Gobbler 3, me 0

Hoyt_Viper · 04-16-2008, 12:38 PM

Monday, Tuesday, and today I have hunted the sameblind for the same gobbler! Every morning he responds to my barred owl hoot, and I can get him moving and gobbling for about 30 minutes and then he is gone! He wont come into the field where decoys are. My blind is set in field under a cedar and there is no way he can see me!

This afternoon I moved my ground blind about 20 feet into woodline where his strut marks are. If I can get in there early enough I might have him by 7 am.

Do Gobblers roost in the same tree overnight and then fly down at sunrise? Am I gonna spook him getting in there?

Dr Andy · 04-16-2008, 01:18 PM

Welcome to the club! I had the same problem. I can't move into the woods since it's a Nature preserve. The gobblers are probably roosting in the same area. as for not coming out he may be henned-up. Oftentimes the hens will roost very close to the gobbler and fly down with him. The understory in the woods where I am is non-existant this early in the season so they can see each other very well and group up quickly. Later in the season as the willing hens become scarce and he gets lonely mid morning he may come to you.

Here's what happened to me on Mon. Mid-morning I left my blind and was able to get a gobbler fired-up with a hen yelp. He responded several times and I headed back to my blind, yelped againand he responded. He gobbled a few more times and I waited, and waited. I waited some more. No more responses to my occasional yelps. about 45min went by and I decided to move back to the fenceline to see if I could rouse him again. As I got to the corner, he turns and runs gobbling all the way. Seems he was sitting in some bushes the whole time. I should have kept waiting and he may have come in. Sometimes they go silent when they get close and you'll never know if he's there.

Rory/MO · 04-16-2008, 01:38 PM

i would get there pretty much as early as you can, and be VERY quiet getting into your blind, also about flydown time, maybe try and simulate a flydown with your hat, its worked for us numerous times, and brought in the call shy bird.
good luck!

ntcbassman · 04-16-2008, 01:55 PM

season hasn't started here in mass yet but i have a couple spots pegged for opening week. one spot fairly similar to yours in that i don't have access to it.. but im only about 30 yards awaybut i hope to call em in.. (first year attempting to do so) so at this point with 12 days to go ill live vicarouly through you... good luck!