See What You Think!!!

[CallWithLegacy]

I am no Professional hunter by any means. I have killed my fair share of birds in my 3 years of hunting Easterns in Alabama, I am only 21. I have studied, scouted and tied up all the loose ends I know of when it comes to hunting these pretigous birds. I now have a question I would like to ask of you guys. Adrian and other seasoned hunters please feel free to help me as I have gone blank.

I have 3500 acres of PRIME hunting land in AL. Over the past 3 years we have really been into planting crops and food for the game(deer,turkey,ducks). We have also been doing a good deal of control burning in the pine plantations. We have seen quite a difference in the amount of turkeys from last year to this year. There hasnt been a single morning, and yes I hunt every morning, that I havent heard at least one bird. There are about 5 people who hunt this land hard with me. They hunt nearly as much as I do. Ok enough bout that lemme get to my question.

I tend to hunt the same areas over and over. But not the same spot, maybe one day on down the road and the next day the road that run parellel with it. I killed a bird in the area about 2 weeks ago. I let the area rest and hunted the northern part of the property. Even the day after I killed that bird I still heard 3-4 birds GOBBLING on that line. I am not the person who calls just to hear them gobble back to you. I am more of the silent and very little calling person. Since Sunday I have been back in the area and heard 2 or 3 on Sunday and 1 way off on Monday and TODAY, my god the bird were slam everywhere. I counted 12 diff birds that I could hear.

This morning I got set up on a bird, he was gobbling pretty hard, so I decided to give it a whirl. Well I got in there before daylight and set up no more than 60-70 yards from his tree. I listened for hens to be with him, but I heard none. I thought I had a great chance when I saw him fly down to the west of me. I let it settle for about 2-3 min and then I yelped very very soflty and he came out with a ROAR. I knew I had him so I put my calls down and waited. Well I waited and waited and waited. The next time I heard him gobble je was going away from me. This isnt the first time they have done this. There is no way with all these birds around me that they could all be call shy.

I am completely baffled here. He had no hens with him. Neither did I hear any the entire morning. I left around 8:45 and they were still gobbling. I would surely appreciate any help you might have for me. I am open to anything. I wont ever learn unless people tell me. There are some things that you cant learn from people, but I believe some of you have had this problem before. Thank you for your time. Sorry that I rambled on.

"GET YOURSELF A LEGACY"

[huntnma]

you'd be suprised ...were you yelping? i would try just clucking and purring.....were you using a decoy? if not try one....if so, don't , lol.....good luck on your next hunt

[wholelottagobble]

Do you work with William Terry and Legacy?

[CallWithLegacy]

No I dont work for Legacy, but I use every product they make.

[b.p.]

If i were you i would continue to scout. I would also use decoys if you arent. Keep calling frequently and make sure there are no obsticles between you and the bird. Just be patient you will get one. GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!

[wacker]

A lot of good answers here.I believe that decoys are not legal in Alabama.With that many toms around I would try calling more aggressively.

[CallWithLegacy]

well I will give it a shot, gonna try and get him tomorrow!

[snowdog2]

I'd call more aggressively, and might stage a fight with fighting purrs and putts on a couple of pushbuttons and a diaphragm. What have you to lose?? If they're walking away, maybe it is because you have lost their interest. As they say, take their temperature. If they are hot, keep 'em hot. The time for one call and you are done is when the toms are lukewarm, but interested. If they are gobbling on top of your yelp, yelp again. When they are clearly heading your way, then slow it down SOME, but keep 'em interested.

(I've seen 2 year olds, though, that gobble like mad but won't actually come in. I think that it is because they're uncertain as to what to do, or they are not the boss, and are afraid the boss might show up. )

Also, it often pays to stick it out until at least 11:00 a.m. I've killed a few toms that gobbled at my yelping in the early morning, gone away (usually with hens) and then come sneaking back in at 10:00-11:00, when they were done with the hens, but still feeling their oats.

[trapper T]

Maybe a hen came into him silent from the opposite way???

[barefoot]

Find out where he wants to go, then get there ahead of him.

I set up on one one day that was gobbling his danged fool head off and he went the other way. I came back to him the next day from the other side and he went up the ridge I was on the day before! That 2nd day I went and hunted another bird for an hour and a half or so and, when I was heading back to my truck, I heard him comming back down the ridge, looking for that hen he heard but didn't see. I ran back in the woods and got there ahead of him... He tasted REEEEAAALLL GOOOOOD!

I had another one, once, that gobbled strong on the limb behind me(I had to set up on him that way), flew down towards me came in on my off side and walked right on by. I called to turn him around, but he had a destination in mind. He gobbled over his shoulder at me all the way out of the woods, across a pasture, and out of sight. Never saw that bird again! If I could have gotten ahead of him, I believe I could have got him.

Sometimes you can pull em in on a string, other times.. well, no matter what you do, it just ain't their day to die.

That's what makes turkey hunting so much fun!