a 12,000 acre ranch we began scouting along the tops of the bluffs adjacent to the river, where we could four wheel drive from one ravine to the next along five miles of the river.
In open country I prefer to locate birds by calling from the top of a ridge that falls into a ravine or valley on one or more sides, so I can hear any answering calls from as many directions as possible. I use a crow call or owl hooter to try to get the birds to “shock gobble’ in response to my calling. If I don’t get an answer I wait five to ten minutes and try again. If I still don’t get an answer I drive to the next ridge and continue until I get a bird to answer. When I use turkey calls in wide open country I use a high pitched mouth diaphragm, or one of the new aluminum striker calls, because the high pitched sounds of these calls carry farther than other calls. Recent turkey research shows that the calls of Merriam’s, Rio Grande and Gould turkeys are higher pitched than the calls of their eastern counterparts. When I am calling I like to sound as much like the local birds as possible, and can do this with the new aluminum calls.
When you hear a bird in this country you have to realize that sound carries a long way. I have had birds respond, and heard them, from as far away as a mile and a half. You also have to realize that calls echo off the bare canyon walls in this country; one lone tom may sound like a whole flock. On more than one occasion I have gone to look for a flock of toms I though was in the next ravine, only to find out that it was one bird, and it was two or more ravines away. When you put birds to bed at night be sure you know the exact location of the bird before you leave, or you may start hunting the next morning only to find yourself in the wrong ravine.
Hunting this wide open country presents some problems that eastern hunters may not be prepared for. Spring weather on the prairie may change from blizzard conditions with temperatures in the 30’s one day, to clear skies with temperatures reaching the upper 80’s the next. You should take along both heavy and light camouflage clothing, and rain gear. A good pair of comfortable, lightweight waterproof boots are a must when you walk miles across the prairie and cross low lying boggy areas and streams to get the birds. Because of the distances traveled on foot I also take along a combination back pack and folding seat to sit on.
After getting a response from a nearby tom on the second morning of the hunt Bill and I decided to set up a flock of Feather Flex turkey decoys and try to call the bird in. I took the three decoys out of my back pack and set them up in a small clearing in the pines. After choosing a couple of trees for back rests I set up the hens on a small rise slightly to the left of where I expected the tom to come from. Then I placed the jake within shooting distance, where it could be easily seen by an approaching tom. I like to place the decoys off to one side of my shooting position, so that when a bird comes in it is attracted to the sight of decoys, which keep the bird from looking in my direction. I place the jake decoy in a clear shooting lane, because I’ve found that a tom will often attack a jake before it will go to the hens; when the tom approaches or attacks the decoy I have a clear shot.
After the decoys were setup Bill and I positioned ourselves so that we could each watch a different approach to the setup. Then I yelped a couple of times on my Haydel’s mouth diaphragm. A few minutes later Bill whispered that he could see two toms strutting below us on the next ridge. I called a couple of more times and heard the birds gobble back, but they were unwilling to come any closer. We waited a half-hour while the turkeys continued to gobble, but they didn’t come any closer. Finally we decided to move to the top of the next ridge, closer to the turkeys. When we got there I set up the decoys again and called. Almost immediately there was a thunderous gobble with an echo, and then another thunderous gobble; I was sure at least one of the birds was coming in.
After twenty minutes of calling the bird hung up just below the rim of the ridge. I knew the bird was close by the sound of its call but I couldn’t see it. In an effort to bring the bird in I started a series of fast clucks, simulating the “cutt” of a turkey. The cutt is the sound of one bird telling another that if the two are going to get together, the other bird will have to do the walking. Almost immediately a double gobble echoed up from the valley below us. I waited a while then let loose with another cutt; cluck...cluck...cluck ... cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck … cluck … cluck cluck. There was another double gobble from about twenty yards away.
With the sheer drop of the ridge and the echoing I couldn’t pinpoint the tom, but I knew it was close. As I looked over at Bill I could see the excitement in his eyes. I motioned for him to get ready. I clucked softly; cluck. Then I moved my head slowly to search for the bird. I saw a bright red and glowing white head appear over the lip of the rim off to my right. I looked at Bill, to see if had spotted the tom. He raised his eyebrows as if to say, “Where is it?” When I looked at the bird there were not one, but two heads peering over the rim. The double gobble I heard had come from two birds. They were about ten yards away, and I was sure that Bill could see them. I looked at him again, but he still hadn’t seen the birds.
I had two turkey tags and was thinking that this would be a great time to fill one of them. But, Bill had never hunted turkeys before, and I wanted him to get the first shot. Although we were both well camouflaged, I was afraid that at this range the birds would spot us. They were staring right at me, and I heard one of the toms putt; putt...putt...putt. Not really an Alarm Putt, more like the bird was nervous. The bird's necks crossed as they tried to locate me, and I clucked softly to settle them down. Bill's bow was still down and I motioned to him with my hand to get ready. If the birds saw us there wouldn’t be much time to draw and shoot. He shrugged his shoulders slightly. He still didn’t see the birds. I was glad that I had stopped using my striker call earlier and had begun using my mouth diaphragm; using the mouth diaphragm reduced the chance of the birds spotting my hand moving and left both hands free to hold my bow.
One of the birds putted again and I clucked in response. The sound was so loud I half expected to see Bill’s hat blow off. Fortunately he saw the bird and had the presence of mind to let an arrow fly.
When I got up to see where Bill's bird was I heard him say, “Well I rolled that one.” I said “You sure did.” as I watched the bird roll down the ridge. Then I heard Bill say, “He’s going to go all the way to the bottom.” And that’s exactly what happened. I watched in amusement as Bill tried to catch up with the bird as it cart-wheeled, wings flopping wildly, 150 yards down the steep embankment. It finally hung up in a yucca plant, 20 yards from the bottom.
A couple of days later Bill and I spotted a flock of fifteen turkeys near an abandoned farm. Through a break in the trees we could see three toms strutting in the grove behind the old house. I knew there was no way to call the birds in because they were already with a dozen hens. As we watched, the birds began to walk toward the far end of the grove, and I noticed a small brush choked ravine that began near the grove. I told Bill that we should work our way done the ravine to the far end of the grove, to try to intercept the birds when they came by and he agreed.
We quickly worked our way through the brush and up the ravine toward the grove. No sooner had we gotten into position than the first hen walked by at about fifteen yards. Behind her the flock slowly fed and walked it’s way toward us, with the toms taking up the rear. It wasn’t long before the hens walked out on to the prairie. I told Bill to wait until the toms were within range, then pick out the largest tom. Before I knew it the toms came out of the grove, and I just had time to draw and release. At my shot the tom fell down, and the rest of the flock scattered across the prairie.
When we got back to Valentine we registered our birds and weighed them. Bill’s tom weighed 22 pounds and had a 9 1/2 inch beard. My bird weighed just under 21 pounds and sported a 10 1/2 inch bird and long spurs. He now sits in my living room, in a full strut pose, a reminder of hunting Nebraska’s prairie longbeards.


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Side Bar
Some of Nebraska’s best turkey hunting occurs along the rivers, where the land is privately owned. There are also a number of Wildlife Management Areas in the Sandhills Region with turkeys, deer and ducks on them. Anyone planning a hunt in the Sandhills should allow a couple of days for scouting and getting permission to hunt on one of the ranches. We found the landowners cooperative as long as we were respectful of their property, didn’t bother the cattle during calving time, and remembered to close all the gates. Nebraska holds both spring and fall turkey hunts. In the Sandhills hunters are allowed two toms in the spring, and two birds of either sex in the fall.
Nebraska also has excellent whitetail and mule deer hunting. There are 130 to 170 class whitetails taken often enough to make me go back. For bird hunters the Sandhills offer sharptailed grouse, prairie chickens and pheasants, and a number of species of ducks on the potholes that abound in the area.


If you are interested in more turkey hunting tips, or more turkey biology and behavior, click on Trinity Mountain Outdoor News and T.R.'s Hunting Tips at www.TRMichels.com. If you have questions about deer, elk, turkey or waterfowl log on to the T.R.'s Tips message board. To find out when peak gobbling occurs in your area click on Peak Turkey Gobbling Dates.

This article is an excerpt from the Turkey Addict's Manual ($14.95 + $5.00 S&H), by T.R. Michels, available in the Trinity Mountain Outdoor Products catalog. T.R. Michels is a nationally recognized game researcher/wildlife behaviorist, outdoor writer and speaker. He is the author of the Whitetail, Elk, Duck & Goose, and Turkey Addict's Manuals. His latest products are Hunting the Whitetail Rut Phases, the Complete Whitetail Addict's Manual, the 2006 Revised Edition of the Elk Addict's Manual; and the 2006 Revised Edition of the Duck & Goose Addict's Manual.

For a catalog of books and other hunting products; or for information on a wide variety of Natural History Eco-Tours, viewing and photographing regional and national scenic areas, songbirds, big game animals, elk bugling, wolf howling, sandhill crane, swan, prairie chicken, sharp-tailed grouse tours or other trips with T.R. Michels contact: T.R. Michels, Trinity Mountain Outdoors, E-mail: TRMichels@yahoo.com, Web Site: www.TRMichels.com.

Hunting Article Keywords:
Hunting Turkeys, Spring Gobblers, Tips for Turkey Hunting, Merriam Turkeys, Wild Turkey Hunting, Turkey Hunting Tips.

