I don't even know what questions to ask /answer in order to figure it out. Here is the repeating story. I get to the roosting spot about a half hour before sunrise. They are roosting to the west of me, I set up under a cedar tree/behind a hill. I can't get any closer without being seen and scaring them off roost. I made that mistake already. I call, they gobble. A hen calls, I wait a little bit, mimic her call, they gobble. They gobble, I yelp, they gobble. I've tried calling a lot, calling, a little, only calling after hearing a gobble. The end result is always the same. Shortly after sunrise, they come off roost to the west. Toward the real hen. They continue to answer my call right up until they are out of ear shot. I hear them getting further away each time. Am I making some huge glaring error that I can't see? Is it possible that there are enough hens in this flock that there is no reason for a tom to look for one that he can hear but not see? Anybody have any advice?
they wont travel far off their chosen path for a call.... if the rut is not full swing there, they are heading for their feed area, picking up any ready hens along the way... sounds like your in the wrong direction for them.... try moving yourself more in line with that other talking hen or the food source they are heading too... then when you call it's not outa the way, and they should come in to you....
Put your calls down and set up to where they go after fly down. Try and wait them out if you can. If you don't hear much wait til later in the morning and try to find a gobbler looking for hens. If they are roosting together and flying away after you call then you need to stop that. The gobbler is trying to get you to come to him, but he's not gonna leave his ladies to come get a phantom hen.
Good advice guys. Thanks. You are probably spot on. It makes sense that it would be easier to get one to come to a call if it's where they want to go in the first place. I'll have to get permission to hunt their landing area first though. They roost on one property and fly down to another. They don't fly away after I call they just mosey on their way, calling back to me until they can't hear me anymore.
do not call until he hits the ground!!! no matter what time he comes down. you are educating him while he is on the roost. I have killed a lot of big gobblers without even calling. I get up under the roost with the wind to my back because they have to land into the wind or they will crash and more times then not they will land right in front of me. or if he lands out of sight as soon as his feet hit the ground give a few light yelps followed by a few cuts then shut up and wait for a few. if he is interested he'll come in. if he isn't coming in then he's got other plans besides you. then back out and circle on him and set up an ambush on him.
yup, like the others. as for time for getting out there. you should'nt push them out of the tree if you go in when it's O-dark-thirty. as in an hour before sunlight. the way a I've heard it and it holds true, if you can hear the first bird start to sing it's too late for you getting out there. I've only scared them once out of the tree coming 1/2 hr before sunrise. Never again have I bothered them in the dark. they can't see what you in the dark. Like the others have said I'd set up where you see them go. intercept them but make it early enough to be settled in by the first glimpse of dawn coming.
Alot of times what they do is they go off with their hens and they breed them and than at about 9-10 they start gobbling again trying to find more hens. This is when they're most vulnerable. Or if the toms are aggressive try using a jake and hen breeding set up.
I'm going to side with Bowhunter_Vargas. After they breed those hens and the hens go to nest, they'll start looking again. I've shot a lot of birds between 10-1. This might be the time of day the dominant toms are most vulnerable. What kind of decoy set up are you using? Do they roost on property you have permission to hunt? If yes, maybe break them apart at night. They'll go looking for each other in the morning.
You got the mimicking the hen part right, but it seems like you're in the wrong direction switch the set up to be into the wind for when they fly down. Also, if the gobbler cuts off your call sequence he is interested and more than likely coming in. If you are calling and after a few seconds almost minute the gobbler is telling you to join the party. I also like to set uphill of turkeys. They seem more likely to come in uphill because they can turn around and fly away if the get spooked, plus they use their long necks to scout danger. Try some of these tactics, they may help you.
I was having the same trouble this year. they just wouldnt come into my calls. Now that its warmed up they are finally starting to come in...Idk whats going on. Good luck!
