1 00:00:01,240 --> 00:00:05,080 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Wired to Hunt Foundations podcast, your guide 2 00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:08,920 Speaker 1: to the fundamentals of better deer hunting, presented by first Light, 3 00:00:09,240 --> 00:00:13,560 Speaker 1: creating proven versatile hunting apparel for the stand, saddle or blind. 4 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:18,640 Speaker 1: First Light Go Farther, Stay Longer, and now your host 5 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:19,880 Speaker 1: Tony Peterson. 6 00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:23,360 Speaker 2: Hey everyone, welcome to the Foundation's podcast, which is brought 7 00:00:23,360 --> 00:00:25,840 Speaker 2: to you by First Light. I'm your host, Tony Peterson, 8 00:00:26,079 --> 00:00:28,120 Speaker 2: and in honor of Turkey Week, I'm going to drop 9 00:00:28,160 --> 00:00:30,520 Speaker 2: another bonus episode right now. But why you should try 10 00:00:30,520 --> 00:00:35,639 Speaker 2: to think more like a gobbler. Before I get into this, 11 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:39,080 Speaker 2: I have to say that because it's Turkey Week, you 12 00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:41,680 Speaker 2: gotta head over to the medeater dot com and check 13 00:00:41,680 --> 00:00:44,120 Speaker 2: out what we have going on. You know, of course, 14 00:00:44,120 --> 00:00:45,960 Speaker 2: you can buy some sweet gear from First Light or 15 00:00:46,000 --> 00:00:48,440 Speaker 2: Dave Smith, Decoy's or Phelps, you know, maybe pick up 16 00:00:48,479 --> 00:00:50,839 Speaker 2: a couple of calls, maybe a buy no harness from FAHF. 17 00:00:51,400 --> 00:00:53,080 Speaker 2: But you can also check out a whole bunch of 18 00:00:53,080 --> 00:00:55,520 Speaker 2: turkey content as well if you just kind of want 19 00:00:55,520 --> 00:00:58,520 Speaker 2: to be entertained and maybe learn a thing or two. Also, 20 00:00:58,960 --> 00:01:02,360 Speaker 2: you can see that we are hunting a turkey calling contest. Now, 21 00:01:02,400 --> 00:01:04,240 Speaker 2: you guys, know, that I don't get super hyped up 22 00:01:04,280 --> 00:01:07,319 Speaker 2: about stuff like this, but I do want to beat 23 00:01:07,400 --> 00:01:10,480 Speaker 2: Mark Kenyon, so I would really appreciate it if you 24 00:01:10,520 --> 00:01:14,200 Speaker 2: would go over there and give me some boats throughout 25 00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:16,360 Speaker 2: this whole thing, to make sure that not only do 26 00:01:16,400 --> 00:01:18,440 Speaker 2: I knock you onis out right away, but if I 27 00:01:18,480 --> 00:01:20,319 Speaker 2: do meet up with Mark, that I can kick his 28 00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:23,000 Speaker 2: ass to thank you for that in advance. All right, 29 00:01:23,120 --> 00:01:26,119 Speaker 2: enough of that, I think this is actually a fun one, 30 00:01:26,240 --> 00:01:27,560 Speaker 2: you know, at least for me, and I hope it 31 00:01:27,600 --> 00:01:29,959 Speaker 2: is for you. You know. When it comes to deer hunting, 32 00:01:30,040 --> 00:01:32,360 Speaker 2: I try really hard to think about what a deer 33 00:01:32,480 --> 00:01:35,200 Speaker 2: would think about and then use that knowledge. Now. I 34 00:01:35,240 --> 00:01:38,000 Speaker 2: know that might sound like a little bit bananas, but 35 00:01:38,040 --> 00:01:41,039 Speaker 2: it works, especially when you're hunting pressure deer. But with 36 00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:45,360 Speaker 2: turkeys might not really be necessary. But then again, you 37 00:01:45,480 --> 00:01:47,680 Speaker 2: might need a little boost, and one way to get 38 00:01:47,680 --> 00:01:49,560 Speaker 2: it is to not just blindly set out with a 39 00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:51,960 Speaker 2: box call in a sandwich, hoping you strike up a 40 00:01:51,960 --> 00:01:54,720 Speaker 2: bird before it's time to go home. Instead, try to 41 00:01:54,720 --> 00:01:59,120 Speaker 2: think about what gobblers, now all turkeys might be interested in, 42 00:01:59,480 --> 00:02:02,000 Speaker 2: and at what times and where. The more you do this, 43 00:02:02,160 --> 00:02:09,080 