doetrain

How do you know when birds in your area are what people call call shy? I saw a Tom in a field last night and did a few yelps and clucks and he went away from me,it was around 6:50 in the evening.Was he just heading for the roost or could I consider this a proof of being call shy?

doetrain

He was not strutting just seemingly hanging around killin time,we had another good hour of light left.

HomerJ

"Call shy" birds is probably the biggest myth in turkey, hunting and behavoir. Their entire life is based on vocalization with one another. To gather, mate, announce danger, it's all they know. Why that Tom didn't play by the rules, I have know idea. Could of been a hen out of sight from you. Heading to roost as mentioned. Or maybe he boinked all day and was just tired,who knows? If they really become call shy, they cease to exist.

jmedenf

Call shy doesn't necessarily mean they don't vocalize. It simply refers to that they have been called to by humans way too much and that they are starting to be distinguish between an imperfect call and a real hen. But call shyness shouldn't be a showstopper either. Sometimes we simply have to when to call and when to shut up. Remember, not calling is just as important as calling.

There are too many factors to know why that tom walked away. Did you have decoys out? If he heard a hen but didn't see one, he might know something is up. Did he see you or something else he didn't like? What calling techniques did you implement? Turkeys tend to have a different language at different distances.

Most of the time, turkeys will not do what you want them to do unless you use mind control, and that won't happen. Sometimes we simply have the perfect setup and a turkey will walk away. Other times we can end up doing everything in the book wrong and end up filling a tag. Some say turkeys are extremely smart, others say they are the dumbest animals on the planet.

Hoyt HavocTec

Have you ever heard a flock of geese? They're constantly honking. Try hunting them in late January and tell me that "call shy birds are a myth".

I'm no expert on Turkey hunting, but I can tell you that there's a huge difference in the birds' responses I saw 2 weeks ago and what I'm seeing now. They're getting weary, and they're not willing to commit as readily as they were at the start of the season.

HomerJ

Of course they act different as the season progress's. They act different in a matter of hours. Maybe they commit less now than earlier is that, lately they've had hens running to them. The OP called to a Tom, and it didn't play out, I just don't buy call shy. Also there's no one gonna make me believe a turkey can tell the difference between a real hen and human produced call. Some real hens make the worst calls I've ever heard. While some sound like a calling contest.

Bible_Man

Sometimes Toms turn down the real deal, too. Especially early in the season when more hens are available to be bred. The later it gets in the season, the fewer hens there are available, the less hens you will see/hear, the less gobbling you will hear. Not as much calling going on in general in the woods now with the majority of the hens on nest.

Now, I do believe that while you may hear more vocalization earlier in the year, now is the easiest time to bag a Tom. Since the hens are in less supply, the demand placed on receptive hens from the Toms goes way up. They seem to cover more ground at this time simply looking and listening, rather than piping up and telling everyone where they are. But, when they hear you, they are more likely to be on a string to you than anytime in the season.

I don't believe birds become "call-shy" necessarily. I do think that they have certain sounds that sound better to them than others. Duh, right? I mean, sometimes you come across a gal that just has a "sexy" voice and even if she isn't the prettiest gal in town, you still enjoy talking to her. On the other hand, you may find yourself with a real beauty queen, but if her voice drives you crazy, you won't be spending much time with her. Toms are no different...if it sounds good to them, they will want to talk. Now, finding that sound that is sexy to the Tom is the hard part.

All of this is my opinion, of course. And probably mostly wrong...

Sheridan

They are "call shy" from guys calling as if a bird is yelling !


Loud calling is for locating birds.

Soft calling is for bring them in to you................

Call as if you were talking in a normal speaking voice.


Remember, they are on every predator's dinning menu, so turkeys don't just yell out so that all the predatos know where to find them.

Bible_Man

LOL...so true.

Mr. Longbeard

Say what you want about birds not being call shy... I spent 9 days and was on birds almost every day... Every one of them would hit the ground and walk away... after 3 days of trying the same bird i decided to set up in the direction he went every morning... One call and he went the other way...

How about I call them man made turkey call shy???

When you walk out to the pole gate that you pulled up to at 4am and there was nobody there and there is 6 trucks parked there when you come out... Id say you were hunting call shy birds!!!