Turkey help long story but good

[Polo]

Ok I'm doing something wrong, I think. I have hunted for 4 years spring and fall (Hen down in fall). I have learned a lot & had plenty of chances with lessons learned. But after last weekend I couldn't belive it.
Sat. rainy like crazy box called in all my areas had I gobble. Hung out with jake & hen decoy soft calls for hr on and off nothing. Left went up north more get out of elevation do to rain. Walked up to a clearing on a mountain box call nothing. Then used crow.call got a.gobble. Just my luck he is on the other side of.the mountain. Few more box calls nothing crow.call nothing 2 hrs still nothing. Hunted other areas nothing till at 8:30p.m. had a gobble in the distance by my call camp.

A.M. went to get.that Tom. Park truck on logging rd. Walked 60 yards box call then a gobble with in 15 yards. I set decoys just off of rd got set up with my bow & hit the box call gobble. Now.for the next.20 min. I did soft.purs & cuts he keeps gobbling in same spot doest move(a lot of.gobbling). What the $&## then things go quiet but I heard a weird sound like a ssh sound. But still no more gobbling. Went up to the area he was at did some more soft calls for 10min nothing. Went a little higher box call crow call nothing. Grrrrr left the area.  (Deep in woods)
What did I do wrong?He was so close but never came into range I never saw him just heard him right next to me (15 yards up)

Went to my last spot on my way home frustrated. Hit my area up that I had some gobblers bust me at the beginning of April.  Hit box call nothing then a raven sounded off and all of a sudden gobbling. I didn't call back but went into the direction of the Tom. Got to the area I that he would be hit the box call again Tom with in 15-20 yards just above me. Set up jake & hen did box call gobble did slate call for 10 min on/off gobbling did mouth call with cuts gobbling. For the next 30/45 min we were talking then silence. Same thing packed up went right up to where he was did more calling nothing.

 Ok I had 2 Toms different areas both going gobbling like crazy but never came into range. What did I do wrong? I had my bow so I was hidden really good so all I really saw were my decoys I know for a that they couldn't see me. They just wanted me to come to them as I sat wanting the Tom come to me. How do I fix.that issue thanks & do apologize for long story & bad grammar using phone.

So tips cause I'm going back up last weekend in May. I don't know if I should try.those same spots or go to other areas That I have had seen Toms I  in the past. So any tips.would.help thanks.

[lokidog]

One thing would be if you have turkeys less than 20 yards, don't screw with the decoys.  If it is thick enough that you cannot see them at that range, decoys are unnecessary and setting them up will make too much noise, no matter how quiet you think you are.  I've called in plenty of turkeys with no decoys.

[Russ McDonald]

Lokidog is correct on the decoys and if they were that close I bet they saw you.  Turkeys eye site is incredible.  NWTF biologist said a turkeys eyes site is equivalent to reading a book at 100 yards.  Here is my thought from what I am hearing from people out there is the tom's are still with their hens.  Crazy for this time of the year  but that is what people are telling me.  A tom does not come to a hen the hen comes to the tom when he is gobbling.  Now that is different if the tom is looking for love and isn't with his girls.  I will be out this weekend.  Good luck.

[Polo]

Thanks I will screw the decoys. But since I bow hunt what do I do when they gobble & won't come in. I hunt in the think stuff so can't crawl or stalk like with a gun. So frustrating when they gobble for 30 40 min but don't come to me?

[lokidog]

I've had some luck just going silent.  As long as you are making noise (turkey noises that is), they will expect you to follow nature and come to them.  If you go silent, they may then start to wonder where you are or what you are up to and come looking. 

I've found that with the bow, I have had better luck ambushing them, but the three birds I've gotten with the bow (well crossbow on one of them) were more residential than wild. I had a 35 yard head shot on one over by Wilbur once, but was not that sure of hitting such a small target at that range so passed on the shot.

Or, just wait for the right bird.....   

All this turkey talk makes me want to get a turkey tag....

[The Gobble-stopper]

I've had some luck just going silent.  As long as you are making noise (turkey noises that is), they will expect you to follow nature and come to them.  If you go silent, they may then start to wonder where you are or what you are up to and come looking. 

