what makes a turkey do this----??

bogobble · 02-20-2003, 09:32 AM

I know most of ya' ll have had turkeys gobble real good till they get about 50-75 yds out, then just quit gobblin and sneak on in. wonder why they do that? is it because their just being instinctivley sneaky? what makes them just quit gobblin, and then show up 15 20 minutes later?

I' m not talkin about the silent tom, that might gobble once on the roost, never gobble again, then show up 30-45 minutes later.

Strut&Rut · 02-20-2003, 10:22 AM

For me, there are two reasons.

1) He' s intently searching for a hen, oftentimes in full strut. His tail fan is a better indicator to a hen that he' s the big boy and ready to breed. And as we all know, when their in full strut they don' t gobble, so listen for the ole' spit-n-drum...

2) He' s naturally curious and wary at the same time. The " natural game" states the hens go to the toms. A hot hen that talks but doesn' t respond has him a little fooled. I think the toms are a little wary of " her" actions, and might suspect some foul play or another tom, and therefore come in silent and in " full strut" .

S&

benhuntin · 02-20-2003, 10:30 AM

I believe the gobbler can pretty much pin point where the calling has come from even from a couple of hundred yards away. When he gets within 50 -75 yards of where he knows theres a hen, he becomes so focused on seeing the hen that he doesnt gobble. Just a theory.[8D]
Remember also that in nature, the hens are supposed to go to the gobbler, not the
other way around. This in itself is enough to make the ol boys wary.
Ive been hunting turkeys for 20 years and I believe that coming in silently is just
a gobblers wariness. I have had more gobblers come in this way than by gobbling.

Bobgobble2 · 02-20-2003, 11:28 AM

Bo,I believe both S&R and bh are right on the money!The only other thing to add to this is usually when that gobbler hits that 75 yard mark we tone down our calling to soft stuff or none at all,which will cause those aggressive responses to become much less as he moves on in!!

maytom · 02-20-2003, 01:38 PM

I agree with the others as well. How many times have we just sat there and called when they were far away, then shut-up only to have then show up less than 20 yards away!! They can almost pinpoint the very tree your sitting against!! Reasons they go quite can be many!! Maybe he thinks another tom moved in and decides to sneak in for a closer look? Maybe he thinks the hen walked away and wants to show up at the spot he thinks she was at, before sounding off again? Very good question, and I' m sure you' ll get many responses to this one!!

jalvja · 02-20-2003, 02:17 PM

Alot of good answers here but the real reason they act that way is because they know it really drives me nuts when they do it.It' s gotta be a consperasy(can' t spell)

Lefty Llewellyn · 02-20-2003, 02:30 PM

I' ve gotta go with the conspiracy theory with Jalvja.

They are only doing it to drive me crazy!

Tree climber · 02-20-2003, 03:32 PM

I agree with most of what has been said.some good answers.

my only question is,why most people say that nature says that the hen comes to the tom,and we are trying to reverse nature.not try to start a fuss or make any one mad,but when did anyone talk to a gobbler and he told them the hen is to come to me.not me to her. LOL
everything I know in nature,the male goes to the female.I mean the bucks chase the doe,goes to her every time.the dog chases the bitch and goes to her.all the other males I know do the same.
I just have never been able to understand why everyone thinks the other way.if it were that way, the gobbler to go to the hen,we would not take a bunch of birds,just the real horney ones or real dumb ones.

Just something I have always though about,and no one has ever been able to prove it.[&:]

BearMt · 02-20-2003, 04:59 PM

Treeclimber, Unless he already has some hens in which case I would think he would want the stray hen to come to him. Just a thought. If he were by himself, another story. Also I think that as was stated before a gobbler can pretty much pinpoint where a call is coming from and given his sharp eye site I would think that he is expecting to see a hen as he approaches 50-60 yards. If there is nothing to be seen, he may just be becoming more cautious. My 2 cents.

Der Jagd Meister · 02-20-2003, 05:18 PM

Since I lack a lot of experience and from what others have said, Struttin is the Primary way of gettin the " gal" so if you have dekes, once he sees them he is homing in. As the others said, he is trying to draw the hens attention and get her to come to him!