Tips For Successful Ocellated Turkey Hunts

By Betty Reynolds


Hunting has been done from the days of the early man. Those days, people hunted because they lived in the wild and needed to survive. Today, people still hunt, but they do it mostly for the excitement and fun involved. If you are into hunting, you definitely will love spending some time doing ocellated turkey hunts.

Hunters are active during spring and fall, but each state will have its regulations regarding this activity. Consider gathering relevant information relating to bird hunting in your state. When spring comes back around, it is time to start harvesting some male birds, also referred to as gobblers. At this time, the birds are mating. Fall is when you will enjoy shooting both females and males. Do not confuse wild turkey with the ocellated species, the later looks like the former but only lives in a limited number of locations around the world.

A short gun is a useful tool during the hunt. You can even make use of low caliber rifles in a few states. Things are changing, though, and some hunters are starting to embrace bows and arrows. To be always on the right side of the law, consider reading on hunting tool regulations in your state.

You will have to camouflage yourself so that the birds will not easily spot you. The animals have great eyesight and might see you and get further away if you are not somewhat covered. You will need to have made the required preparations in advance. Find gloves, a hat, pants, protective boots, and a mask. Most hunters today also use a turkey vest that they use to carry calls and shoot the animal.

There are two categories of calls used in hunting these birds. There are friction and air calls. Air calls include Turpin yelps, trumpet calls, snuff tube calls, and diaphragms. Friction calls comprise box calls, push pin calls, scratch boxes, and pot and peg calls. The two types of calls are easy to use. Experienced hunters and beginners can use these calls to call in the birds.

Locator calls are a must when hunting these birds. Owl hooters, Crow calls, hawk calls plus any other loud call help you a lot during the hunt. Locator calls shock the fowls to gobble, and one can have it easy locating them and gathering your harvest.

A typical hunting trip starts with identifying the area for the activity. Carrying your bow or shotgun, you are ready for the game. Wait for dominant males to appear within shooting range. You will need to wait until the head of the bird is positioned right. Shoot at the head the moment the side comes into view. Shooting the head rather than the rest of the body allows you to make a clean shot quickly and easily.

When it comes to hunting, you want to share the excitement and the joy with your friends. It is great to be out there in the wood with lovely people. You will get to bond and strengthen your bonds. Hunting these animals has been and will remain to be an awesome hobby, regardless of the level of experience of those involved.




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