By Laurie Lee Dovey
During autumn, the sounds of a dog baying deep in the woods causes the hairs on the back of my neck to stand on end. When the barking comes from a turkey dog, the zing I feel is amplified 10 fold. Raised neck hairs are mixed with goose bumps and heavy heart beats. Fall turkey hunting with a well-trained canine is a step back into time that’s one of hunting’s best-kept secrets.
Until the modern restoration of the wild turkey in America, turkey hunting was exclusively a fall and winter activity. Today, however, the majority of turkey hunters focus on the spring turkey-hunting season, often ignoring a fall opportunity that offers several perks over the spring season.
Increased contact with turkeys, increased vocalization by the birds, an opportunity to use of a wider range of turkey calls, and better odds of success because harvesting both sexes is generally permitted, are just a few of the alluring aspects of the fall season.
When hunting with dogs, add a late-morning alarm to the list of benefits. Turkey dogs follow scent to locate birds, which means hunters who use dogs generally wait until a civilized morning hour before venturing into the woods. There’s no need to hit the woods until the birds are on the ground, have left ample scent and are gathered together. So, get some beauty sleep.
Crisp autumn weather, fabulous fall foliage, the smells of autumn, and canine companionship round out the exhilarating experience.
“If I had to choose between a fall or spring turkey tag in my state, I would choose a fall tag 99-percent of the time,” admits Gerry Bethge of Connecticut. Bethge is a seasoned woodsman, turkey-hunting fanatic, turkey dog owner, and one of the nation’s best-known hunting magazine editors. “Fall hunting is more active, social, challenging, and fun. I’ve also had the opportunity to guide a lot of women on hunts with my turkey dog, Jake, and find that gals especially enjoy the fall experience.”
My first fall turkey hunt with dogs was all Bethge promised and more. I traveled to Turkey Trot Acres Hunting Lodge in Candor, New York, many years ago to hunt with my friend Dave Streb, who works for Quaker Boy Game Calls and John Byrne and his son J.T., of Virginia, who breed turkey dogs and hunt them each fall at Turkey Trot.
I’d never heard of hunting my favorite quarry with dogs and I was intrigued. Upon arrival at the lodge, my excitement level was boosted. Bethge was also at camp and earlier that afternoon he had enjoyed his first ever turkey hunt with the Byrne dogs. Listening to Gerry recount his hunt pumped me up about the possibilities the following morning held.
Within an hour or so of getting into the woods, I was hooked. Watching Byrne’s dog work, walking the wilds, the social aspect of the hunt, and the wonderfully friendly nature and incredible skills of the dogs hooked me deep in the gut.
Taking a bird became a secondary focus. What I loved most was the event, the A-to-Z process that is fall turkey hunting with dogs. If I got a chance to shoot and was lucky enough to take a bird, great; Thanksgiving dinner would be wonderful, but the experience heavily outweighed harvest potential.
Autumn Turkey Activity
During autumn, turkeys travel in flocks. Hens and their young group together, while mature male birds often gather in bachelor groups. Certainly, birds can be harvested using sneak hunting tactics, but it’s not nearly as much fun as using a flock-scattering technique.
When a flock is broken apart, the turkeys’ immediate goal is to get back together. The birds become very vocal, especially during the early season, in an attempt to pinpoint each other and regroup. Compare the scenario to listening to a turkey calling CD on a surround-sound stereo.
After the scatter, the hunter’s goal is to set up near or at the break site and become part of the flocking activity and conversation – to call the birds back together in hopes of garnering an opportunity to pull a bird, or two or three, into shooting range.
Busting the Flock
Properly busting the flock is crucial. During the break, the birds must be scattered in every compass direction and separated from their flock mates. Simply stated, canines are better suited to stalking, finding and busting up flocks than humans, which makes them tremendously valuable hunting companions.
“A good dog is able to surprise the birds and get right into the middle of the flock, which is practically impossible for slower-legged humans,” explains Bethge. “The dogs bark wildly and cover the entire region where the birds were gathered in minutes. They’re also able to ensure that even running birds take to the wing because the dog can follow the scent left by birds on the ground. After the bust, the dog returns to its master to enjoy the rest of the hunt.”
