Seeking answers to colville turkey hunting

[hunter399]

So I'll ask a question or two.
The past few times out . We have been into some Turkey action.
If you have toms in a field with hens as well ,next to public land,toms gobbles,hens yelping everywhere.
What call you gonna use to pull them your way.
How long are you gonna sit and try to call at them before you give up.

Thursday had one in the field ,had him pretty fired up gobbles and struting. Called at him for about two hours gave up on him and left.But the ridge we where on was public and covered in Turkey poo ,pretty sure they roost there.

Next spot this mourning ,same deal had three different toms in the field with a few hens.
Called at them for an hour. A few gobbles out of them didn't really seem super interested with us ,lots of other hens yelping that sounded very similar to my calling.
Anyway started walking down this road that's on public but kinda stays about a 100 yards away from field.
So we are looking over the edge of the road at the field and trying to see where these toms went. And I look over and I see one crossing the road about 30 yards down the road.
So we head down there real fast and they are already like 70 yards above the road just out of shotgun range.
Two of the three toms,third I don't even know where it went.
But I don't think they where even coming to the call that's just the way they where headed I think.
So anyway don't take any advise from me.
But most of the toms I've encountered in the past few days have been pretty content on just sitting with the hens they already have.

[baldopepper]

Pretty tough to call em away from the hens particularly in the mornings when they're still feeding. Best chance is to wait until they've left the field, possibly setting an ambush along the exit route, or waiting until they've moved off and gone into the loafing mode. Easier if there is more than one tom, but occasionally you can get a tom to come over and have look when the hens are scattering around or loafing in the shade. Best to observe for a day without getting busted and try to get close to where they wanna go when they leave the field. Don't get in a hurry and bust them up, just changes their routine and puts you back to square one. Dale Outdoors has a good segment on calling in henned up birds with advice on how to get the lead hen to come and drag the flock with her

[konradcountry]

I own a call from Stan now, but a lot of birds have died from the very inexpensive ok’ Betsy from primos.  I think it was $15.  You need to go into a hunt with a minimum of two but 3-5 different calls will help you immensely.  Sometimes a bird will go stale to one call, but if you wait awhile and run a different call can make all the difference.  With different strikers ran on different areas of your call you can make one pot call sounds like multiple birds.  The first birds were shot this year took an hour and a half to call out of the flock and it was when I switched it up to a different call.  A box call will get you your best distance and out are best for medium to close in.  Diaphragm calls work for all distance.

This information is really helpful, I do have a box call and several different diaphragms. My slate call I got, I wasn't happy with so I stopped using it. But the distance thing is good to know.

I'm up here and I just got one. I carry a single box call and locator.

[Bogie85]

I own a call from Stan now, but a lot of birds have died from the very inexpensive ok’ Betsy from primos.  I think it was $15.  You need to go into a hunt with a minimum of two but 3-5 different calls will help you immensely.  Sometimes a bird will go stale to one call, but if you wait awhile and run a different call can make all the difference.  With different strikers ran on different areas of your call you can make one pot call sounds like multiple birds.  The first birds were shot this year took an hour and a half to call out of the flock and it was when I switched it up to a different call.  A box call will get you your best distance and out are best for medium to close in.  Diaphragm calls work for all distance.

This information is really helpful, I do have a box call and several different diaphragms. My slate call I got, I wasn't happy with so I stopped using it. But the distance thing is good to know.

I'm up here and I just got one. I carry a single box call and locator.

That's flipping awesome! I have a box call, 3 diaphragms and 3 different locaters if I want to use them but I am shy about using the locaters as it seems to spook them. I do think we maybe just got there too early, maybe they were henned up and just not wanting to budge.

[TheStovePipeKid]

Last spring it was impossible for me to get a gobble after sunrise until the hens started to slip off at around 11:30. Then it was only an hour or so when they would come in. If you knew where they roosted you could get setup in the evening too. That was early May. When that happens you really have to know the area holds birds otherwise you could end up with a nice long calling practice session and no birds to hear the splendor.

[ghosthunter]

Well op don’t give up.

I have been at it I think ten years. Never killed one. But I am intent on calling a bird in on public land  myself. I have done it several times over the years. Called one from private on to public came like a text book missed him at 30 yards.
I have had them come in behind me and gobble feet from my chair. I have hunted all day never seen or heard one only to have one gobble when I shut my door back at camp.
I have laid on my belly for hours waiting for them to come back to the roost tree, only to have my buddy walk up to talk to me seconds before they flew in.