Speaker 2: the more turkey fans you'll have to put on your wall. 44 00:02:09,120 --> 00:02:11,359 Speaker 2: I know I've talked about dogs on here a lot, 45 00:02:11,400 --> 00:02:13,400 Speaker 2: and if you pay attention at all, you know that 46 00:02:13,440 --> 00:02:17,400 Speaker 2: I have another podcast over on Cal's feed called Houndations, 47 00:02:17,760 --> 00:02:20,840 Speaker 2: which is all about our four legged buddies. On most 48 00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:24,000 Speaker 2: of those episodes, I talk about professional dog trainers at 49 00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:27,240 Speaker 2: some point. Sometimes they are the main focus. Sometimes they 50 00:02:27,280 --> 00:02:29,920 Speaker 2: are just mentioned in passing. But the folks who make 51 00:02:29,960 --> 00:02:32,679 Speaker 2: their living molding dogs into something you don't want to 52 00:02:32,720 --> 00:02:35,919 Speaker 2: give up for adoption out of absolute frustration and embarrassment 53 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:40,000 Speaker 2: are folks with a lot of knowledge to drop. I 54 00:02:40,040 --> 00:02:42,400 Speaker 2: think one of the things that has always just blown 55 00:02:42,440 --> 00:02:44,640 Speaker 2: my mind about pro dog trainers is how they can 56 00:02:44,680 --> 00:02:47,000 Speaker 2: get inside the head of a dog and predict what 57 00:02:47,040 --> 00:02:49,959 Speaker 2: a dog will do. Now, this can be broken down 58 00:02:49,960 --> 00:02:52,720 Speaker 2: into two different lines of thought, both of which can 59 00:02:52,720 --> 00:02:55,799 Speaker 2: probably apply to most dogs. So for starters, you kind 60 00:02:55,800 --> 00:02:58,880 Speaker 2: of have general dog traits. A lot of German shorthair 61 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:01,799 Speaker 2: pointers or lot of setters, or a lot of labs 62 00:03:01,880 --> 00:03:04,240 Speaker 2: or springers or whatever will do the same kind of 63 00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:07,800 Speaker 2: things as other members of their breed. But then you 64 00:03:07,880 --> 00:03:11,280 Speaker 2: have the individual traits and the quirkiness which pro trainers 65 00:03:11,320 --> 00:03:13,600 Speaker 2: tend to figure out pretty quickly and use to shape 66 00:03:13,600 --> 00:03:17,119 Speaker 2: the behaviors through the training process. When you spend time 67 00:03:17,160 --> 00:03:19,320 Speaker 2: with a really talented trainer and watch what they can 68 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:22,600 Speaker 2: do with dogs, you also witness somebody who understands what 69 00:03:22,680 --> 00:03:25,360 Speaker 2: is going to happen before it does. It's pretty cool 70 00:03:25,639 --> 00:03:27,800 Speaker 2: and it shows you that there's no replacement for tons 71 00:03:27,800 --> 00:03:31,440 Speaker 2: of experience. The ability to predict behaviors before they happen 72 00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:34,320 Speaker 2: gives you an edge on two levels. The first is 73 00:03:34,360 --> 00:03:38,200 Speaker 2: that you can head off undesirable behaviors or encourage desirable 74 00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:42,240 Speaker 2: ones in a more efficient way, and it will inform 75 00:03:42,320 --> 00:03:45,040 Speaker 2: you on future training sessions because you know some of 76 00:03:45,080 --> 00:03:47,840 Speaker 2: the pieces of the puzzle before you toss that first bumper. 77 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:52,200 Speaker 2: That's hugely beneficial. Now, unfortunately, not too many of us 78 00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:54,160 Speaker 2: are going to get the chance to professionally train a 79 00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:57,040 Speaker 2: bunch of gobblers to do something like I don't know, 80 00:03:57,160 --> 00:03:59,720 Speaker 2: strutter gobble, I guess. But you can still get inside 81 00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:02,440 Speaker 2: the head of a turkey and use that to your advantage. 