I'm fairly new to turkey hunting and the past two spring seasons have had an issue where turkeys would not answer our calls, however, we know they are around. Last season, on multiple occasionsI had turkeys sneak in to less than 50 yards of me unexpectedly and never answer any of my calls. Any strategies/tips on ways to set-up when turkeys aren't making too much noise would be great!

It may be that your dealing with call shy birds...How much hunting pressure do these turkeys get???

Which calls are you talking about, shock calls or hen calls?

Ive learned thru past experiences to remain perfectly still and call sparringly when Im dealing with no gobbling. Ive seen quite a few turkey by just having some patience and waiting them out.

sounds like they are awnsering just not vocally you may be dealing with pressured birds use soft calling clucks and purrs every 20 min. be still and keep your eyes and ears open listen for leaves being scratched birds walking and hopefully a bird spitting and drumming setup in places you know birds frequent and be patient

If the turkeys are not answering, did you call the number right....LOL, sorry, I had to crack the simple joke.

Maybe they had Caller ID coyotestalker...

Seriously when in Rome do as the Romans do..If turkeys are very vocal,you can be very vocal,but when turkeys aren't in the mood,sometimes less is more.You can spend your time doin' the run and gun like I mostly do.Trying to find a hot tom,but if you are in a limited area or are after a specific bird.That is when your woodsmanship will come into play.Knowing what the birds like to do,what they like to eat,where they like dust,how they like to travel,where they roost.Interpreting sign,like tracks,scratching,droppings,etc...Well that's what seperates thehunters from the hungry.It will show your skill level when birds aren't talking.Once you figure out what birds like to do,just set up in their area,and do soft calling.He may pop up just like you said.You have to be on alert.That's how you take birds home when everyone else is scratching their heads.

i think some times there are bigger birds in the area so the smaller ones don't call. its like a dominace thing or something

I also agree.

My second year turkey hunting, I called in the biggest longer beard I've ever seen a live to this day. And I didn't kill him. Here is the story that I WILL NEVER forget.

It was at a club that I used to hunt at. Down on the creek bottom I knew there were birds roosting. I tried to hunt them up on the higher ground, but they wouldn't come in. They would gobble their heads off though. Well this morning I decided to go down to the bottom.

I entered the woods right at day light. I done this b/c here in the South, the last thing I want to do is go trecking through swamp in the Spring. Lots of rattlers and cotton mouths. So, I waited until I could see to walk in.

When i got down into the bottom the birds weren't gobbling yet. Well, one sounded off and I was like "wtf". The bird was behind me. On top of the hill that I just came from instead of down in the bottom where they normally are. Well, I set up facing where the bird was gobbling. Put my decoy out and got seated against a huge oak.

I let him do his thing for a while before I started calling. He answered every time I called. When he flew down, he started coming in then hung up out of sight. Well, the next time I heard him gobble, he was booking it out of dodge. I 'played" with this turkey for almost an hour before he just shut up.

Well, I was down and out b/c if the bird would have been where he was supposed to be, then I would have gotten him. Well, about then, I heard something move behind me. I did mention that I had my back agaiinst a HUGE oak that I could not see around on either side, facing AWAY from where the bird usually was.

Well, I didn't know what I heard, so I tried to just ease my head around the tree. There he was at 10 yards. The biggest gobbler I've ever seen to this day. In Full strut. Going straight to my decoy. The beard on this turkey was at least 11.5'' long and very thick.There arenumerous 20lb+ turkeys killed on this club every year and he was bigger thana 23lb turkey that I watcheduntil opening day when another member killed him.

He was so close that he seen me when I moved, so he flew. If he would have ran, I could have gotten a shot off. But he never gobbled once. I don't know why. Maybe it was b/c of my decoy. Maybe it was b/c he wasn't the dominate bird. Maybe it was b/c of all of the comotion going on with me and this other bird. I have no idea. But lesson learned.

If I were in your situation, knowing what I know today. I would buy a blind, set up in it and as stated above, call every once in a while. I don't really like blinds, but when doing this. You have no clue what direction the bird will come in, if he isn't gobbling. If you can use decoys, maybe set one up. Thats up to the person.

Even though I didn't get that bird. I learned a lot of stuff that day.

Now that's a big bird!BPS was so excited he called him a longer beard!

I agree.I use a blind the one that folds in half,and rolls up that you get from wallyworld.It works great.I should have mentioned this before.If I'm in an area where I am not sure where a Turkey will come from,I put my back to a thick section of brush,that way he will have to come around tomy side,or come out in front of me.

BPS you reminded me of a story,with a happier ending.This is where I learned my lesson.I had been seeing this toms tracks,and I decided to set up on the curve of a road in the evening.I biked in,and pushed my bike down the firebreak 10 yds away from me.I set my decoys out 25yds away on the road.I had my back on a huge Pine.Well,I had done a little soft calling,and heard nothing.5 minutes after I called I heard a twig snap...uh-oh![]Right behind me.I eased my head around and saw a black figure walking to me.I closed my eyes.I peeped out the corner of my eyes,and a tom walked 5 feet from me.He stopped,looked at the decoys on the road,and looked at me,then spooked.He went back down the firebreak,walked around my bike.Then I decided notto shoot,because I could tell he was going towards the decoys.
He popped out at 25 yds,right at them,and I popped him!What a relief,and a funny hunt.That was my 2nd biggest bird.10 1/4" beard,1 1/4" spurs,18lbs.

dakine999sounds like your doing the right thing.You're just dealing with pressured birds,or sattelite toms.You're just going to have to keep at it,and keep your eyes,and ears ready.Good luck to you.