TURKEY HUNT FOR BUCKS WITH DON SHIPP

How and When to Call

EDITOR'S NOTE: Don Shipp of Clinton, Arkansas, an accomplished turkey hunter who won the World Turkey Calling Championship in 1997, 1998 and 1999, also enjoys hunting deer. This week Shipp tells us his secrets for using turkey-hunting tactics to hunt big bucks.

QUESTION: What's the fourth most-important thing that makes turkey hunting like deer hunting?
ANSWER: Learning to use your calls. This learning process is the same for deer hunting and for turkey hunting. You need to learn how to use each call, determine which call you need to use at certain times and in specific situations and know when to be quiet and when to call. Of course, a deer is not as vocal as a turkey. But when you're in a tree stand, watch the deer's body language -- how he's acting and what he's doing. For instance, if you set up on a turkey and he's coming down a ridge straight to you, there's no need to call to the gobbler. Similarly, you don't have to blow a grunt call if the buck is moving toward you. You just need to prepare for your shot.

QUESTION: When do you do the most grunting, and when do you do the most rattling?
ANSWER: I do more rattling and grunting during the rut than at any other time. These calls work better at that time of year.

TOMORROW: THE IMPORTANCE OF CAMOUFLAGE