Turkey Tactics - Elevation

OneGunTex · Apr 17, 2021

I've not killed a turkey yet in MD and I'm trying to figure out the terrain. In this area of Southern MD there are lots of spurs and draws where it will be 100ft of elevation at the top and 10ft of elevation down at the creek bottom. (I've also had trouble finding sign in all the leaf litter)

So, if you're finding a place to sit, would you want to sit:
A) On the high ground
B) On the edge of the spur where you can see down into the draw
C) Down in the draw

Take a look at the attached sketch to see what I mean. Advice appreciated please and thank you

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outrider58 · Apr 17, 2021

I would sit on the up hill edge of a creek draw. Turkey(toms), around here, don't like to go down hill. They prefer to call hens up hill to them and will walk the top edges of palisades and gobble. Any time you can get above or level with them, you will be at an advantage. The only time this will differ is when there is a cold front(high winds) blowing. Then they will hunker down low into the draws. That's where you will find them.

Virgil Co.C · Apr 18, 2021

Survey says B. Tough spot to hunt it seems I’ve found it tough to pull turkey uphill but they can be coaxed to come down . Where I am at which is North of southern Md , Washington county the birds seem to roost high up on hills then come off roost down to valley / fields . Big valleys and fields not tight draws . Meander throughout day back to top taking an angle never really seen them go straight up. I’d find a happy medium where you can see . But ya have to get kinda high to see down . That shooting uphill thing is not for me.

Bountied · Apr 18, 2021

I'd sit where the turkeys are...

OneGunTex · Apr 18, 2021

Thanks y'all.

Bountied said:
I'd sit where the turkeys are...

Well, while I haven't totally locked em down, I'm pretty sure they roost down over the wet stuff. But it's too boggy down there to hunt or for them to run around, so they've got to come up. It's just a question of if they're gonna come all the way up to the top or hang out in those draws

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Doco Overboard · Apr 18, 2021

OneGunTex said:
Thanks y'all. Well, while I haven't totally locked em down, I'm pretty sure they roost down over the wet stuff. But it's too boggy down there to hunt or for them to run around, so they've got to come up. It's just a question of if they're gonna come all the way up to the top or hang out in those draws

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Figure out where the hens are nesting sitting, get in between where the nesting feeding is taking place. Usually leaf litter is less at the top of the hill than at the middle or bottom after winter, that's where the food is when your in the woods.
If your in a place where theirs a bottom and you can get to where you know where they like to strut/follow the hens into a field, observe where they access the area and sit back in the clear a little higher up so you can see them moving through the brush on the way to the field.
Keep your back to the field and place some decoys off to your left about 30 yards.
Strike or call once they fly down just to let them know where your at. Get the hens to come in, not the gobblers.
Save the aggressive calling tactics for later on in the morning, once the hens have gone to sit, the toms will be more receptive and easier to deceive when they're worked up from no action.

Virgil Co.C · Apr 18, 2021

Hunted birds in AAcounty . Shot most on field butttttt man sometimes they would just stay down in that swamp / marshy nasty mess . Many a bird out witted me . They would just walk circles down there around me , never get them to come into shooting lane . Later in day instead of sitting tight I’d get up and start moving and damn if they wouldn’t be coming in from where I couldn’t see. Old bird take along time to come in . Sound like just need to do some more sitting and scouting . Ya know I’ve had them come in on a string running start beating up decoy other times they do what the heck they want . First week is the best after that gets tough. Sure do miss private property.

Bountied · Apr 19, 2021

OneGunTex said:
Thanks y'all. Well, while I haven't totally locked em down, I'm pretty sure they roost down over the wet stuff. But it's too boggy down there to hunt or for them to run around, so they've got to come up. It's just a question of if they're gonna come all the way up to the top or hang out in those draws

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From my experience turkeys will try to approach a decoy with the sun at their back and uphill.

I also find that not using a decoy confuses them since they can't figure out where the call is coming from. This causes them to make mistakes. YMMV

Turkey Tactics - Elevation

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