2 Live Hen Questions (Poll)

[Rhino]

I’m sure at least most of us have heard the term “tree yelp” and “fly down cackle” used by many turkey hunters. I’ve sure heard hens tree yelp on the roost and also just make light clucks before fly down time too. I’ve also heard hens produce a fly down cackle and also just cut when they fly down. Of course they will also fly down without uttering a sound too. The responses to these questions will be interesting because the answers may just be dependent on species of turkeys and/or area differences. Here’s my 2 questions.

1. What is the most common sound you hear from a hen while on the roost prior to fly down time?

2. What is the most common sound you hear from a hen (the vocal ones) when they fly down from or up to the roost?

Maybe it's that my hearing sucks but here at home I hear far more hens do nothing more than softly cluck on the roost prior to fly down rather than tree yelp.

It's rare to hear the classic cackle of a hen flying down or up to the roost here too. The vast majority of them just cut.

[Guest Andrea]

Re: 2 Live Hen Questions (Poll)

I don't turkey hunt, but I have a treestand located near a group of hens' roosting area. My stand is only about 20-30 yards away from their tree. They never make a sound til the "Lead" hen jumps down. Then she stands there clucking ( purring ?) softly till they all jump down. And they are all clucking back at her while waiting to jump down from the tree.

And likewise if the get scattered out too. The Lead hen will stand still and cluck until they all have caught up with her.

[borch]

Re: 2 Live Hen Questions (Poll)

The most common sound sI hear are yelps and clucks while the hens are in the trees. I hear more yelping when they are roosted near gobblers and more clucking when they are roosted away from gobblers. When hens fly down or up I don't usually hear a lot of calling. Sometimes the cackle. But usually it's just wingbeats. Once they arrive where they are going I hear clucks, purrs and yelps most often.

[buckbuster11]

Re: 2 Live Hen Questions (Poll)

I'd say I will hear hens making ruckus on the roost its about a 50/50 split between light clucks and yelping. Most of the time when I hear a hen flying up or down its usually just some cutting. It doesnt seem like I hear the classic cackle a whole lot. Thats when I actually hear the hens which seems to be pretty rare. The majority of the time I dont hear a peep out of those hens.

[Leo]

Re: 2 Live Hen Questions (Poll)

[ QUOTE ]

Maybe it's that my hearing sucks but here at home I hear far more hens do nothing more than softly cluck on the roost prior to fly down rather than tree yelp.

It's rare to hear the classic cackle of a hen flying down or up to the roost here too. The vast majority of them just cut.

[/ QUOTE ]

Do what the birds do where you hunt

They don't get the Outdoor Channel

[EKYhunter]

Re: 2 Live Hen Questions (Poll)

Most of the ones I hear only do some soft clucking or purring prior to flying down. It's very rare to actually hear a fly down cackle. Conversely, I've heard many cackle as they fly up to roost. This can be a good way to locate a gobbler in the evening by doing a cackle and using a turkey wing to imitate the hen flying up.

[HeviShot]

Re: 2 Live Hen Questions (Poll)

1)tree yelps,almost every time.2)I hear the fly down cackle about half the time.If I hear a gobbler in a tree close to the hens I try to make the hens mad,so they usually cackle when they fly down.They come looking for a fight and the tom will soon follow.I hunt easterns.

[Rhino]

Re: 2 Live Hen Questions (Poll)

[ QUOTE ]

Do what the birds do where you hunt

They don't get the Outdoor Channel

[/ QUOTE ]

That's exactly what I try to do Leo.

[Strut10]

Re: 2 Live Hen Questions (Poll)

1. Depends on her mood, I guess. I've heard the hens do it all from nearly inaudible clucks and muffled yelps to what sounded like an assembly yelp from the limb.

2. Not very often do the hens around here give a classic flydown cackle. Usually (if anything at all) it's a fast 2 or 3 note cutt.

[Guest Kentucky_Hunter]

Re: 2 Live Hen Questions (Poll)

1.) tree yelp

2.)All i hear is a couple clucks and their down...usually

[Covehnter]

Re: 2 Live Hen Questions (Poll)

Birds here yelp in all volumes on the stick, guess it depends on their attitude.

If they make any sound out all when flying down i've found it to be the classic flydown cackle.

[BowtechTurkeyHunter]

Re: 2 Live Hen Questions (Poll)

Tree yelps and then the flap ... I have had great success with the flap of a wing for a call many times thats all it takes to get the toms heading my way ... I find acting like the birds around me give me the advantage ... I dont try and actl ike something that their not used to.