Finch

I consider myself a fairly good turkey hunter, above average even. Keep in mind I said turkey, let me clarify.

I have the patience, know-how, and call technique down pat, (well pretty good). Not tooting my own horn but I have some experience. My girlfriend's dad always seem to get a couple gobblers each fall. That is his specialty. He calls nothing but gobblers in. I call a gobbler (TOM) in on occasion but it is not a guaranteed thing. I guess I could say hens and jakes are my specialty.

That brings me to my question. What are the best techniques for calling in only mature gobblers? I use a slate call and call sparingly, not alot at all. I do a few clucks and throw in a purr w/ them. I wonder if its the tone of my slate? What do you guys think? Any suggestions?

Remember this is fall hunting only.

Adrian J Hare

Remember Fall Gobbler calling is different from Spring. In the spring season your imitating hens. The pitch of Hens will change from bird to bird.

In the Fall to call gobblers when they are grouped up in Gobbler flocks you need to get Lower Corser Gobbler talk. The Gobbler yelp is only a couple of Corse Yelps sometimes only One. They aswell will Cluck and they only do this a couple times aswell. Not very often will they purr but this is something that hens do on more of a regular bases.

Setting up on Travel routes of the traveling gobbler flock will produce more Gobblers in the fall then all the Calling one can do...BT

jalvja

I agree with Adrian.The thing to remember about longbeards in the fall is THEY JUST DON'T CARE IF THEY'RE ALONE. Pattern them and wait em out. If ya scatter em and try to call em back,it may take days till they try to regroup.As for tryin to call em in while they're still grouped up they could care less about another bird(you) It's not impossable to call em in but the odds are way against ya.The best luck I've had callin in fall longbeards is bein set up when they come through,a cluck or a yelp or two might make em curious enough to bring em into range.

Rob/PA Bowyer

Excellent advice from both above and not much else to say. Calling fall gobblers is totally different from all other turkey hunting. The key couple with the advice above is to ssssllllooowww down.

Scouting, patterning and woodsmanship is above all else and then slow down your calling using one, two or three slow, long raspy yelps.

Bobgobble2

Great advice....one of the biggest dilemas to overcome in fall gobbler hunting is not letting those younger more vocal and aggressive young birds occupy all your time!Older gobblers make very little noise vocally and are far less active when compared to younger brood flocks thru the winter months and usually are few in number!A gobbler flock may only consist of a few birds where your younger brood flocks can be huge!These young birds can make quite a racket and consequently attract the major part of the hunting population!Around concentrated food and water sources you be see older gobblers mixed with your younger flocks and around regular roost sites too!These older gobblers are habitual just like most game as long as there not pressured!They have to eat and drink and there in gives you an opportunity!Use your woodsmanship to read sign and scout before season as Rob eluded too!One other thing I'll add to this also is fall longbeards can and usually do have a wintering area!I know I kill alot of my fall longbeards in the same general area in the fall!If you can locate such an area,obviousily you can put yourself in the birds.....