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Hunting quiet birds
What are some strategies for hunting birds that aren't gobbling and areas that you haven't been able to scout very much? I hunted a piece of land this weekend, where I usually hunt at home...neverh eard or saw any gobbles. A week ago before the youth season there was 1 or 2 gobbling, not it'sl ike they disappeared. I have a few state land spots in mind and I have access to a new piece of private property...all thanks to knowing people at the camp I work at:) I didn't get to scout it much, was there one morning and heard nothing but it has a a hickory/oak ridge and then a large open area across the hilldside where a powerline runs through and the guy said it was the hotspot and has seen birds strut there before in the past. I'm thinking of going there Tuesday or Weds. morning.
Any advice would be helpful! Thanks! |
RE: Hunting quiet birds
If your not hearing them it's likely that they are not there. I would try somewhere else if I was you.
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RE: Hunting quiet birds
ORIGINAL: 2 Lunger If your not hearing them it's likely that they are not there. I would try somewhere else if I was you. Nonesense! I just regained permission to hunt a farm, 1300 acres, where I learned how to turkey hunt. Its hard to put numbers up without sounding like a braggard, so forgive me, but suffice to say I've shot a lot of turkeys off this place over the years, and have been hunting it for very near 20 years now. I've only gotten to hunt it twice so far this year, and I haven't heard the first gobble. I've seen over 30 hens in those two trips, and have also seen two gobblers, and a few tracks. the situation I have is too many chiefs (hens) and not enough indians (gobblers). They don' gobble, because in large part they don't need too. They spend all of their time with hens. The place is rotten with turkeys, and always has been. If you are seeing turkey sign (tracks, scat, feathers, scratchings etc), then the birds are there. Why they aren't gobbling... could be a number of things. Most likely, they are henned up. You'll hear them often on the branch in the morning, then as soon as they hit the ground, if you make a sound the hens will lead them off. Its a tough time of the season to hunt. Depending on where you are, (I'm in VA for example) this coming week the first round of hens should be hitting the nests, so gobbling should pick back up for the last two weeks of the season. Patience is the key. Its tough to hunt a place that you don't know well when the birds are quiet, because the real key to killing them is being able to pattern them. Its more like a deer hunt really, you just have to put yourself in their way and be patient and ready when they show up. |
RE: Hunting quiet birds
ORIGINAL: SwampCollie ORIGINAL: 2 Lunger If your not hearing them it's likely that they are not there. I would try somewhere else if I was you. Nonesense! I just regained permission to hunt a farm, 1300 acres, where I learned how to turkey hunt. Its hard to put numbers up without sounding like a braggard, so forgive me, but suffice to say I've shot a lot of turkeys off this place over the years, and have been hunting it for very near 20 years now. I've only gotten to hunt it twice so far this year, and I haven't heard the first gobble. I've seen over 30 hens in those two trips, and have also seen two gobblers, and a few tracks. the situation I have is too many chiefs (hens) and not enough indians (gobblers). They don' gobble, because in large part they don't need too. They spend all of their time with hens. The place is rotten with turkeys, and always has been. If you are seeing turkey sign (tracks, scat, feathers, scratchings etc), then the birds are there. Why they aren't gobbling... could be a number of things. Most likely, they are henned up. You'll hear them often on the branch in the morning, then as soon as they hit the ground, if you make a sound the hens will lead them off. Its a tough time of the season to hunt. Depending on where you are, (I'm in VA for example) this coming week the first round of hens should be hitting the nests, so gobbling should pick back up for the last two weeks of the season. Patience is the key. Its tough to hunt a place that you don't know well when the birds are quiet, because the real key to killing them is being able to pattern them. Its more like a deer hunt really, you just have to put yourself in their way and be patient and ready when they show up. |
RE: Hunting quiet birds
Hunting quiet birds means you need to find out where they are going; where they like to spend their time. You can't go off of real sounds, you need to actually see them, or find their sign! They are MUCH harder to hunt, but it is a defiant possibility you could score!
If it was easy, everyone would do it! |
RE: Hunting quiet birds
Hunt later in the day, once the hens are on the nest the gobblers will come looking for another one. Also you need to be very patient alot of birds get spooked every year because of people not giving them sufficient time to come in silent.
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RE: Hunting quiet birds
ORIGINAL: SwampCollie Nonesense! I just regained permission to hunt a farm, 1300 acres, where I learned how to turkey hunt. Its hard to put numbers up without sounding like a braggard, so forgive me, but suffice to say I've shot a lot of turkeys off this place over the years, and have been hunting it for very near 20 years now. I've only gotten to hunt it twice so far this year, and I haven't heard the first gobble. I've seen over 30 hens in those two trips, and have also seen two gobblers, and a few tracks. the situation I have is too many chiefs (hens) and not enough indians (gobblers). They don' gobble, because in large part they don't need too. They spend all of their time with hens. The place is rotten with turkeys, and always has been. If you are seeing turkey sign (tracks, scat, feathers, scratchings etc), then the birds are there. Why they aren't gobbling... could be a number of things. Most likely, they are henned up. You'll hear them often on the branch in the morning, then as soon as they hit the ground, if you make a sound the hens will lead them off. Its a tough time of the season to hunt. Depending on where you are, (I'm in VA for example) this coming week the first round of hens should be hitting the nests, so gobbling should pick back up for the last two weeks of the season. Patience is the key. Its tough to hunt a place that you don't know well when the birds are quiet, because the real key to killing them is being able to pattern them. Its more like a deer hunt really, you just have to put yourself in their way and be patient and ready when they show up. For 2 mornings in a row, I've been set up on the boss - he gobblesmaybe 3-5x on the limb and hits the ground. Roosts with 2 satellite jakes and a harem of 6-10 hens. He's a banger, but his hens make him borderline unkillable right now. As noted, calling works more as a flock repellant - and from my experience, when a tom is heavily henned-up, he's even less likely to shock. This dog will have his day.I'm pegging him for a solid 4-year old,minimum 60 pointer, and should score well if I can close the deal on him before he sheds too much weight. Like your place Andy, this area is rotten with turkeys. (Good word, rotten.Used a lot in"The Catcher in the Rye"). As for the lack of gobbling - on Saturday, I saw 12 male birds over about 1000 acres, heard 6 gobbles all day. Six. The simple fact is: when a big tom is rolling 3-4-5+ hens deep, you'll be lucky to even get him to locate. And some of the big ones linger with the matriarch, who serves as his gatekeeper... A second set of eyes and ears... You'll know when you get into one... She'll be a loudmouth old*****, and he'll be tacked to her hip like a holster. |
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