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RussellvilleRob

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I have killed a few turkeys, but I am still fairly new to the game.
Lets say you arrive at the gate about 30-min before daylight. You walk the whole piece of property with your hoot-tube and dont get any response.
The sun is now up and you switch to a mouthcall. You go to the area where the turkeys usually hang out and get nothing.
Do you hang around and deerhunt them? Do you pack up and go to the house?
I am working with less than 100 acres, so it doesnt take long to cover the whole property.

I had this to happen Saturday morning and really didnt know what to do.
 
If I knew where they roosted regularly I would get in there in the dark, no flashlight, and wait on them to gobble on their own. No reason this time of year they shouldn't gobble on their own and all that walking and hooting gives them an excellent chance to see you. Unlike TV shows, I rarely have them gobble at a locater calls and hardly ever use one.
 
I have always been pretty lucky and had them gobble their heads off at first light.
Saturday was just really dead for some reason. Maybe it was the weather?
I usually set up close and call a little , but Saturday had me bumfuzzeled. I didnt even know where close was...
 
Yeah I'd try it without the hoot tube,if they're there they should gobble on their own,if still no gobbles I'd wait a few days then go back and try again.
 
On opening weekend I had a turkey that gobbled from across the lake. He actually flew across the water to get to my calling. He answered everything I threw at him. I think I could have yelled "Hey Turkey" and he would have answered.

Now I have a severe case of "wantingtocalltoomuch".
 
Some mornings they will gobble ,. some they will not!! Saturday morning they gobbled good on my 85 acres, heard several,. yesterday i only heard 1 at daybreak and 2 more at 7:30. Some days they are just more vocal than others in my experience.

I don't move around much this time of year because things have not greened up and you can't be hidden as well. In the hillcountry ,.. a bird can spot you from one ridgeside from another ,.. so its better to play the waiting game in the hills. Unless your playground is flat of course!!
 
hoottube is fine, some places locater calls don't work to well especially places with a lot of noise natural (close to interstate or roosters/peacocks on adjacent farms. I agree with the rest, if you dont know where they normally roost try and find out. Blind hunting/walking normal results in bad things rather then good things.

if you dont have the time to find out where they are then go VERY slow and find a spot you can hear very well from and listen for them, then make your move. If you hear nothing then find a spot to sit and listen after flydown. If still nothing head to the house till lunch time.

If you get nothing on a hoot tube you can always try other locater calls like GOOSE call, Coyote call or my fav a Tube call.

have had success with all the above especially a Goose call or Tube call!! just be careful to not use them to much
 
RussellvilleRob said:
On opening weekend I had a turkey that gobbled from across the lake. He actually flew across the water to get to my calling. He answered everything I threw at him. I think I could have yelled "Hey Turkey" and he would have answered.

Now I have a severe case of "wantingtocalltoomuch".
Click to expand...

help a beginner out guys... how much is too much calling? like do you just do some calls for like 30seconds and then wait 15mins... or what?
 
BUCKYJR said:
RussellvilleRob said:
On opening weekend I had a turkey that gobbled from across the lake. He actually flew across the water to get to my calling. He answered everything I threw at him. I think I could have yelled "Hey Turkey" and he would have answered.

Now I have a severe case of "wantingtocalltoomuch".
Click to expand...

help a beginner out guys... how much is too much calling? like do you just do some calls for like 30seconds and then wait 15mins... or what?
Click to expand...

its really hard to say Bucky. one of the most common mistakes is calling to much but that comes with inexperience. The more you are out there and see what and how birds react to different things you kinda have to go by trial and error. There is no EXACT science, each bird is different as is each day.

Just remember you are trying to defy nature. Hens in nature come to Toms so getting one to come to you is a task in itself. You need to make it WANT to come in. IF he is gobbling every time you call thats great but alot of people will think they need to keep calling because he likes it. Get him to gobble a time or to and then go silent....make him think you are leaving and make him want to come to check it out. IF he draws the line then there is not much you can do, to me that is where experience and good calling can help.

IF i am just sitting and waiting (which i dont do much) i will call about every 10-15mins. If i have a bird working i will call as little as possible after i get his attention unless he seems to be losing interest.
 
another thing to look for is PISSING hens off. IF you can get a boss hen pissed you can actually get her to come in looking for a fight, in which she will bring the big boy with her.


I dont really like to sit and deer hunt them so someone who does may be able to speak more to that but just try different things and see what happens. IF you can YELP with a call you can kill a bird. IF you can YELP and CUT with a call you can kill a bird. Just have to find one that is interested or sit where you know they will be at some point in the day
 
Let the real turkeys dictate how much u call. If they're talkin alot then u call as much as the lead hen & maybe a little more.

Here is some advice that i told my sons a long time ago, "SILENCE IS YOUR FRIEND", You tend to want to call alot so Ol Tom will gobble & you will know where he is, fact of the matter is, he is just as curious where u are at. If u keep calling he has no reason to gobble because he knows where u are at. Once u get him to answer ur call, lay a heavy dose of silence on him, make him wonder where u are. Be patient, he may not even gobble, he may just get real close & cluck trying to find the hen. Stay still & be patient. A majority of turkey hunts consists of the ol gobbler just poking his head up over a ridge or around a tree. Unfortunately, a majority of turkey hunts are not like what they show on TV, with em gobblin & struttin & walkin right up to the gun barrel. A whole lot of stealth & patience tends to get birds killed down here in SE TN. God Bless Ya & Have a GREAT day. If I can help ya, I will. Best of Luck To Ya!!
 
REN said:
another thing to look for is PISSING hens off. IF you can get a boss hen pissed you can actually get her to come in looking for a fight, in which she will bring the big boy with her.


I dont really like to sit and deer hunt them so someone who does may be able to speak more to that but just try different things and see what happens. IF you can YELP with a call you can kill a bird. IF you can YELP and CUT with a call you can kill a bird. Just have to find one that is interested or sit where you know they will be at some point in the day
Click to expand...

i hear ya spit and REN... i like the run and gun technique myself...im used to sitting and waiting like w/ deer... ill try not to call much and just walk/stalk and listen...thanks
 
I was going to type some kind of advice but captain hook has pretty much said it all.
Others as well have given good advice.
Good luck !
 
I have found that the Hoot tube only works well for the first hour or so at daylight. I would suggest getting a crow call. I only use a locator or cut and run though when I have a place where I can setup, use them sparingly, but use them. Most importantly if you are at the house then you are missing what I believe is the best time to hunt and that is from 9:30-12:00.
 
On another note,a few farms I hunt,the turkeys usually dont show up until the breeding peaks.They are just starting to arrive.Running behind schedule this year.It might be the same situation.
 
ClubHead said:
On another note,a few farms I hunt,the turkeys usually dont show up until the breeding peaks.They are just starting to arrive.Running behind schedule this year.It might be the same situation.
Click to expand...


Same thing on my property, usually they are on the mtn. tops by opening day. However, this year they are still down low on the mtn. There was a year like this about 6-7 yrs ago where they didn't start gobbling good until the 1st of May. I have seen other years where they did all their gobbling & were high on the mtn by the 1st of April.
 

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