]]> Turkey Communication / Advanced Turkey Talk tag:www.huntonly.com,2007://8.2062 2008-02-25T15:00:00Z 2008-04-01T16:44:25Z When you are calling turkeys you need to understand the meaning of the calls they use, and when and why they are used. So, let's talk turkey talk. Turkey researchers have described as many as 20 different turkey calls, which... T.R. Michels When you are calling turkeys you need to understand the meaning of the calls they use, and when and why they are used. So, let's talk turkey talk. Turkey researchers have described as many as 20 different turkey calls, which fall into six basic categories; Agonistic, Alarm, Contact, Flying, Maternal/Neonatal and Mating.

]]> Agonistic Calls (as in agonizing, not antagonistic)
Turkeys make a number of soft Putts, Purrs, and Whines while they feed; these calls help keep the birds of flock in contact with each other, and keeps them spaced apart when their heads are down and they can't see the other birds. The birds may become uncomfortable when they get too close to each other; thus they are in agony, so to speak. When turkeys make these calls they are saying, "This is my space, don't get to close."
The Feeding Whine or Purr sounds like the call made by a feeding chicken: a soft errr, or err-err-err-err. It may be followed by one or more Feeding Putts: a soft contented putt ... putt ... putt. I use these calls a few minutes after I use a Flydown Cackle, to convince the toms that there are hens on the ground and feeding. I also use these calls on toms that hang up out of range, to bring them in.
When turkeys fight they may use a Fighting Purr. This call is louder and more insistent than the Feeding Purr. The call is often interrupted by the sounds of flapping wings as the turkeys kick and neck wrestling often with each other. Turkeys hearing a fight often come running to see which birds are fighting, and which bird wins and loses. The loser often drops down in the social hierarchy, leaving room for subdominant birds to move up. I use this call to bring in dominant toms or hens when everything else fails.

Alarm Call
When a turkey becomes aware of danger it makes a loud, sharp Alarm Putt of from one to five notes: TUT ... TUT ... TUT that's used to warn other birds of danger. This call is a sign that a bird has seen a potential predator; the call and is usually followed by the bird running or flying away. Do not use this call when hunting turkeys.

Contact and Maternal/Neonatal Calls
Because the contact calls are used most often between the hen and her poults they are basically the same as the maternal/neonatal calls. When turkeys use these calls they are saying, "Here I am, where are you. The contact calls of young turkeys are the Lost Whistle, the Kee-Kee and the Kee-Kee Run. These are all high-pitched calls that get deeper as the young turkeys grow.

The Lost Whistle is the sound very young birds make, a high-pitched whistle: peep-peep-peep. As summer advances the voices of the poults change, and the Lost Whistle becomes the Kee-Kee, which usually has three notes strung together: kee-kee-kee. As fall gets nearer the young turkeys begin to add Yelps at the end of the Kee-Kee to produce the Kee-Kee Run. Many callers fail to recreate this call correctly by using only two notes, or by using up to five notes. The Kee-Kee Run is the basic Kee-Kee followed by several yelps: kee-kee-kee chirp-chirp-chirp-chirp. I use these calls in the fall, after I have scattered a flock.

Adult turkeys use many different yelps and clucks to keep in contact in different situations. Most yelps are the same as the "Here I am, where are you?" call of geese and other flocking birds, which is used to keep the birds in contact with each other.
The Tree Yelp is often the first sound of the day; a soft, nasal, three to five note call, performed while the birds are on the roost before daylight: chirp-chirp-chirp ... chirp-chirp-chirp-chirp, or some variation. There are usually three to four notes per second, with each note about .08 seconds in length. This call is one bird telling the others it is awake, and asking if there are other birds nearby and awake. This is the first call I use in the morning, to see if there are toms in the area and still on the roost.
The Plain Yelp is used by turkeys when they are within seeing distance of each other. It is louder than the Tree Yelp. The call often consists of three to nine notes of the same pitch and volume, with three to four notes per second, and each note lasting .08 to .10 seconds: chirp-chirp-chirp. I use this call when toms are up close, or within seeing distance of the decoys. This call is louder than the Tree Yelp.
The hen uses the Assembly Yelp in the fall to regroup the young. It usually consists of six to ten or more evenly spaced yelps that are loud and sharp, with two to four notes per second, and each note lasting from .12 to .20 seconds. This call is louder than the Plain Yelp. I often hear hens make a loud, long series of yelps while they are on the strut during the breeding phase. I am not sure if this is an Assembly Yelp or a Lost Yelp. But, I do know that toms often show up in areas where hens are making this call. I use Lost Yelps to get a tom fired up on the roost, and to keep it coming.
The Lost Yelp is much like the Plain Yelp but may contain 20 or more notes, and becomes louder toward the end. The bird's voice may "break" during the call, which causes it to have a raspy sound. There may be from three to four notes per second, with each note lasting .10 to .15 seconds. This is the loudest of the yelp calls.

The Plain Cluck is used by turkeys when they want to get the visual attention of another bird; it is primarily a close range contact call, again saying "Here am I, where are you?" A bird making this call wants to hear another bird make the same call so they can get together. It is a sharp, short sound similar to the alarm putt but not as loud or as insistent: tut ... tut. The notes of the cluck are often separated by as much as three seconds, which distinguishes it from the faster, closely spaced Fast Cutt. I often hear hens use several soft Clucks and Purrs while they are feeding: putt-putt-putt, errr, putt ... putt, putt-putt, errr. I use this call when a tom hangs up nearby, or to stop it for a shot.
The Fast Cutt, or Cutting, is one turkey using the "Here I am, where are you?" but telling the other bird "If we are going to get together you have to come to me." It is a loud insistent call, and the notes are strung together in bursts of two's and three's, with about a second between each burst: TUT-TUT ... TUT-TUT-TUT ... TUT-TUT-TUT ... TUT-TUT ... TUT-TUT-TUT or other variations. The rhythm is somewhat like the Flying Cackle, and I have used a Flying Cackle to get a tom to "shock gobble" by answering my call. I also use Fast Cutt to bring in a tom that hangs up.

Flying Call
The Flying Cackle is the sound a turkey makes as it flies up or down from the roost, or when it flies across ravines. Many hunters have difficulty with the correct tempo of this call. Actually it's quite easy, the calling of a bird in the air is directly related to the downbeat of the wing stroke, it's when the bird contracts its chest muscles and exhales, and it's the only time the bird can call. When imitating this call visualize the action of the turkey as it takes off, first with slow, powerful wing beats, then faster, then tapering off slowly before the turkey glides and lands. I often use this call to get a "shock gobble" from a tom before daylight, so I can locate the tree he is in. I also use it to get a tom to come off the roost in my direction.

Movement Sounds
There are sounds other than calling associated with different animals. The movement of the animal alone creates a sound that is associated by other animals as coming from a particular species or sex of animal. Turkeys have a particular way of walking and feeding that produces distinctive sounds; deer walk with a different tempo and volume. Turkeys also make a lot of scratching noises when they feed, along with the calls they make. If a turkey hears soft putts, purrs and whines, along with the sound of soft steps and scratching in the dirt or leaves, it thinks a flock of turkeys is feeding.
When turkeys fly down from the roost they often perform the Flying Cackle call. They also produce a flapping sound with each beat of their wings. A turkey hearing the combination of both wing beats and a Flying Cackle thinks another turkey has flown down from its roost. A turkey hearing a Fighting Purr expects to hear the other sounds associated with a fight; the sounds of flapping wings as the turkeys try to peck or kick and spur each other.
When a male turkey struts, it often Spits and Drums. The sounds of these two actions have been described as a "Chump" and a "Hum." Many hunters believe that both the Spit and Drum are vocalizations. However, after watching toms snap their wings open on gravel, and hearing a sharp "phht" sound when they do it, I believe that some of the sounds that hunters refer to as the Spit are the sounds of the wing tips snapping open or hitting the ground. At close range the sound of the wing tips of a strutting tom may also be heard dragging the ground as it struts.
The actual Spit "call" is produced when a male turkey exhales sharply through its mouth, after it has inhaled air to fill the air sack in its chest. Filling this air sack is what causes the "puffed up" appearance of a toms chest when it struts.
A male turkey may produce the sound of the Drum when it struts. The "Drum" of a tom turkey appears to be produced in the same manner as the "boom" of a Prairie Chicken; it is not produced like the "drum" of a ruffed grouse or pheasant, when they beat their wings. After listening to a domestic tom drum, and feeling its inflated chest while it produced the drum sound, I believe the Drum is caused by the vibration of air within the air sacs in the tom's chest; I suspect the breast sponge of a tom turkey is in fact an air sac.

It's not just the calls of the turkey, but the other sounds, and the actions or posture of the bird, in combination with the calls, that relays the meaning of the sounds to other turkeys. You can't recreate most of the movements and body postures of a turkey unless you use decoys. But, if you know when and why the sounds occur, you can reproduce the sounds turkeys make in the right way, and at the right time, to help you bring in a tom.


This article contains excerpts from the Turkey Addict's Manual, by T.R. Michels.

