Advanced Scenario Help

[Gobble4me757]

I've run into this scenario multiple times past couple of years. I Have a gobbler strutting and gobbling down below me, and I'm up on top. No way to sweep to either side as woods are too open as it's early season. I can make every call in the book as well throw my calls etc. Gobbler does have one of those silent hens I'm sure but while a factor, let's take that factor out. He gobbled at everything I threw. I tried silent treatment. I tried gobbling, jake yelps, fighting purrs. I tried creeping back scratching and calling. Only thing in my Arsenal I didn't try was literally going over the hump and just shooting at him

Anyone have any really cool tips/tactics that I can add to the arsenal for gobblers over a crest either above or below?

I will say I've had good success sweeping and getting around on the sides of hills but due to openness and prop lines that's not an option.

 

[Southern Sportsman]

I know of a very effective tactic that can be used in that situation, but I don't condone it. So I just do what you described and usually leave empty handed unless another bird fires up nearby.

 

[megalomaniac]

I don't think you can just take the hen factor out. That's the single most important thing in how you approach the situation.

Early season with a hen...she isn't breeding, he isn't leaving her. He will stay with her all day unless he gets whooped off by another tom. You either call her in, you get in front of them, or you sneak close enough (50 to 75y) to purr and chirp to get him to break just enough off her to check you. Not enough cover... too bad, leave him for later in the season, or wait till they get into terrain that allows you to get closer.

Mid season with one or two hens, just stay in contact. Midday hens will break off to lay, and he can become suicidal. Easy peasy, but it may take 4 or 5 hours.

Tom with no hens... reposition, reposition, and reposition. Hopefully the switch flips before he gobbles up a real hen and the game is over.

Or you can just go over the crest of the hill with a strutter decoy and have him charge you and reap him at 10y. No other tactics or skill required. Post your kill on Facebook while at the same time you feel like you just scored with a prostitute instead of the homecoming queen.

 

[TnKen]

Stop calling and see if he will move off that spot, then go there and start calling.

 

[Roost 1]

I don't think you can just take the hen factor out. That's the single most important thing in how you approach the situation.

Early season with a hen...she isn't breeding, he isn't leaving her. He will stay with her all day unless he gets whooped off by another tom. You either call her in, you get in front of them, or you sneak close enough (50 to 75y) to purr and chirp to get him to break just enough off her to check you. Not enough cover... too bad, leave him for later in the season, or wait till they get into terrain that allows you to get closer.

Mid season with one or two hens, just stay in contact. Midday hens will break off to lay, and he can become suicidal. Easy peasy, but it may take 4 or 5 hours.

Tom with no hens... reposition, reposition, and reposition. Hopefully the switch flips before he gobbles up a real hen and the game is over.

Or you can just go over the crest of the hill with a strutter decoy and have him charge you and reap him at 10y. No other tactics or skill required. Post your kill on Facebook while at the same time you feel like you just scored with a prostitute instead of the homecoming queen.

If the hen is not breeding with him, you can most definitely call him away from her…. This is the very reason TN season harvest numbers are so high the first… also the reason the start date has been pushed back.

 

[megalomaniac]

If the hen is not breeding with him, you can most definitely call him away from her…. This is the very reason TN season harvest numbers are so high the first… also the reason the start date has been pushed back.

I'm not that good :( In 33 years I've managed to call ONE bird off his hens to come 100y to me. I've called a couple dozen birds off jennies to the gun from 100y and out, but they weren't adult hens. If he is with an adult hen, I have to make the decision whether to ambush him (don't enjoy that) or sneak to within 50 to 75y of them and soft call and scratch to pull him just far enough off his real hen to give me a check.

Not saying it can't be done... but after trying unsuccessfully for years, I no longer waste my time just talking to a single tom locked up with hens. (NOT that it is fruitless... I have called in satellite birds that were flanked well off the main flock).

And you know what... its perfectly OK to get your ass handed to you in the turkey woods!