82 00:04:02,560 --> 00:04:05,560 Speaker 2: You can even do this kind of like with dogs, 83 00:04:05,640 --> 00:04:08,480 Speaker 2: where you can focus on general turkey behavior, or if 84 00:04:08,480 --> 00:04:10,440 Speaker 2: you scout like I told you to do a couple 85 00:04:10,560 --> 00:04:14,000 Speaker 2: days ago, you can learn about the habits of individual birds. 86 00:04:14,600 --> 00:04:17,440 Speaker 2: That's actually crazy fun and some of my most exciting 87 00:04:17,520 --> 00:04:20,039 Speaker 2: hunts have involved going out with a specific gobbler in 88 00:04:20,080 --> 00:04:22,440 Speaker 2: mind because I've been keeping tabs on him and I 89 00:04:22,480 --> 00:04:25,680 Speaker 2: believe I have a chance at that specific bird. But 90 00:04:25,800 --> 00:04:28,320 Speaker 2: for most folks, the generalities will do the trick. Here. 91 00:04:29,400 --> 00:04:31,719 Speaker 2: The key is to actually think about what gobblers or 92 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:35,440 Speaker 2: hens or jakes for that matter, actually do throughout their day. 93 00:04:35,960 --> 00:04:38,560 Speaker 2: So let's start with early season birds here. While this 94 00:04:38,680 --> 00:04:41,120 Speaker 2: might be more relevant to a South Dakota hunter versus 95 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:44,440 Speaker 2: someone down in Mississippi, the early birds have different needs 96 00:04:44,520 --> 00:04:47,320 Speaker 2: versus the mid and late season birds. Now, while the 97 00:04:47,320 --> 00:04:50,560 Speaker 2: toms are always ready to go, the hens often only 98 00:04:50,600 --> 00:04:53,799 Speaker 2: have food on their minds. This is especially true early 99 00:04:53,839 --> 00:04:56,120 Speaker 2: in the day when they fly off the roost. While 100 00:04:56,120 --> 00:04:58,160 Speaker 2: you always have the chance to call in a rando, 101 00:04:58,480 --> 00:05:00,960 Speaker 2: if you're hunting birds that are mostly flocked up, you 102 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:03,839 Speaker 2: have your work cutout for you. At sunrise, those birds 103 00:05:03,839 --> 00:05:06,120 Speaker 2: are generally going to follow the hens and they're going 104 00:05:06,160 --> 00:05:09,120 Speaker 2: to you know, gobble their asses off without coming in 105 00:05:09,160 --> 00:05:12,000 Speaker 2: a whole lot. Look. This can be fun, but can 106 00:05:12,040 --> 00:05:14,200 Speaker 2: also be frustrating unless you're waiting on the food with 107 00:05:14,240 --> 00:05:17,040 Speaker 2: some decoys out. Now, even then, you might watch a 108 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:19,440 Speaker 2: flock for hours while they don't get anywhere near you, 109 00:05:19,720 --> 00:05:21,960 Speaker 2: because the hens want food and maybe a little morning 110 00:05:22,040 --> 00:05:24,240 Speaker 2: sun on their backs, and the toms are mostly going 111 00:05:24,320 --> 00:05:27,400 Speaker 2: to stay with them. But what about noon when the 112 00:05:27,400 --> 00:05:30,720 Speaker 2: temperatures rise, or three in the afternoon or six, Now 113 00:05:30,760 --> 00:05:33,040 Speaker 2: you have a different game. You know, the bugs might 114 00:05:33,080 --> 00:05:35,400 Speaker 2: be out, which means the morning food source is going 115 00:05:35,480 --> 00:05:37,640 Speaker 2: to take a back seat to the high protein, freshly 116 00:05:37,720 --> 00:05:41,279 Speaker 2: available food source. Now you might have roamers or birds 117 00:05:41,279 --> 00:05:43,719 Speaker 2: that spend their midday criss crossing through a different type 118 00:05:43,760 --> 00:05:46,600 Speaker 2: of cover, or you might have birds that mostly hang 119 00:05:46,680 --> 00:05:49,560 Speaker 2: on a destination food source all day long until evening 120 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:52,200 Speaker 2: when there's some type of march back to the roost. 