T.R. Michels is a nationally recognized game researcher, speaker and writer. He is the author of the Whitetail, Elk, Turkey and Goose Addict's Manuals: and the Deer Addict's Manuals. He is also the innovator of the Moon Indicator, which predicts peak monthly movement of deer and elk, based on the forces of the moon; the Daily Deer Movement Indicator, which helps hunters decide when and where to hunt, based on current meteorological conditions; and the Rut Phase Indicator, which helps hunters determine the stage of the rut; and when and where to hunt, by the current deer activity and sign. T.R.'s latest books, available for 2002, are the Deer Addict's Manual, Volume 7: Big Buck Hunting Techniques, and the Outdoorsman's Cookbook, Volume 1 and 2. For information contact:
T.R. Michels, Trinity Mountain Publishing, PO Box 284, Wanamingo, MN 55983.
Phone: 507-824-3296 E-mail:trmichels@yahoo.com Website:www.trmichels.com

]]> Spring Turkey Scouting tag:www.huntonly.com,2007://8.2019 2008-02-16T01:00:00Z 2008-04-01T16:44:45Z It was still dark as I turned the Suburban off the gravel road onto the field access road that ended at oak woods a half mile away. Not wanting to alert the turkeys, I turned off the engine and got... T.R. Michels Strutting Wild TurkeyIt was still dark as I turned the Suburban off the gravel road onto the field access road that ended at oak woods a half mile away. Not wanting to alert the turkeys, I turned off the engine and got out, quietly closing the door behind me. I reached into my turkey vest, pulled out my Lohman owl hooter and blew eight notes, imitating te call of a Barred Owl. A thundering gobble answered my call, followed by two more gobbles. Good, the birds were right where I expected them, roosted on the died of a southeast facing ridge about two hundred yards from the picked cornfield where I had seen them feeding before sunset last night.
If the birds did what they normally did , they would fly down about 15 minutes before sunrise, spend a little time looking for food in the woods, and ten would work there way along the bottom of the ravine until they came out of the woods into the cornfield.

]]> Whether I am scouting for whitetails, mulies, elk, or turkeys I use four different techniques; scouting (looking for the animals, and looking for sign), observing (watching where the animals come from and go to, and how they act), recording (writing in a journal where and when you saw the animals, and marking on a map where you saw them) and patterning (determining where an dwhen you wcwill find the animals on a regular basis). The more time and effort you spend scouting and observing turkeys, and recording where and when you saw them, the less time will have to be spend patterning and hunting them. Once you know which areas the turkeys regularly use by scouting; and know the sex, size, and time to expect them in certain areas (based on observing, writing in a journal, and marking on a map), it is a matter of determining the right spot at the right time to hunt them.
While you are field scouting (looking for sign) you should also learn the land. You want to know where the food sources are, and what time of the year they are used. Find the roosting areas, watering sites, strutting areas and the travel routes the bird use. You want to know where the ravines, gullies, streams and fences are; obstacles that a turkey will detour around or not cross. You also want to know where the openings and fields are so you will be able to choose the best places to set up, and be able to estimate how long it will take a bird to come to your call. You want to know the topography, the elevation of hills and valleys, so you know if the birds are above or below you. (When you are calling try to be above the bird. Turkeys prefer to come uphill to a call rather than down).
You should know the land as thoroughly as the turkeys, so you know where to find them under current conditions and time of year. If you know the land you will know where the birds are if you hear, but can't see them. If you see them, you will know the route either you or the bird will travel, and approximately how long it will take. But, unless you watch the birds on a regular basis, you won't know how many there are, their size, sex, beard length of the toms, or when they use specific areas.
Observing
Observing is not accidentally running into or spooking animals. Observing is watching (undetected) to learn more about the animals and have a better understanding of them. An observation site should be a high point with a good view of much of the land, far enough away that you will not disturb the animals during their normal routine. A protected area or a blind at the edge of a field or a hill is are good sites for watching turkeys. It you choose the right the right spot you should be able to see how the animals react to each other, the weather, hunting pressure, and other predators. You may also have a chance to hear the animals calling and see the body posture and movement associated with their different calls.
Recording
While you are scouting and observing you should also put your findings in a journal. Keep notes on the date, time, sky conditions (amount of light), wind direction and speed, temperature, dewpoint, wind-chill, and precipitation. You should also write down what breeding phase it is and the type and availability of food; make note of the number of animals you see, and their sex, direction of travel, activity and size; and any other factors that might help you better understand the animals. You should down You should also mark the trails, resting, feeding, breeding and watering areas on a map. You should also mark down the areas where you saw the animals. The more information you keep in a journal, and the more information you have on your map, the easier it will be to understand the animals and pattern them.
Patterning
Most animals have a semi-regular routine they use. Turkeys in particular have preferred roosting sites, feeding sites and strutting areas. The semi-normal routine of a flock of turkeys is often governed by where they roost at night, which is in turn governed by where they end up feeding in the late afternoon/early evening. After years of using the same habitat turkeys know where the best roost sites are. So, when they are feeding in the evening, and they end up near a roost site they have used n the past, they will probably use that same site again, provided nothing happens to keep them from getting their before it is too dark. Then, when the birds fly down the next morning, they will usually go to one of the nearest feeding areas. If you spend enough time observing the birds you will know where their preferred roost sites are, and where they are most likely to go, and the routes they are most likely to take when they fly down the next morning. One you know their routine, and you know where the birds have roosted by putting them to bed at night, or seeing or hearing them in the morning, you will have a pretty good idea of where they are likely to end up feeding and strutting. Patterning can not be done in a few hours, it may take days or even weeks. But, the more time and effort you spend observing the animals, the clearer their daily patterns will become, and the more you will learn and understand the animals.
Locating High Use Areas
To locate turkeys you need a good topographical map of the area, or a good aerial photo. These visual aids will help determine where the "high use areas" of security cover, roosting sites, water, food, strutting, and travel areas are before you are even on the property. Then it's time to get on the property and scout for sign left by turkeys. Two prime areas you want to locate are the food sources (which often serve as strutting areas) and the roosting sites. These are the areas where turkeys spend the majority of their time and leave the most sign. They are also the areas where turkeys are the most predictable, where you have the best chance of ambushing or getting them to come to you. Find these areas and you will find the birds.
Reading Sign
While you are scouting, look for tracks, particularly tracks of toms in the 2 1/4 inch and larger range, with a deep or clear imprint of the middle toe with the scales showing. This indicates a large heavy bird, usually a tom. Tracks can be found along trails, in feeding and strutting areas (where wing drag marks may also occur), near roosting sites, and near wet areas.
Droppings are frequent in high use areas of trails, feeding, watering, strutting and roosting sites and can tell you if a tom is in the area. Large straight or "J" shaped droppings are those of a tom. Bulbous or spiral droppings are those of a hen. Piles of droppings under large trees are a good indication of a roosting site.
Feathers are often found along trails, under roosts, in feeding areas and in or near dusting bowls (small depressions in the dirt) where the birds cover themselves with dust to help eliminate pests. Breast feathers with square black tips are those of toms, while rounded brown tipped feathers are those of a hen. Light tipped tail and rump feathers are those of a jake or tom.
Scratching is another sign of turkey use. Scratches appear as claw marks in the dirt, or large torn up areas in grass or leaves. When a turkey scratches it uses each foot several times, leaving a "V" pattern, with the point of the "V" showing the way the bird traveled. Turkeys scratch when searching for left over seeds and acorns, or new succulent green growth and insects. A sure sign of a turkey feeding area is torn up leaf litter with exposed forbes bitten off.
Once you have found the high use areas it’s a matter of more time and effort observing the birds to determine if there are toms or jakes, how many birds there are, the size of the birds, length or number of beards, and other interesting features. The only way to be sure of the sex, size and special features is by observing the bird. Observing on a regular basis will help you determine when the birds fly down, which direction they go, the route they take, where they feed, and where they go to strut, water and roost. You need to record all this information in your journal and mark it on a map which, will help you pattern the birds so you know where and when to hunt.


If you are interested in more turkey hunting tips, or more turkey biology and behavior, click on Trinity Mountain Outdoor News and T.R.'s Hunting Tips at www.TRMichels.com. If you have questions about deer, elk, turkey or waterfowl log on to the T.R.'s Tips message board. To find out when peak turkey gobbling occurs in your area click on Turkey Gobbling Dates Chart.

This article is an excerpt from the Turkey Addict's Manual ($19.95 + $5.00 S&H), by T.R. Michels, available in the Trinity Mountain Outdoor Products catalog.

T.R. Michels is a nationally recognized game researcher/wildlife behaviorist, outdoor writer and speaker. He is the author of the Whitetail, Elk, Duck & Goose, and Turkey Addict's Manuals. His latest products are Hunting the Whitetail Rut Phases, the Complete Whitetail Addict's Manual, the 2006 Revised Edition of the Elk Addict's Manual; and the 2006 Revised Edition of the Duck & Goose Addict's Manual.

For a catalog of books and other hunting products; or for information on a wide variety of Natural History Eco-Tours, viewing and photographing regional and national scenic areas, songbirds, big game animals, elk bugling, wolf howling, sandhill crane, swan, prairie chicken, sharp-tailed grouse, swan tours or other trips with T.R. Michels contact: T.R. Michels, Trinity Mountain Outdoors, E-mail: TRMichels@yahoo.com, Web Site: www.TRMichels.com.

]]> Fall Turkey Hunting tag:www.huntonly.com,2007://8.2061 2008-02-14T15:00:00Z 2008-03-05T20:22:32Z When you call turkeys in the fall it's helpful to understand the differences between spring and fall calls. Since the birds most likely to respond to calling in the fall are the young, you should use the calls of the... T.R. Michels When you call turkeys in the fall it's helpful to understand the differences between spring and fall calls. Since the birds most likely to respond to calling in the fall are the young, you should use the calls of the hen and her young. In the spring the poults signal to the hen that they are lost by using the three note Lost Whistle; a high pitched peep, peep, peep. As the turkey poults grow their voices change, and the Lost Whistle they used in the spring becomes the Kee-Kee, which is the juvenile version of the "Here I am. Where are you?" or Lost Yelp, of the adult birds. This call should probably be re-named the Kee-Kee-Kee. Sonogram recordings of the Kee-Kee show that it usually consists of three (not two) unevenly spaced .10-.15 second notes, performed in one second. The first note is short and not as high pitched as the last two notes, and the call generally rises in pitch.