 

[Setterman]

I deal with this all the time in the steep stuff I hunt. What works best for me, and it's a total dice roll but is to slide back circle around to where I'm even with him rather than above. Usually they have hens when they do this, but sometimes they just don't want to walk over a hump where they are potentially subjected to ambush. I believe it's a sixth sense thing with them. They will approach it seems if they can see but if it's a scenario where they can't see until they pop over a lip forget it, they arent Coming most times

 

[Roost 1]

I'm not that good :( In 33 years I've managed to call ONE bird off his hens to come 100y to me. I've called a couple dozen birds off jennies to the gun from 100y and out, but they weren't adult hens. If he is with an adult hen, I have to make the decision whether to ambush him (don't enjoy that) or sneak to within 50 to 75y of them and soft call and scratch to pull him just far enough off his real hen to give me a check.

Not saying it can't be done... but after trying unsuccessfully for years, I no longer waste my time just talking to a single tom locked up with hens. (NOT that it is fruitless... I have called in satellite birds that were flanked well off the main flock).

And you know what... its perfectly OK to get your ass handed to you in the turkey woods!

I agree with that last statesman 100%…

 

[Gobble4me757]

Good stuff on these…didn't think about letting em move off then calling back with how open it was. I'll add a couple of details. I don't use decoys so no strutter will be used. It's public land and multiple times it was along the prop line.

The silent hens are the toughest ones to call em off of. If the hen had been vocal, yes would be a lot easier to call both in. Also, pushing the season back has shown no evidence of increasing the turkey population. Look at all the other states that have tried it…trapping has been shown to increase population while populations tend to fluctuate without intervention but off the point. I appreciate all the tips and replies, it's a real common factor I deal with, and I'm a very aggressive hunter as it is.

 

[megalomaniac]

I dont

Good stuff on these…didn't think about letting em move off then calling back with how open it was. I'll add a couple of details. I don't use decoys so no strutter will be used. It's public land and multiple times it was along the prop line.

The silent hens are the toughest ones to call em off of. If the hen had been vocal, yes would be a lot easier to call both in. Also, pushing the season back has shown no evidence of increasing the turkey population. Look at all the other states that have tried it…trapping has been shown to increase population while populations tend to fluctuate without intervention but off the point. I appreciate all the tips and replies, it's a real common factor I deal with, and I'm a very aggressive hunter as it is.

I dont think anyone mentioned pushing season back would increase turkey population or make it easier for you to kill a bird in that scenario.

But since you brought it up. Yes, it probably would increase your chances of success killing a henned up tom at the end of March fast forwarding to mid April on the same bird that has been unhunted. Unhunted birds are just easier to kill mid April due to their biological nature.

 

[Gobble4me757]

I dont

I dont think anyone mentioned pushing season back would increase turkey population or make it easier for you to kill a bird in that scenario.

But since you brought it up. Yes, it probably would increase your chances of success killing a henned up tom at the end of March fast forwarding to mid April on the same bird that has been unhunted. Unhunted birds are just easier to kill mid April due to their biological nature.

My bad just misread what roost said. Carry on lol

 

[Southern Sportsman]

Good stuff on these…didn't think about letting em move off then calling back with how open it was. I'll add a couple of details. I don't use decoys so no strutter will be used. It's public land and multiple times it was along the prop line.

The silent hens are the toughest ones to call em off of. If the hen had been vocal, yes would be a lot easier to call both in. Also, pushing the season back has shown no evidence of increasing the turkey population. Look at all the other states that have tried it…trapping has been shown to increase population while populations tend to fluctuate without intervention but off the point. I appreciate all the tips and replies, it's a real common factor I deal with, and I'm a very aggressive hunter as it is.

I don't know of any states that pushed their seasons back long enough ago to really assess how/if it will influence the population. But I digress.

 

[Willysman]

You can't get them all. lol

 

[timberjack86]

Patience, wait him out and hope the hen leaves, or go find another

 

[fairchaser]

Call to him as you are moving away and leave a buddy to shoot. Sometimes this works, most times not. If your alone, maybe draw him to a better area to work from.

 

[Boll Weevil]

Quit calling.

As my mentor often told me, "Son, you call too loud and you call too much."