121 00:05:52,760 --> 00:05:55,200 Speaker 2: In this situation, imagine being a tom or one of 122 00:05:55,240 --> 00:05:57,080 Speaker 2: the couple of jakes, and all day long you've been 123 00:05:57,080 --> 00:06:00,280 Speaker 2: fighting other birds and strutting and watching the hens, you know, 124 00:06:00,520 --> 00:06:03,599 Speaker 2: just ignore you all day long. You've tried your best 125 00:06:03,640 --> 00:06:06,120 Speaker 2: and it hasn't worked. Then you hear a hen yelping 126 00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:08,719 Speaker 2: like crazy off of the food, and maybe you head 127 00:06:08,720 --> 00:06:10,479 Speaker 2: over her way and you lift your head up and 128 00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:13,960 Speaker 2: when you hit the fence, you realize not only there 129 00:06:14,200 --> 00:06:16,000 Speaker 2: are a couple hens over there, but there's a lone 130 00:06:16,080 --> 00:06:18,720 Speaker 2: jake about to accomplish what you've failed all day long. 131 00:06:19,520 --> 00:06:22,080 Speaker 2: The same bird at sunrise as a heart full of hope, 132 00:06:22,560 --> 00:06:25,440 Speaker 2: but as evening progresses he might be downright pissed about 133 00:06:25,440 --> 00:06:28,880 Speaker 2: his lack of luck. After a lot of effort, that 134 00:06:29,040 --> 00:06:32,440 Speaker 2: time is cullible, although he might not be as vocal 135 00:06:32,520 --> 00:06:35,320 Speaker 2: as he was at seven in the morning. Now let's 136 00:06:35,360 --> 00:06:38,680 Speaker 2: take that example a step further. Imagine that field just 137 00:06:38,760 --> 00:06:40,880 Speaker 2: catching the first rays of sunlight, and you watch a 138 00:06:40,920 --> 00:06:43,240 Speaker 2: whole bunch of birds sail out there and pose up 139 00:06:43,240 --> 00:06:46,279 Speaker 2: like famingos, waiting to get warm. I see this a 140 00:06:46,279 --> 00:06:49,039 Speaker 2: lot up here where I hunt in Wisconsin and Minnesota, 141 00:06:49,120 --> 00:06:51,200 Speaker 2: and it's like you can almost take a little nap 142 00:06:51,240 --> 00:06:53,760 Speaker 2: then when they do that, because until they hit their 143 00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:57,760 Speaker 2: desired temperature, they just aren't going anywhere. So you think, well, 144 00:06:57,960 --> 00:06:59,680 Speaker 2: turkey's like being in the sun, So I'm going to 145 00:06:59,720 --> 00:07:02,080 Speaker 2: sit here all day. But by noon the temperature is 146 00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:04,600 Speaker 2: eighty degrees and the sun is directly overhead, and you 147 00:07:04,640 --> 00:07:06,960 Speaker 2: haven't seen a bird in the field in three hours. 148 00:07:07,440 --> 00:07:09,840 Speaker 2: What do you think is going on there? They needed 149 00:07:09,880 --> 00:07:11,800 Speaker 2: the sun when it was cold, and now they need 150 00:07:11,840 --> 00:07:14,640 Speaker 2: the shade when it's warm. Maybe you hunt the field 151 00:07:14,720 --> 00:07:16,200 Speaker 2: edge for a few hours, but then it's time to 152 00:07:16,200 --> 00:07:18,880 Speaker 2: get into the timber for your midday. It's not exactly 153 00:07:18,960 --> 00:07:21,840 Speaker 2: rocket science. It's kind of like, I don't know why 154 00:07:21,840 --> 00:07:24,600 Speaker 2: I love hunting white tails over water. I know deer 155 00:07:24,640 --> 00:07:27,000 Speaker 2: get thirsty every day, So that's about as simple as 156 00:07:27,040 --> 00:07:29,240 Speaker 2: I can make it. I don't need to overthink it 157 00:07:29,360 --> 00:07:31,920 Speaker 2: and try to go really deep on tactics when it 158 00:07:31,960 --> 00:07:34,720 Speaker 2: can be distilled down to something so easy to understand 159 00:07:34,720 --> 00:07:39,080 Speaker 2: and execute. Turkeys are no different. In fact, turkeys also 160 00:07:39,160 --> 00:07:42,520 Speaker 2: drink water. And I'll tell you what, Bobby. Sometimes, when 161 00:07:42,560 --> 00:07:44,920 Speaker 2: you're hunting in a state like Kansas or Texas or 162 00:07:44,920 --> 00:07:48,000 Speaker 2: some other dry cactus filled location, setting up close to 163 00:07:48,040 --> 00:07:51,760 Speaker 2: water is a really good idea. Turkeys love ponds and 164 00:07:51,840 --> 00:07:54,960 Speaker 2: cattle tanks, not only for the water, but the fresh 165 00:07:55,000 --> 00:07:59,200 Speaker 2: greenery and often the bugs around wet areas. You know 166 00:07:59,240 --> 00:08:03,840 Speaker 2: who knows that secret, actual Toms. That's who. This hit 167 00:08:03,920 --> 00:08:06,400 Speaker 2: me one time while I was hunting in Texas for rios, 168 00:08:06,680 --> 00:08:08,640 Speaker 2: and I realized that even though the feeders on the 169 00:08:08,640 --> 00:08:11,520 Speaker 2: place weren't in operation, the turkeys were in the habit 170 00:08:11,560 --> 00:08:15,240 Speaker 2: of checking each spot every