]]>
The juveniles also use the Kee-Kee Run in the fall. The Kee-Kee Run starts out like the Kee-Kee, usually with two to four "kee" notes, with five to seven yelps added. The entire call is performed in about two seconds; kee-kee-kee, yelp, yelp, yelp, yelp. When the birds use this call they are saying, "I'm over here. Where Are You?" Both the Kee-Kee and the Kee-Kee Run are used by the juveniles as they try to get back together after they have been scattered.
The Lost Yelp is the lost call of an adult bird. It may have as many as six to twenty or more evenly spaced notes, with three to four notes per second. The call gets progressively louder with each note and is often quite raspy. This raspiness occurs because the bird's voice breaks as it tries to make the call as loud as possible. It may be used by jakes, toms and hens to get back together.
The Assembly Yelp is used by the hen to let the young know where she is, so they can get back together. This call usually consists of six to ten or more evenly spaced yelps, with each note from .10 to .20 seconds in length. Because juveniles know their mother’s voice, which you probably can’t duplicate, this call is often ineffective in the fall.
Turkeys often use a Plain Cluck as they respond to another bird’s calling. They also use the Plain Cluck as they approach another bird while trying to locate it by sight. The Plain Cluck is a short call, usually consisting of one to three notes per second, with each note about .04 second in length. Remember, when the bird is performing this call it is trying to attract the attention of the other bird, it is loud.
The Fast Cutt or Cutting is a series of fast clucks, but louder and more insistent than the Plain Cluck. The Fast Cutt usually consists of four to ten notes, with from three to six notes per second, and each note being .04 seconds in length (as short as you can blow). It starts out with one short note per second, and increases in loudness and speed to five to six notes per second. This call is performed by a bird that is telling another that if they are going to get together, the other bird has to do the walking. Roughly translated, "I’m not going there, you come here."

Because many of the birds you call to in the fall are young, they respond best to the three versions of the lost call; the Kee-Kee, the Kee-Kee Run and the Lost Yelp, especially after they have been scattered. Obviously the soft putts, purrs and whines of a feeding flock can arouse the interest of the birds during the fall. Much of this interest is caused by curiosity about who the other birds are, and why they are there. You can also use the sounds of a fight to attract turkeys (Fighting Purr, wing flapping). Anytime there is a fight almost every bird within hearing will come running, because there may be a shift in social structure of the flock, and the birds will want to take advantage of a chance to enhance their own social status if a dominant bird is beaten in a fight.
Along with good calling you need a good stand site, which offers a clear field of view and shooting lanes. If you can see the birds you have a chance of seeing how they react to your calls, so you can make adjustments to calls that work. The use of decoys in any situation is a definite asset. If the birds not only hear, but see another bird, it helps instill confidence and enhances the curiosity factor.

T.R. Michels is a nationally recognized outdoor writer and speaker, who has been researching big game for several years. He is the author of the Whitetail, Elk, Turkey and Goose Addict's Manuals. His latest products are the 2002 Revised Edition of the Whitetail Addict's Manual, the 2002 Revised Edition of the Elk Addict's Manual; and Whitetail Notes & Activity Factors. For a catalog of books and other hunting aids contact: T.R. Michels, Trinity Mountain Outdoors, PO Box 284, Wanamingo, MN 55983. Phone: 507-824-3296. E-mail: trmichels@yahoo.com Website: www.trmichels.com

]]> Foul Weather Turkey Hunting tag:www.huntonly.com,2007://8.2026 2008-02-08T15:30:00Z 2008-03-05T20:23:52Z Even though the first day of the spring turkey hunt was cloudy, and a cold wind was blowing, I headed for the soybean field where I had seen a flock of turkeys appear just after daylight for the last two... T.R. Michels Even though the first day of the spring turkey hunt was cloudy, and a cold wind was blowing, I headed for the soybean field where I had seen a flock of turkeys appear just after daylight for the last two weeks. I was fairly sure the birds wouldn’t show up because of the weather. Just to be on the safe side I drove to the field forty-five minutes before daylight. I parked on the road, got out of the suburban, and owl hooted loudly. When I didn’t get an answer I hooted again. Still no answer. I waited several minutes as the sky grew lighter and then blew a flydown cackle. No answer. The birds were either not there or not talking.

]]> Luckily, I had been researching this particular flock for more than two years and I had a good idea of where I could find at least two of the fourteen jakes and toms in the area. I got back in the Suburban and drove to a small bean field that protected from north and east winds by the surrounding woods. By the time I got there the sky was already turning gray, so I grabbed my bag of turkey decoys and quickly made my way to the edge of the woods on the west side of the small field. When I reached the gully that ran into the field from the north I put out two hen decoys and two toms decoys, one in a semi-strut the other in a full strut.
I chose a large tree at the edge of the woods, checked to make sure I had a clear line of sight, sat down, and yelped softly on my box call. With the wind blowing I wasn’t sure if I could hear the birds, or if they could hear me. I called intermittently for the next fifteen minutes without getting a response. Then I heard a double gobble. I called one more time and waited. I knew the birds were calling because they kept gobbling every two to three minutes, and each time the sound was closer. A half an hour after I set up two long bearded toms walked down the gully, into the field and approached the decoys. If I had been hunting the birds would have offered an easy shot at fifteen yards.

Research
As a guide, writer and seminar speaker it’s my job to know when and where to find game animals on a regular basis. After hunting for more than thirty years I have learned a bit about animals. Reading magazine articles and attending seminars me a lot at first. Then I began to talk to researchers and biologists throughout the United States. After reading several of their research papers I realized there was much more to learn. So, I decided to begin doing my own research.
Like most hunters I have had days when I felt I had chosen the right day, the right spot, and the right time to hunt, and still didn’t see anything. I was fairly sure the weather had a lot to do with game movement because of some of the research I had read. I knew that turkeys often roosted on the downwind side of a hill to get out of cold winds, and from my own experience I knew that they often flew down later than normal on cloudy days. But, I wasn’t sure when or where the birds moved when the conditions weren’t right.

That’s when I began watching the flock of thirty-four birds that were about a half mile from my house. For two years I watched, listened and learned the movement of the birds. From the middle of March to late May I would go out in the evening to find out where the birds roosted. The next morning I would arrive an hour before daybreak. In a notebook I wrote down the date, temperature, wind speed, wind-chill, sky conditions and precipitation. Then I recorded the time and number of all the gobbles, any other calls the birds made, how many hens, toms and jakes I saw, what they did and when they did it, how long they did it and where they went from sunrise to as late as 1:30 PM. What I learned has allowed me to see more birds, find the birds on a regular basis, and get closer to them.
My studies show that several different meteorological conditions affect when and where turkeys move on a daily basis. These conditions include; the temperature or wind-chill (whichever is lower), the wind speed, amount and type of precipitation, and the cloud cover. The first thing I noticed during my study was that the birds generally started gobbling about forty-five minutes before sunrise, and that most gobbling occurred from forty-five minutes before to forty-five minutes after sunrise. They generally flew down from five to thirty minutes before sunrise. When the sky was cloudy the birds usually called ten to twenty minutes later than when the sky was clear, and flew down later than normal. When the temperature or wind-chill was below 34 degrees there was very little gobbling, and the birds often waited until the temperature warmed later in the day before actively gobbling.
There was far less gobbling on windy and rainy days. I suspect that high winds and the sound of the rain make it hard for the birds to each other, causing them to gobble less in response to each other. I also found that the birds responded less to my calling on windy and rainy days, probably because they couldn’t hear my calls. Stormy weather in the evening often caused the birds to be late on their daily routine.
Usually the birds roosted within a few hundred yards of a nearby feeding/strutting area, and they generally choose the same trees to roost in. But, when it began to rain or snow early in the afternoon they often roosted earlier than normal, and chose the nearest sheltered areas rather than going to trees they would normally use when they were in that area. This caused them to arrive at feeding/strutting areas later than normal the next morning, because they had to travel farther to get there. When I did see birds the next morning in open areas it was later than normal. The birds would often sit in protected areas with their wings outspread so they could dry out, especially if the sun was shining.
When the weather was cold and windy the birds generally stayed out of large open feeding areas, choosing to move to feeding sites on the downwind side of hills or woods, and in low-lying areas out of the wind. I watched three jakes come off the roost one morning and land in the field where they normally gobbled and strutted. There was a 23 mph wind that day and the wind-chill was 34 degrees. The birds moved to the small, protected field I mentioned at the beginning of this article and stayed there for twenty-five minutes. They ate infrequently, never gobbled, did not strut, and generally stood with their backs to the wind.

Spring Turkey Activity
Spring is when turkeys begin to move from their winter to summer ranges. However, this shift doesn’t happen at the same time each year, it depends on the amount of food available and the weather conditions. Depending on where you hunt the summer ranges may be from as little as a half mile to several miles apart. In areas where the winter and summer ranges are only a few miles apart the shift may occur over several days, with birds leaving one day and returning the next. In areas where the ranges are several miles apart the move may take weeks, with the birds advancing only as far as new foods become available. The only way to determine where the birds are on a regular basis is by scouting the area from a week to a day before you hunt.