I've found that with the bow, I have had better luck ambushing them, but the three birds I've gotten with the bow (well crossbow on one of them) were more residential than wild. I had a 35 yard head shot on one over by Wilbur once, but was not that sure of hitting such a small target at that range so passed on the shot.

Or, just wait for the right bird.....   

All this turkey talk makes me want to get a turkey tag....
 I have to agree with Loki, this late in the season, its best to go silent. Let them  know where you are, he knew. That's why he gobbled. Let him get frustrated and come to do. Overcalling very rarely works. And remember if he is gobbling, he is probably not moving. Its fun to here them gobbling, but you cant eat gobbles! As for the decoys, ditch them this time of year. They have seen the best of them and will shy away. If no decoys are present he will come to the place he heard the hen, "you" AND wander around till he finds you. Let him make the mistake... One more tip. If he gobbles a lot, and may be henned up. What works good for me is give him a couple yelps. then walk away from him putting and purring like you just don't need him, then hurry back to the original spot you called. And usually he will come running. I have taken the WA slam 14 years in a row, and this is one of my top tricks. Bow is hard, I got two of them this year with a bow. Also remember to keep something in front of you so you can draw the arrow without being detected. Good luck

[Machias]

I rarely ever use my decoy anymore.

[Limhangerslayer]

Thanks I will screw the decoys. But since I bow hunt what do I do when they gobble & won't come in. I hunt in the think stuff so can't crawl or stalk like with a gun. So frustrating when they gobble for 30 40 min but don't come to me?

He didn't come to you because he gave you that much time to come to him.   That's nature.  And in the roost in the morning if you know where he is.  Slip in and let him come alive in the morning without giving up your location first

[Polo]

Thanks for the more info. I figure both those birds are wanting me to come to them. I will go silent more hope they come looking. I have really goods odds on always getting some gobbles some close some far. Just need one to come in, I will be out & about from Addy to Colville this weekend.

[gaddy]

I like Gobble-stoppers point about walking away. Sends the message- come get me. I have also backed out after a time, and came in from a different direction. Had one hang up that was going nuts, wouldn't come in. Moved to flank him on the other side of the drainage, Hit the call, and Boom! In he a comes a running. He just didn't like something the first go around.

[lokidog]

To this point, I saw some birds in a field that I had permission to hunt above a road, I knew there was another road that went up hill diagonally above them so I drove to the intersection and hiked up to where I figured I was above them.  I crawled up a cut bank and slid over the top of the hill under the fence and some trees, no birds in sight.  I clucked, he gobbled, I yelped, he gobbled, rinse, repeat for about fifteen minutes, nothing.  It actually sounded like he had gone back down across the first road.  I decided to boogey back to my truck and get my decoy for an afternoon sit.  When I finally got back to the spot, I crawled up the cut bank, under the fence, sat up... and dropped the tom at fifteen yards after he came looking for the hen that was ignoring  him.

[Polo]

You guys are getting me pumped up thanks for info/story's long drive tonight but 4 days should get it done. I'm going to a spot from last year hope things are good still. If not headed back to spots from last weekend.

[dune]

If you know where they are going get in front of them and soft yelp they will come in almost every time

[lokidog]

Well??

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[Polo]

Had a crazy last hunt. Got up to my spot up high Fri morning barely light out. Open truck door turkey on eoost good gobbling like crazy.  Takes about 20 min hike to get up to him get set up doing light calls he is posted up not moving like those other birds I posted about. Then a hen comes going crazy with all sorts of calls. Tom is going crazy I let her do the work but Tom doesn't move 15 yards away in the woods. After 1.5hr things go quit hen leaves I going do some running and gunning nothing. Did this for 5hrs till around noon leave to go to some other areas.

Sat-Tus. Nothing a.m. afternoon p.m. nothing. Saw lots of hens no Toms. NO GOBBLING NOTHING.... It was super hot and sunny so I figure that was the problem. I hit so much land high low public land near private land mountain country nothing. Had a flat tire no turkeys not a good end of the season.

Had a great season over all April was good early May was good. Had a few chances threw out the year but my fault lessons learned. Also went to a spot before getting my new tire. Did some calling on and off. Took a nap 45min later did a few more calls and guess what came in, not a Turkey but (3) Black wolves. I held Ahhh they didn't take off. Made a nose like caulking a gun they took off running. Crazy also saw 2 baby moose and momma so still fun season.