Lone hen question

tlutterba · 04-23-2008, 06:25 AM

I went out opening morning and started off hearing nothing gobbling on the roost. At first was a little disappointed but thought heck with it i will stay. I gave a few blind hen clucks and thought I saw a turkey to the left. I waited 10 or so minutes and she appeared and walked 13 yards in front of me. She has cluckin up a storm. This is the second time i have only seen one hen. Do you think there are any toms around or should i go to another piece of property. i was always told where there are hens there are toms.

RayC · 04-23-2008, 06:47 AM

'i was always told where there are hens there are toms. '

That can depend on the timing of things. After a hen is bred and she decides its nesting time, she may wander off by herself away from other birds. I have often seen this in pre-season driving around, as time goes on I see more and more single hens in places where I don't see (oe hear) other birds.

shamlin · 04-23-2008, 06:57 AM

I would assume that she is probally nesting or at least getting ready too. You can still hunt the area, and if you can all to her and keep her close, then she can still call up a tom. At the same time you now know you have an extra set of eyes on you if a tom does come in. I would still hunt it some and call to her and get her worked up, just dont spook her off the nest.

Mr. Longbeard · 04-23-2008, 07:40 AM

Were are you from??? May help out a little

tlutterba · 04-23-2008, 09:12 AM

I am from southern indiana. i have talked to a few people who went out this morning and they didn't hear hardly any gobbles when all last week they were gobbling their heads off

demoIL · 04-23-2008, 06:48 PM

I had a lone hen come in and would not leave the side of B-Mobile.. I laughed my butt off, every time I would call she would try to out do me.. She stayed over and hour and finally Ihad to get upand she took off..

Oh, and shot a tom about 100 yds down the way a couple hours later.. There are still toms in your area, good luck..

2 Lunger · 04-24-2008, 01:17 AM

Quote:

ORIGINAL: tlutterba

I am from southern indiana. i have talked to a few people who went out this morning and they didn't hear hardly any gobbles when all last week they were gobbling their heads off

Where at in southern Indiana? We had twelve gobblers just blowing it up this morning. Couldn't get them to cross the fence.

WildlifePhoto · 04-24-2008, 05:08 AM

You should go to T.R. Michels Turkey Activity Graphs. They show you how gobbling rises and falls, depending onwaht the hens are doing and what phase of the breeding season the Turkeysare in.

Here is a link: http://www.trmichels.com/TurkeyActivityGraphs.htm

JW · 04-24-2008, 09:11 AM

I was out this past weekend in Upper Mich - Saturday between two people scouting and we have hunted a huge area in the Upper - we heard a total of three gobbles and all where poor gobbles! Weather was lousy - they had snow the past two weekends on the ground. We started thining the population was down due to winter kill - then it warmed up very nicely in the afternoon!

We saw lots of nice Toms - Thye just had a case of cold weather lockjaw as Sunday the whole warming trend continued and Gobbling was noted on several places from each property we could hunt. Thne it cooled down again and Gobbling could be heard but nto as much as we found Sunday.

So yes do note that hen found - she must have a Tom and if nesting in that area at some point in time he will be by to visit her. They do make quite a circuit

Oh and one more thing learned this past weekend. We followed a rather Gobbling fool who covered a whole section of property! A section is a square mile! He came close to all four sides and was still going - So do they travel - well that boy did!

JW

tlutterba · 04-24-2008, 09:18 AM

Evansville..... thanks for the help. i will be at it again come saturday morning and hopefully this time bag one!!