Predicting Turkey Activity
The best way to find turkeys on a regular basis is to pattern their movements. In order to do this you should thoroughly scout the area you intend to hunt; key areas to look for are roosting sites and feeding areas. Studies by several researchers show that turkeys prefer to roost out of the wind when possible, in areas that are open to the early morning sun. I often find roosts on east and south facing slopes, or on the east and south side of wooded areas. The trees selected for roosting sites are usually taller than the surrounding trees, with large horizontal limbs. Large oak, elm, maple and box elder are used in the Midwest, cottonwood and aspen are often used in the prairie states, and pines are used where ever they are available.
The preferred food sources of turkeys depend on the time of the year. In early spring, before the snow has melted or new green growth has appeared, turkeys often use agriculture fields shortly after leaving the roost. Unplowed fields of corn and soybeans will we be used frequently as long as grain is still available. Grain fields that have been heavily grazed by cattle, or that have been plowed under will receiver less use by turkeys. Agricultural fields and pastures where cattle are fed on a regular basis are frequently used by turkeys as they search for leftover food and pick through cow droppings for undigested grains. Turkeys will also feed on leftover acorns and other mast crops where available.
Once the weather warms the birds may begin frequenting CRP and agricultural fields, pastures and open meadows in search of grasses, hay, alfalfa and winter wheat. They will also use south and east facing slopes and creek bottoms where they feed on insects and newly grown forbs. Scratching in leaf litter in wooded areas, where new forbs have been eaten, is a sure sign or a turkey travel route.
During your scouting you may see tracks, droppings, feathers and dusting bowls. These signs help you determine whether or not there are birds in the area and how recently. While you are scouting carry along a topographical map or aerial photo of the area and a notebook. Mark the areas where you see sign. When you hear or see birds note the time and weather conditions, and the number, sex and location of the birds in your notebook. Then mark the area on you map or photo. If you can, watch the birds several times before you hunt, so you know the areas where they normally roost and feed. Watch more than one flock if you can, so that you have back up birds to work if you can’t find your first choice.
You should know where the birds fly down, when they leave their favorite roosting areas, where they feed when they are in that area, and the route they usually take when going to the feeding area. You should also know where they go after they leave the early morning feeding area. Generally the birds will stay in an open feeding/strutting area a half an hour or more before moving to another area. They may move through wooded areas, feeding as they go, and arrive at another open feeding area, or they may stay in the woods. Knowing where they go when they leave the early morning feeding/strutting site will give you the opportunity to hunt the birds later in the day.
Look for birds going to roost the night before you hunt, so you know where to find them the next morning. If you see birds feeding in open areas within a half-hour of sunset they will usually roost nearby. They may return to feed in the same area the next morning. If you don’t see any birds drive around to likely roosting areas and try to get the birds to shock gobble in response to a crow call, owl hoot, pileated woodpecker call, or gobble. Once you have found a roosting area figure out where the birds will likely feed the next morning, and the travel route they will take. The next morning setup along the travel route or in the feeding area. If the weather is nice expect the birds to feed in unprotected areas. If it’s windy, cold or rainy set up in protected areas, and expect the birds to call less, call later than normal, and to move later in the day than they would on warm sunny days.

If you are interested in more turkey hunting tips, or more turkey biology and behavior, click on Trinity Mountain Outdoor News and T.R.'s Hunting Tips at www.TRMichels.com. If you have questions about turkeys or turkey hunting log on to the T.R.'s Tips message board.

This article is an excerpt from the Turkey Addict's Manual ($14.95 + $5.00 S&H), by T.R. Michels, available in the Trinity Mountain Outdoor Products catalog.

T.R. Michels is a nationally recognized game researcher/wildlife behaviorist, outdoor writer and speaker. He is the author of the Whitetail, Elk, Duck & Goose, and Turkey Addict's Manuals. His latest products are Hunting the Whitetail Rut Phases, the Complete Whitetail Addict's Manual, the 2006 Revised Edition of the Elk Addict's Manual; and the 2006 Revised Edition of the Duck & Goose Addict's Manual. For a catalog of books and other hunting products contact: T.R. Michels, Trinity Mountain Outdoors, E-mail: TRMichels@yahoo.com , Web Site: www.TRMichels.com

]]> Pre-Late Breeding, Late Breeding and Post Rut Phases tag:www.huntonly.com,2007://8.2069 2007-12-17T12:46:42Z 2008-03-05T20:22:32Z From early to late December the does that did not conceive earlier may come into a late estrus. Older unhealthy does and does fawns may come into estrus at this time. Both the dominant and subdominant bucks may start cruising,... T.R. Michels Hunting WhitetailsFrom early to late December the does that did not conceive earlier may come into a late estrus. Older unhealthy does and does fawns may come into estrus at this time. Both the dominant and subdominant bucks may start cruising, scraping and chasing does again. By late December most of the breeding is done and the bucks may return to their core areas to rest up after the rut, and feed to put on the weight they lost during the rut, so they can make it through the winter. Depending on the severity of the weather, the snow depth, and the availability of food sources, the deer may shift from fall home ranges to winter home ranges. In some areas they may migrate from less than one mile, to several miles. It's time to buy your feed and supplements for winter-feeding. Locate the food sources and watch them to find out which ones the bucks are using.

]]> Habitat Improvement
One of the best ways to get deer to use your property is by improving the habitat. Contact your local forestry agent, Soil and Water Conservation Service agent, and wildlife specialists to find out what type of soil, and land types you have; what type of assistance you can get from the government; and what programs are available to you if you want to improve your habitat.
The local forestry agent can provide you with a map of soil and forest types, get you stated on a Forest Stewardship Program, and make suggestions on how to improve forest production. Mine told me to get rid of the box elder and buckthorn, thin some of the oaks, and plant forage shrubs in unused areas.
The Soil and Water Conservation Service agent can give you suggestions on habitat improvement. Mine suggested some controlled burns to improve forbes and wildflower production on the old fields and meadows, said I should keep the cattle out of some wet areas, and advised me to plant buffer strips between pastures/fields and stream beds to control runoff and improve water quality. He told me I could receive money from the government if I agreed to keep some of the wet lands out of agricultural use.
An agent from the Department of Natural Resources enrolled some of the property in the Wildlife Habitat Improvement Program (WHIP) and told me where I could purchase tree seedlings and shrubs at reduced prices. None of this advice cost me anything. I also have a friend who got the Army Corps of Engineers to build a trout pond on the stream that flowed through his property, because his property was one of the few remaining undisturbed stretches along the stream.
If you look closely at the suggestions of the experts I talked to, you will find a pretty good recipe for starting to improve your habitat without much cost. You can burn off old fields and meadows to allow native grasses, sedges and forbes to grow; keep marginal wetlands out of production and grazing; create buffer strips of wildlife seed blends between agricultural fields/pastures and watersheds.
You can also and cut back brushy areas or sapling re-growth (along deer trails and the paths to your stand) to produce more browse; get rid of non-native species (box elder, buckthorn) that compete with native species; selectively-cut or clear-cut some trees to allow more sunlight to hit the ground (which will promote the growth of trees, shrubs and forbes); plant shrubs that produce stems, leaves, mast or berries the deer will eat; plant browse (red or silver maples), mast trees (burr/white/sawtooth oak, beechnut, hickory), berry-bearing shrubs and trees (gray/silky dogwood, crab apples), or fruit-bearing trees (apple, persimmon) and shrubs (ask your local wildlife expert);

Water
There is one factor that contributes greatly to deer nutrition and the growth of a buck's rack that you can't control, water. Available ground water, whether through rain, snow pack or irrigation is required for plant growth and the assimilation of vital nutrients for the plants. Too little rain means poor forage conditions for the animals, and poor growth conditions for racks. There isn't much you can do about inadequate moisture in your area. You can provide more watering sources on your property by damning creeks and gullies to collect runoff water, and by digging wildlife ponds and wells. You could also put sprinklers on your food plots, but it's expensive. What you can do is make sure that existing or new water sources have sufficient and easy access for the game, and clean them out regularly to provide good water.


If you want to purchase any of the mentioned plant species contact your local seed dealer or Kester's Wild Game Food Nurseries, Incorporated: PO Box 516, Omro WI 54963, FAX 1-920-685-6727. Contact you local nursery for trees, or Musser Forests, Inc. PO Box 340, Indiana, PA, 412-465-5685 for browse and mast trees.

This article is based on The Complete Whitetail Addict's Manual ($30 for computer readable CD), by T.R. Michels, available in the Trinity Mountain Outdoor Products catalog. T.R. Michels is a nationally recognized game researcher/wildlife behaviorist, outdoor writer and speaker. He is the author of the Whitetail, Elk, Duck & Goose, and Turkey Addict's Manuals. His latest products are Hunting the Whitetail Rut Phases, the Complete Whitetail Addict's Manual, the 2006 Revised Edition of the Elk Addict's Manual; and the 2006 Revised Edition of the Duck & Goose Addict's Manual.

If you are interested in more deer hunting tips, or more deer biology and behavior, log on to Trinity Mountain Outdoor News and T.R.'s Hunting Tips at www.TRMichels.com. If you have questions about deer, elk, turkey or waterfowl log on to the T.R.'s Tips message board. To find out when the rut begins, peaks and ends in your area click on Whitetail Rut Dates Chart. For a catalog of books and other hunting products; or for information on a wide variety of Natural History Eco-Tours, viewing and photographing regional and national scenic areas, birding, big game animal, elk bugling, wolf howling, sandhill crane, swan, prairie chicken, sharp-tailed grouse, wildflower or other tours contact: T.R. Michels, Trinity Mountain Outdoors, E-mail: TRMichels@yahoo.com, Web Site: www.TRMichels.com.

