EP241 One Word Separate Good Turkey Hunters From The Masses

When it comes to hunting spring turkeys, there is one thing that trumps gear, strategy, calling, ammo, stealth, and everything else. And that is SIGN. You could be the greatest turkey hunter in the world, a championship winning caller, with the best equipment that money can buy, shooting gold platted TSS shells accurate to 100 yards and none of it will matter at all if there are no turkeys there. Finding and hunting over sign is the single most important part of turkey hunting. 

You can make a lot of mistakes chasing gobblers and still get opportunities, still get seemingly “lucky” and take birds home. You can sp0ok birds day after day, you can miss birds, bump them, call badly, and worse, and still occasionally find success IF there are turkeys there to be hunted. It happens all the time.

But you can also waste days, weeks, and entire seasons hunting in places where there are no turkeys to be found. Sometimes they are areas that look like they should hold turkeys, sometimes they are areas with perfect food and habitat, and sometimes they are just traditional or convenient hunting areas. But none of that matters to the turkeys and will give them any reason to be there. We need to find them and go to the places where they are.

Scouting is an unending part of turkey hunting. We should scout before the season, during the season, and after the season if we want to find areas that have turkeys this year and may have turkeys again in future hunting seasons. Turkeys are sometimes drawn to specific areas and habitat year-after-year because in the spring it is quality turkey habitat. And if you can find a few of those honey holes, then current and past scouting can pay off by providing future benefit. But every year we need to be on the lookout for sign.

Sign comes in many forms and in this episode, I talk about numerous ways to find it and make good turkey hunting strategy decisions. Listen to the full podcast episode for more! 

EP240 Optimize Your Clothing For Your Turkey Hunting Style

Not every turkey hunter needs the same gear, in fact two hunters in the same town could need very different gear depending on their individual hunting style. On this episode I talk through some of the specifics of different turkey hunting styles, the type of gear that best supports each and how you can build a set of gear for cheap. 

There are numerous factors that can affect what kind of gear works best with different hunting’s styles. Some of the most popular way to hunt turkeys include:

  • Hunting one spot all day – This is similar to deer hunting and could be done in conjunction with calling or just as ambush hunting. The biggest gear challenge is keeping warm, quiet, and comfortable for long stealthy sits.
  • Running and gunning – A favored style because hunters are on the move, covering ground, trying to strike up a conversation with a lonely gobbler. Here you need gear that is light weight, keeps you dry, and lets you walk long distances unhindered.
  • Moving and sitting – This is the toughest gear challenge because you need to stay warm sitting for long periods of time and need a high degree of mobility without overheating. People often struggle with this type of gear because you tend to wear too much or too little.

Keep in mind you do not need super expensive gear to be comfortable and effective, you just need gear that is designed to help you do whatever style of hunting you prefer. The right gear matters more than gear that is expensive.

Listen to the podcast episode to hear how to optimize your turkey hunting gear. 

 

EP239 How To Hunt Turkeys In The Cold

Most turkey hunters are not equipped with the gear or tactics to hunt turkeys on super cold spring mornings. But gear can be acquired or improvised, and the strategy changes are not hard to adapt to. On this podcast episode I talk about how to successfully hunt turkeys on the coldest days of the season.

Remember the turkeys are always out there. They can be hunted, even if they don’t gobble. They are still doing many of the same things even if they are not vocal. The key is being extra alert, expecting them to come in without making a sound. You can have great success on fridged days, especially if the cold keeps other hunters out of the woods. 

Ice cold spring turkey hunting gear needs are rather unique. The ideal gear is something between deer and elk hunting in nature to accommodate covering rough terrain as well as long sits. Most of the time, turkey hunters are not buying premium base layers and outer layers optimized for the job. Their gear is either not warm enough or not wind proof enough, or maybe it is too noisy or too bulky. Or perhaps their gear causes them to overheat when moving and then freeze from sweat when sitting.

You can overcome both of these challenges however with smart thinking and paying careful attention to gear you can find good deals on in the off season. Some gear can be improvised if you know exactly what you need it to do and what qualities it should have.

However, if you don’t have the equipment and the strategies, the easiest way to deal with these cold days is just stay home and hunt another day. That is not a terrible option. Why risk being miserable or getting sick? If its only a couple days a year, you can easily just skip them and hunt turkeys on the better days. Remember, hunting is ALL ABOUT HAVING FUN and if this kind of hunting isn’t fun, just hold out for better days. There is no shame in that at all. 

But if you want to hunt these days, you can, and you can be effective. That drive can push you to cobble together the needed equipment and be patient enough to effectivity use the strategies I discuss in this episode. 

Listen to this podcast episode to hear about how to hunt gobblers in the cold. 

EP238 Thirty Turkey Seasons And Only One Jake. I Quit.

These were the words of a real turkey hunter. And while that story is sad, it does not need to be your story, in fact it shouldn’t be! On this episode I talk about all the preventable things that bog down hunters and hinder success as well as the very simple straight forward things you can do to make sure you never fall into a sad pattern like this. 

