Most fall hunters prefer to wait in a blind and ambush turkeys as they walk past. Photo by Windigo Images.

It's that time of year again. Fall turkey hunting is on the doorstep! We have autumn colors, cooler temperatures and plenty of Ben Franklin's favorite birds. What more could a turkey hunter want?

When turkey hunting is mentioned, the first thing that usually comes to most people's minds is a bright green and sun-filled springtime morning with echoes of hen calls and booming gobbles from a lovesick tom. Although not quite as intense as calling and hunting during the spring mating season, the fall season has an excitement all its own and a contingent of hunters who can't wait to get in the woods. That core group of fall turkey hunters grows each year as more and more people decide to try it.

The fall hunt is much different than spring. In spring, hunters try to mimic hens and lure a passionate gobbler into gun range. During the fall, those tactics won't work, but that doesn't mean there can't be some exciting moments just the same.

For those who might be fairly new to fall hunting or are thinking about trying it for the first time, learning the methods is not all that complicated. Although a few birds are taken adjacent to other fall hunting pursuits, most deliberate fall turkey hunting is done by utilizing one of two different methods. They are either the scatter method or ambush method. Both can be very effective.

The first is the most exciting, but also the most demanding physically. Hunters need to be in good shape and capable of covering a lot of ground if necessary.

The scatter method takes advantage of the turkeys' penchant for grouping together in large numbers during the fall. The procedure is to stalk or quietly walk through the woods, around field edges or down old logging roads while staying constantly vigilant for turkey sightings or vocalizations.

Upon locating a flock of turkeys, the hunter stalks as close as possible without being detected. Then, in a rush the hunter runs at the group of turkeys shouting or making as much noise as possible. The idea is to scare and confuse the birds, thus scattering them in all different directions.

Once this is successfully accomplished, the hunter sits down and lets the woods quiet down again. After a brief period of time, the hunter begins softly calling in an attempt to lure the birds back and into gun or bow range.

There are a number of different calls that can work. Many hunters will use the kee kee or kee kee run. This call generally simulates a lost poult or jake looking to rejoin its flock. Another great call is the lost hen, which simulates exactly what the name implies. It is a long series of urgent yelps mimicking the sounds of a hen left all alone and looking for her group. The tone should inflect a slight sense of panic. The assembly call is also a long series of yelps but with a much different tone. Instead of portraying panic, it should more mimic the sound of a mature hen calling her flock back to her.

For those who aren't up to or interested in chasing turkeys through the woods, the ambush method may be better suited. This method allows the hunter to wait in a blind or while otherwise concealed until a turkey comes within range. Periodic random calling or sight calling can also be used.