day. Anyway, they all have 171 00:08:15,840 --> 00:08:18,640 Speaker 2: road access because there isn't anyone filling up corn feeders 172 00:08:18,680 --> 00:08:22,040 Speaker 2: by rucking in fifty pound bags of seed. Each feeder 173 00:08:22,040 --> 00:08:24,680 Speaker 2: spot was in some type of opening, too, and the 174 00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:27,160 Speaker 2: gobblers seemed to cruise the routes between them looking for 175 00:08:27,200 --> 00:08:30,200 Speaker 2: hens in places they expected hens to be. It was 176 00:08:30,240 --> 00:08:33,080 Speaker 2: so much more methodical than I expected. And I've seen 177 00:08:33,120 --> 00:08:46,760 Speaker 2: that with limited water in certain places too. So let's 178 00:08:46,760 --> 00:08:48,600 Speaker 2: think about getting inside the head of a turkey in 179 00:08:48,640 --> 00:08:51,920 Speaker 2: another way. We think of gobblers as being generally kind 180 00:08:51,960 --> 00:08:54,480 Speaker 2: of dumb orm rebirds that will fight at the drop 181 00:08:54,480 --> 00:08:57,440 Speaker 2: of a hat. But the truth is birds tend to 182 00:08:57,520 --> 00:09:00,880 Speaker 2: establish their pecking order early, and everyone in the flock 183 00:09:00,960 --> 00:09:03,679 Speaker 2: knows who is above and below them. The two year 184 00:09:03,720 --> 00:09:05,520 Speaker 2: old strutter in the field that won't come into the 185 00:09:05,559 --> 00:09:09,040 Speaker 2: strutting decoy you have out knows that if he does, 186 00:09:09,200 --> 00:09:11,720 Speaker 2: he might have to fight, and if he has to fight, 187 00:09:12,200 --> 00:09:15,440 Speaker 2: he might lose. It's safer to stay out of harm's 188 00:09:15,520 --> 00:09:19,800 Speaker 2: way and advertise the good stuff from afar. Hung up gobblers, 189 00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:22,280 Speaker 2: the kind we think we have no real explanation for, 190 00:09:22,840 --> 00:09:25,760 Speaker 2: are often just that bird. They might look the same 191 00:09:25,840 --> 00:09:28,319 Speaker 2: size as all turkeys, but they might be three or 192 00:09:28,360 --> 00:09:30,800 Speaker 2: four pounds lighter than the bigger birds in the neighborhood, 193 00:09:31,200 --> 00:09:33,240 Speaker 2: and that difference is a lot when you're pushing each 194 00:09:33,240 --> 00:09:35,720 Speaker 2: other around and trying to knife each other with your spurs. 195 00:09:37,160 --> 00:09:39,160 Speaker 2: I look at this like I look at deer decoys. 196 00:09:39,520 --> 00:09:41,800 Speaker 2: Everyone wants to use a buck decoy because that's all 197 00:09:41,840 --> 00:09:43,880 Speaker 2: you see on the sportsman's channel, But a lot of 198 00:09:43,920 --> 00:09:45,760 Speaker 2: bucks don't want to fight, and that means a lot 199 00:09:45,760 --> 00:09:47,720 Speaker 2: of bucks are not going to come into a buck decoy. 200 00:09:48,200 --> 00:09:50,480 Speaker 2: A lot of toms don't want to fight either, and 201 00:09:50,559 --> 00:09:53,600 Speaker 2: that means they're not coming into a full strutter. Pay 202 00:09:53,600 --> 00:09:55,800 Speaker 2: attention to the turkeys and think about what you could 203 00:09:55,800 --> 00:09:58,600 Speaker 2: do to ensure the highest odds of a positive response 204 00:09:58,640 --> 00:10:02,280 Speaker 2: out of all legal birds. In fact, sometimes you see 205 00:10:02,360 --> 00:10:04,559 Speaker 2: roving bands of jakes that will run off toms two. 206 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:07,480 Speaker 2: I had this happen to me in Minnesota last year, 207 00:10:07,679 --> 00:10:09,719 Speaker 2: and the nine jakes that kept the toms at bay 208 00:10:09,760 --> 00:10:11,960 Speaker 2: eventually pissed me off enough to where there were eight 209 00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:13,920 Speaker 2: of them after one of them caught an arrow to 210 00:10:14,000 --> 00:10:16,720 Speaker 2: the chest. If I had kept hunting there, I probably 211 00:10:16,720 --> 00:10:18,600 Speaker 2: would have left the jake decoy at home to see 212 00:10:18,600 --> 00:10:20,400 Speaker 2: if one of the toms that stayed away from the 213 00:10:20,480 --> 00:10:23,959 Speaker 2: Jakes would just eventually venture into a spread of hens. 214 00:10:25,160 --> 00:10:27,480 Speaker 2: After all, if every