Many factors weigh on the success of your hunt. The call you use and the way you use that call, the spot where you set up, how well you’re camouflaged… These and a slew of other details make a difference when you’re on the hunt. But what if your hunting land is relatively small? If you’re hunting the same land often, your best chance for bagging a bird — especially a tough one — is to know the gobbler’s routine. American Hunter’s Frank Miniter explains how:

“The thing is, patterning gobblers has helped me tag a lot of tough toms. Running-and-gunning to find a hot gobbler is effective if you have room to roam, but for most of us getting to know our local gobblers’ routines is a surer way of filling tags.”

Photo by: Jeff Sis