Post by: Rob Allen on April 25, 2025, 10:09:36 AM
Yesterday I took my pot call out and went for a hike. I walked down a logging road and "called" every hundred yards or so. On my 3rd or 4th stop I got a gobble. I estimate a couple hundred yards away. We talked back and forth for 5 or 10 minutes. Then after 5 minutes of silence he gobbled again but seemed further away. So I moved towards him and never heard another gobble. It didn't occur to me till later that it could have been two different birds.
So my questions
1. Do turkeys pretty much just respond to calls at first light?
2. I hiked 4 hours and heard at most two birds, I probably covered two miles out and back on different paths. To me that seems like not too many birds for such a large area. Though I was expecting none. Maybe find a better location? Or stick with birds i know are there?
3. Random thoughts?
Klickitat county by the way.
Post by: hunter399 on April 25, 2025, 10:26:33 AM
But if I had to guess.
I'd guess that Tom was with a group of hens.
And boned out with them.
Just a guess.
Post by: Henrydog on April 25, 2025, 10:32:14 AM
Post by: cjjcb on April 25, 2025, 11:55:10 AM
2. I've never hunted Klickitat so I'm not sure about bird density. I'd hunt the birds you find even if it's a 4 mile RT unless your comfortable you can find birds elsewhere.
3. The issue with henned Toms, as been discussed in other threads, is they typically don't leave live hens, so the trick would be to cater to the hens and have them lead the toms by you. A few years back I caught up with a tom, jake and 3 hens about 9:30 in the morning. There was a ton of gobbling but they were not leaving the hens. I was able to somehow get the hens interested in my excited yelps and they came to investigate, bringing the tom and jake within range. Got a double that morning both within 25 yards.
Or you could try to circle around in front of their direction of travel and ambush 'em.
Just keep hammering and the pieces will slowly fall into place.
Good Luck.
Post by: tracksoup on April 25, 2025, 11:56:23 AM
To get them to gobble is easy at certain times. Around my place they will gobble at at a car horn,door slam, even a loud sneeze.
Calling them in is another story.
Post by: Rob Allen on April 25, 2025, 12:39:11 PM
How confident do you feel with your calling?
To get them to gobble is easy at certain times. Around my place they will gobble at at a car horn,door slam, even a loud sneeze.
Calling them in is another story.
Not confident at all.. yesterday was my very first time. I bought a primos turkey starter kit it was a pot, a box and a mouth call.
I'll try to go out a couple more times before I actually go hunt
Post by: Billy74 on April 25, 2025, 02:21:24 PM
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Post by: Rob Allen on April 25, 2025, 02:39:42 PM
One thing i might say is if you hear a gobble too far out don’t call as you are walking toward it. You don’t want the tom thinking you are coming to him because he will just wait for you.
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That totally makes sense to me. My main goal for the day way to see if there were turkey in the area at all.
Just wish I would have bought a shotgun back in February. :)