Henned-up gobblers - what's your best trick?

[oldest school]

in reply to hog and deer hunter's post.
there are many factors in the ease of killing one late season. on the one hand there are fewer of them, they gobble less on the roost, it's hotter .....
on the other hand, when you find one late in the year it is as Putt describes sometimes. ridiculously easy.

i always am hunting late, between Va and Nc there are five that i need to kill.

that being said i had rather hunt early cause finding one late is sometimes really hard. but when you do....

fortunate hunters nowadays dont worry about late season birds as they are done by the first weekend. The rest of us bravely carry on in the hopes of that suicidal one. we need the "Myth" to sustain us. LOL

 

[Hevi 13. Anson]

VERY NICE hooks..

My other favorite trick on these birds, go back in 2 weeks when the hens should be moving to nesting areas and he is easier to call!!

I agree 100%.

 

[woodmoose]

VERY NICE hooks..

My other favorite trick on these birds, go back in 2 weeks when the hens should be moving to nesting areas and he is easier to call!!

Exactly - I love the last two weeks of the season

 

[hawglips]

Exactly - I love the last two weeks of the season

April 20 something is right around the corner...

 

[woodmoose]

Don't have those kinds of vices

 

[ScottyB]

If you cant shoot one at 60 you better stick to calling them in for other people. Or learn how shoot a shotgun..... or something besides a 410 maybe. Lolol.

I can shoot them all day long at 60......just not likely to kill them.....shooting your 3.5 inch shells at paper at 60.....you probably can put a considerable number of pellets in the target......it’s a another deal when you are in the woods brother, or even in a field when it’s not a paper target......just not smart turkey business in my opinion......carry on though....everybody has their own way

 

[sky hawk]

I am still having hen problems, and I do think they are easier to call in some respects later in the season.

It can sometimes be harder to get them interested late in the season, but there's much less probability of being henned up. If they are interested, they can come in hot.

 

[Eric Revo]

I'm a big advocate on light tree yelps only just when the gobbler gets on the ground after answering you in the tree. If he answers and heads your way it's on...if he heads away it's usually toward another hen. Leaving him and coming back in an hour or more will lots of times find that bird looking for love and gobbling again. Calling to him when he's headed toward another hen will often result in him hanging up or being call shy waiting on you to go to him.
Just based on my very limited experience with these aggravating, wonderful birds.

 

[oldest school]

another way we are killing em out. death by long range "the shell is capable" . yeah but how many 60 yrders end up crippled and coyote food? yet we tag on out shooting till we put our hands on two.

i am not sure an adult can miss a whole turkey at 60yds. with 9,000 tss pellets swarming.

do we have to make 60 the new 40? used to be scorned if you admitted to shooting one over 40.

now you are a hero.

love me some TSS but not because i want to shootem further. and if you arent using that stuff should you even consider a 60 yd shot?

the turkeys deserve a little bit of a chance and having to get them close used to be their edge. if we can kill them at long range the limit will have to be cut quickly. it's gonna just be too easy.

 

[oldest school]

I am still having hen problems, and I do think they are easier to call in some respects later in the season.

It can sometimes be harder to get them interested late in the season, but there's much less probability of being henned up. If they are interested, they can come in hot.

just know you are not alone. it's just bizzare the lack of ground gobbling this year for me in SC and NC and VA.

 

[dhsten]

just know you are not alone. it's just bizzare the lack of ground gobbling this year for me in SC and NC and VA.

It's been tough!

 

[sky hawk]

just know you are not alone. it's just bizzare the lack of ground gobbling this year for me in SC and NC and VA.

Yeah, not getting many gobbles on the ground here. All quiet after about 7:30. It’s not for lack of birds either.

I’m just not the type to hunt quiet birds by sitting in one spot all day long. I’ve got too much going on for that.

 

[mattharris0414]

I can shoot them all day long at 60......just not likely to kill them.....shooting your 3.5 inch shells at paper at 60.....you probably can put a considerable number of pellets in the target......it’s a another deal when you are in the woods brother, or even in a field when it’s not a paper target......just not smart turkey business in my opinion......carry on though....everybody has their own way

Wasnt trying to start a pissing match with my first post. I will just consider myself lucky that i have killed all 3 of the birds that i have shot at 60yds... Didnt know it was soo frowned upon by the pro's

 

[Familyman]

it's just bizzare the lack of ground gobbling this year for me in SC and NC and VA.