Turkey hunting is seldom easy but it’s not impossible or mystical. If you can find turkeys, you have a reasonable chance of being able to get one on any given day. And if you don’t, you take what you learned today and use it to improve your chances tomorrow. That is what turkey hunting is all about, you hunt and you learn, then you hunt more. Constantly improving and learning. 

To take birds more seasons than you don’t, you need to do a handful of very simple things, like learn, change, and repeat. If you can do that, and you invest some reasonable amount of time hunting, you will become a proficient and effective turkey hunter in time.

Some people learn so much about their local area that it becomes too easy to them, and they feel compelled to change things in order to up the difficulty more. But what they are really doing is stretching to learn more in new areas or new ways.

Listen to the podcast episode to hear it all!

EP237 Unconventional Crow Hunting Tactics

Hunting crows with good cover and a big decoy spread is a time-tested strategy that works well. But depending on your season, budget, and location, that may not be viable. On this episode I talk about alternative crow hunting tactics that can help you take birds wherever you are with almost no specialized gear.

Crows have good eyesight, are wary, and can hear very well, but they do not have the mythical capabilities many hunters ascribe to them. They are birds and can be hunted with less than perfect technique. There are many ways to hunt crows that can produce successful results, to varying degrees. 

A mental shift away from traditional hunting methods needs to take place though. You need to begin thinking about taking crows one at a time instead of in great numbers. You are looking for birds coming in to take a look vs. coming in for a landing. The first bird that comes may be the only bird, and so on. Look to take every decent shot presented because it may be the only shot you get.

I am not saying unconventional methods are better, but they are viable. If you cannot hunt with traditional methods due to season, location, budget, or preference, then by all means you can still enjoy the crow season and take birds with the tactics I talk about on this episode.

Listen to the podcast episode to hear all of the unconventional crow hunting tactics. 

EP236 Alternative Predator Hunting Weapons & Setups

Hunting predators at mid to long range with a varmint rifle is the regular approach and for good reason. But there are many lesser-known weapons and tactics for hunting coyotes and more. On this episode I talk about the many ways you can hunt predators based on the guns and gear you have, or your thirst for challenge. 

The tools you have and are comfortable with are often the tools you want to use when it comes to hunting anything. That is often the case for predators as well. A shotgun for example can be a good weapon for predator hunting but it changes the way you hunt, the ranges, the tactics, and of course the way you setup your shotgun makes a difference.

Ammo selections, choke tubes, practice routines, sights, and cover all need to be considered well in advance to be effective. The decoy positioning needs to adjust as well because the predators must get close. Your call location and routine may be different, and off course you must judge the wind flawlessly. You have to get the coyote within 100 yards, and usually much closer to get a good clean ethical kill shot.

When using a bow, you have to begin taking into account not just a predator’s excellent sense of smell, but also their keen ears. Trying to get a coyote to come within 30 yards and stop long enough for you to draw, aim, and shoot is a noble challenge under even the best of conditions. Using a red or green flashlight at such short distances is also very difficult.

At 100-200 yards, predator hunting flashlights give you an excellently sized light beam for illuminating your target and limiting their depth of vision. At 20 yards, that same flashlight is more like a laser pointer. Many of the higher quality flashlights give you the ability to adjust the beam density from focused to floodlight but good luck adjusting the focus on the flashlight while keeping it on target and holding and drawing a bow at the same time. For more, here is another podcast episode I did titled All About Predator Hunting Flashlights.

No matter what weapon you use, you have many adjustments to make in order to be effective. And the more you can think about in advance, the better your odds will be. Take using a flashlight again for example, the way this is done with a rifle, vs. a bow, vs. a handgun are very different. Advanced planning and practice are the keys to preparing for different hunting strategies. The key is that you need to practice before you are in the woods to develop effective ways to handle new situations.

Listen to the podcast episode to hear more.

EP235 Unconventional Winter Goose Hunting Tactics

Everyone knows there is only one way to hunt geese in the winter, right? Not even close! There are many ways to hunt geese and there are many objectives for different hunters in different regions. On this episode I talk about less conventional strategies for taking a goose in the late season!

Unconventional goose hunting usually centers around going to the geese instead of waiting for them to come to you. But there are many variations of a traditional setup, depending on the conditions and locations. You can hunt in broken ice, use fewer decoys, setup in passing areas and many more strategies.

Geese are great for late season hunts because they are less water dependent than ducks in many areas. There are alot of land hunts that can be had. You can also hunt them on land or right at the shore of moving streams and creeks. They are often less picky about how much water is available and are happy to stay mostly on land next to just a little bit of running water. Ducks on the other hand tend toward the opposite which makes geese easier to hunt in colder areas and places with less open water.

If you can identify a handful of areas along a stream or creek that may hold geese, you can setup a circuit and hunt them on foot. If you are able to slowly sneak up on a 3-4 spots in an hour or two, your chances of taking a couple of geese are fairly good. And you do not need to be out hunting hours before dawn to do it. 

