Well I have hunted this same bird all month. Hes pretty call shy now. I'm not gunna post the whole story and all the details I'm sure you guys dont wanna hear it. But my question is........ when hes on roost, he wont gobble to my owl hoot anymore. Any other suggestions to make him give up his location. I'm in northern NY if that helps things. Thanks alot! Please! I NEED your advice, headed out in the morning.
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Team RUT-n-STRUT
Upstate, NY
"Always remember... If your lost, you don't know where you are!"
If you're ready to set up in a hurry, try some LOUD yelps on a box call. When he gives himself up, just an occasional series of soft clucks and someleaf scratching might bring him in.
Is he patternable? If so, I would suggest hunting him like deer and take a stand and cut him off on his normal daily routines. That's how I bagged my biggest bird to date last year... I had an idea what he was doing and just set up where I thought he'd be coming and he just appeared... Made one call first light... just a fly down call by the edge of a field I knew he'd make his way to eventually.
__________________ Mathews Z7 HHA OL 5019 NAP Apache Beman ICS 400 Hunter NAP Spitfire MAXX
I would deffinatly not use the owl hoot anymore. He has probably learned to avoid that call. I would try either a crow call or even another gobble call as suggested before. Also, once he gobbles, dont start any agressive calling. Just the occasional soft cluck or purr. If hes really that call shy, then hes already heard the agressive stuff and will most likely hold up out of range if he pays any attention to the calls at all. Also, I assume its just as thick in NY as it is here in PA, so sit yourself down under some good cover and be ready to shoot as soon as you see him. By the time he comes into view, he could already be right on top of you.
I would think that aftera month of chasing one gobbler you would have made him unkillable... I think that I would spend the rest of my season trying to locate another gobbler
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"public land will make a turkey hunter out of ya"
I quit using owl calls in the early morning...I'd rather go in and listen to them gobble on their own, get a idea of where he is and get into position...I know its
too late for him but here is what has worked for me...1) Sleep in...don't go until about 10:00 and hunt until 2 or all day, if possible, by now I would guess he has the hens patterned (or vice versa), let him do his thing and pick him up either near where the hens take him, or near his roosting area...2) If youdo go early and locate him in the early morning, call once, if he answers, don't dare call again...Rustle some leaves like a feeding hen, but don't pick up the call...And don't put out a decoy, make him move around to find you...It might take him an hour to come in, but if another hen doesn't pick him up first, he'll come in...
Call shy bird, any ideas?!?
