to move or not
01-19-2006, 07:49 PM
#1
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: drummond mt.
Posts: 786
to move or not
when working birds I find myself asking this question allot obviosly if I see or hear the moving off I will move to another location hope fully in their travel path but when all is quiet, the bird is hung up,the bird shuts up, did I spook him? did someone or something else spook them? I like to show patience here soft clucks, purrs, and leaf scraping and just silence how long does everyone wait before moving? any other tips?
01-19-2006, 10:19 PM
#2
Typical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 774
RE: to move or not
If I hear a bird steadily moving in one direction I will try and swing around in front of him.
If he seems to be goingside to side,or awayI assume he is in the company of hens,or is in his strut zone.
When a Tom gobbles continuously,at your calling or not he is just announcing his presence.That's just a Courtesy gobble.He isn't commited.He's just telling you he's the star quarterback,and all the cheerleaders need to come over here to join the party.
If he gobbles sporadically,shuts up,and will not answer you for 15 minutes or more at the time,he is stilldisplaying,or breedinghens.
If he responds,and is coming back and forth you have to think he is hung up,or call shy.Listen to him,when he gobbles farther away get up,and slip in,then don't say a word,and see if he struts his way back in range.Now don't be scared,and move in 1/3's.What I mean here is if you think he was 90 yds out move 30yds closer.If you think he is 300yds out move 100yds closer.After 20 minutes,and he's still a no-showI would say it would be safe to call to him again to find out where he is..
When you decide to move closer.YOU MUST BE SURE he is actuallyfarther away,and not just facing away from you.Take into consideration how thick the brush is between you.The thicker it is the closer he may be.SOme Tom's gobbles soundweak,especially on windy days,or late in the season when they are tired,or early season when they aren't worked up yet.That may make you think he is farther away than he is.In these situations youwill want to moveshorter distances at the time.
I have noticed when a bird gets quiet it's 50/50 he's coming in.Gobbling is his long range call.Generally 2 year olds are the one's that gobble all the way in.Old toms usually pop up.Drumming is his short range call.Our birds drum more than they gobble.If you hear something humming in your head,or think you hear a car stereo's bass in the distance,or a pulp wood truck in granny gear off in the distance...that's him.Be ready!He still may not come within your sight,but he's close.
If you talk with a seasoned bird,he will stand there for a while,and tell you how sweet you are,then give up on you,and leave you scratching your head.Toms are very arrogant.You have to learn less is more.Know when to say when.Not many people want to pick up the loud mouthed girl at the bar that is too eager to dance with anyone.They want the sweet girl in the corner that's playin hard to get.[8D]If you sound too eager he will get suspicious.
If I try a bird and can tell he's with hens I'll leave him alone,and come back during mid-day.There are other lonely toms.
My favorite technique is to work a bird up,and then shut up on him.Call to him(basic yelps,maybe a cutt or two).If he still gobbles when you stop..He's not ready to come(I'm talking older birds here).Give it 10-15 minutes.Call again.He should fire off Immediately.Work him up again.Then shut up on him.Did he gobble after you quit?Is he closer?Give it 10-15 more minutes.If the tom was answering nearly every note,he's getting hot.If he shuts up when you do,after the 2nd or 3rd series he is probably commited.Most older birds take several of these series to work.It depends on how stubborn he is.After he has shut up give it 10-15 more minutes.
He may now gobble on his own,he is giving in,and is getting frustrated.You should not call Immediately when he gobbles and you can tell he is closer.Wait!He's giving in!No need to call now he knows your general area.(Probably within a few yards)Listen for the drumming.Pfft duuuuUUmmpf,pfft duuuUUmmpf.After about2 minutes goes by since the last time he gobbles at a closer distance,and you haven't seen him yet,then you can make a soft call,or turn the call facing the other way,so it sounds like you are leaving,or do some of the things Ultimag described.No sense in completely ignoring him,but you are in control now.That will let him fine tune his approach,but doesn't completelygive awayyour set up location.That should be the final touch.Wait atleast 15 more minutes.
He may or may not gobble at your last call.Don't worry!DOn't call again...at all.Don't give in now,because if you do,and start calling again,he may feel like he's back in control,and hang up.If he comes he comes,if not...oh well,but you have laid the deal on the table.If it doesn't work this time,maybe you should move to a different location where he feels more comfortable coming in.But if he's come that far he is most likely coming all the way,unless a hunter,predator or hen gets in the way.
Trust your skills,and wait.Keep your gun ready,and eyes scanning.When you see him make sure he's in range,and then.......
I hope that helps.This may take an hour or more.Usually less on younger toms,but sometimes you can catch a big tom in the mood.This is how I do it,and it hasn't always worked,but it has workedmore often than not.Sometimes there's nothing you can do to bring them in,sometimes you have to shoot them in self defense to stop them from running over you.Nothing is gauranteed,but it helps to have a game plan,and most importantly be willing to improvise.The only way to get experience is to earn it,one bird at a time,because no 2 toms are exactly the same.
If he seems to be goingside to side,or awayI assume he is in the company of hens,or is in his strut zone.
When a Tom gobbles continuously,at your calling or not he is just announcing his presence.That's just a Courtesy gobble.He isn't commited.He's just telling you he's the star quarterback,and all the cheerleaders need to come over here to join the party.
If he gobbles sporadically,shuts up,and will not answer you for 15 minutes or more at the time,he is stilldisplaying,or breedinghens.
