Patterning hunters tip!
02-10-2002, 09:02 AM
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Calif
Posts: 1,894
Patterning hunters tip!
Just a little tip that could possibly help you on your next hunt especially in those high pressure areas that so many of us encounter today.Years ago I was hunting an area that had multiple gobblers living in it but after the first few days of season the woods that were alive with turkey music began to go silent.I would only hear a bird sound-off once or twice on the roost and thats it.After the first week the predawn gobbles that I was hearing earlier were gone leaving me one dissapointed and frusterated turkey hunter.I knew the area was getting pounded pretty hard by other hunters and a couple of birds had been taken,but i had witnessed 2 days before season at least 8 different gobblers using the area.I began to question myself,thinking maybe they killed em all or just ran them completely out of the area.Then during the second week of the season I went out like I had been doing all along during season and was greeted once again by silence at daybreak.I just shook my head and stayed put where I was at just listening for the heck of it.I fell asleep,nodding off every now and then seriously thinking about leaving to go do some bass fishing when all the sudden 2 gobblers sounded off about 200 yards away.It was just after 11
o and these were the first birds I heard all mornin.To make a long story short as it turned out I walked home that mornin with a beautiful longbeard that i'm sure was one of the birds I had heard before the woods came alive with turkey hunters.Since then I have realized a few things that have proven positive results in days spent afield in chasin ole longbeard.Deerhunters have a saying that deer can pattern the hunter if he shows up at the same time to his stand and walks carelessly to and from his stand in the same direction leaving his scent on every limb and piece of vegetation he touches thus resulting in deer avoiding his general location.Guys gobblers can pattern the turkey hunter too.He cannot smell "thank God"but if he's spooked continuously off the roost or bumped into on the ground he develops lock-jaw resulting in silent woods.These turkeys I mentioned above were called too so much and spooked off the roost by so much hunter activity in the woods they became silent on the roost.Once most of the hunters left the woods not hearing anything these birds activity picked up later in the day.Alot of guys hunt before work and leave around the 8 to 9o hour so much of the human intrusion is gone later in the day resulting in a more relaxed state of mind for ole gobbler.Now days if I know an area has gobblers living in it I make a day of it and wait em out.Dont make the mistake of walking around the turkey woods looking for turkeys cause in most cases you might be lucky enough to see one but he'll of already of seen you first.Be patient let and let him tell you where he's at and then make your move.On that particular morning I described above I ended up hearing 5 different gobblers as I worked a bird into gunrange.Take advantage of those gobblers that pattern hunters and stay in the woods,sometimes later is better than never!!! <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>
o and these were the first birds I heard all mornin.To make a long story short as it turned out I walked home that mornin with a beautiful longbeard that i'm sure was one of the birds I had heard before the woods came alive with turkey hunters.Since then I have realized a few things that have proven positive results in days spent afield in chasin ole longbeard.Deerhunters have a saying that deer can pattern the hunter if he shows up at the same time to his stand and walks carelessly to and from his stand in the same direction leaving his scent on every limb and piece of vegetation he touches thus resulting in deer avoiding his general location.Guys gobblers can pattern the turkey hunter too.He cannot smell "thank God"but if he's spooked continuously off the roost or bumped into on the ground he develops lock-jaw resulting in silent woods.These turkeys I mentioned above were called too so much and spooked off the roost by so much hunter activity in the woods they became silent on the roost.Once most of the hunters left the woods not hearing anything these birds activity picked up later in the day.Alot of guys hunt before work and leave around the 8 to 9o hour so much of the human intrusion is gone later in the day resulting in a more relaxed state of mind for ole gobbler.Now days if I know an area has gobblers living in it I make a day of it and wait em out.Dont make the mistake of walking around the turkey woods looking for turkeys cause in most cases you might be lucky enough to see one but he'll of already of seen you first.Be patient let and let him tell you where he's at and then make your move.On that particular morning I described above I ended up hearing 5 different gobblers as I worked a bird into gunrange.Take advantage of those gobblers that pattern hunters and stay in the woods,sometimes later is better than never!!! <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>
02-10-2002, 11:07 AM
#3
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: NY
Posts: 2,820
RE: Patterning hunters tip!
Great post!! How many birds have you had come in silent over the years as well!! Pressure has a way of doing just that!! Pays to stay in the woods till quitting time if you don't hear any at dawn!! <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>
02-10-2002, 02:05 PM
#5
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: chiefland Florida USA
Posts: 5,417
RE: Patterning hunters tip!
good BG2; I have had the same over the years.I love to stay late after all the others have gone home.
just last year I took a nice bird 18 lbs. 8" beard at 11:45 a.m.he gobbled two times and I took him.
I think,like you they learn to pettern us as hunters.
I am not a hunter I am a whitetail population reduction specialest
remember keep your back to the sun, your knife sharp, and your powder dry.
just last year I took a nice bird 18 lbs. 8" beard at 11:45 a.m.he gobbled two times and I took him.
I think,like you they learn to pettern us as hunters.
I am not a hunter I am a whitetail population reduction specialest
remember keep your back to the sun, your knife sharp, and your powder dry.
