OK, I haven't had a turkey tag in, like 30 years. I just got a turkey tag in the mail from AZ's leftover tag draw. I'll be in Unit 7 first week of Oct.

Now what?



I still have my 11-87 premier that will chamber 3" shells, and I think I even have some duplex turkey loads running around my shop somewhere. Plus, somewhere I have an extra full choke.

I assume AZ still doesn't allow electronic turkey calls? I'm not sure I have any turkey calls left. I never was any good with a diaphram call, maybe it's a mental block. I've always thought a diaphram went somewhere else...

They still make the stick and plate calls?

Looks like I got some shopping to do.

I can't believe I got a tag, I'm not skunked for the fall after all.

now what? go shoot a turkey!

You should be able to pattern turkeys in the autumn. If you see turkeys near a water tank an hour after sunrise then odds are they will be there tomorrow at same time. If a bobcate or coyote bumps them then the pattern will shift.

Set up and ambush them as the turkeys get in close. You can call turkeys in fall though easier to call in the young jakes and hens that a gobbler. A wing bone call seems to work on gobblers at times in autumn but ambushing is the better option.

If you find tracks and actual crap, the shape of the crap will indicate if was a hen or gobbler. Again, pattern the movement and you should be able to get a shot. Good luck.