Turkey Strategy -Type of calling to do?

[risto2351]

Just wondering from you experts out there what you would do. A lot of the time I notice when I call real subtle and can see the hens they will take the Tom the other way. Kind of like they are jealous. I have a hard time bringing the whole flock to me even when I am cutting, cackling, etc. to the dominant hen. What would you do to bring the bird(s) to you?

 

[poncho7672]

In my oppinion, and I am NO expert by any means. Location is more important than any calling you can do, some will disagree with me and thats fine, it's just my feeling on this, especially right now with the toms henned up like they are, hunt where the hens want to go.
Later on in the day as hens leave the toms, or as the seasons go on, calling can be very effective. In the past, if the toms are henned up, I wouldn't even go out and start a hunt until 9-10 in the morning. I don't call much, I just advertise, later on in the day you can get a tom to respond to a call, he's looking for love. I've killed quite a few birds in the late morning, early afternoon hours, sure, it's not traditional early morning hunting, but it's a lot of fun nonetheless!
I have read a lot of articles on agressive calling tactics, I've tried them and have never had much luck in doing so. What works for me is subtle calling and not much of it, this works for me early and late in the turkey seasons.
Good luck!

 

[turtlshell]

Pretty hard to call a gobbler away from real hens. Your only chance is to somehow get the real hens "talking." Once you get them to hit a few notes, you just mimic what they do...usually this pisses them off and the boss hen comes a looking for the intruder. You just have to pray the Mr.Longbeard follows her in.

Best be in a situation like this is to stay planted and wait him out. He'll make off with his ladies and breed them. Once he's done satisfying them, he'll come looking for you.

 

[Daver]

I don't think there is one right way or even a way that works most of the time. Everyone that has hunted spring turkeys for any length of time has experienced "henned up" toms and they can be quite frustrating. I'll give you a few scenarios that I have experienced and the rough approximation as to how often it works out successfully...

1. You can be quiet and let them filter away and if you have a good sense of where they are going you can sneak to another position and set up there. 20% success, higher in the right terrain though.
2. You can call softly and try to peel the tom away, although this has worked VERY rarely for me. 5% success, although it is slightly higher if there are multiple toms on the scene.
3. You could call aggressively to the hens and hope they come in for a look see and drag the gobbler with them. 25% success.
4. You can lay down and take nap and wait until about 10:00A and start calling again. 60% success, plus a good nap!

I am completely convinced that I have multiple times watched the same tom ignore me at 6:30A or so, only to get his blowed off sometime between 10:00A and noon. I have said for years... "one gobble at 10:00A is better than 50 gobbles on the roost."

I one time snuck up on a gobbler that I could see on and off in a pasture about 200 yards away. I watched him breed the hen he had been dogging all morning and then he gobbled once and headed my way. I am convinced once he finished his business with his lady friend, he set out for the lonely "hen" he had been listening to on and off that morning. Unfortunately for him... he didn't make it very far... BOOM!

Stay patient, you probably aren't doing anything wrong, it's just how it goes sometimes. You are better off to set up where they want to go, not necessarily where they are on the roost.

 

[THA4]

a couple pieces of advice i recieved in my early turkey hunting days

-do what the hens are doing.....if they are calling a lot, call a lot.
if they are quiet be quiet....or very little calling...

-knowing when NOT to call is the secret, not how much or when.....

-if a bird is real responsive.....give it to him, he wants to hear it....

thats some of it...
hope that helps