TCO...Hunting Tips



Turkey Tips Setting up on Longbeards I can remember the first time I called in a gobbler. I was 14 years old and sitting square at a tree. Both shoulders were facing toward the direction the bird was coming. Within minutes a beautiful gobbler appeared in front of me, but I could not get a shot at him because I was facing him with both shoulders. That was a mistake. If you are a right handed shooter like I am you must put your left shoulder toward the bird before he ever appears. This approach will give you the best opportunity to have a full range of motion on your shooting area. Try it and you will find that it will help you in the woods. Which way did they go? In the spring, you need to know which way the birds want to travel. Do not just set up on any side of the bird in the morning. You need to set up so you are in the direction that those birds naturally want to go. Gobblers do not often hang more than a half hour to an hour at where they are roasting. So you need to know where they are heading…maybe a field, a strutting zone, or even following a nesting hen. Following this tip will allow you to kill more birds and provide less frustrating morning hunts. Don’t leave home with out it Many guys forget one of the most important tools to put in your vest is a pen. If you harvest a bird in most states you must fill out your tag before you move the bird. Trying to move the bird back to your truck before tagging it with a completely filled out tag is illegal and can ruin an otherwise great day. Put a pen or two in your turkey vest. Be wise and obey the law and you will find more joy in hunting.			Canada Geese Take a Bath If you’re a waterfowl hunter you know that it’s a great feeling to bring home a brand new set of decoys. Each time we shop for decoys we always check for the most realistic decoys on the market. Realism is something waterfowl hunters strive for when it comes to decoys. Keeping decoys clean gives them a more realistic look. Real geese are constantly spending time in the water bathing and pruning themselves. So make sure to give your decoys a bath once in a while. The Art of Flagging There’s a lot of debate about where and when to use the flag. When used correctly, flagging can be of great use. We like to flag in a few different situations: Situation one: We use the flag when geese are at a great distance to catch there attention. Geese can see the flag from far off before they can even hear your call. Wave the flag till those geese come your way or come within hearing distance of your calling. Situation two: Flag the corners! Use the flag when the geese are making a turn. This tactic will many times put the geese right on line. We use this so the geese are not looking directly at the flag but see the movement out of the corner of there eye. *Situation three*: Use the flag during your comeback calls! The flag works hand in hand with comeback calls. Many times young birds turn and give you a second look. Learn to use the flag at the right time and you will put more feathers in your face! Calling the Shot One thing that is awesome about waterfowl hunting is that it gives hunters an opportunity to be part of a team sport. You get the chance to talk, call, laugh, shoot, and learn together. Something that is helpful in the game is choosing someone to be the leader. Calling the shot can sometimes be a difficult thing, many hunters often think differently about when to shoot. If there is a pit boss (usually the most experienced hunter) to call the shot, then there won’t be any confusion. Decoy Placement Spread your decoys! Decoy placement is usually one of the hottest topics in waterfowl hunting. Hunters scratch there heads and scheme for a new and better way to fool the Geese. We have spent a lot of time observing geese and know that geese usually stay pretty spread out in the field. Geese don’t like having there space taken! Normally, we set our decoys 3-5 yards apart. We feel that this approach gives a better and more realistic look to our decoy spread