Post by: Turkeyman on January 24, 2009, 01:00:38 PM
Post by: bow4elk on January 25, 2009, 11:25:39 AM
Post by: Turkeyman on January 25, 2009, 11:46:37 AM
Post by: bow4elk on January 25, 2009, 11:53:48 AM
Post by: Wacenturion on January 25, 2009, 01:58:29 PM
Finding fresh sign and strutting area's is the key then have a ton of patience trust your set up. soft calling is better you don't here eastern hens calling loud. i cluck and purr allot with a slate if its raining use a glass call. make a blind or use a ground blind it will allow you to stay longer. Try to find birds that aren't getting pressure makes things easier.
So true...."a ton of patience". I too don't call aggressively with easterns. My mindset is to get to my location quietly, wait about 15 minutes or so for the woods to quiet down since I just walked in and created sound. I figure the first hour and a half to two hours is "convince" calling. I'm calling like a normal hen would....content, a series of soft yelps every 12-15 minutes or so. Like a hen scratching and feeding but yet softly vocalizing her presence to other turkeys in the area.
After two hours, I know that even though nothing has responded, and based on sign I'm hunting that I have now "convinced" every turkey that can hear me I'm the real deal. Sometime.....and again this is where the patience comes in.....sometime during the remainder of the day the odds are now in my favor that a bird or birds will eventually check me out. If and when and if a gobbler.....game over....point blank in your face game over.
Make take a couple hours....may take a couple days. Changing set ups is also part of the scenario if something hangs them up from wanting to be where you are. No need to get in a rush on any given day and blow your chances. He's not going anywhere unless you tip your hand.
Post by: Wacenturion on January 25, 2009, 02:06:47 PM
Finding strutting areas are more difficult on the westside. I have patience to no end. I do the same with my calling. I just think I miss their core strut zones and have zero luck pulling Toms from hens with my more distant calling...
Here' something I do....If you have an area you've found sign in....since you're in Olympia go to the DNR map office first floor in the NRB. Get the legal....pull up the aerial map and purchase a copy for a few bucks. You will be surprised what the area looks like from above. Small open areas that may be used for strut zones are quite evident. You could crawl around all week and not find them. Of course depends on the area and the date of the aerial photo. Does help though with knowing where you hear birds and what they are in and how to change you setups. Just another tool to use on these easterns.
Oh...I know you probably would do as I do.....but don't tell the guy at the DNR map shop or anyone else what the map is for.....sneaky aren't we...lol. :chuckle: