Turkeygirl Posted May 11, 2009 Report Share Posted May 11, 2009 I swear this hen that's with this gobbler is hearing my calls and taking him the other way....I don't know what else to do except keep on this bird and hope my chance comes... I set up in the field this morning, hear him sound off down in the woods. I actually heard another bird as well a ways away but I think he was across the road we live on, on some other property. Anyway "my bird" only gobbles about 3 or 4 times...it was a wicked cold morning. 6am comes and I hear some soft yelps from a hen, he gobbles back her from the ground....I give a few clucks and yelps, that was it. Never heard or saw them...stayed at that field until about 9:30.... I'm on a fine line between being cautious with this bird and getting more aggressive. I'm thinking if I can roost him again tonight, I'm going to try and get as close to the roost area as possible.... I've also heard of scattering them the night before...but with this big old bird...I'm leary against that...I'm on him...don't want to shut him up the rest of the season...I also thought maybe it's time to scout out a new bird....but then I thought I'm on this bird, might as well stay on him... What do you guys think or suggest? Is there any estimate of how long till the hens go nest full time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neb. The Good Life Posted May 11, 2009 Report Share Posted May 11, 2009 I would continue to do what you are doing.. You wil catch a break sooner than later. Dont give up on him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WHISKEYSWAMP Posted May 11, 2009 Report Share Posted May 11, 2009 if you can find out where they fly off the roost... set up there without a decoy and get in an hour before daylight. I'd wait for them to fly down before any calling. It took me two weeks before finally figuring out the bird I was after behind my house... but since I already shot a bird I called him in for a buddy on Saturday... could have shot him 3 days in a row last week... point is, I finally figured out his and his hen's pattern and I'm guessing yours is on some sort of pattern everyday... you just need to get ahead of him. sounds easy enough..lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesse8953 Posted May 11, 2009 Report Share Posted May 11, 2009 Keep at that old tom,your time will come:D! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VermontHunter Posted May 11, 2009 Report Share Posted May 11, 2009 Don't know Ruth, I'm just as perplexed with these birds as you are this season .. :confused: Good luck with him tho, he's going to be a super trophy if you happen to tag him .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybear Posted May 11, 2009 Report Share Posted May 11, 2009 If this were a bird I wanted to kill that's given me these kind of fits so far, here's what I'd do to change up a routine your gobbler may have already learned from you. It sucks when they just seem to be untouchable and all you have left to throw at them is the kitchen sink. Far as I can tell your best to let this bird go for now and find yourself another that's willing to cooperate. Put some time in and work a few different birds for now. Chances are you have some sattlelight gobblers in the area that are just waiting for your seductive hen talk to move to in a tad closer to their home turf without getting their tail feathers ruffled by intruding into ole Ridgerunners strutting and breading zones. Take some time to locate as many gobblers as you can by cuttin' and runnin the perimeter of boss' range or further if you can. Your frustration may just turn into a new target turkey or the unexpected hunt of a lifetime once you find one that listens to what you're saying. Getting hung up on a particular tom can get discouraging, affecting your confidance in calling, set up location, and make one wonder too deeply into the mind of a bird with a brain the size of a pea the why and when he does what he does. Catch him by surprise one mid morning after he's hit the ground for a while you've been working over his competition for a while, or as I like to call it,.."taking an inventory of his neighbors". You just might find him more willing to kick their doors in rather than defend his own home. Falling into a routine on any wild critter is recipe for dissaster to those on the menu and they know that it's a matter of life and death. This joker sounds and looks like he's played this game before,.. it just may be time to pull a card from your sleeve and go all in when he thinks he's being bluffed! Walk away when you get beat, then come back to the table with everything you got. Go broke....., or go home for the day. The choice is yours to make, but when a high roller sees a sucker walk back to the table after defeat... they often underestimate them and make careless decissions when they come back and burn 'em where it hurts the most! Good luck on him! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbHunterNY Posted May 12, 2009 Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 the birds where I hunt have gotten a bit more quiet. you're on a bird though so i'd hang in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rem308 Posted May 12, 2009 Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 I have to agree Ruth, hang in there and he'll slip up sooner or later. The gobblers here have been quiet around me, and I've noticed the hens are taking the toms AWAY from other hens (or hunters calling!)...so you may try to tone down the calling. The last 2 times out I have done this and have more action around, though it's been in the form of hens coming by and investigating. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin R10 man Posted May 12, 2009 Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 Id stay on that same field every day..that gobbler will be there again, and probably tomarrow..Ive found out that you have to set up where you know he has been seen before, it may take a couple days.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybear Posted May 12, 2009 Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 What you all are saying is the reason why so many public land hunters try to get in their heads and fall in that rut. An educated bird doesn't make the mistakes as often as we'd like as he matures and sees it all. While you're all out there waisting your time, beating yourselves up over a tom that is pre -occupied with hens of his own, Has heard it all from that loction,I'm gonna get out there and shoot "your gobblers" next door. Now for most that have been posting to this thread, it's been a wet season so far. Theirs a good chance that most hens that were bread early on have had their nests washed away or scavenged by predators.... what comes next you ask,??? Re-breeding and nesting again. By the end of the month most hens here will be done screwing around, and either raising a family of poults, or still warming a fresh nest. By June, it's not all that odd to see strutters still looking for love all by themselves with nare a hen in site. When you hit these birds late season like that, it's often the one thing that pushes them over the edge to commit to that one lonesome gal that remains, but if they have learned your routine... you're humbled. Just like to talk strategies here on toms like this, doesn't make any one of us right or wrong per situation, just a way of a different approach to a tough tom. Hopefully we can discuss some strategy a little more in depth from a seamingly simple question. Ain't trying to highjack here, there's just alot to be learned from such a thread from those who have been chasing them before many of us were even born. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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