Western TN Turkey Novice

[Vizycs]

Hello! I’m originally from western MT and now live in Memphis, TN. I tried my hand at turkey hunting the last two days of the WMA season this year.
Sadly, I didn’t get any early morning gobbles or really any signs to point me in a good direction. Of course, being out in the turkey woods is enough reward, but it would be nice to hear a turkey!
I wondered if anyone has hunted the Wolf River WMA with success.
Mind you, I’m a complete novice and out here hunting solo. I welcome any friendly advice!

 

[3855WIN]

I would hunt the Mark Twain NF in southern Missouri and the Holly Springs NF in north Mississippi if I lived in Memphis. Also look at Land Between the Lakes.

 

[406LIFE]

LBL.is a bit of a drive but you'll also see elk and Bison up there. Turkey hunting is like elk hunting back home, so be prepared for a lot of people. I'd say find a hunting club you can get into down there and get a mentor. Or even pay for a guided hunt, shouldn't be more than $300. Also, drive roads in the morning and look at the fields and see if you see birds. Then knock on doors. OnX is your friend. Also, as the other post said, you could jump over in the MS or AR. Get some more hutning in.

I spent three years west of Nashville.

 

[JohnCushman]

welcome

 

[NEWHunter]

What do you mean by early morning gobbles? I ask because I’ve often run in to birds that will gobble on the roost and maybe once after fly down and that’s it. So if you’re out there a few minutes before sunrise, you might be too late.

There's about a half hour window early in the morning- maybe 40 minutes to 10 minutes before sunrise - when you can get most birds to gobble - even pressured public land birds. Learn how to make some good, quick, hard cuts and if they don’t gobble at that, they’re likely not around. Move a half mile and try again.

I’ll take my son to parks around town this time of year and practice calling. Find some birds in a suburban park and practice and have some fun. You’ll learn fast.

 

[3855WIN]

Hello! I’m originally from western MT and now live in Memphis, TN. I tried my hand at turkey hunting the last two days of the WMA season this year.
Sadly, I didn’t get any early morning gobbles or really any signs to point me in a good direction. Of course, being out in the turkey woods is enough reward, but it would be nice to hear a turkey!
I wondered if anyone has hunted the Wolf River WMA with success.
Mind you, I’m a complete novice and out here hunting solo. I welcome any friendly advice!

Are you planning on deer hunting this fall?

 

[Pucky Freak]

Welcome to HT!

 

[Hatchie Dawg]

Well let me start with this. I've done some hunting out west all DIY, even solo into alpine wilderness. I've killed a few elk and few antelope. For my part I have found nothing any harder than a public land turkey around home in West, TN. Here are some things that help me.

Scout prior to season. Don't call but scout. I have more success earlier in the season.
They gobble at sunrise. Locate birds that way. Will often gobble to crow or owl call before turkey call.
If you find them, get there early and get as close as you can to the roost tree prior to shooting time. I'm very aggressive with this. Call just a little.
Hunt mid day or afternoons. Ambushing a bird can be easier than calling one in after they get some pressure.
Get TSS
You can hunt state forest, NWR and most TVA land 1st week of season. WMAs are closed first week in West, TN. For some reason this really affected my success rates.
Private ground is really the way to go if you can find it.
Here is a West TN public bird
Untitled by Hatchie, on Flickr

Good luck
HD