Turkey Hunting Whether it's spring or fall doesn't matter to this bunch. Great tips on calling, bustin flocks, using blinds and more.

Hung up Tom

Old 04-24-2011 | 01:36 PM
  #1  
kdsberman's Avatar
Thread Starter
Nontypical Buck
 
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,673
Likes: 0
From: Michigan
Default Hung up Tom

Hey guys, just curious if any of you have any special calling or strategies you use when a tom hangs up out of range. I run into that problem every year, which Im sure most of you do too, and also ran into it again today, costing me a nice tom.

Thanks
kdsberman is offline  
Reply
Old 04-24-2011 | 03:01 PM
  #2  
JakeGrice's Avatar
Fork Horn
 
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 171
Likes: 0
From: Southern Michigan
Default

When a tom hangs up I usually just purr and cluck very softly. Purring is a good strategy when a toms is outa range. If you are using decoys then face your decoys towards your blind. This will make the tom try to face the decoy.
JakeGrice is offline  
Reply
Old 04-24-2011 | 03:02 PM
  #3  
JakeGrice's Avatar
Fork Horn
 
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 171
Likes: 0
From: Southern Michigan
Default

hopefully this helps if it makes any sense to ya lol
JakeGrice is offline  
Reply
Old 04-24-2011 | 03:21 PM
  #4  
JW's Avatar
JW
Super Moderator
 
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 7,490
Likes: 8
From: Wisconsin
Default

Need to know what makes them hang up?

Sometimes I just wait them out and then sometimes I move and come at em from another side.
Someitmes a wait and plain ole leaf scratchin' works.

JW
JW is offline  
Reply
Old 04-24-2011 | 03:37 PM
  #5  
swampbuster's Avatar
Typical Buck
 
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 865
Likes: 0
From: Wye Mountain, Arkansas
Default

Originally Posted by JW!
Need to know what makes them hang up?

Sometimes I just wait them out and then sometimes I move and come at em from another side.
Someitmes a wait and plain ole leaf scratchin' works.

JW
Great advice try another setup or go to where he hung up at and try from there. Good luck
swampbuster is offline  
Reply
Old 04-24-2011 | 06:05 PM
  #6  
RockyMtnGobblers's Avatar
Typical Buck
 
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 701
Likes: 0
From: Colorado
Default

I have this situation almost every year and what I do is call (yelp and cut) load and aggressively and if this doesn't work I move forward 25 or 50 ft. then do the same thing,
one of these works every time for me.

The above is without decoys as I rarely use them but if using decoys as in your scenario I would at the first opportunity sit as close to where you believe the gobbler was when he hungm up, and call him in with your decoys set up 20 ft. behind you. (So he will have to pass you to get to the decoys.)

If poss. you can also stalk the gobbler till you can get a shot, that worked for me this year with a hen-ed up gobbler and a boss hen I could not call in. I followed the flock till I could sneak in, and set up getting my shot at my best gobbler yet.

Last edited by RockyMtnGobblers; 04-24-2011 at 06:08 PM.
RockyMtnGobblers is offline  
Reply
Old 04-24-2011 | 06:32 PM
  #7  
Mottz's Avatar
Nontypical Buck
 
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,317
Likes: 0
From: South central Nebraska
Default

Heres what a couple of my buddies did last week. They spotted a tom in the middle of a field. They got to a position and called but he didn't budge. They took a fan from their pretty boy and walked directly at him. (And just to put this into perspective, these two guys are in the upper 200 pds. So they are not small) He got pretty defensive and started coming at them. 1 bird down. Leaving, they spotted another one and tried the exact same approach and it worked. 2nd bird down.

After I got my jake this weekend I tried this on two toms. I didn't get near close enough when I about stepped on 2 nesting hens. They flew and the toms ran. But the toms weren't spooked when I was going at them. It will stay in my strategy list.

BUT, if there may be other hunters, I'd avoid doing this!!
Mottz is offline  
Reply
Old 04-25-2011 | 02:59 AM
  #8  
Champlain Islander's Avatar
Dominant Buck
 
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 23,834
Likes: 9
From: On an Island in Paradise
Default

I move away and then aggressively cut. Usually more than once. Sometimes that puts a tom in to a frenzy and he will come barreling right in. When this scenario plays out I rarely have time for a decoy set up. This tactic seems to work best mid morning when he gets lonely.
Champlain Islander is offline  
Reply
Old 04-25-2011 | 04:41 AM
  #9  
Spike
 
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Default Hang up toms

I think every turkey hunter has had that problem at one point or another. I bought a Strutt'n 360. It is a mobile base with remote. You can set just about any decoy on it. It is 4x5 and 2inches tall you stake it into the ground and attach your decoy. The receiver comes with a small stake attached to it. Place that stake into the ground. This sounds very bulky but it is not. The unit is small. The remote is the size of your car door key remote. Two buttons. The decoy will rotate 360 degrees. Every time I had a tom hang up out out of range i would rotate the tom and here came the tom. As to set up, If you know what direction the turkeys generally come in from, then set your decoys 30 yards down from you to where you are between the tom and your decoy. I never set my decoys out in front of me where I hunt. Now if you don't use decoys then have your partner call for you and have him set up 30-40 yards behind you to where the turkeys will pass by you to get to him.
Lord Qwack is offline  
Reply
Old 04-25-2011 | 07:52 AM
  #10  
RockyMtnGobblers's Avatar
Typical Buck
 
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 701
Likes: 0
From: Colorado
Default

Originally Posted by Mottz
Heres what a couple of my buddies did last week. They spotted a tom in the middle of a field. They got to a position and called but he didn't budge. They took a fan from their pretty boy and walked directly at him. (And just to put this into perspective, these two guys are in the upper 200 pds. So they are not small) He got pretty defensive and started coming at them. 1 bird down. Leaving, they spotted another one and tried the exact same approach and it worked. 2nd bird down.

After I got my jake this weekend I tried this on two toms. I didn't get near close enough when I about stepped on 2 nesting hens. They flew and the toms ran. But the toms weren't spooked when I was going at them. It will stay in my strategy list.

BUT, if there may be other hunters, I'd avoid doing this!!
VERY FUNNY AND INTERESTING!
I just may have to try that one day.
RockyMtnGobblers is offline  
Reply

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.