]]> Hunting Transitional (mid-September to mid-October) Bucks tag:www.huntonly.com,2007://8.2059 2007-09-18T15:01:47Z 2008-03-05T20:22:32Z In many areas mid-September to mid-October is a time of transition, for both the deer and the habitat. As summer rains decrease some food sources become dry and unpalatable to deer, and other food sources (such as nuts berries and... T.R. Michels Hunting WhitetailsIn many areas mid-September to mid-October is a time of transition, for both the deer and the habitat. As summer rains decrease some food sources become dry and unpalatable to deer, and other food sources (such as nuts berries and agricultural crops) start to ripen, making them more palatable. October is also when temperatures may begin to drop and the wind speed increases, which means the deer may begin to look for core areas more suitable to colder, windier weather.

The result of these seasonal forage availability and weather pattern changes is that the deer may have from one to four seasonal home ranges; spring summer, fall, and winter. In many areas the deer begin to shift from their summer home ranges to their fall home ranges from early September and late October. Sometimes the deer (both bucks and does) will use the same core areas for different seasonal home ranges, but they use different portions of their home ranges for different seasons.

]]> To be successful as a deer hunter you need to find out where the core areas of the deer are during the time frame you are hunting them, what the deer are eating at that time, and determine when and where the preferred foods become available. Since the weather affects both the suitability of daytime core/bedding areas and the availability of preferred forage, you need to scout regularly to determine where the deer spend the day, where they forage at night, and which travel routes they use between those two areas, in both the morning, and in the evening. Then setup accordingly.

The Dispersal Phase
October is also the time when the deer are preparing for the rut. During late August and early September bucks often hang out in bachelor groups. Shortly before and after the bucks shed their velvet you may see them traveling or feeding together, and participating in sparring matches in preparation for the rut. But, within weeks of shedding their velvet the buck's testosterone levels rise to the point where they will no longer put up with each other.
Once this occurs the older bucks will start to become solitary, and begin moving to and/or establishing their fall breeding ranges. Depending on forage availability, whether or not deer use the same core areas in late summer as they use in the fall, and the distance between summer home ranges and fall home ranges, it may take a week or more for the bucks to move onto and establish their fall breeding ranges. When the bucks do move to different areas, be prepared to go looking for them.
If the deer in your area regularly breed from early to late November, the buck groups often begin to breakup between mid-September and mid-October. In many areas above the 40th parallel the bucks will be on their fall breeding ranges two to three weeks before the peak of the rut. If you want to know when peak breeding occurs in the area you hunt check the Rut Dates Chart on my web site at www.TRMichels.com.
You can usually tell when the bucks have moved onto their fall breeding ranges by the appearance of new or fresh rubs and scrapes, in areas where they have not previously occurred that year. Once you start seeing new rubs and scrapes after mid-October you can begin watching the area to see which bucks have moved into the area, which bucks are traveling near the rubs and scrapes you've found, and what time of day they are near them.

Pre-Primary Breeding / Scraping Phase
In the northern and mid-latitude states the first does may come into estrous as early as the middle of October, and scraping may peak from late October to early November, depending on the latitude and the age structure of the bucks in the herd. All of the deer should be on their Fall Home Ranges by this time, and the bucks should be on their Breeding Ranges. During the Pre-Primary Breeding / Scraping Phase the bucks may semi-regularly travel their rub routes and visit rubs and scrapes, and doe use, feeding, and staging areas.

Pre-Primary Breeding / Scraping Phase Hunting Techniques
This is when you should setup along a rub route or near a scrape in a wooded area that the bucks use during the day. When I am hunting a previously patterned buck during this phase of the rut, near a rub or scrape, I am confident of the trail the deer uses and I don't need numerous scent dispensers. Because I have patterned the buck, and I am hunting before the breeding period, I'm fairly sure the buck will come by me sometime within a 3-5 day period, unless it meets an estrous doe first, or is spooked by another hunter.
I am basically using the scent to position the buck for a clear shot. The scent also gives me a chance to bring in any other bucks in the area. I hang up one or two felt pads with buck urine or doe estrous scent, but I don't leave them out when I'm not there. If a buck comes to doe scent and doesn't find a doe it probably won't fall for it again. By taking the scent out every day you don't educate the buck.

This article is based on The Complete Whitetail Addict's Manual ($30 for computer readable CD) and Hunting the Whitetail Rut Phases ($9.95), by T.R. Michels, available in the Trinity Mountain Outdoor Products catalog.

T.R. Michels is a nationally recognized game researcher/wildlife behaviorist, outdoor writer and speaker. He is the author of the Whitetail, Elk, Duck & Goose, and Turkey Addict's Manuals. His latest products are Hunting the Whitetail Rut Phases, the Complete Whitetail Addict's Manual, the 2006 Revised Edition of the Elk Addict's Manual; and the 2006 Revised Edition of the Duck & Goose Addict's Manual.

If you are interested in more deer hunting tips, or more deer biology and behavior, log on to Trinity Mountain Outdoor News and T.R.'s Hunting Tips at www.TRMichels.com. If you have questions about deer, elk, turkey or waterfowl log on to the T.R.'s Tips message board. To find out when the rut begins, peaks and ends in your area click on Whitetail Rut Dates Chart. For a catalog of books and other hunting products; or for information on a wide variety of Natural History Eco-Tours, viewing and photographing regional and national scenic areas, birding, big game animal, elk bugling, wolf howling, sandhill crane, swan, prairie chicken, sharp-tailed grouse, wildflower or other tours contact: T.R. Michels, Trinity Mountain Outdoors, E-mail: TRMichels@yahoo.com, Web Site: www.TRMichels.com.

You can also hunt near a scrape, or make your own scrape. I make a mock a scrape with the heel of my boot, rattling racks, or a stick, under an overhanging branch. I pour forehead scent on the branch and tarsal scent in the scrape. Then I hang an Ultimate Scrape Dripper with Golden Estrus or Active Scrape from Wildlife Research Center over the scrape, or near my stand in a shooting lane. This combination of buck infringement scents and doe in heat attract the buck out of the urge to exert dominance or to breed.
If you don't know exactly where the buck's bedding area is you can setup on the rub route at the first scrape the buck makes as it comes out of its core bedding area by using this same techniques. If you don't know where the core area is you can setup near a staging area or food source that the does are using. When I am not setup along on a rub route or near a scrape I use several film canisters spread about 10 yard apart to attract the buck over a wider area. If you know the buck is traveling after sunrise in the morning you can use this same technique on the rub route back to his bedding area.

Bucks may be traveling, scraping and looking for does during this time; so long loud rattling may attract these wide-ranging bucks.

]]> Choose the right Treestand Location... tag:www.huntonly.com,2007://8.2060 2007-09-17T15:02:42Z 2008-04-01T16:40:48Z An understanding of deer behavior and travel patterns can help you choose a hunting site. Because deer feed primarily during low light conditions they have two primary rest periods, late at night and during mid-day. Generally they leave their daytime... T.R. Michels An understanding of deer behavior and travel patterns can help you choose a hunting site. Because deer feed primarily during low light conditions they have two primary rest periods, late at night and during mid-day. Generally they leave their daytime bedding areas in heavy cover late in the afternoon and move toward night time food sources. They intermittently feed, travel and rest during the night before returning to their daytime bedding areas.

]]> Because the amount of light is a Security Factor, deer in forested areas (where there is shade) get up and begin to feed and move a couple of hours before sundown. As the amount of light becomes less they move into more open areas of low brush or sparse forest and feed, moving toward open fields and meadows. Shortly before sundown they move into the shadows at the edges of tall grass and swamps before going into open meadows or agricultural fields where they feel secure and feed during darkness.
In the early morning this pattern is reversed. As the sky begins to brighten the deer move from the open areas back into tall grass fields, then to brushy areas just before daylight and into heavy cover or woods again once the sun is up. Bucks are generally more wary than does and move about a half hour later in the evening and head back to their beds about a half hour earlier in the morning.

Evening Stands
If you are hunting late in the afternoon, when the deer are just getting out of their beds in heavy cover, setup along travel lanes leading from the bedding areas to daytime food sources; near small openings in woods, fallen mast sites, swamp or creek edges near heavy cover. Close to sundown hunt the transition zones of tall grass, heavy brush, swamps and gullies. trails leading to staging areas, downwind of open food sources are excellent at sundown, especially for bucks.
If you are hunting at or after sundown and the deer are feeding in the open your stand should be along trails leading to the fields. Bucks move later than does and often come into the transition zones after sundown, preferring to stay in cover until sundown when they feel secure. If you don't see bucks in open feeding areas move farther into the woods along buck travel routes in heavy cover and forested areas. Because the deer move late in the evening you have plenty of time to get to staging areas and transition zones before they arrive.

Morning Stands
In the early morning, when the deer are still feeding in the open, don't hunt from stands near open night food sources unless you are sure there are no deer near your stand or you can approach it undetected. Because of the darkness you won't know if there are deer in the area until it's too late and if you spook a deer it will alert all the others in the area. Hunt transition zones, heavy cover where deer feed in search of food, or trails leading to bedding areas. Be at your stand before the deer and ambush them on their return.
Before the breeding phase bucks usually return to cover well before daylight. Hunt rub routes back to the buck bedroom early in the morning, getting there before the buck. Once the rut begins the bucks may return later because they are either chasing or looking for does. Early in the morning you may catch the buck along his rub route near transition zones on the way back to the bedding area. If the buck is not in his bedding area hunt near it from first light until noon. I have seen bucks drag themselves home at 11:00 in the morning. If you previously observed or patterned a buck you know when and where the best setup is.

