Phil from Maine

Ok guys I have an issue trying to get a tom to respond to me. This one has 10 hens with him most of then time.. The question is how do you get him to get away from those hens for a short time frame. Or how do you get the hens to come to you in hopes the tom will follow? Should I use just a hen decoy? He already has enough of those hens. Or should I try to put a hen decoy out and a jake decoy to try and get him to drive the jake away? What would you guys try and do in a situation like this?

Any ideas will be helpful!
Thanks everyone..

nchawkeye

Any sane hunter would go find a tom that wasn't henned up...
But...As we know, turkey hunters aren't known as being sane....

My buddy and I killed a bird like this, this year...We put a hen on the ground in the
submissive position with a jake beside her...It also helped that he was roosting near a
field and he was meeting his hens there...We set up between him and the hens after
patterning them...

In the end, it was blind azzed luck...

Phil from Maine

I have to agree with the idea of trying to find one that is not henned up..
But, this bird is a very big bird and I am hoping to get him to come out and play. I know I am crazy or something however, I am hoping to get a chance at this bird!

Thanks for the help.

rritchey sr.

with that many hens at his disposal you have a situation that is almost impossible to surmount. You could try a jake or two with a hen and see if his territorial hormones kick in, but that would be the only thing that in my opinion that might work. I called a gobbler with a hen in this spring, but that was only one hen. best of luck to you. Other than that I agree with what was said earlier and that is to find a gobbler that is not henned up.

Wingbone

Don't be too impatient. This time of year the hens will wander off to lay their eggs about midmorning. Try again about 10 or 11:00. Many times, at this time in the season I've found the toms all alone and anxious for company later in the morning.

Phil from Maine

Currently this tom is showing up between 8:30 and 9:30 but will not go away from those hens as of yet. So I am hoping he will come out to tackle the jake maybe? I will be trying this on him this coming Tuesday. Hopefully as stated his territorial hormones will take over and he try and push the jake away? But, I still have 2 weeks left to try and get him to come in.

Thanks for the help guys..

Mottz

Phil, if he is in an open field with the hens, grab a fan and hold it up to your face and walk right at him. As you get closer he will come to you.

bghunter777

I had this happen a few years ago and was able to take the turkey by putting a gobbler decoy in the field with a few hens he left his flock and walked right over. I also agree with staying out from 9-12 this time of year I am much more successful during that time than early in the morning. If you hear one after 9 am he is a bird you can often times call in.

What I would not do is walk toward the turkey with a fan. This although interesting seems like a good way to educate this bird or even worse get shot by another hunter.

Phil from Maine

I may try the fan trick as I know it can work. I just have to be real careful as this place is traveled a lot.

I have tried my pretty boy out there but with no luck as of yet. I even tied a string to the back of it so I can try and get it to turn a little. But again no interest in that either. So I am hoping a jake with a hen may do the trick on him. He had to get to the size he is from being a wise one. So I am leaning towards my widow maker and a jake to see if that may do the trick. If not I can always go back and try my pretty boy some more.

bghunter777

You could just reach out and touch him w a premium load of 4s or 5s how does the saying go "this will be the last time he hangs up at 50 yards"! lol I'm only kidding the ethics police will be all over me for that. But in all seriousness possibly try an unconventional set up closer to where the bird typically struts or enters and exits the area just getting your decoys closer to him may be all you need or simply intercept him naturally traveling. The best way to kill a big bird decoy or call is be where he already wants to go makes calling and decoying them in much easier.