One of the big things that helps the waterfowl hunter is a shift in mentality. You do not need to take your state’s limit of birds to have had a successful day. A goose is a sizeable prize. Taking just one in some areas is a great accomplishment and can provide a couple of meals.

Do not set your expectations and tactics based on what you see on TV. A good hunt is a fun hunt. A great hunt puts goose on the table. Taking a limit of birds in some areas may only happen every few years. Set your sights on what is realistic and rewarding for your area.

Listen to the podcast episode to hear the unconventional tactics.  

 

EP234 How To Stay Alive Waterfowl Hunting In Winter – Gear & Tactics

Hunting in the winter is not just difficult, it is dangerous. Things that were an inconvenience in the early season can be life threatening in the cold. On this episode I talk about the most common things that threaten the safety of waterfowl hunters and what you can do to avoid those dangers and live to hunt another day.  

As mentioned in the episode here is the review video for the First Lite Furnace 350 Merino Base Layers.

And here are all of the podcast episodes on Duck Hunting.

The most dangerous things in waterfowl hunting are the water and the cold. And of course, cold water. Firearms are not even close to the chief danger.  If you want to stay alive you need to learn how to use more caution navigating boats, retrieving birds with waders, and anything that brings you close to the water.

The gear you wear in the late season also makes a big difference. Hunting ducks and geese will cause you to get wet, you are around water constantly and sweating almost as often. Moisture plus cold creates big opportunities for hypothermia and worse. Having the right gear for the weather can make a big difference. However, none of it matters if you make even larger mistakes.

Listen to the episode to hear about the tactics and gear that can keep you safe and comfortable in some of the harshest conditions out there.

EP233 How To Stay Warm On The COLDEST Hunting Days

When you hunt the coldest days of the year, half of the hunt is battling the elements, and that is a battle you can win with the right gear and preparation. You do not always need to spend big money on top brand gear either, the biggest thing you can do is follow proven principles. On this episode I talk about the strategies and gear you need to hunt the coldest days of the late season.

Here are some of the resources mentioned in this episode:

When it comes to comfort, acclimating to the cold is an important step that can be easily overlooked. The more time you spend outside in cold weather the more used to it you will become and the more comfortably you will be able to hunt in cold weather. That does not mean your body is better able to withstand the cold, it simply means you no longer need to be in 70-degree temperatures to feel comfortable.

Cold weather gear should consist of two main things, layers and barriers. Layers keep the warmth close to your body, and barriers keep the elements out that would plunder that warmth. You cannot have one or the other in the late season, you must have both. That does not mean you must have the most expensive gear on the market to keep warm, there are many reasonably priced layer and barrier options.  They may not use GORE-TEX or Primaloft but they will do the job almost as well and for a fraction of the cost.

There are some high-end brands that make some tremendous late season hunting gear like First Lite, Sitka, Cabela’s, and many more. But you can get much of the same benefit for a fraction of the cost if you understand what you are looking for in gear and piece together what you need from more modest brands. Don’t let the marketing hype fool you, you can stay warm by wearing almost anything if you understand how to use layers and barriers and pick your materials wisely. It might take more time, research, and knowledge, but you can build late season gear affordably. 

The same layer and barrier philosophy needs to be applied for every piece of gear, not just your parka and bibs. Boots, hats, gloves, facemasks, and everything else should work to keep the warmth in and the elements out. Addition items can be very helpful like hand warmers, body warmers, or even heated vests, socks, and coats. 

Listen to the podcast episode for all of the information.

 

EP232 How To Hunt Deer In January

When the weather, habitat, and food sources fully shift to their winter phase, your hunting strategies should also shift to give you the best possible chance of success in the deer woods. On this episode I talk about how to hunt deer in January and what is unique about that month in the whitetail season.

January is a unique time of the deer season. Everything is different in how the woods look and feel. The cover is gone, the food is scarce, the days are short, and the air is cold. Deer are very much huntable, but they are not in the same places doing the same things they were during the rut. 

Shorter days means less daylight movement, but the deer are still there. In order to hunt them you must see things through their eyes and understand their core needs, namely food and cover. Finding food sources is more important now than ever and finding food near any kind of cover is like finding gold now that woods are bare and empty.

Deer are also less stressed as the busiest time of the hunting season has passed, however due to how wide open the woods are, spooking deer at this time of the season can send them running far away where they might discover better places to hang out. Stealth is of the essence.

If you are hunting deer in January you must realize that the deer are less forgiving. If you make a mistake or push the deer, those particular deer may not return for days or weeks. The season could be over by the time you get another chance at them. This doesn’t mean other deer may not come around but the bottom line is they are more skittish and have to run further in order to find reasonable cover so that they feel safe again.

So strategy and tacks need to change when hunting this time of the year. However, if you are willing to make a few adjustments and hunt this part of the season for what it is, you can be very successful in the deer woods. For some people, this is their favorite time to be out.

Listen to podcast episode for all the info.

Subscribe Today!