My introduction to what it takes to kill mature turkeys didn’t come from my daddy, my uncle or even my hunting idols in the industry. These role models were always there for me of course, and put me on the right paths, but eventually there are some things only experience can teach.

I learned the most about turkeys as a young hunter, mostly from my mistakes, while I chased a clever 4-year-old Thunder Chicken that was the resident playboy on my dad’s farm.

This turkey would have failed recess because he did not play. He taught me that older turkeys are wise to the hunter's ways. They understand the natural world and know when something is out of whack, and I will be referencing this old codger of a bird often as we look at tactics to tag more turkeys throughout the spring.

Calling is important but before we get into that subject later on, I want to stress that it is not the only skill used to fool a bird. When you work an older turkey, you must know the land where you hunt, understand where that turkey wants to go and depend on your hunting skills more than your calling abilities.

Older turkeys know that the hen is supposed to come to them. Often, older turkeys have been hammered or missed at least once which has made them very cautious about coming to the caller.

To prove this, consider that boss bird at my daddy’s farm. I could depend on that turkey to consistently gobble at locator calls, but that was as about as far as we got in our conversations. This gobbler would strut 60 yards from me and wait for the hens to come to him. Every time! I did everything to call that turkey to me. It was so gosh darn frustrating.

But y’all know I wasn’t about to let a Thunder Chicken show me up! I came up with a new scheme to close the coffin on this joker.

Day after day I hunted that turkey and finally nailed down his pattern. It was more like deer hunting than a turkey hunt where you call the bird to the gun.

He roosted in a little swamp bottom. One hunt I used a crow call to locate him. After I located him, I gambled that he'd head back to his roost. I set up in an area I knew he'd probably pass through and made some soft hen calls. I intercepted that gobbler on his way back to the roost. During that hunt, I learned that you couldn't always take your turkey by calling to him. Sometimes you'd have to actually hunt him.

That is what we as turkey hunters need to get better at. You could be the best caller in the world, but if you do not have a well-rounded bag of skills like scouting, an understanding of how turkeys use the land you hunt, an ability to read each bird’s personality and the ability to call audible in the woods, you will leave a lot of Thunder Chickens safe and sound.

I am not discounting calling. I know its power and we will discuss all about it - from calling in shy birds to the best cadences and to the best calls to use. First I just wanted to hammer home the idea that there are skills you need in addition to sweet talking birds.

If you have any questions, hit me up on Facebook or run me down at the NWTF Convention and Sportshow!