Turkey Hunting Help for a New Hunter! (MASS)

[L. Daniels]

So my GF surprised me with a Turkey gun a few weeks ago and so now I have been doing some preliminary work towards attempting a Fall turkey hunt before gun deer season starts up.

I live one the East coast of MA and wanted to know if anyone had any tips for hunting them out here? General online tips, and examples from shows like MeatEater, always just show people hunting in huge open areas with smatterings of trees and bushes or on truck clearings in the middle of the woods which are not things I see very much here.

But I see turkey plenty in thick woods behind various relatives so I know they are there!

As well, are there any regulations on how far you have to be from a pathway? (Other than ones close to houses and such.)

 

[whacko]

So my GF surprised me with a Turkey gun a few weeks ago and so now I have been doing some preliminary work towards attempting a Fall turkey hunt before gun deer season starts up.

I live one the East coast of MA and wanted to know if anyone had any tips for hunting them out here? General online tips, and examples from shows like MeatEater, always just show people hunting in huge open areas with smatterings of trees and bushes or on truck clearings in the middle of the woods which are not things I see very much here.

But I see turkey plenty in thick woods behind various relatives so I know they are there!

As well, are there any regulations on how far you have to be from a pathway? (Other than ones close to houses and such.)

I'm not aware of any regulations on distance from a "pathway". I assume by pathway you mean a hiking trail. However.......if it's public land that has occasional hikers or people taking a walk I'd stay well clear of any path like that. Hunting close to a hiking trail, while not illegal, is just bad public relations and not too safe.

 

[DJBrad]

And to add you must be 500 feet from any dwelling place, even a sugar shack in use. You also must be 150ft from any paved roadway. As whacko stated, prudence takes precedence when considering your setbacks.

Edited per prebanman’s correction below

 

[ThePreBanMan]

And to add you must be 500 feet from any dwelling place, even a sugar shack. You also must be 150ft from any paved roadway. As whacko stated, prudence takes precedence when considering your setbacks.

Not entirely accurate. It's 500 feet from a dwelling IN USE.

Section 58. A person shall not discharge any firearm or release any arrow upon or across any state or hard surfaced highway, or within one hundred and fifty feet, of any such highway, or possess a loaded firearm or hunt by any means on the land of another within five hundred feet of any dwelling in use, except as authorized by the owner or occupant thereof.

Abandoned, unoccupied houses, closed buildings, sheds, shacks, even sugar shacks, etc are not subject to the setback requirement unless they're "in use". If you want to hunt in the back yard of that house that's been unoccupied for years, etc, you can.

 

[weatherby]

I don't live or hunt out your way but fall hunting is pretty easy. Find their food source ,wear good cammo including face and hands then wait. They are very predictable in the fall and easy to pattern.

You say your a new hunter so I'll add a bit more. You want to shoot them in the head neck. You want to find a load that throws a nice tight pattern. Find that spot they will be a certain time and be there well before them.

They have incredible sight and hearing....incredible. ...Remember that when you hear putt putt putt

 

[Drix]

They have incredible sight and hearing....incredible. ...Remember that when you hear putt putt putt

Last deer season I could bench my rifle (NY) in the back of a bird near every morning for at least an hour. Turkey season though? It's like a ghost town.

 

[one-eyed Jack]

My NH sons and grandkids do very well taking turkeys each year mainly because they are good at calling. They scout a lot before the season and know where the birds are. Then they get to a spot very early while the birds are still in the trees. When the birds come down they call them in. Works well, but you have to be very good at calling. You don't just walk around in the woods looking for a turkey to shoot. Jack.

 

[Nastygunz]

I much prefer fall turkey hunting to spring turkey hunting myself. I would suggest looking around apple trees corn fields if they're cut that type thing. Ride around with a spotting scope and do some patterning of their movements. I prefer hunting in the woods compared to open fields also and turkeys are woods birds. I would suggest listening to some online turkey calls if you have time and learn the Kee Kee and the assembly call and the yelp as the basics. As you're starting out the simplest thing is to get a pushpin call, they work! I own a lot of turkey calls from expensive custom long boxes and custom pot calls and over the years my absolute favorite of all my calls is a simple inexpensive Primos box cutter, I would highly recommend them,read the reviews.I have my old one that I have used for years and I even bought an extra one in case they stop making them. My final suggestion is you surprise your girlfriend and get her a turkey gun and then you have a built in hunting partner!