If you are interested in more whitetail hunting tips, or more whitetail biology and behavior, click on Trinity Mountain Outdoor News and T.R.'s Hunting Tips at www.TRMichels.com. If you have questions about whitetails log on to the T.R.'s Tips message board. To find out when the rut starts, peaks and ends in your area click on Whitetail Rut Dates Chart.


This article is an excerpt from the Whitetail Addict's Manual ($19.95 + $5.00 S&H), by T.R. Michels, available in the Trinity Mountain Outdoor Products catalog.

T.R. Michels is a nationally recognized game researcher/wildlife behaviorist, outdoor writer and speaker. He is the author of the Whitetail, Elk, Duck & Goose, and Turkey Addict's Manuals. His latest products are the 2003 Revised Edition of the Whitetail Addict's Manual, the 2003 Revised Edition of the Elk Addict's Manual; and the 2003 Revised Edition of the Duck & Goose Addict's Manual. For a catalog of books and other hunting products contact: T.R. Michels, Trinity Mountain Outdoors, E-mail: TRMichels@yahoo.com , Web Site: www.TRMichels.com

]]> How to: Call like a Duck tag:www.huntonly.com,2007://8.2058 2007-09-17T15:01:01Z 2008-03-05T20:22:32Z As a guide, researcher, speaker and writer, I have always been interested in learning about the animals I hunt: how they react to the weather, which calls they use and why, and when and how they mate; so that I... T.R. Michels As a guide, researcher, speaker and writer, I have always been interested in learning about the animals I hunt: how they react to the weather, which calls they use and why, and when and how they mate; so that I could use the information to become a better hunter. Even though I'd cut my eye teeth on a duck call, and I'd been hunting ducks for over thirty years I knew I didn't know it all. So, when I met well known waterfowl biologist and goose researcher Dr. Jim Cooper a few years ago I decided to pick his brain. I specifically asked him what calls were best for hunting. He told me that if I really wanted to learn about duck behavior I should read the book Handbook Of Waterfowl Behavior by Dr. Paul Johnsgard. He also suggested the book Ducks, Geese and Swans of North America. What I learned from my conversations with Jim, and from those two books, has dramatically changed the way I hunt ducks and geese.

]]> While I was reading Johnsgard's book I was amazed to find out that ducks don't use the chuckle to signify that they are feeding, or to entice other ducks to join them while they are feeding. I had grown up thinking that ducks used the chuckle as a feeding call, that they used the hail or high ball to get other ducks to come and join them, and that they used the comeback to get ducks that were flying the other way to turn around. And that is the problem with most game calling. Many hunters don't understand the meaning of the calls they use.

Duck Social Behavior
In order to properly understand why ducks and geese use the calls they use, you have to understand their social behavior; especially mating behavior. Waterfowl biologists refer to the mating behavior (courtship behavior as opposed to actual breeding) of ducks, geese and swans as pair bonding. Most waterfowlers know that geese mate, or pair bond, for life. After they pair bond the male and female stay together during nesting, and the young stay with the parents through the fall and winter. The young geese don't usually leave their parents or begin to pair bond until they are on the wintering grounds during their fist or second year. This means that, during the hunting season, most geese are still in family groups consisting of the male, the female, and their young.
Ducks, on the other hand, do not mate for life, they regularly form a pair bond with a new partner each year. But, the male and female don't stay together to raise the young, and the young don't stay with the females very long. The drakes of most duck species leave the hens as soon as they start to nest, or shortly after. The hens then raise the ducklings by themselves. During the summer the hens molt (which leaves them flightless); and the young ducks grow their first flight feathers and begin to fly. After the young ducks learn to fly they may no longer associate with the hen, and they are generally on their own.
The young ducks then begin forming loose pair bonds from late summer through early winter. (Pair bonding by Mallards may begin as early as mid-August. Pair bonding by other puddle duck species occurs from mid-October through winter, and by divers from mid-winter through early spring.) This pair bonding is often accompanied by aerial courtship flights and displays, and by calls that are associated with pair bonding behavior. As a result of this social behavior, ducks are not normally in family groups during the hunting season; they are usually in groups consisting of unrelated individuals and newly bonded pairs.

Tempo, Pitch, Length of Note and Volume
According to Dr. Cooper, when you are calling waterfowl there are four main things to think about, tempo, pitch, length of the notes and volume. The difference in meaning between similar calls is portrayed by how loud and how fast the duck performs the call. The tempo, or speed, of the call is related to the movement of the duck. The calling of a duck on land or water is related to how fast it is moves. The calling of a duck in the air is related to the downbeat of the wing stroke, which is when the duck contracts its chest muscles and exhales. The down beat of the wing stroke is related to the size of the duck; the smaller the duck the faster the wing stroke, and the faster the duck calls and the shorter it's notes are.
The pitch of the call is also generally related to the size of the duck, the larger the species of duck, the deeper the pitch of the call. Generally speaking, the larger the species of duck; the slower, lower and longer its notes are. Although Teal and Mallards use the same basic decrescendo call, the Mallard decrescendo is slower, it lower in pitch, and the individual notes are longer, than the decrescendo call of the Teal. In order to create the calling of each species correctly listen carefully to the calls of the different species of ducks, or listen to a good calling tape.
The volume, or loudness, of the call is related to the mood of the duck. The more anxious the duck is, the louder the call is; taking off, landing, threatening and attacking are situations that may cause a duck to become anxious, which causes loud calling. When a hen uses a quack to keep the family together while she's feeding the call is usually soft and slow. When the quack is used to keep the family together while flying the call is faster. When the quack is used to get the family back together after it has been separated, or by a lone duck trying to locate its family or a flock in the air, the call is louder. When the quack is used as a hen jumps into the air after being alarmed it is loud and fast. When a hen uses a chuckle on the water the call is loud and slow, because the duck is not moving fast. When a hen uses the chuckle in the air the call is faster, because the duck is beating its wings rapidly. Remember this when you are calling; loud calls can be the sign of a lost duck or an alarmed duck, depending on the speed of the call; fast calls are the sign of a fast moving duck, which usually means the duck is in the air.

Think While Your Calling
When you are calling ducks think about what you are trying to do. Initially you try to get their attention, to let them know there are other ducks in the area, and where they are. If the ducks aren't coming toward you, you try to get them to change their course and come closer. As the ducks get closer you try to convince them that there are other ducks on the water, that it is safe to land, and that the area is a good place to rest and feed in safety. But, the calls you are performing are not used by the ducks for those purposes. They are used to announce a willingness to mate, during courtship behavior, and as a threat. So, what you have to do, is use the calls the ducks use, but, use them in a way that will get the ducks to do what you want them to do.
You can use a loud decrescendo as a hail call to initially get the ducks attention. Even though the decrescendo is a pair bonding call, it can be used to attract ducks because they are accustomed to hearing it in the fall. You can also use the decrescendo as a comeback call to turn the ducks, and as a pleading call to entice the birds to land. But, when you are calling, remember that ducks are not very big, and they have small lungs, they can't possibly call as loud as I hear some hunters blow their calls. The closer the ducks get, the softer you should call.
You can use a series of quacks and chuckles to convince the birds that your decoys are real, and that everything is all right. Even though the incitement call is a threat and not a feeding call; it is used by ducks in a feeding situation. You can use the chuckle or a diver growl to convince the in coming ducks that there are one or more drakes harassing the hens in your spread. To add more realism to your calling you can use the social contact calls of the drakes, and the sounds of any other duck or goose species that might be in the area.


T.R. Michels is a nationally recognized outdoor writer and speaker, who has been researching big game for several years. He is the author of the Whitetail, Elk, Turkey and Goose Addict's Manuals. His latest products are the 2002 Revised Edition of the Whitetail Addict's Manual, the 2002 Revised Edition of the Elk Addict's Manual; and Whitetail Notes & Activity Factors. For a catalog of books and other hunting aids contact: T.R. Michels, Trinity Mountain Outdoors, PO Box 284, Wanamingo, MN 55983. Phone: 507-824-3296. E-mail: trmichels@yahoo.com Website: www.trmichels.com

]]> Advanced Goose Calling tag:www.huntonly.com,2007://8.2057 2007-09-16T15:00:04Z 2008-03-05T20:22:32Z The two most important aspects of goose calling are tempo (frequency) and volume (intensity). The tempo of a call is related to the action of the goose. The faster the movement of the goose, the faster the call. When a... T.R. Michels The two most important aspects of goose calling are tempo (frequency) and volume (intensity). The tempo of a call is related to the action of the goose. The faster the movement of the goose, the faster the call. When a goose is calling on the ground to keep the family in contact it’s calling is slow. When a gander is chasing an intruding goose it’s calling is fast. When a goose is flying the calling is directly related to the downbeat of the wing stroke, which is when the goose contracts it’s chest muscles and exhales. When a goose is flying in formation its call is a slow, measured honk. When a goose is pumping its wings rapidly during takeoff or landing it’s calling is fast.

]]> The volume of the call is related to the mood of the goose. The more excited, irritated or nervous a goose becomes the louder the calling gets. If a goose is attacking another goose it’s calling is louder than if it is just threatening. Mating, attacking, landing and taking off are all intense times for geese and the calling is louder than normal at these times. The calls of Geese can be divided into six different categories: Contact, Intent, Agonistic, Mating, Social Status, and Parental/Neonatal.

