BobCo19-65

Well my friend and I went out yesterday morning for a hunt in an area that I have hunted in the past and have seen birds. It is on public land, however, it is so vast that it really doesn't have a lot of hunters on it.

Well, we got on a bird around 8 AM. We set up on him probably around 100-150 yards out. It's tough to tell because we were on the top of a ridge, there was wind, and it was lightly raining. But we both knew that we were close enough.

Anyway, I'd give a yelp, and the bird would respond, but not until 5-10 minutes. I'd give him another call about 5-15 seconds after his gobble. With an occasional cut/yelp.

I couldn't hear any hens with him, but that is not to say there wasn't. We saw some hens around 300 yards away about an hour earlier, so we know they were around. We were hunting in deep woods, without any fields around for maybe 3/4 mile.

Anyway this went on for about an hour, and then he stopped. Tell minutes later he appear. He was walking right toward me about 80 yards away, and from a slightly different direction from where he was gobbling. He stopped about 70 yards away and was looking straight at my two decoys. I already had the gun up and ready. He stood there motionless for what seem like 15 minutes (could have been more like 10). I was using a Primos frictionite call and had to use both hands with the call, so I was unable to call at this time. My friend also did not call (he was about 20 yards from me). I had to gentle put my gun down and made some very soft purrs and clucks. When I did this the Tom started walking. There was a fallen tree that he was behind, and I thought he would cricle and come toward my decoys. But, he just contuned straight down very slowly to where he originally started calling from.

I am very new to this, and have never bagged a turkey. I was very pleased and gained some confidence in calling in this bird though, and I had a great time.

Question, what would you have done differently?

Carpmaster

Maybe as his interest started to go away, i would have tried putting some excitement in my calling, that has worked for me in the past. I have had similar experiences after the tom sees my dekes and looks at them if they are in full view, because okf this I try to put my dekes in a thicker or partially concealed place, since then I have been experiencing more luck, sometimes i wonder if they see the dekes and the lack of motion turns them off.....just a thought.

Strut&Rut

Early in the season, I've found here in the Northeast we are usually between gobbling peaks, and the gobblers are still with a majority of their hens.

With that said, I always try to do 3 things...

1) Work the bird very early off the roost. This includes finding the roost the night before, sometimes scattering the harem, and getting as close as comfortable to the tom if I don't scatter.

2) If early on doesn't work, and I can't circle around (I hunt private lands surrounded by no-hunting private lands) then I come back around 9:30-10 for a mid-morning hunt. Some of the hens will go off to tend nest/lay an egg and the toms will want company, especially a hot hen...

3) Leave the dekes at home or in the trunk until the end of the season. The toms right now have (a) multiple hens, and (b) expect the hens to come to them.

Besides leaving the dekes at home, Bobco, I probably would not have done much anything different. I am quite aggessive though, so I probably would have moved closer much sooner. Sounds like you had a good day, you've got the rest of the month to get one...good luck...

S&R

hawglips

I would guess that if you would have not used decoys, and would have totally quit calling when he got close, you just might have killed that bird.

I want to choose a setup where the bird cannot see me till he gets in range. This encourages him to keep coming, looking for that hen he heard over there. If you call when he is close, he pinpoints your location. And dekes spook too many birds for my tastes.

Hal

BobCo19-65

Thanks for the answers guys. I would have thought that I'd get a few more replies though.

Two things that I'd add is that I know that the bird saw the decoys, they were about 50 yards from him when he stopped for about 15 minutes. But I'm also sure that he did not see me. Even when he saw the decoys, he didn't seem at all alerted to anything.

What I was originally thinking right after the hunt was that maybe when he saw the decoys and he was expecting something, maybe another call or something. I couldn't do that because I need both hands to work my call, and I already had my gun up. I thought that maybe if I got one of those push type caller that you use one hand for it might have helped.

But what you guys seem to be saying is that when he stopped, he expected the hens (decoys) to actually come to him, mainly because of the time of year. And when they did not move after his long stance, he may have become alerted to trouble. Is that correct? I know that everything that we discuss is not 100%, but I do appreciate your help in trying to understand what may have happened.

hawglips

Having not been there, its very hard to say. Even had I been there, its still somewhat of a guess.

With that in mind, I'd guess that bird was a subordinate bird, and was scared to come over upon seeing your decoys. A subordinate bird will often gobble when far away, then slip up without strutting or gobbling to make sure there isn't a bad boy with that hen he's been hearing.

Your description roughly matches up with that.

Hal

slicendice

I would agree with the other guys that he saw your dekes and expected them to come to him. That being said, if you saw him at 80 yards, a wary bird would expect to see hens at that distance in open woods, so if you didn't have dekes out, he probably would have spooked if he didn't see hens. Your best bet is to make your setup in a place where he can't see a long ways off. Like just over a knob or in a semi-thick area. Make him come looking. Being in an area he can see 80 plus yards is trouble either way. Think about it.
If you were in the woods and someone was calling for you to come, you may come closer, but if you get to an area where you can see a long ways off, and you can't see who is calling for you to come closer, you're gonna smell a rat and not be as anxious to move closer.

Another secret is to scratch in the leaves as much (if not more) than you call. You'd be surprised how effective this can be. Especially on pressured birds.


Good luck!!

Slice

BobCo19-65

Yup, that's exactly how he came in.

Wow, that never even crossed my mind. Thanks for the tip.

hawglips

My point about the decoys is not that he expected the hen(s) to come to him. I don't think he expected that at all. I'm guessing that since he slipped up quietly, didn't strut, didn't gobble - he wasn't wanting them to come over to him, but rather was slipping in and looking the situation over before he was going to make a move. He wasn't attracting a lot of attention to himself because he didn't want a butt-kicking. I'd guess that once he saw the decoys, he decided he was not coming any closer.

Hal

Doemasters

1st of all, don't sweat watching that bird walk away. As long as you learned something, it will truely prove to be a great "experience." There are a couple things I would have probably done differently. Realize, that bird walked until he could see your 'hens'. He knew those hens could see him. In nature, that's more than a tom needs to do. He probably thought they should come to him the rest of the way. You had a few options in your set up that more than likely would have allowed you to bust him. You guys heard him gobbling before you set up if I read your post correctly. I would have put myself between the Tom & my decoys & made him walk by me to see his hens. Another option (& I don't know if you did this) if you set up with the decoys between you & your bird, is to always face them toward you. A tom will generally face his hens to make sure they see him. Along with these 2 set up options, I NEVER call if I can see the bird. Don't give away your position & always keep him wondering & searching. I hope this helps you & I hope you get your bird... keep us informed.