Post by: djnoodle on April 25, 2014, 09:22:32 PM
The toms would gobble two times and we would answer with yelps from down below. They would not come closer. Early afternoon I walked up to the top of the ridge. I was hearing them below me, sometimes 100 yards away or more, a few times within 100 yards. Did not ever see them.
At about 4 pm I left the ridge for about an hour and checked out the other side of the canyon. When I returned, both toms were with hens down in the bottom of the canyon by a river. The problem is they were on land I do not have permission to hunt. They were about 1000 yards away from where I was closest to them on the ridge.
I believe that these toms were with henned up when I calling to them before.
Am I better off to try and slip up on top with them and try to call the flock over to me, or should I hang out in the clearing up river from where I seen them strutting with the hens?
In other words, are they more likely to leave these hens and come to me at some point in the day, or should I try to get close to them?
Frustrating day...
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Post by: PA BEN on April 26, 2014, 06:07:27 AM
Post by: HuntandFish on April 26, 2014, 08:08:07 AM
Keep in mind they will usually have a group of hens with them as you suspected, but they are there as look outs usually for the sparing toms, so you have to get past them first, a formidable challenge, but it can be done...I should know!
Good luck,
H&F
Post by: RadSav on April 26, 2014, 08:21:20 AM
Post by: Karl Blanchard on April 26, 2014, 08:44:21 AM
In regards to your original question, it sounds to me like you are over calling. Those birds were working a strut zone and in nature, the hens are supposed to go to the gobbling tom. If you act too interested he is just gonna stay put and do his thing. Sure they will gobble, but that is just to let you know where he is because like I said, you are supposed to go to them. If the hens are bred then they should break away from the toms by mid morning to go tend to their nests. This is your time to strike! You know where they are, just get in ear shot of their strut zone and wait. When the hens leave them they will hit that strut zone and start gobbling and strutting trying to attract more hens. That is when you can work him successfully. The hardest part of calling birds is knowing when to be conservative and when to really hammer em! Usually less is more though when calling, especially pressured birds. They get very accustomed to hearing guys just beat their box calls to death. If you think you aren't calling enough, call less.
If they do have hens still when you set up on him and they start yelping, just mimick them yelp for yelp. That can usually fire up the hen and get her coming your way. Sometimes that drags the tom with her, sometimes not. Good luck!
Post by: Wacenturion on April 26, 2014, 09:51:51 AM
They remember where they have heard hens. During that henless time, they just might decide to check you out, that is if you have not convinced them you're not for real by overcalling. My son killed one of those unkillable birds in Klickitat years ago, by doing that. He was frustrated and wasn't about to give up. That gobbler would answer first thing on the ground as well as throughout the day. I suggested what I mentioned above, call, get response and shut up from that point on. He did that and later in the day, low and behold, that guy quietly snuck in. That was the last day that smart gobbler did anything...dead bird.
Boring, but may just be what is called for. Curiosity is a wonderful thing if you use it to your advantage. :twocents:
Post by: djnoodle on April 26, 2014, 09:49:54 PM
This morning, I shock called and heard them again over on the same ridge. This time, instead of continuing to call back and forth like the day before, I went a few hundred yards up the road, and headed up to the top of the ridge. For the day if that is what it took...
I got set up and called and got that same response that I have been getting. This time I not only waited two or three gobbles to each call back, I also sat down and stayed put. For as long as it took. It took about an hour. Gobbles got closer and closer and then a gobbler walked past my decoys and up the hill beside me. Only 20 yards away. Problem was he was on my right side and I could not swing the gun without spooking him. He walked right past me and I never seen him again.
Fast forward about three hours and I had a nap and something to eat. I used that time to think about everything that I had done, and that the gobbler had done, and why the reaction from the birds is the way that it was.
I moved to a new spot, but a similar spot. Let out a yelp. Got a response about a hundred yards away, down below me. Walked about 20 yards into a clearing and I thought 'I should setup the decoys here.'
He didn't give me the time!
He gobbled and I could tell he was 60 yards or so down the hill across the clearing. I leaned up against a tree, answered his call and after a stern talkin to, he finally popped up over the ridge into view, white head and all!
This was my second day turkey hunting. I am not an expert. But I feel great about this hunt. I learned so much in a short time! :tup: I want to thank everyone here for coaching me and sharing information. Turkey dancer and PA BEN are two names that come to mind, but I know there are many more!
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Post by: bigbeamhunter on April 26, 2014, 10:00:35 PM
Post by: Deer slayer on April 26, 2014, 10:03:27 PM
Post by: RadSav on April 27, 2014, 12:38:03 AM
Post by: PA BEN on April 27, 2014, 04:05:31 AM
Post by: jackelope on April 27, 2014, 08:49:57 AM
Post by: kevinlisa06 on April 27, 2014, 10:06:45 AM
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Post by: Wacenturion on April 27, 2014, 10:15:24 AM
Post by: baldopepper on April 27, 2014, 01:31:21 PM
Post by: djnoodle on April 27, 2014, 05:55:28 PM
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Post by: ghosthunter on April 27, 2014, 06:34:04 PM
Post by: Hangfire on April 27, 2014, 07:28:45 PM
Because of ill health of my mom the last three years I didn't get out a lot, last year only one time, so I made the best use of my time. It took 4 hours to find a bird last year. I got him to respond to the call from about 400 yards. I moved about half way to him, got behind a deadfall and gave short little yelps with a scratch box call. One answer to every 2-3 gobble. When he was within 100-150 yards I shut up. I shot him at 17 steps from me.
Post by: mossy8352 on April 29, 2014, 03:01:52 PM
Post by: turkeydancer on May 09, 2014, 12:04:31 PM
Congrats - always get on the same level or above the birds (although they can be called down hil, it's generally not where they want to go) ... and as you learned, call sparingly using his natural curiosity and sex drive against him.
:IBCOOL:
Post by: tonymiller7 on May 09, 2014, 02:11:53 PM