the 1 hour rule

[strutnrut1984]

ive read alot of post of guys getting the birds to answer but not coming in or going silent. in my 30 plus years of turkey hunting ive developed a 1 hour rule. if a tom answers u he knows right where u are. dont give up on him if he shuts up. the 1 hr rule has gotten me alot of nice birds over the years. i will just sit there silent and stay ready. many times they will slip in silent to check out that hen they heard. this happens alot back east where the birds receive alot more pressure than they do out here. so just be patient guys.  also another tactic that has worked for me on henned up birds. if they are henned up off the roost. i will back out of that area and slip back in at midday. this works good later n season as hens begin to nest. thats just a couple tactics i use and thought id share.      thanks strut

[SpokaneSlayer]

Thanks for the tip.  I've been racking my brain on how to get these birds to come in.  I'm hearing them a ton.  I'm also wondering if my deke's have scared any birds away.  I've use a single hen, 2 hens, and a jake/hen combo.  I'm fortunate enough to be able to hunt nearly everday in the evening after work, so I think it's only a matter of time.  I did spot 2 very nice toms just as I crested the first part of the ridge I hunt.  Could've easily nocked an arrow and shot at one, but that's not how I want to fill my tag.

[rosscrazyelk]

Thanks for Sharing, Myself only been into the turkey thing for about 5 years Will Take as much info as possible. I have been able to call in birds for my buddies but never for myself can't understand that. Also I watch all the videos but they never really explain what they are doing and you never really know how long they are set up.

[strutnrut1984]

yw ross sounds like u need those buddies to return the favor lol.

[bowhunterforever]

Thanks for the tips strutnrut I'm gonna have to give the one hour rule a try.

[strutnrut1984]

yes many times when i first started hunting turkeys as a kid.  would get impatient if they stopped talking. i would wait a bit then get up to leave and hear  putt putt putt. turnin around i would see the tom running off.  also if they go silent i will as well. i fhe answered u before he knows where your at. i match my calling to the excitment of the bird.

[rosscrazyelk]

The problem I have is a couple don't get a chance to get out much and the others once they get their bird they are done. So I am always left fending for myself. oh and all but one can't call

[yelp]

I also emplore the one hour rule...one day I used the 8 hour rule...said screw it..went to pick up my decoy looked down the hill and guess who was coming in...5 more minute and I would have killed him.  Sometimes it is hard too define patience.  I still use the one hour rule and have also killed lots of birds that way...I call it the one hour nap rule..LOL. 

[wastickslinger]

Used that rule on many birds. My first one this year was silent for probably 20 minutes.

I fell asleep onetime for about an hour and woke up to a gobble 20 yards from me. Scared the crap out of us. Needless to say there was no shot opportunity after regaining our composure. Good thing it wasnt a big one.

[fishunt247]

I use the come back about 8:30 rule like you mentioned. I'm too young to use the one hour rule, haha. I can only think of one bird I know that I would have killed if I would have stayed put. But then again, I can think of more birds that I've killed because I moved off of a henned up bird and found one that wanted to play. I guess it's all about the situation, how well you know the area (how many birds are around), and gut feeling.

[tlbradford]

Spokane Slayer, for the way the birds are acting right now in our area, I would put as many hen dekes out as you have and leave your tom or jake decoys at home.  That is just how I would set up right now if I was sitting in a blind.

[SpokaneSlayer]

Roger that!  I came close Monday evening.  Had 2 coming in from behind me but had no deke's out.  I can't help but think "what if", you know?  Tonight I'm bringing my 2 hens.  Hopefully they'll draw the toms in the extra 20 yds for the kill.

[tlbradford]

Go get 'em.  I'm looking forward to the trophy pics.

[bearpaw]

Ready for this....

In the turkey world hens go to the gobbling and strutting toms.....hence the reason for the gobble and the strut......Gobblers go to their strut areas to gobble and strut. Most gobblers have multiple strutting and feeding areas that they travel between and these can change as season progresses.

Many gobblers simply will not go the final yards to a hen that does not come to them as she naturally should, it's as if they know it's not a real hen if she doesn't show herself in the act of moving toward the gobbler. The hunter with dead still decoys can sometimes fool a stupid gobbler but not on a consistent basis, and especially not if the birds have been hunted much, in that case they will often be scared to death of motionless decoys.

The 1 hour or even a 2-3 hour rule works for the exact reason strutnrut stated.

Sometimes an excited hen call will bring the lead hen (plus the flock and the gobbler).

More Food for thought, I have a whole closet full of every type of decoy imaginable, but I rarely use 1 or 2 of them......oops there goes my future prostaff position.......OK, let me throw out a bone....sometimes we use a small flock of decoys and some fishing line to create movement....there, maybe I helped with decoy sales.....a turkey stimulus package....LOL

Good Luck

[strutnrut1984]

exactly as bearpaw said , and in an earlier post i had written about caling the boss hen. also the only time i use dekes is in strut zones.