Mid day gobblers

[270Shooter]

So what is the truck to getting these guys to gobble after 8:30? From the time they start gobbling on the roost until 8:30 or so I can get them to gobble consistently, and then not again until right before dark when they go back to roost. They seem so unresponsive during the day time and it gets really frustrating. Can anyone give me some tips on what works for them? I know they say 10-2 is the best time to hunt them but it's hard to setup on them when you can't hear them.

[turkeydancer]

A lot of times they will stop gobbling for an hour or two and then startup on their own again after the hens go to nest.  I usually will go to one of their strut zones, setup, call infrequently, and softly.  If you get a response that is a killable bird.  You'll learn by their response how hot he is and what he wants to hear.  Be alert because they may not gobble and come in either silent or spit and drumming. 

Instead of setting up, you may also want to run and gun ... locator calls or turkey talk every few hundred yards as you go out using a different call coming back ... move slow and cautious using all your woodmanship skills.  Do not silouette yourself in the middle of a field or at the ridges edge.  Note that he will usually go higher on the hills so he can be seen and/or heard.

Hope that helps ... good luck. 

[270Shooter]

A lot of times they will stop gobbling for an hour or two and then startup on their own again after the hens go to nest.  I usually will go to one of their strut zones, setup, call infrequently, and softly.  If you get a response that is a killable bird.  You'll learn by their response how hot he is and what he wants to hear.  Be alert because they may not gobble and come in either silent or spit and drumming. 

Instead of setting up, you may also want to run and gun ... locator calls or turkey talk every few hundred yards as you go out using a different call coming back ... move slow and cautious using all your woodmanship skills.  Do not silouette yourself in the middle of a field or at the ridges edge.  Note that he will usually go higher on the hills so he can be seen and/or heard.

Hope that helps ... good luck.

thanks for the tips.

Run and gun is basically the only way I hunt, I feel like it's the best way to hunt these local birds that are sometimes few and far between (central wa). I also have a hard time finding sign but I can definitely find the birds, maybe I'm not looking hard enough or maybe they just keep moving around a lot I'm not sure. I walked for four miles yesterday calling into two big draws with water in them, I thought for sure I'd hear one somewhere along the way. My only locator is a crow call and I like it because of how loud I can get with it and it will locate birds way out there, but maybe I need to try something else.

[BOWHUNTER45]

Totally agree with Turkey dancer    I prefer to run and gun ... it is deadly and one of the most exciting methods to us to kill a turkey ...I like to find ridges and as I walk them I will cut -cluck or yelp ...Just depends on what I decide to do  But when you cut and all the sudden one goes off right below you or anywhere near you your heart jumps out of your chest and you best sit down quick ...thats how we killed 2 of our birds this spring ...The 1 st one was right out of camp ..I took a nap and the boys headed up the hill and when they crested the top the younger one yelped and cut and one blew their hats off about 100 yrds way and in 15 minutes they were back in camp ///Especially this time of the season I love to cut & run 

[Wacenturion]

Completely agree with Dancer, and Bow above.

Midday is great for running and gunning, or should I say, walking, sometimes slowly.  Personally I forget the turkey calls for the most part and rely on locator calls to get a gobbler to sound off midday.  Once he does I generally assume he is in his area waiting on hens to visit him.  Not always, but in many cases, his zone is where he is.  When hen numbers go down due to incubating, then of course gobblers are more apt to travel.  After he replys, keep using the locator calls infrequently to pin him down and get as close as possible even if it takes a couple hours. 

The task is to slip into his bedroom, inside his comfort zone, so when you make a few soft calls he come to check out the hen.  If you're outside the zone he'll generally just resond and stay where he is at.  No problem, wait a while and get closer, repeat.  Once you get inside that zone you'll likely kill him if you don't screw up, which is easy to do if you're in a hurry.  Just remember you have the rest of the day and if no one is around use the time to your advantage.

One last tip...sparingly use a woodpecker call on those Merriams midday.  Nothing better.  Pisss....keep that to yourself.

[270Shooter]

Thanks wacent, I'm thinking about getting a woodpecker and a peacock call as well.

[turkeydancer]

I've used a Primos Triple Shock call for years ... I perfer the peacock, but woodpecker and coyote  with it works well too.
 
I prefer setting up and waiting them out if I know the birds are frequenting an area, but if not that familar with their pattern I will run and gun, but as said slowly and using every bit of woodsmanship I can ....
  

[270Shooter]

I get off at four today so if its not too windy this evening I'll go give them hell again

[The Gobble-stopper]

In the whole skeem of things, I dont think you really want them to gobble. If you already know they are there, then keep them quite. Gobbling only tends to lure predators and other hunters.
Yea its nice to know where they are at all times. But if they are not gobbling, either they are henned up or they are on their way to you. Usually they are strutting in one place and not moving towards you if they are blabbing their head off. Let them shut up. If they gobble at your call to start, then they know where you are they usually dont need any more encouragement. Less is usually better. Ive gotten more birds with one or two calls than I ever had with the enjoyment of just hearing their gobbles. This is coming from someone that has taken 27 birds in wa in the past 9 years. OK now you all know who I am! Hey, Good luck!