I have hunted NE and Asotin. Found birds near Twisp , but got busted. Had several come in silent. I sit for hours.
Just got back three us hunted the opener and the next week. Camped with them on public ground by the fourth day they were all but silent. The other two with me had never been before.

I know one friends group got 9 out of ten hunters. They Road hunted everyone of them. You name it I have had it happen Turkey hunting.They are the most irritating game I have ever hunted.

Every year I say I am not going than someone shows up at my door and begs me to go.

My buddy shot three so far, two with one shot once. But he runs and guns them.

No help here ,njust letting you know you are not alone. I may have to spring for the map next year.

I have any call you can think of and some that are off the wall. My grand son picked a rail call I had and couldn’t run and can Yelp and purr on it just like a Turkey.

Crazy.

[Limhangerslayer]

I own a call from Stan now, but a lot of birds have died from the very inexpensive ok’ Betsy from primos.  I think it was $15.  You need to go into a hunt with a minimum of two but 3-5 different calls will help you immensely.  Sometimes a bird will go stale to one call, but if you wait awhile and run a different call can make all the difference.  With different strikers ran on different areas of your call you can make one pot call sounds like multiple birds.  The first birds were shot this year took an hour and a half to call out of the flock and it was when I switched it up to a different call.  A box call will get you your best distance and out are best for medium to close in.  Diaphragm calls work for all distance.

This information is really helpful, I do have a box call and several different diaphragms. My slate call I got, I wasn't happy with so I stopped using it. But the distance thing is good to know.

I'm up here and I just got one. I carry a single box call and locator.

That's flipping awesome! I have a box call, 3 diaphragms and 3 different locaters if I want to use them but I am shy about using the locaters as it seems to spook them. I do think we maybe just got there too early, maybe they were henned up and just not wanting to budge.

you don’t scare birds with locator calls if you use the right one.  Crow calls work and we will use them right from where we end up killing the bird.  Some things are obvious, no howler in close for sure

[pickardjw]

Anyone every try and/or have luck with challenging a dominant hen to bring the flock in? i.e. lots of loud yelps and cutts and starting your sequence before her's ends to piss her off and get her to come over to fight?

Was reading about it after a quick google while failing to call in some birds yesterday morning...gave it a try and boy was that hen fired up. Didn't bring her in but I also didn't try for that long. Gotta love searching "how to call in henned up turkeys" while sitting 100 yards from them 

[Ridgeratt]

Are you using decoys? In the turkies world the hens usually come to the Tom's and if you have a Tom coming in to your call and he spots the decoys he doesn't have to go any closer.  He just spins and twirls. But if he doesn't see any hens he will keep coming and looking for the ladies.
Just my experience.

That is back when I hunted them.

[jrebel]

Follow up as promised.  Weekend weather was not an issue.  One bird down Saturday and had another hang up Sunday.  Daughter did well and I couldn’t be more proud.

[jrebel]

Are you using decoys? In the turkies world the hens usually come to the Tom's and if you have a Tom coming in to your call and he spots the decoys he doesn't have to go any closer.  He just spins and twirls. But if he doesn't see any hens he will keep coming and looking for the ladies.
Just my experience.

That is back when I hunted them.

I 100% agree.  My decoys just piss the birds off and make them skittish.   I rarely use decoys now. 

[shmacker]

I have had turkeys shy away from decoys, but last week I had a Tom beat up a Jake decoy while I was sneaking after another bird.  My old man killed his Tom the next day while it was on top of that Jake decoy. 

[WaltAlpine]

Sometimes you can do everything by the book and get lots of gobbles back and they don’t commit. Three years in a row spring time was full of toms gobbling back for over three hours but would not come in. Mostly public some private but the same story.


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[Bogie85]

Follow up as promised.  Weekend weather was not an issue.  One bird down Saturday and had another hang up Sunday.  Daughter did well and I couldn’t be more proud.

Hell yeah! That's a damn nice bird!

[Bogie85]

Are you using decoys? In the turkies world the hens usually come to the Tom's and if you have a Tom coming in to your call and he spots the decoys he doesn't have to go any closer.  He just spins and twirls. But if he doesn't see any hens he will keep coming and looking for the ladies.
Just my experience.

That is back when I hunted them.

I have tried both with and without them, always the same experience. They get hung up and won't come in.