Same here....except for me it's a lack of gobbling altogether. Though I've only been able to hunt the 4 weekend days due to work issues and family responsibilities going on for me this year, I hunted hard those days and so far I've only heard one gobbler. And he only sounded off 10 or 12 times total. He acted henned-up as he left the property. But, I've called up a few hens, so there are still turkeys there. Like you said....."bizarre".

 

[oldest school]

and then my rockingham county contact says they visited ten spots yesterday and heard gobblers at all ten.

personally i hope he IS lying. LOL that just aint fair. I spent the morning and evening not hearing ten gobbles. much less at least ten different gobblers.

 

[oldest school]

Wasnt trying to start a pissing match with my first post. I will just consider myself lucky that i have killed all 3 of the birds that i have shot at 60yds... Didnt know it was soo frowned upon by the pro's

you are lucky if you are 3 for 3. keep shooting at them that far and keep up with your score.
and not knowing any pro turkey hunters i am not sure what they think, but any turkey hunter i know frowns on 60 yd shots.
that includes the ones that pioneered tss shot loading and it's effectiveness.

 

[brownisdown]

you are lucky if you are 3 for 3. keep shooting at them that far and keep up with your score.
and not knowing any pro turkey hunters i am not sure what they think, but any turkey hunter i know frowns on 60 yd shots.
that includes the ones that pioneered tss shot loading and it's effectiveness.

I'm not advocating for or against long shots but if he is using a 2 oz load of TSS out of a 12 guage and can shoot halfway decent luck doesn't have anything to do with killing those turkeys. The equipment (TSS and red dot sights) is just that capable these days. We can argue technique, preference and sportsmanship to the cows come home but the fact is that with only minimal effort in loading and choke testing almost all 12 gauges shooting TSS 8 or 9 shot will hold a killing pattern to 60 yards and beyond easily.

That said if you have not shot your personal setup at least 10 yards past your furthest self imposed limited distance and personally checked your equipment then it's my opinion you shouldn't be shooting that far regardless of distance or equipment used. A gobbler died at the hands of TSS and a 20 gauge that I set up this past weekend that I have confidence in will kill one out to 55 yards but it killed him just as good at 7 yards! I personally want them in my lap where you can feel the vibrations of the spitting and drumming but to say that a longer shot is luck just isn't true anymore.

For the record, I load and shoot TSS because I'm a firm believer in having the best equipment that I can afford when going into the woods to give me the best chance at success when presented with an opportunity on an animal. Nothing to do with being able to kill one at 60 yards if he taunts you strutting in that field but it's a useful tool to have if all other options have let you down as long as you've proven your equipment is capable.

 

[Putt]

Usually that bird that's stands and gobbles and don't move, is a mature bird! He knows in the wild the hen will come to him! When we hunt we are doing everything opposite. HE will not come unless you call the hen to you by pissing her off, or cutting on her. Make her mad and she will bring him in tow. Or usually later in the season when hens are nesting, now some hens maybe already in your area nesting but they are still frequenting the tom. Later the season the more they will usually be sitting their nest or with their chicks. That tom will get lonely and respond very easy to your calls. HE may even want to fight to reestablish dominance in the local flock. Fighting purrs and wings beating may work.

 

[ScottyB]

I was reading through the post about ground gobbling this season and just thought I would put it out there that on the hunts I have had this year the ground gobbling has been exceptional........guess it’s just what mood a particular bird is in.....the one last Saturday gobbled right up til the 18 yards away and met his demise.......who knows what drives the gobble........for now I am going with the sweet sounds I was making!!!

 

[oldest school]

yep it just depends on where you are. one man says they are burning down the woods the next is me bitching about now hearing a peep. LOL

 

[Billy]

I'm not advocating for or against long shots but if he is using a 2 oz load of TSS out of a 12 guage and can shoot halfway decent luck doesn't have anything to do with killing those turkeys. The equipment (TSS and red dot sights) is just that capable these days. We can argue technique, preference and sportsmanship to the cows come home but the fact is that with only minimal effort in loading and choke testing almost all 12 gauges shooting TSS 8 or 9 shot will hold a killing pattern to 60 yards and beyond easily.