Numerous dog breeds can be trained to turkey hunt. The key ingredient in a turkey dog is its willingness to bark when busting the flock. Barking does more than scatter birds. It allows the hunter[s] to pinpoint the break site. The odds of calling the birds back and getting a shot are vastly improved when the hunter[s] can set up at or near the break site. If the dog scatters the flock in silence, pinpointing the break site is practically impossible.
It’s important to note, that one dog and a good scatter can set up great opportunities for several hunters to take birds from the same bust. That’s another benefit of this style of hunting – enjoying it with friends.
Finding Flocks
To find birds, heading into areas were flocks have been spotted before or where birds are known to feed increases odds of success. Food is critical to birds in the fall as they prepare for the lean winter months ahead.
In general, turkey dogs work in wide circles, from their master’s position and back, as they cover the hunting region. Some dogs work close to their master allowing the hunter[s] to observe the dog. The dog’s body language says a lot. Bethge can tell when his dog is in on scent and when he’s close to birds just by watching him. Often, Bethge is also able to watch the break – a wild and wooly scene that’s just plain fun to see.
Other dogs work a wider range that puts them out of sight. This is when barking is the primary indication that a flock is being busted and where the break site is located. When sounds of heavy wing beats mix with the barking and birds fly in every direction, the dog’s primary job is done. Now the hunter takes over.
Hunting Blind
Most hunters keep their dogs with them throughout the hunt. Consequently, erecting a blind at the set-up site, to provide cover for both hunter[s] and dog, is a good idea. Perfectly trained turkey dogs are blind broken, which means they’ll lie inside a camouflage sack or underneath a camo cover and remain still. Every Byrne dog is of this ilk, but then Byrne dogs are considered the best turkey dogs in the world. Not all turkey dogs have as much control, especially young dogs. The blind masks movement and helps the hunter keep the situation under control so birds aren’t accidentally spooked.
With a natural or artificial blind in place, the hunter has two choices, wait for the birds to begin calling, which can happen immediately or not for an hour or longer, or begin calling to entice a response. If you can summon the patience, waiting for the birds to talk is generally considered the best tactic.
Also be prepared to make more than just a few yelps when calling the flock back. Yelps, clucks and kee-kee-run calls are all extremely effective.
Calling in the Fall
“Communicating with the birds is great fun,” Bethge admits. “And the good news is there’s little you can do to make a mistake when calling. I simply copy the bird’s calls and get right into the action.”
As the turkeys come back in, however, the mother hen can quickly become your enemy. She’s the overseer of the flock and every member knows her voice. Nary a flock member will come your way if mama is calling from a different locale. So, if you hear a hen making a series of yelps, known as assembly yelping, you have to stop her.
This is the time to let the dog out of the bag to again scatter the birds. Yes, you have to set up again and wait, but you wipe the slate clean and skew the odds back in your favor. If you don’t get the hen out of the territory, you have no chance.
According to Bethge, the time it takes for the flock to start calling and regroup depends on three factors, the time of year, the make-up of the flock and foliage.
Every experienced fall turkey hunter knows that gobbler groups present the most challenging of all turkey hunting scenarios. Mature males are just as comfortable alone in the woods as they are with others. When they’re scattered calling them back requires the patience only saints are blessed with. Consequently, most fall hunters focus on hen and poult flocks.
Early in the season, flocks will start to vocalize and regroup quickly, especially if the flock hasn’t been busted yet that season. However, as the season goes on and hunting pressure increases, regrouping may take longer. Been-there-done-that experience makes the birds wary. They may vocalize less and regroup more slowly.
You’ll also hear less vocalization later in the season when foliage is at a minimum. Turkeys expect to see each other over long distances and simply don’t need to call as much to accomplish the goal of finding each other again in open woods. Decoys are effective late-season tools.
The Shot
With a bird in front of the shotgun, what occurs next is simply wild. At the rapport of the gun, the turkey dog, if unrestrained by its owner, leaps over the blind and darts downrange to pounce on the turkey. They don’t bring the bird back, they’re not retrievers, but they do locate the bird and stay with it. In addition, turkey dogs can find fatally wounded birds that manage to travel substantial distances after the shot that might not be found otherwise.
The climax of the hunt isn’t the shot; it’s the time after the hunt, in the woods, when the hunter and dog share in the joy of accomplishment. Little is that’s more wonderful than watching a skilled bird dog do its job and see the pride the canine takes in success. |
