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Public-Land Turkeys Western Style

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By Jace Bauserman

The silhouette of a wild turkey, his neck outstretched and gobbling at the first rays of a spring sunrise, is something I look forward to all year. On this particular morning, that sight was right before my eyes.

For more than an hour my hunting companion and I had been serenaded by a barrage of gobbles radiating from a cottonwood grove less than 200 yards away. Not one, but several gobblers were taking part in this electrifying symphony. It was so picture perfect that when fly-down time arrived it almost dampened our spirits. Notice I said, “almost.” The sight of three strutters who had their radar locked onto our decoys quickly rejuvenated us. I tossed some soft yelps their way and the trio gobbled, double gobbled and then broke into a trot. Could it get any better? The first bird on the scene gave a swift karate kick to our jake decoy and then offered my partner a perfect 10-yard shot. His arrow splashed through the bird and skidded to a sandbank opposite our position.

The sun hadn’t even crept fully over the horizon as we crawled out of our blind to admire his white-tipped, public-land Merriam trophy.

The weather worsened as the day progressed. Still, we waded creeks, accessed distant vantage points and made some blind sets, although our best efforts didn’t turn up a bird. Late in the afternoon, sitting inside our Double Bull, we listened to the pitter-patter of raindrops on the top of the blind. We had been up since 2 am and the rhythm of the drops was creating heavy eyelids, but finally the sound of a gobble jolted us from our coma-like state. Marc quickly hit his slate call and was cut off by another gobble. The problem was that the bird seemed to be on the other side of the creek and meandering back to his roost. Realizing this, we scrambled out of the blind and again crossed the freezing water.

After putting out a single hen decoy, I spent a few minutes assembling a makeshift brush blind. All the while, the gobbler continued to sound off. Soon I could see the fan of not one, but two birds approaching the decoy. When the birds stepped behind a tree I came to full draw. As they reappeared I quickly settled my top pin on the lead bird and released a perfect shot.

With a second bird in hand we sat watching the menacing clouds roll through the canyon and marveling at how our hard work and determination had paid off.

Western Wild Turkeys

Plenty of western states harbor robust turkey populations and vast tracts of public land. Success lies in pinpointing remote locations where other hunters aren’t apt to go. By investing a little time you will string together several honey-holes and enjoy years of continued success.

The first step is research. After deciding on a western destination, visit the website of that state’s game and fish department and start perusing articles, hunting brochures, maps, hunt-planners, population estimates and harvest statistics. Compiling and examining this information will help you narrow your search to a few select areas. Your next move is contacting biologists who work the areas you’re planning to hunt. These people live in the field and are constantly doing population counts, predation statistics and the like. Tell them the area you’re planning to hunt and they will, in turn, provide you with information about where birds are at various times of the year. They can also tell you exactly what maps to get and can usually drop some hints about where to get away from the masses.

Advance scouting isn’t always feasible. However, all scouting hope isn’t lost. Start by getting a good 7.5-minute topographical map of your area and look for some productive turkey haunts that are off the beaten path. These include creeks, ponds, rivers, valleys and ridgelines that taper off to flat benches. Now plug the coordinates into Google Earth on your computer and start perusing the landscape. You will be able to see if towering ponderosa pines dot that ridgeline and if your big bench is blanketed by a grassy meadow.

Back-Country Birds

Anytime you can step outside the norms of hunting, do it! I’ve found that my success rate usually soars when I strap on a pack loaded with a few days supplies and hike or mountain bike into a chosen turkey area. Many times I’ve only had to get a mile from the truck before running into birds.

On the hike in, try some locator calls to see if you can elicit a shock gobble from the local birds. The old standby crow and owl hoots work well, but a good hawk screech or a high-pitched woodpecker call can really startle a tom. Tracks are another telltale sign that birds are in the area, and big western Merriam turkeys leave plenty of tracks. These nomadic, opportunistic feeders roam constantly throughout the day. Birds will also leave behind plenty of droppings and feathers. These are especially prevalent under roosting sites. Other turkey clues include wingtip marks in strutting zones and scratching sites in dried leaves and pine needles. Once it becomes evident that you are in good turkey territory, move into stealth mode. In the past I would continue tromping around the woods or parading through sage flats inadvertently bumping birds. Wiser now, I climb to a vantage point and put my glasses to work. Plus, this provides the chance to sit quietly and listen for gobbles.

Calling Birds Close

Personally, I’m a call junkie, and my turkey vest contains quite an arsenal, but as the season drags on my techniques change drastically. Regardless of what public tract you hunt, bank on the fact that at some time during the season the birds will be pressured. You may find toms miles from the trailhead during the third weekend of the season, but who knows where they were the week prior and what hunting pressure they were exposed to. Late in the season I almost always turn to a slate call. Most hunters seem to prefer to hammer away on box and diaphragms calls. That’s good for me because when I use one of my slates, the sound is somewhat new to the birds and they seem to respond better. Slates can help you seal the deal on wary late-season Merriam gobblers.

When and how often do I call to western public-land turkeys? For me, calling turkeys is almost poetic and I base every note I squeak out on what I feel the birds want and need to hear. This can only be completely understood by spending time in the turkey woods, but here are a few tips to get you going.