If he responds,and is coming back and forth you have to think he is hung up,or call shy.Listen to him,when he gobbles farther away get up,and slip in,then don't say a word,and see if he struts his way back in range.Now don't be scared,and move in 1/3's.What I mean here is if you think he was 90 yds out move 30yds closer.If you think he is 300yds out move 100yds closer.After 20 minutes,and he's still a no-showI would say it would be safe to call to him again to find out where he is..
When you decide to move closer.YOU MUST BE SURE he is actuallyfarther away,and not just facing away from you.Take into consideration how thick the brush is between you.The thicker it is the closer he may be.SOme Tom's gobbles soundweak,especially on windy days,or late in the season when they are tired,or early season when they aren't worked up yet.That may make you think he is farther away than he is.In these situations youwill want to moveshorter distances at the time.
I have noticed when a bird gets quiet it's 50/50 he's coming in.Gobbling is his long range call.Generally 2 year olds are the one's that gobble all the way in.Old toms usually pop up.Drumming is his short range call.Our birds drum more than they gobble.If you hear something humming in your head,or think you hear a car stereo's bass in the distance,or a pulp wood truck in granny gear off in the distance...that's him.Be ready!He still may not come within your sight,but he's close.
If you talk with a seasoned bird,he will stand there for a while,and tell you how sweet you are,then give up on you,and leave you scratching your head.Toms are very arrogant.You have to learn less is more.Know when to say when.Not many people want to pick up the loud mouthed girl at the bar that is too eager to dance with anyone.They want the sweet girl in the corner that's playin hard to get.[8D]If you sound too eager he will get suspicious.
If I try a bird and can tell he's with hens I'll leave him alone,and come back during mid-day.There are other lonely toms.
My favorite technique is to work a bird up,and then shut up on him.Call to him(basic yelps,maybe a cutt or two).If he still gobbles when you stop..He's not ready to come(I'm talking older birds here).Give it 10-15 minutes.Call again.He should fire off Immediately.Work him up again.Then shut up on him.Did he gobble after you quit?Is he closer?Give it 10-15 more minutes.If the tom was answering nearly every note,he's getting hot.If he shuts up when you do,after the 2nd or 3rd series he is probably commited.Most older birds take several of these series to work.It depends on how stubborn he is.After he has shut up give it 10-15 more minutes.
He may now gobble on his own,he is giving in,and is getting frustrated.You should not call Immediately when he gobbles and you can tell he is closer.Wait!He's giving in!No need to call now he knows your general area.(Probably within a few yards)Listen for the drumming.Pfft duuuuUUmmpf,pfft duuuUUmmpf.After about2 minutes goes by since the last time he gobbles at a closer distance,and you haven't seen him yet,then you can make a soft call,or turn the call facing the other way,so it sounds like you are leaving,or do some of the things Ultimag described.No sense in completely ignoring him,but you are in control now.That will let him fine tune his approach,but doesn't completelygive awayyour set up location.That should be the final touch.Wait atleast 15 more minutes.
He may or may not gobble at your last call.Don't worry!DOn't call again...at all.Don't give in now,because if you do,and start calling again,he may feel like he's back in control,and hang up.If he comes he comes,if not...oh well,but you have laid the deal on the table.If it doesn't work this time,maybe you should move to a different location where he feels more comfortable coming in.But if he's come that far he is most likely coming all the way,unless a hunter,predator or hen gets in the way.
Trust your skills,and wait.Keep your gun ready,and eyes scanning.When you see him make sure he's in range,and then.......
I hope that helps.This may take an hour or more.Usually less on younger toms,but sometimes you can catch a big tom in the mood.This is how I do it,and it hasn't always worked,but it has workedmore often than not.Sometimes there's nothing you can do to bring them in,sometimes you have to shoot them in self defense to stop them from running over you.Nothing is gauranteed,but it helps to have a game plan,and most importantly be willing to improvise.The only way to get experience is to earn it,one bird at a time,because no 2 toms are exactly the same.
01-19-2006, 10:21 PM
#3
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Marion,Wisconsin
Posts: 1,403
RE: to move or not
If i know the area good I try to head them off or pay attn where there headed and if theres a feed around or a feeding area go to it.
Ive had a gobbler go with hens last year. Kept calling had the hens pissed off cuz they werr yackin, And the gobbler stopped gobblin. All a sudden there he was 20 yards away. The hens were yackin cuz he left them.
Also in mid spring and late when ther hens and gobbler fly down. stay there for 2-3 hours. or go back around noon or so. Alot of times the tom comes back when hens go lay an egg.
Ive had a gobbler go with hens last year. Kept calling had the hens pissed off cuz they werr yackin, And the gobbler stopped gobblin. All a sudden there he was 20 yards away. The hens were yackin cuz he left them.
Also in mid spring and late when ther hens and gobbler fly down. stay there for 2-3 hours. or go back around noon or so. Alot of times the tom comes back when hens go lay an egg.
01-20-2006, 05:40 AM
#4
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: NewLowell ,Ontario ,Canada
Posts: 2,765
RE: to move or not
It hard to add to all that info, but what I didn't notice was at moments like gobblers seem to quiet and one sits and waits to get a fix on whats up , he or she could change calls and use another tone. I have had close months turn back into loud mouths just by doing this and had them come right into the setup fast....BT
