For me, every turkey I've shot except one has come in gobbling. That one that came in silent I think did gobble about 500 yards out but then traveled the rest of the way totally silent. So for me its about 9 gobble to 1 silent.
Also tell me if you have any theories on why they come in silent vs. gobbling. Is it hunting pressure, calling technique, terrain?
I've shot 4 turkeys in my life.The first one gobbled at least 50 times.The next year I had one come in from my right that was gobbling and one came from the left silently.After they joined up I'm not sure which one I shot.The next one that I shot gobbled quite a bit.The one that I shot last year only gobbled three times and I could see him strutting out in front of me before he ever gobbled the first time.I have called in quite a few for other people and they have all come in gobbling.I hunt mostly on public land.
Have hunted and taken on both public and private but I would say I'm usually hunting public land because its closer than the private land I hunt. That silent one was last year and was on public land.
Edited by - Lefty Llewellyn on 02/06/2003 21:04:56
I'm gonna guess 70-30 gobbling to silent Lefty!We're all looking for responses from gobbling birds when we take to the woods and when that doesn't happen many turkey hunters leave or look for other gobbling birds!Patience and persistance coupled with knowing you have birds in your area can produce these silent gobblers!Mr.Longbeard is correct birds that get alot of pressure can be the silent type,but weather,a big boss gobbler,and hens limit gobbling activity also!!
Monarch isn't a butterfly it's the King of the Spring!
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Monarch isn' t a butterfly it' s the King of the Spring!
I'm with BG2 on this, I'd agree about 70/30 on
toms that come in. Dominant gobblers are probably
as much a factor with silent birds coming in
as hunting pressure. I've been lucky enough to
take several longbeards that came in without a
sound. Needless to say, I've been busted a few
times as well<img src=icon_smile_blush.gif border=0 align=middle>.
The areas i have hunted in the past 5 years have good turkey
populations but severe lock jaw. Two of the areas are public land
that recieve alot of pressure but the other peice is 150 acres that
only I hunt. I killed 4 of the 10 birds on the public land.
All came in silent. One of them even came running in and attacked my
jake decoy. Of the 6 I killed on the private land, 3 gobbled right until the shot and three came in silent.
So 3 out of 10 gobbled when they came in.
However, out of the other 18 birds I killed prior to the last
five years. All gobbled except for 5.
I believe the increased number of hens and the increased
popularity of turkey hunting has alot to do with it.
OR maybe its my SHUTUP AND KISS ME calling technique.
ive hunted 4 yrs now and have yet to fire a shot but i still consider myself a sucsesful turkey hunter being we usally have birds come in...just we cant get the 2 man set up down..and wehn the birds do cooperate and come into gun range i am usually the shooter and i am set up how dad told me and i cant see jack and cant move because the turkeys can see me or many other things happen..of the 4 yrs though most came gobbling..but i noticed alot on public state gamelands that they seem to come silent when pressured..like after coming to a set up or 2 and getting shot at or a buddy shot or finding no hen or busting the hunter they seem to come in silent..and when you have people calling from the trails with hen calls using them to locate they make the birds suspicious too...last year we had the birds perfect opening morning..i could see them 80yds away gobbling at everything....dad was set up behind me..we had the setup about perfect this time...he lets out a few soft tree calls and the go nuts..few minutes later they fly away!..we didnt get busted for sure..i think it was the fact that they had hens right there with them and they had that happen before with other hunters before season...we pretty much gave up on crowded state gamelands after last year...and dont have to worry about the 2 man set up because im 16 i can hunt alone..which means we locate 2 birds and split up...i think this years my year to shoot!
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>>----Give 'em the shaft!--->
Gobbling or silent?