First, let’s look at those early-season workable gobblers. Unpressured birds will answer calls frequently at the beginning of season, and on occasion a lovesick two-year-old will run to anything that resembles a willing hen. The key is staying calm and not overcalling, which is what destroys most early-season bowhunting chances. Disregard the rumors you may have heard about Merriams being dumb birds who will waddle into your setup with a death wish. Once you get a bird working, only check him periodically with a few soft yelps and clucks. If he is still closing the distance, just let him come. If he has moved off or is reluctant to answer, get aggressive with some excited yelps and really cut on the call. Once he gets back in the game, talk to him just enough to hold his interest.

Later in the season it’s all about being able to hone every note in your repertoire to coax a wary tom in. I like to work late-season birds during the middle of the day when the hens are on the nest. Let the slate emit soft, sexy hen talk consisting mostly of purring and short yelps. Patience is everything when working a late-season bird, and these subtle games of cat and mouse can go on for hours. The trick is having confidence in your setup and calling. Always be scanning for the red head of an approaching, but silent, gobbler.

One of the best ways for a hunter to persuade a tom into giving up his position is by using a locator call. However, knowing when and how to use these calls is crucial. Birds sometimes can get cement beaks and flat out won’t gobble at any of the hen music you send their direction. This is when I like to move into timbered areas where birds frequent and get loud on a crow or hawk screech. Many times this will crack the cement and a bird will sound off. Owl hoots also work well during the morning hours when trying to nail down a longbeard’s exact location.

Decoys and Blinds

In the ever-advancing world of turkey decoys it’s hard to know which one to pick. When heading in deep, bring a decoy that’s light and easy to pack. Realistic gobbler, jake and hen fold-ups from Montana Decoy are wonderful. They’re extremely lightweight and will take up very little room in your pack. Inflatable decoys are another option, but I’ve punctured a few and have ended up with some pretty sick-looking models for the birds to gawk at. The last option is one I used for the first time this past season. I simply tied a noose at each end of a short length of rope, put the nooses around the necks of two full-bodied decoys and tossed the rope around my neck. It was a little noisy but easy to pack and very effective. I never bring more than two decoys on my back-country turkey excursions and truly have never needed more.

Unless I take the time to pack in a manufactured ground blind before the season opens, I often make do without such a blind. Yes, I am suggesting killing a bird without being decked out in ninja gear and hunkered down in the back of a $300 blind. That doesn’t mean I’m not a fan of ground blinds. Good ones can be pure poison on turkeys. In fact, this season I took the time to pack in a Double Bull well before the opener. However, under most circumstances, and even during my late afternoon hunt this season, I was running-and-gunning (with my bow), building makeshift blinds as I went.

The keys to constructing a ground blind in a matter of minutes are practice and creativity. During the off-season, spend time assembling a few homemade masterpieces and practice shooting from them. Keep the following in mind when building your blind. Whenever possible try to set up so that there are a few obstacles between your setup and the approaching bird. I often use small hills, depressions, sagebrush clumps or a series of trees and bushes to do this. This allows me to get my bow drawn when the birds disappear temporarily behind those obstacles. In sage country I like to get between two large sagebrush clumps, pull pieces from other clumps and build a blind that surrounds me. The trick is to leave an open slot in the blind that is just barely wide enough to shoot through. Great blinds can also be constructed from downed trees. Quickly pile up old logs and limbs, snip off some vegetation to fill in the gaps and slip inside. The last proven method is to clip down a few saplings or green tree branches and sink them into the ground. Basically, you’re building a little dome fence in front of you. Regardless of what type of impromptu blind you construct, get the sun at your back if you can and use available shadows.

Back-Country Gear Essentials

The necessary supplies for a back-country western turkey excursion basically mimic those of a pack-in elk or mule deer hunt. You will want to pack light enough to keep weight down but have the essentials to survive a spring storm. Keep food simple. I’ve choked down one too many Meals-Ready-to-Eat, and though they get the job done, I prefer to tote my MSR Pocket Rocket Stove and titanium pot to heat up Mountain House freeze-dried meals. When on the go, I turn to the old staples––jerky, trailmix and Wilderness Athlete Bars.

Water can be scarce in the back country so be prepared when you find it. You can always tote a filtration system, but it’s hard to beat a few iodine pills. If you plan on returning to a home base every night, go with a tent. This saves having to pack sleeping gear on your back all day, but if you find the birds miles from camp you’re in for some long, hard miles going to and from. For camping where the birds are, go with a two- or three-pound Gore-Tex bivy sack.

Pack clothing for any situation. I use a Klim base layer and a simple Mossy Oak cotton long-sleeve shirt and pants. I carry an extra set of cold-weather clothing in my pack so that I can adapt to any unfavorable conditions that old Mother Nature may throw at me.

Bring good optics. Vast expanses of canyons and mountainous country may fill your lenses each day. I recommend a quality pair of 10x42 binoculars and a good rangefinder. And don’t leave home without a handy GPS. Not only will it prevent you from getting turned around in the hills, it will allow you to accurately mark your newfound honey-holes.

Harvesting a Merriam turkey on western public land will leave you with an overwhelming sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. And the successes, failures and memories of the hunt will dance in your mind for years.

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