Henry Ott is a third-generation turkey hunter from South Alabama with over 60 years of experience in the woods. He learned from his father and grandfather—long before modern gear, when success depended on woodsmanship, patience, and understanding turkeys at a deeper level. Over decades of hunting the same country, Henry noticed something most hunters overlook: Gobblers aren’t random. They run a route. And if you’re not set up on it… you’re already too late. In this episode, Henry breaks down how turkeys actually move, how hens dictate everything a gobbler does, and why positioning—not calling—is what consistently kills birds. This is old-school knowledge built from a lifetime of watching turkeys in big timber, long before today’s tactics took over. If you’ve ever had a gobbler hang up, disappear, or just not do what he “should” do… this will change how you think about turkey hunting. In this episode: • Why gobblers follow a route instead of moving randomly • How hens control gobbler movement throughout the day • The biggest setup mistake most hunters make • Why chasing gobblers almost always backfires • How to get ahead of a gobbler instead of behind him • Lessons learned from 60+ years of turkey hunting Got a question for the show? Submit a listener Q&A form - https://l.linklyhq.com/l/1uMXP Get a discount on your Poncho Outdoors shirts here - https://linkly.link/2bfPZ Grab some Southern Outdoorsmen merch here - https://l.linklyhq.com/l/1u4aK Join Woodsman Wire - https://l.linklyhq.com/l/1u4aR Use the promo code “southern” for a discount on your OnX Hunt membership here - https://l.linklyhq.com/l/1tyfm Check out Latitude Outdoors for your mobile hunting gear - https://2ly.link/1zVDI Use code TSOP15 for a discount on Mossy Oak - https://linkly.link/2ERb8 Save 10% on your next Vortex Optics order at eurooptic.com using the Promo Code “southern10” - https://2ly.link/1wyYO Use code SOUTHERN20 for a discount on all Vortex apparel, including eyewear Have you tagged a deer using something you heard on the show? Submit your listener success story here - Share Your Story Here Come chat with us on our Thursday Hunter Hangouts! Join our Patreon - https://l.linklyhq.com/l/1uMXU NOTE: Not all advertisements run on this show are endorsed by The Southern Outdoorsmen Podcast unless an ad is read by one of the hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ask this episode

“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

Transcript

Related