time you walk by the middle 215 00:10:27,520 --> 00:10:29,719 Speaker 2: school the whole herd of seventh grade boys ran out 216 00:10:29,720 --> 00:10:32,800 Speaker 2: and chucked rocks at you, you'd probably alter your routes 217 00:10:32,800 --> 00:10:36,920 Speaker 2: a little bit. Let's look at this another way. Imagine 218 00:10:37,000 --> 00:10:39,000 Speaker 2: you're at the stage of the season where the toms 219 00:10:39,000 --> 00:10:42,080 Speaker 2: are really cruising. You can get them to gobble, but 220 00:10:42,120 --> 00:10:44,040 Speaker 2: they all seem to be on a mission somewhere and 221 00:10:44,080 --> 00:10:48,120 Speaker 2: you can't quite pull them into your deeks. Why would 222 00:10:48,120 --> 00:10:51,679 Speaker 2: they do that? Well, for whatever reason, sometimes they just 223 00:10:51,679 --> 00:10:53,760 Speaker 2: seem like they have a destination in mind, and that 224 00:10:53,920 --> 00:10:56,920 Speaker 2: is that cruising bucks do this too, And it's maddening 225 00:10:56,920 --> 00:10:58,320 Speaker 2: when you try to call a deer and it's just 226 00:10:58,360 --> 00:11:02,120 Speaker 2: not interested. But it happens a lot. So you have 227 00:11:02,440 --> 00:11:05,000 Speaker 2: a bunch of birds that seem to be randomly crossing 228 00:11:05,080 --> 00:11:08,000 Speaker 2: the countryside looking for a hen, but when you show 229 00:11:08,000 --> 00:11:10,560 Speaker 2: them a hen is around and they ignore you. It 230 00:11:10,600 --> 00:11:14,560 Speaker 2: doesn't make sense. I believe animals, and yes, even turkeys, 231 00:11:14,640 --> 00:11:17,200 Speaker 2: have the ability to reason more than we probably think. 232 00:11:17,760 --> 00:11:20,800 Speaker 2: So that cruiser that comes out to the field corner 233 00:11:20,800 --> 00:11:23,480 Speaker 2: and he looks at your decoys and just keeps going, 234 00:11:23,600 --> 00:11:26,920 Speaker 2: even though you know he's all alone. He must have 235 00:11:27,040 --> 00:11:29,560 Speaker 2: a reason for it, and the reason, I think is 236 00:11:29,600 --> 00:11:32,360 Speaker 2: because they decided in their little long beard brains that 237 00:11:32,440 --> 00:11:34,240 Speaker 2: the next spot in their route is where the hens 238 00:11:34,280 --> 00:11:37,480 Speaker 2: will be, and that's where they're going. Some of them 239 00:11:37,480 --> 00:11:39,600 Speaker 2: do change their plans when you call them and you 240 00:11:39,640 --> 00:11:42,960 Speaker 2: show them some decoys, but some just don't. How do 241 00:11:43,000 --> 00:11:45,800 Speaker 2: you solve for the ones that don't. Well, you better 242 00:11:45,840 --> 00:11:48,800 Speaker 2: get closer to where they are likely to cruise again, 243 00:11:49,120 --> 00:11:51,640 Speaker 2: not really rocket science. If the birds are on the 244 00:11:51,679 --> 00:11:54,280 Speaker 2: move but not acting all that callable, you better set 245 00:11:54,320 --> 00:11:56,520 Speaker 2: up right where the logging road meets the field, or 246 00:11:56,600 --> 00:11:59,079 Speaker 2: right on the ridge between the two pastures that they 247 00:11:59,160 --> 00:12:00,760 Speaker 2: like to strut in. While they try to draw in 248 00:12:00,800 --> 00:12:03,600 Speaker 2: some hens, you're going to want to think about why 249 00:12:03,640 --> 00:12:06,360 Speaker 2: they might walk from point A to B and whether 250 00:12:06,400 --> 00:12:09,200 Speaker 2: it's the right time to set up between them. The 251 00:12:09,320 --> 00:12:12,480 Speaker 2: problem here is that when turkey hunting gets frustrating, we 252 00:12:12,679 --> 00:12:15,080 Speaker 2: often default to the idea that if we run and 253 00:12:15,160 --> 00:12:18,079 Speaker 2: gun and call enough, we will strike up a hot bird. 254 00:12:19,080 --> 00:12:19,320 Speaker 1: Look. 255 00:12:19,400 --> 00:12:21,800 Speaker 2: Sometimes that works, but a lot of times it doesn't, 256 00:12:21,840 --> 00:12:24,240 Speaker 2: and when it doesn't, it often doesn't do you any 257 00:12:24,240 --> 00:12:27,160 Speaker 2: favors for future hunts. Another way to think like a 258 00:12:27,200 --> 00:12:29,120 Speaker 2: turkey is to pay attention to the hens that you 259 00:12:29,200 --> 00:12:31,880 Speaker 2: see and the hens that you hear, and think about 260 00:12:31,880 --> 00:12:35,559 Speaker 2: what their behavior