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

jug

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I will never attempt a bird at 60 yards, nor 50 yards, and not likely at 40.......If you cannot call one in less than 35 yards then you need to practice your calling.......not buy shells to help ......

I haven't had one get up and leave when I shoot them with #5s in a 3 inch shell under 35 yds......just sayin

If you see a gobbler with a bandage around his head......he probably got swiped with some TSS at 60-80 yards....

Disclaimer: the above is merely one mans opinion and is not intended to really step on toes , but it is how I roll and how I teach those that hunt with me....:p
More wise words.... I like to see the bird come in close. 60 yards is a rifle shot for me when deer hunting ;)
 

grim reaper

Ten Pointer
Sometimes just the lightest purring, clucking, and scratching to imitate another hen feeding has brought hens in to me. Other times aggressive cutting, clucks, purrs, and yelps have worked to get one fired up for me. Or gobbling, spitting&drumming...Then again nothing seems to work on most occasions
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
Sometimes just the lightest purring, clucking, and scratching to imitate another hen feeding has brought hens in to me. Other times aggressive cutting, clucks, purrs, and yelps have worked to get one fired up for me. Then again nothing seems to work on most occasions
you cannot sum it up any better. this is the nature of the whole deal of calling turkeys.
 

grim reaper

Ten Pointer
I killed one Saturday after a 3 hour duel with his hen. I was persistent answering her and calling to her. But I stayed put (other than some stealthy butt scooting to position myself better when she started moving) knowing I was in a place the turkeys like to go.

Most of the turkeys I kill are henned up. Last year was an exception to that though. Calling to the hens instead of the gobbler is the attitude that I usually take.

Here's a video of a henned up tom hunt from 2016. I had the choice of going to a gobble on the roost, or going to some hens we heard. I chose to go to the hens, betting that there was a killable bird with them, whereas I was scared the lone gobbler out away from the hens was a subordinate that might not work. You can hear the only call I made was a high cluck to get them to come on up with the gobbler in tow. I had just heard them fighting, and you can hear the aggressive purrs and see the one with her fan in aggressive posture as they approached to my high clucks.

Awesome video and beautiful country!
 

hog&deerhunter

Ten Pointer
I will never attempt a bird at 60 yards, nor 50 yards, and not likely at 40.......If you cannot call one in less than 35 yards then you need to practice your calling.......not buy shells to help ......

I haven't had one get up and leave when I shoot them with #5s in a 3 inch shell under 35 yds......just sayin

If you see a gobbler with a bandage around his head......he probably got swiped with some TSS at 60-80 yards....

Disclaimer: the above is merely one mans opinion and is not intended to really step on toes , but it is how I roll and how I teach those that hunt with me....:p

You sound like a real sportsman. Up until recently my club had a 2 bird limit per membership. If you brought a guest and he or she gets one, that leaves 1 bird left. My 2 kids usually each got a bird and I would never pull the trigger, which was fine by me. A couple years ago the rule was changed to 3 birds per membership but the 3rd bird must go to a family member. I never kill more than 1 on that farm and always make sure I am last at bat. Both of my kids got one already so I am looking forward to one, or not.
 

Ol Copper

Twelve Pointer
In threads like these I always see people throw out the "fire up the hen" or "gobble to the henned up tom" scenarios. Never been a huge fan of gobbling and honestly, calling to pizz off the hen has not worked more often than it has.
When I know for sure that I am on a tom that has a hen and wont leave in the early season, I make every attempt possible to stay in his personal space and use gobbler and/or jake yelps. Gobbles tend to imply dominance and he may not leave the hens to straighten you out, but the gobbler yelps that just won't go away seem to challenge the social structure in a way that just irritates them in a different way.
Plus....its a call they never hear...nobody uses gobbler yelps [emoji6]
 

grim reaper

Ten Pointer
..nobody uses gobbler yelps [emoji6]

Except my dad the first 10 years of his turkey hunting career. Although he didn't know it was a gobbler yelp at the time. Thought that was funny when I finally figured out it was a gobbler yelp, he was walking around thinking he sounded like a hen. He's killed some birds using it tho. He had a hustlin hen box call gobbler yelping everywhere he went
 

Billy

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
I killed one Saturday after a 3 hour duel with his hen. I was persistent answering her and calling to her. But I stayed put (other than some stealthy butt scooting to position myself better when she started moving) knowing I was in a place the turkeys like to go.

Most of the turkeys I kill are henned up. Last year was an exception to that though. Calling to the hens instead of the gobbler is the attitude that I usually take.

Here's a video of a henned up tom hunt from 2016. I had the choice of going to a gobble on the roost, or going to some hens we heard. I chose to go to the hens, betting that there was a killable bird with them, whereas I was scared the lone gobbler out away from the hens was a subordinate that might not work. You can hear the only call I made was a high cluck to get them to come on up with the gobbler in tow. I had just heard them fighting, and you can hear the aggressive purrs and see the one with her fan in aggressive posture as they approached to my high clucks.

Great hunt and some excellent video work! Thanks for sharing.
 

hawglips

Old Mossy Horns
Today I had to try to sound sweeter than all those nasty hens roosted nearby. It worked ok.

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ScottyB

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
You sound like a real sportsman. Up until recently my club had a 2 bird limit per membership. If you brought a guest and he or she gets one, that leaves 1 bird left. My 2 kids usually each got a bird and I would never pull the trigger, which was fine by me. A couple years ago the rule was changed to 3 birds per membership but the 3rd bird must go to a family member. I never kill more than 1 on that farm and always make sure I am last at bat. Both of my kids got one already so I am looking forward to one, or not.
Nice....my boys are both paying members now at 23 and 20 yrs old.....but I have enjoyed many hunts with them in the woods.... We do not have a set limit in our club , but I keep an eye on the number killed......we typically kill 6 or less on the 1000 acres we hunt. I am like you.....as long as the boys kill I am happy!
 

Familyman

Twelve Pointer
Today I had to try to sound sweeter than all those nasty hens roosted nearby. It worked ok.

905f6666edaa5be04c2bf43f2a75d1ad.jpg
It worked OK? Well, that's easy for you to say. It didn't work out worth a crap for your feathered friend! ;)
Congrats!
 
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lasttombstone

Kinder, Gentler LTS
Close enough. Was thinking you were still busy getting it certified as a record book bird. Where you gonna go now??
 

JJWise

Twelve Pointer
Never tried it but I’ve heard a lot of tales about charging the flock to make them scatter or having a dog do it if legal in your area. They all start calling to find each other and you call him back to you.
 

Putt

Old Mossy Horns
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!! :)
 

hog&deerhunter

Ten Pointer
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!! :)


The hens are already nesting. That from seeing them come out alone at mid day and then back to heavy cover. Found a nest with 9 eggs last saturday.

I never buy into the longbeards being easier to call later in the season. That gets repeated ad nauseam. If anything, it gets harder and harder. Testosterone starts dropping and they are no where near as hot to mate. 1st week or 2 has always been best for me. I think some optomistic hunter with tags to fill came up with the idea that longbeards get easier to call in the last 2 weeks. If you kill one the last week, well you just killed one. It wasn't because it was easier to call him in. Just my opinion.
 
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