Contact Calls
The contact calls are referred to by goose researcher Dr. Jim Cooper as the “Here I am, where are you?” calls. While they are in the air geese call to each other to keep the family, and especially the juveniles, together. When the family flies it forms a line or a “V” and the birds call to each other to keep in contact, usually with the gander in the lead. When the family joins other families in a subflock, they usually fliy in a straight line with the dominant gander of the flock at the front of each family.
The calling of a goose in the air is directly related to the downbeat of the wing stroke, which is when the goose contracts it’s chest muscles and exhales. While a goose is flying in formation the tempo of its call is a slow herr-onk...herr-onk...herr-onk. When a goose begins to land, its wing beat gets faster as it backpedals, and the calling is a short, loud, fast clucking sound; cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck, that slows after the birds have landed and regrouped. They may start to gabble after they land. I have also heard geese make a quiet, drawn out herr-onk when gliding in to land.
When geese feed they use a contact call hunters refer to as the feeding gabble, it is referred to as “singing” by wildlife biologists. The call is a deep guttural herr-onk-onk-onk-onk-onk. It occurs while the goose’s head is down and it may not be able to see. This call lets geese know where the other geese are and helps to keep the geese spread out while feeding. When young goslings use this call it is a soft peep, peep, peep.

Intent Calls
The preflight call is usually performed by the male while signaling its intention to take to the air to the rest of the family. The call starts out as a loud slow honk while the bird’s chin is lifted and it shakes its head as a visual signal to the other birds. The calling becomes faster as the goose prepares to take flight and continues as the goose rises into the air, the calling in time with the wing stroke. Once the birds are in the air the calling slows with the wing stroke and may stop altogether. Although the fast clucking of landing geese (mentioned above) is not used by geese to signal an intention to land, it sounds much like the preflight call except in reverse.

Agonistic Calls
Agonistic or threat calls are intense and therefore loud; starting out slow and becoming faster. These calls are often performed by both the male and the female at the same time, with the male’s calls usually lower in pitch than the female’s. The call is fast and may contain two different notes; herr-onk onk, herr-onk onk, or cluck-uck, cluck-uck. There are three different levels of aggression in geese, each level using the same basic call but defined by different body posture and action.
The first level of aggression is often performed as flying geese approach a flock on a roosting area or feeding field. The call is performed by the geese on the ground while the goose’s neck is extended upward and the head erect, with the mouth open and tongue out. If the geese in the air do not land in the area occupied by other geese there is usually no further action. If the flying flock lands too close to a flock already on the water or ground the geese on the ground or water may begin to use the second level of aggression.
In the second level of aggression the goose calls with the neck extended skyward, the head bent toward the ground, while the head is pumped up and down. The action is directed toward an intruder or a subdominant, usually on the ground or water, and the intruder or subdominant usually moves away from the threatening bird.
In the highest level of aggression the neck is extended forward along the ground or water and the head is tilted slightly upward. If the intruder or subdominant goose does not move it is usually attacked, either by being bitten or slapped with a wing. During all three levels of aggression the mouth is open and the tongue is out. When a predator or human approaches too close to a goose, especially when eggs or young are present, the goose will warn the intruder with a hiss while the mouth is open and the tongue out.

Mating Call
The mating or triumph call is used by the male goose in the spring, when it has claimed a territory. The call is a loud series of honks; performed with the head erect. This excited call starts out fast and loud then slows and gets quieter as the mood of the goose returns to normal. During the call the neck and head of the goose are extended upward.

Social Status Call
The social status or greeting call occurs between two family members after they have been separated, usually when the female returns to the nest, or after a male has driven off a predator or another goose that has invaded it’s territory. The call starts out as a loud, slow honk that becomes faster and quieter as the goose runs out of air. During the call the neck and head of the goose are extended upward.

Parental/Neonatal Calls
There has been little research on parental and neonatal calls of geese, but Dr. Cooper says that both parents respond to the soft peep, peep, peep of the young goslings shortly after they hatch. I have heard adults perform a soft, nasal “onk” while they were with the young, or as the family fed. I suspect that both these calls are a form of contact call used between parents and young.

Alarm Signal
Geese do not have an alarm call, but they do have an alarm signal. During alarm the head of a goose goes up into the sentry position so that it can see better, and it becomes silent. As other geese become alarmed by the action of the first goose, or spot the cause of danger, they raise their heads in the sentry position and also become silent.

Don’t Call To Geese to Come Down and Feed
One of the biggest problems goose hunters have is that they try to call to a flock of geese in the air to come down and feed with the decoys on the ground. Based on his years of research Dr. Cooper says geese do not call to other geese to come down and feed. This doesn’t mean that calling will not attract geese, but it is not what the calling of the geese on the ground is meant to do.
When geese are in a large flock on land there is a lot of squabbling among families, accompanied by loud threatening honks and attacks. At the same time the geese that are feeding are performing the gabble. Family members that have been separated are calling back and forth to each other, using the “Here I am. Where Are You?” in an effort to get back together. These individual calls make up the sound of a feeding flock of geese. There is not one single call being performed, it is a combination of different calls.
Geese on the ground or water do not pay much attention to geese in the air until it appears that the flying flock may land in the area occupied by the resting flock. When this happens the resting or feeding geese begin using the double cluck threat call, telling the approaching geese to stay away and not land near them. This aggressive, threatening double cluck is what the flying geese expect to hear, because it is what they hear from other flocks every time they land. In fact, Dr. Cooper says that the louder, more aggressive the calling is, the more the geese in the air want to land. But, remember when performing the double cluck, you are not asking the geese to come and feed with you, you are telling them to go away or they will be attacked. Your calling should be loud and aggressive, not friendly, pleading or begging.
While landing the geese are backpedaling to slow their descent they call rapidly in a “fast cluck,“ cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck. Many call manufacturers and professional callers refer to this as the “hut, hut.” When approaching geese hear the fast cluck landing call along with the double cluck threat call it signals that geese are landing and being threatened by geese already on the ground, which means this must be a good place to eat. In this sense these calls are like security calls.
Large flocks in the air do not call to locate other flocks, they are only calling to other family members within the flock so they can stay in contact with each other. But, there are times when geese in the air (usually juveniles) have been separated from the flock. When this happens the geese use a long, drawn out, pleading honk in an effort to locate their family; cluck-aaah, cluck-aaah. This is another form of the “Here I am. Where are you?” referred to as the “comeback call”.
The best way to understand geese and goose calling is to know what each call sounds like and what it means. Find someplace to watch and listen to geese. An excellent reference is the book Handbook Of Waterfowl Behavior, by Dr. Paul Johnsgard. Although this book is out of print it can be found in larger libraries.

This article is an excerpt form the book Goose Addicts’ Manual by T.R. Michels, $5.95

If you are interested in more waterfowl hunting tips, or more waterfowl biology and behavior, click on Trinity Mountain Outdoor News and T.R.'s Hunting Tips at www.TRMichels.com. If you have questions about ducks and geese log on to the T.R.'s Tips message board.

T.R. Michels is a nationally recognized game researcher/wildlife behaviorist, outdoor writer and speaker. He is the author of the Whitetail, Elk, Duck & Goose, and Turkey Addict's Manuals. His latest products are Hunting the Whitetail Rut Phases, the Complete Whitetail Addict's Manual, the 2005 Revised Edition of the Elk Addict's Manual; and the 2005 Revised Edition of the Duck & Goose Addict's Manual. For a catalog of books and other hunting products contact: T.R. Michels, Trinity Mountain Outdoors, E-mail: TRMichels@yahoo.com , Web Site: www.TRMichels.com

]]> Advanced Duck Hunting Techniques tag:www.huntonly.com,2007://8.2056 2007-09-15T14:00:00Z 2008-03-05T20:22:32Z Normal duck hunting techniques work well during the first part of the season on the "locals" and early season migrants. But the local ducks usually learn that the season is open in a very short time. They know where they'll... T.R. Michels Normal duck hunting techniques work well during the first part of the season on the "locals" and early season migrants. But the local ducks usually learn that the season is open in a very short time. They know where they'll get shot at, what decoys spreads to avoid, and which calls to stay away from. Shiny gun barrels, thermos bottles, shell casings, glasses, or white shiny faces are enough to send even the youngsters downwind in a hurry. This is when it's time to try something different.

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Once the birds get call shy, and decoy sour, I usually change calls, call less and change my decoy spread. I start using only drakes in my setup because the brighter colors and contrast are seen farther away. I may use more teal, pintails and gadwalls than mallards. Whichever species I see most often I put out in my decoys spread. Sometimes I use only one or two decoys, and choose small sloughs to hunt. When every other hunter is using more decoys, hard hunted birds are are more willing to come to a smaller spread, especially in more secluded waters.

Movement
One of the things many decoy spreads lack is movement, and movement attracts ducks. Ducks are constantly swimming, bobbing for food and stretching their wings. When there is no wind and no decoy movement I flag the ducks. When I first see them I wave a square of dark cloth on a broom handle to get their attention. Once they come my way I lower the flag and use it less frequently. If they veer off I start flagging again. Once I can see their colors I quit flagging and rely mostly on the call.
For more movement I attach a string to an eye hook on the bill of one of my decoys, run it through an eye hook on a heavy anchor below the decoy and back to the blind. I pull on the string whenever I need movement. This works well on duck butt decoys too. If you want continuous movement you can use one of the motorized decoys in the Herter's or Cabela's catalog. To add the realism of landing ducks I use 3 or 4 flying decoys attached to a conduit or PVC pipe painted dull gray or tan. Inc