means to the local gobblers. If you've 261 00:12:35,600 --> 00:12:37,720 Speaker 2: ever watched a tom follow ahead to the point where 262 00:12:37,720 --> 00:12:40,120 Speaker 2: she lays down on a nest, you can almost see 263 00:12:40,160 --> 00:12:42,920 Speaker 2: them get frustrated. After a little while, they know the 264 00:12:42,920 --> 00:12:45,040 Speaker 2: game is over, and while they'll push the issue a 265 00:12:45,120 --> 00:12:47,320 Speaker 2: little bit, they often just seem to give up and 266 00:12:47,400 --> 00:12:51,440 Speaker 2: go what do you think that bird is thinking? I 267 00:12:51,440 --> 00:12:54,400 Speaker 2: think he's probably thinking, well, shit, I guess I have 268 00:12:54,440 --> 00:12:57,280 Speaker 2: to put in some work somewhere else. When you hit 269 00:12:57,320 --> 00:12:59,679 Speaker 2: the point of the season where the hens are definitely nesting, 270 00:13:00,000 --> 00:13:02,160 Speaker 2: which is often earlier than a lot of folks believe, 271 00:13:02,559 --> 00:13:04,839 Speaker 2: you have an opportunity to work gobblers in the late 272 00:13:04,880 --> 00:13:08,559 Speaker 2: morning or midday. That went from being totally hand up 273 00:13:08,800 --> 00:13:12,560 Speaker 2: to being totally hand free and looking hard. Can you 274 00:13:12,640 --> 00:13:16,520 Speaker 2: imagine a more callable bird than that? So what if 275 00:13:16,559 --> 00:13:19,400 Speaker 2: you're running and gunning from sunrise to nine o'clock and 276 00:13:19,480 --> 00:13:21,680 Speaker 2: you just can't get a bird to come in and 277 00:13:21,720 --> 00:13:24,040 Speaker 2: then things go quiet, which is something that happens a 278 00:13:24,040 --> 00:13:27,080 Speaker 2: lot with all subspecies, but it's like an eastern turkey's 279 00:13:27,080 --> 00:13:30,040 Speaker 2: biggest trick. Now, you have a daily window where a 280 00:13:30,040 --> 00:13:33,280 Speaker 2: few birds in your neighborhood might go from almost uncallable 281 00:13:33,360 --> 00:13:36,120 Speaker 2: to highly callable, but not if they find a better 282 00:13:36,160 --> 00:13:40,719 Speaker 2: option than you when they start cruising. So what does 283 00:13:40,760 --> 00:13:43,319 Speaker 2: that mean? Well, if your birds start to go quiet 284 00:13:43,320 --> 00:13:44,960 Speaker 2: in the midday, it's time to post up on a 285 00:13:45,000 --> 00:13:47,959 Speaker 2: known travel route and call throughout those dead hours. Make 286 00:13:48,080 --> 00:13:52,400 Speaker 2: something happen. Think about what the birds are probably thinking about, 287 00:13:52,520 --> 00:13:54,720 Speaker 2: because what they are thinking about is everything you need 288 00:13:54,760 --> 00:13:57,320 Speaker 2: to know to kill them. Now, I feel like I 289 00:13:57,360 --> 00:14:00,240 Speaker 2: have to say this again. Turkeys are pretty dumb and 290 00:14:00,280 --> 00:14:04,240 Speaker 2: often not that challenging to kill. But sometimes they're really 291 00:14:04,320 --> 00:14:07,520 Speaker 2: smart and are very challenging to kill. When you encounter 292 00:14:07,559 --> 00:14:10,160 Speaker 2: the latter, ask yourself when you're out there or when 293 00:14:10,160 --> 00:14:13,520 Speaker 2: you're planning the next day's hunt, what exactly they might 294 00:14:13,679 --> 00:14:16,839 Speaker 2: be doing throughout the day. Is it early season and 295 00:14:16,880 --> 00:14:19,360 Speaker 2: they're flocked up. That's a great jumping off point for 296 00:14:19,400 --> 00:14:21,920 Speaker 2: a strategy and might even convince you to sleep in 297 00:14:21,960 --> 00:14:24,080 Speaker 2: and work the birds later. Or is it right in 298 00:14:24,120 --> 00:14:26,400 Speaker 2: the heart of the season, with big temperature swings throughout 299 00:14:26,400 --> 00:14:28,240 Speaker 2: the day that might bring out the bugs or make 300 00:14:28,320 --> 00:14:32,120 Speaker 2: some water worth considering? What might have frustrated Tom do 301 00:14:32,240 --> 00:14:34,880 Speaker 2: when his hen beds down for a few hours, Or 302 00:14:34,920 --> 00:14:37,560 Speaker 2: what might a few frustrated jakes do when it's getting 303 00:14:37,600 --> 00:14:39,680 Speaker 2: close to the time to roost and they haven't even 304 00:14:39,760 --> 00:14:41,960 Speaker 2: had so much as a sideways glance from a hen 305 00:14:42,000 --> 00:14:45,600 Speaker 2: all day? How is it Tom going to accomplish his 306 00:14:45,720 --> 00:14:49,280 Speaker 2: goal of always being around hens that might be ready 307 00:14:49,280 --> 00:14:51,880 Speaker 2: for some action? And what is he going to do 308 00:14:51,960 --> 00:14:55,520 Speaker 2: when he can't immediately find that? What are the actual 309 00:14:55,560 --> 00:14:58,600 Speaker 2: bird reactions to your calling and your spread? And what 310 00:14:58,640 --> 00:15:01,960 Speaker 2: do you think that means? What are they thinking that 311 00:15:02,080 --> 00:15:05,800 Speaker 2: keeps them from committing All of these thought exercises to 312 00:15:05,800 --> 00:15:07,960 Speaker 2: take yourself into the mind of an actual turkey might 313 00:15:07,960 --> 00:15:10,760 Speaker 2: seem dumb, but I can't think of a hunting opportunity 314 00:15:10,760 --> 00:15:13,920 Speaker 2: that we put less thought into the animals themselves than 315 00:15:13,960 --> 00:15:16,320 Speaker 2: a spring turkey on it. We take it for granted 316 00:15:16,360 --> 00:15:18,120 Speaker 2: that they can be called in without an ounce of 317 00:15:18,160 --> 00:15:20,560 Speaker 2: brain power going into the why and the where and 318 00:15:20,600 --> 00:15:22,960 Speaker 2: the how of any given day in the field. But 319 00:15:23,040 --> 00:15:25,000 Speaker 2: the more you think about birds and what they might 320 00:15:25,040 --> 00:15:27,480 Speaker 2: be thinking about. The easier it is to stay in 321 00:15:27,520 --> 00:15:29,520 Speaker 2: the action and be where they actually want to be. 322 00:15:30,680 --> 00:15:32,760 Speaker 2: Takes a lot of the randomness out of the equation 323 00:15:33,360 --> 00:15:36,360 Speaker 2: and alleviates at least some of the need to be lucky. Look, 324 00:15:36,360 --> 00:15:38,840 Speaker 2: it's not necessary, but again, if you want to get 325 00:15:38,840 --> 00:15:40,640 Speaker 2: better at this stuff, a lot of what we all 326 00:15:40,680 --> 00:15:43,160 Speaker 2: need to work on is just between our ears. I 327 00:15:43,200 --> 00:15:46,080 Speaker 2: believe this to be absolutely true with big game deer 328 00:15:46,200 --> 00:15:48,680 Speaker 2: and hell even ducks and pheasants. But I also believe 329 00:15:48,720 --> 00:15:51,200 Speaker 2: it to be true when it comes to turkeys. So 330 00:15:51,280 --> 00:15:54,240 Speaker 2: think about what that big old long beard is thinking about. 331 00:15:54,680 --> 00:15:57,320 Speaker 2: Try to get inside his mind, try to predict his movements. 332 00:15:57,600 --> 00:16:00,200 Speaker 2: Have some fun with it. Because spring turkey sees and 333 00:16:00,360 --> 00:16:06,440 Speaker 2: is an absolute short lived gift. That's it. I'm Tony Peterson. 334 00:16:06,480 --> 00:16:08,920 Speaker 2: This has been the Wire to Hunt Foundation's podcast, which 335 00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:11,880 Speaker 2: is brought to you by First Light. As always, thank 336 00:16:11,920 --> 00:16:13,760 Speaker 2: you so much for your support. Like I said in 337 00:16:13,800 --> 00:16:16,400 Speaker 2: the beginning, if you want to check out our Turkey 338 00:16:16,400 --> 00:16:21,000 Speaker 2: Week content, go to the meadeater dot com. Articles, videos, podcasts, 339 00:16:21,320 --> 00:16:23,400 Speaker 2: you name it. If you want to just get hyped up, 340 00:16:23,440 --> 00:16:26,600 Speaker 2: maybe learn something about turkey hunting, check that out. You 341 00:16:26,600 --> 00:16:29,320 Speaker 2: can also check out our Turkey Calling contest there where 342 00:16:29,360 --> 00:16:31,560 Speaker 2: I'll be competing against Yanni and some of the other 343 00:16:31,600 --> 00:16:34,920 Speaker 2: guys here for the crown, and I would kind of 344 00:16:35,040 --> 00:16:37,160 Speaker 2: like to win it, if for no other reason than 345 00:16:37,200 --> 00:16:40,400 Speaker 2: to remind Mark that I'm an amazing hunter and he's not. 346 00:16:41,200 --> 00:16:42,680 Speaker 2: That should be good enough reason for all of you 347 00:16:42,680 --> 00:16:45,160 Speaker 2: guys to go over there check it out anyway, Thank 348 00:16:45,200 --> 00:16:48,920 Speaker 2: you so much for your support. Truly appreciate it. Hope 349 00:16:48,960 --> 00:16:56,800 Speaker 2: you guys have a great Turkey season. Thank you.