That said if you have not shot your personal setup at least 10 yards past your furthest self imposed limited distance and personally checked your equipment then it's my opinion you shouldn't be shooting that far regardless of distance or equipment used. A gobbler died at the hands of TSS and a 20 gauge that I set up this past weekend that I have confidence in will kill one out to 55 yards but it killed him just as good at 7 yards! I personally want them in my lap where you can feel the vibrations of the spitting and drumming but to say that a longer shot is luck just isn't true anymore.

For the record, I load and shoot TSS because I'm a firm believer in having the best equipment that I can afford when going into the woods to give me the best chance at success when presented with an opportunity on an animal. Nothing to do with being able to kill one at 60 yards if he taunts you strutting in that field but it's a useful tool to have if all other options have let you down as long as you've proven your equipment is capable.

Excellent post!

 

[hawglips]

I once watched a guy set up on a bird I roosted the night before. This was about 16 years ago down in Florida. I was going to film it while he was trigger man. He set up about 20 yds in front of me. When gobbling time came, the bird started gobbling, and he gave him a couple tree yelp kinda calls. And then the hens (that we didn't know were there) started calling. Once the hens started calling, he got serious with his calling. He would answer the gobbler each time he gobbled (which was a lot), and called in soft and sweet tones. Long story short, not 1, but 4 gobblers (3 that we didn't know were there) flew down to him, instead of going with the yelping hens. He broke all the standard rules - don't call to him in the tree, try to make the hen mad, etc. Bad news is, he missed the shot. But that experience taught me a couple things that I've used ever since.

 

[TravisLH]

If you cant shoot one at 60 you better stick to calling them in for other people. Or learn how shoot a shotgun..... or something besides a 410 maybe. Lolol.

I can shoot them all day long at 60......just not likely to kill them.....shooting your 3.5 inch shells at paper at 60.....you probably can put a considerable number of pellets in the target......it’s a another deal when you are in the woods brother, or even in a field when it’s not a paper target......just not smart turkey business in my opinion......carry on though....everybody has their own way

Agreed.... I can hit a golfball at 100 yards with my xbow...... doesn’t mean I should shoot at a deer near that range.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Familyman]

He broke all the standard rules - don't call to him in the tree, try to make the hen mad, etc. Bad news is, he missed the shot. But that experience taught me a couple things that I've used ever since.

And used well, obviously. From your posts over the years, I've gathered that you do in fact have a knack for getting a gobbler in the truck when he already has an abundant supply of girlfriends. And when he doesn't too, for that matter.

 

[turkeyfoot]

Never overlook changing calls I've had luck several times switching say from slate to real sharp raspy crystal.

 

[oldest school]

From a pretty good hunter:
"One of the most frustrating yet compelling things about turkey hunting is that your success ultimately depends not on skill but on the mood and whim of the turkey.
"Call with the skill of a Grand National champion,hunt with the skill of Leatherstocking and have enough lore to fill an encyclopedia, but none of it amounts to a cold turkey turd if the gobbler isn't in the mood to play."

we have a hard time remembering that, and always think we shoulda have zigged instead of zagged.
all we really need is one that wants to play.

 

[Ashy Larry]

Last Saturday I had a gobbler worked up. He was about 80 yds away from the shooter up above us on the knoll of a bench. Wouldn’t budge. A hen walked by about the same altitude as us, but right below the strutting gobbler. I imitated every call she made and Then some. It pissed her off and she came to find me one draw over instead of going to the gobbler. Slowly but surely he worked his way down to us and my buddy made a killing shot. She was at 20 and he was at 35. He would ha e never come down if it wasn’t for her.

 

[stilker]

From a pretty good hunter:
"One of the most frustrating yet compelling things about turkey hunting is that your success ultimately depends not on skill but on the mood and whim of the turkey.
"Call with the skill of a Grand National champion,hunt with the skill of Leatherstocking and have enough lore to fill an encyclopedia, but none of it amounts to a cold turkey turd if the gobbler isn't in the mood to play."

we have a hard time remembering that, and always think we shoulda have zigged instead of zagged.
all we really need is one that wants to play.

This is about as straight as you goin' to get it....

 

[hawglips]

This bird from this morning was with 6 hens. The bro got him to come on in. He's hoping he'll be as willing to play tomorrow when he goes back up there after him back with a youth carrying a gun

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bwz6AKuSJ8dDNHB3ZVJJYzJqQVFmdGlPTnNaLUVjcHJKbGd3/view?usp=sharing

 

[Familyman]

The bro must have sounded prettier than his hens. He dang sure waltzed right over. Beautiful country, by the way.