 

[TN Larry]

I'm going to go silent on him and see what happens. If he comes, then great. If not, then I'm going to try to make a move on him if the terrain allows. If I'm pinned down and can't move without being busted, then I'll try to wait until he moves off and then get to his level and try to call him back. All above have worked for me in the past and all have not. Some days it just don't matter what you do as he is not coming. You just have to tip your hat and admit defeat on that day.

 

[woodsman04]

Reposition if able, until you make him come.

But number one is don't call too much. I mean all it takes is one series of yelps and he knows where you are. I mean he knows exactly what tree your against.

My advice. Silent treatment longer/reposition and silent treatment.

If I don't have work or chores, I'll set there with him all day.

Lots of people hate hunting with me because I don't call a lot. But I'm a turkey hunter, not a turkey caller.

 

[Willysman]

What I've done several times is just let them go off. I'll go try to find another, if not I'll come back to the same spot 2 or 3 hours later. If the hen has left him he'll remember the hen (you) that he heard this morning and come back looking for you. Has worked for me numerous times.

 

[Roost 1]

Reposition if able, until you make him come.

But number one is don't call too much. I mean all it takes is one series of yelps and he knows where you are. I mean he knows exactly what tree your against.

My advice. Silent treatment longer/reposition and silent treatment.

If I don't have work or chores, I'll set there with him all day.

Lots of people hate hunting with me because I don't call a lot. But I'm a turkey hunter, not a turkey caller.

I like your style…. Sounds like we are very similar. Patient kills a lot of birds.

 

[Roost 1]

What I've done several times is just let them go off. I'll go try to find another, if not I'll come back to the same spot 2 or 3 hours later. If the hen has left him he'll remember the hen (you) that he heard this morning and come back looking for you. Has worked for me numerous times.

Solid advise…

 

[poorhunter]

I would try to assess his location and when he moves off a bit try my best to belly crawl up to the offending hill to set up again. Make a call and it'll be over.

I know belly crawling isn't exactly on everyone's ethical list of tactics, but I'd do it in this situation.

 

[cowhunter71]

A common scenario that plagues most all who consider themselves "very aggressive" Turkey Hunters. :)

 

[paboom]

In that scenario, I'm calling the hen to me. Kee kees will often work well to appeal to her maternal instincts.

 

[huvrman]

once You figure he's hung up and not going to move, just sit tight. Call once every 20 minutes or so - just enough to remind him you are there. Sit back get comfortable, and hang out for a few hours. You never know when he'll make a silent approach and poke his head over the crest.

 

[PalsPal]

A lot of good advice. But let's be honest, the percentages are VERY low in all of the offered suggestions.

I will mention that I absolutely HATE getting what I call a "courtesy gobble" every 10-20-30 minutes just to let me know that he is still there (and they are usually gobbles NOT in response my call). I'd just as soon as he quit gobbling than to get my hopes up so that I can move on to a more playful gobbling turkey.

 

[Willysman]

A lot of good advice. But let's be honest, the percentages are VERY low in all of the offered suggestions.

I will mention that I absolutely HATE getting what I call a "courtesy gobble" every 10-20-30 minutes just to let me know that he is still there (and they are usually gobbles NOT in response my call). I'd just as soon as he quit gobbling than to get my hopes up so that I can move on to a more playful gobbling turkey.

I know exactly what you are talking about. I hate one like that too. Then when he quits gobbling and you think he is gone you stand up and there he is.

 

[knightrider]

The #1 thing that will kill those birds is whats lacking the most, PATIENCE!!!!

 

[Willysman]

All of these things that have been said is what makes turkey hunting fun. If we killed everyone that gobbles it wouldn't be a challenge and there wouldn't be many turkeys left.

 

[Grouse]

If this is happening consistently on the same property, why not just set up on the bench he is strutting before daylight? I like calling them in as much as anyone else but if he blows me off a couple times but shows me his bubble I'm gonna get in it the next time around. I love listening pre season up until 10 or 11 on different tracts of public. It's super easy to pinpoint where they are gobbling from with a topo map in steep terrain.