BearClaw Posted April 19, 2011 Report Share Posted April 19, 2011 Heard a gobbler at 6:30 this morning up on the ridge to my left. I called him down to a hollow to my left. He was probably 50-75 yards away and I was afraid to move or call again because he would have seen me. He wouldn't come any further and started to walk away. I called again and he responded but went up on a plateau in front of me. He would call back but wouldn't come down. He would talk back but eventually walked away still gobbling. What do you think he was doing or did he suspect something was up. I don't think he could see the decoys once he went down into the hollow to my left. Maybe he thinks he should have been able to see the hen from where he heard the call come from? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WHISKEYSWAMP Posted April 19, 2011 Report Share Posted April 19, 2011 sounds like a pretty typical turkey hunt to me... next time, maybe try setting up on him in the direction he went away from you. That might be his typical routine in the morning, or he could have seen moving hens from his roost over that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhine16 Posted April 19, 2011 Report Share Posted April 19, 2011 sounds like a pretty typical turkey hunt to me... next time, maybe try setting up on him in the direction he went away from you. That might be his typical routine in the morning, or he could have seen moving hens from his roost over that way. Yep, sounds about right. He either had hens, or just didnt want to come down in to the hollow. Remember, the hens are supposed to come to him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
need2hunt Posted April 19, 2011 Report Share Posted April 19, 2011 Next time I would set up on the plateau that he went up to. If he stayed there for a while and gobbled back to you he was trying to get you (the hen) to come to a spot he feels comfortable, might be one of his strut zones. Makes it easier to call them to a spot they already want to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted April 19, 2011 Report Share Posted April 19, 2011 Next time I would set up on the plateau that he went up to. If he stayed there for a while and gobbled back to you he was trying to get you (the hen) to come to a spot he feels comfortable, might be one of his strut zones. Makes it easier to call them to a spot they already want to be. Yep agreed...also by the book it's best to try to work a turkey when set up at the same elevation or above him. That way it makes it easier for him to come to you and it takes away some of his vision advantage if he's not looking down toward you. Whenever it's possible I get at or above the elevation of a gobbler and...I won't call to a gobbling bird until I'm set up in a position where I think I can work him. Turkeys will use a plateau like you described as a vantage point to gobble for the purpose of calling hens into them. He has a distinct advantage there to gobble and search for a hen moving through there. Chances are he's used that position for that purpose previously. OK then...why didn't he see your decoys? Usually it's a hens movement that will catch a gobblers eye first in the terrain you were hunting. I've killed quite a few gobblers that utilized a similar type spot by getting there before they did. If it meant getting there in the dark without a flashlight..so be it. Chances are he'll be back there doing the same thing. He may not do it every day but he wasn't there by accident. When the gobbler left he probably went to go check another spot where he's also been successful finding hens. BTW...for the next week to 10 days you'll have the advantage of using moonlight to get into position before dawn....Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BearClaw Posted April 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 Thanks for all the advice. I will set up on the other side of that plateau and I know how to get over there. I'll keep you posted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruttinbuc Posted April 20, 2011 Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 Great advice from some great turkey hunters! Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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