Turkeys don't give a damn about my calls after flydown
 

Hi,

I am new to turkey hunting. I am hunting private land and I setup a blind at the edge of a forest looking out to a field, close to where the birds roost. I practiced a lot with a mouth call and on my first morning, barely before sunrise I made a very soft yelp and waited. 10 minutes later 3 gobblers fly down about 10 yards from my decoy (which was setup at 20 yards). I gave them a soft purr and they got super excited and went right for the decoy. One of the gobblers was really nice bird, I got turkey fever, and missed by an inch... This happened with my bow. The birds didn't seem to notice the arrow much, but after a few seconds they moved 10 yards away, stayed there for a min and left for other hens. The rest of the day, I didn't get anything else (I can only stay until midday). But the birds were around the field, walking around and feeding with the hens, all in one big group, I couldn't get them closer than 100 yards, they did not cared about my calls at all.

I went a second time, this time with a shotgun as my archery confidence dropped with that missed shot, and I don't want to miss a bird like that again. Set up in the same spot, made a soft yelp right before sunrise, nothing. Then I start hearing other yelps (hens) and gobbles. Made a yelp, got a gobble back. About 2 minutes later, a bird flies down, 20 yards from my decoy. He didn't seem to see or care about the decoy, and was definitely looking around for the hen that called. It was a little dark and early so maybe he didn't even see it. I made a very soft yelp and a purr, and the bird look all excited and looked around. Few seconds passed, other hens were calling, and he walked towards them. This was followed by calls and gobbles but not other bird came down, some flied right over my head. Woods just got dead silent and I could see the big group of birds (about 15 total maybe?, 2 giant gobblers and a few smaller). They stayed together in one big group and kept following the hens and feeding. They did not answer my calls, they would look around every time I called, and lose interest quickly. There was one big fat gobbler staying behind with the group that started walking towards me after I called, but then he stopped, and went back to follow the hens...

What's going on here? what should I do? Is it possible to separate this birds from the hen group? or am I only going to keep getting this morning chance?. Should I just call in the morning and then shut up and hope for them to come feed in my area? should I add more hens to my decoy setup?(I only have one). This is the first week of turkey season in VT, so it is early. Is this normal behavior for early season? Thanks!

There's a big possibility that my calls are not good. But judging by the fact that I was able to bring those birds, and every single time a look at them from my binos after I call, they put their head up, look kind of excited and look around. But then they go back to following those damn hens... I tune myself everytime before the hunt by listening to real hens videos, and every now and then when I am hunting. I don't think I am calling too often. My decoy must be pretty ugly.

Change up the calls. Maybe use a few different ones as in box, slate and so on. Also slip in there and move your blind to where they seem to go after fly down. I would try that first then if that doesn't work try a few more hen decoys. Remember to stay adaptable to the conditions. Watch the birds and see what stage of the breeding season you are in. That might give you clues how to act. If the hens are being talkative try imitating what she is saying. It will piss her off and more times than not she will come in and bring mr Big with her.


Do the toms seem aggressive toward the jakes. A jake decoy may help. Most of turkey hunting is trial an error till ya find what is working at that time. If its not too pressured then they shouldn't be call shy yet. Also if you are allowed to hunt in the afternoon I have had most my luck beween 9 am and 1 pm.


If you have access to a turkey fan and no one else is hunting the area (safety) you could try faning a bird in. Get low to the field edge and raise and lower the fan making sure the Tom sees you. If he is aggressive he may come running. One of the birds I took this year I hunched over and walked slowly toward a tom and 6 hens while holding a fan in front of me. It took me 3 hours to cover just under a mile of wide open terrain but the hens eventually walked my way after I got within 150 yrds and the Tom followed about 60 yrds behind them till he met mr Winchester. Good luck and enjoy your time out there.

I would love to go to where they go after flydown but I can't because it is other property (private). They did come feed where I hunt today far to another side at around 10 AM, and I moved there with my portable blind. Called, no luck... they just won't leave the hens they are with.... I tried both mouth, and slate. They only seem to answer to my mouth calls, but still won't come.

There are no signs of aggression between Toms and Jakes. It is early spring here. I was thinking maybe adding more hens than just one, to make it more appealing for them to come? I see signs of them eating where I am, and lots of tracks. I just really don't know how to get them to come towards me when they seem to be so obsessed with the real hens, which makes sense I guess. I am not allowed to hunt after midday.

Thanks for the answer, I think I am going to try adding more hens. They seem to be an abundance of turkeys here, and one hen decoy might just not be enough when there are plenty real. But again, I have no experience, so this is just simple guessing.

Good luck. Most of hunting is guessing and adapting, and then just plain getting lucky lol. If the hens are not going to nest yet then you are probably right.

Alright! I'll change my setup a bit and see what happens. Yeah I don't think they are going to nest yet, cause I say them with the gobblers the entire morning from 6 AM to 12 PM. The season ends the last day of May, so I still got some time. I also forgot to mention there was a fox as well as a skunk going around the field I hunt, so maybe that drove them out to the other fields today?

Thanks

It is very tough to call in a gobbler that is with hens, especially if they are ready to breed. Keep after them, one by one the hens will go off to nest.

I buy a guaranteed May license here in MI and don't even get serious until the last half of May when all the hens are nesting and the gobblers are by themselves. They will usually come to a hen call any time of the day then. Just have patience and hunt until the end of the month if you can.

This justs sounds like typical turkey hunting, some days it's a walk in the park, other days it's frustrating...if they are coming out to the field you are hunting in the AM, you have a great chance of killing one. I'd try putting some more hen decoys out, along with a strutting gobbler decoy, if you have one.

Another option, if possible, would be work your way through the woods as quietly as possible, and try getting in front of them, eventually they'll go back in the woods, and if you are set up in the right place, you may be able to ambush one. No, it's not as fun as calling in a gobbling bird, but it may help you fill a tag.

I think I will put more hens out. And yes, they are out and about all morning in the fields. I am not allowed to hunt PM. I am worried about using a strutting gobbler decoy, because the first day I went hunting, this guy set up in the other property, about 700 yards away from me had about 4 hens and a strutting gobbler. Turkeys were pretty close to him, but they wouldn't go there. It started raining hard, so he left. As soon as he left, the turkeys went right to his spot.... This was first day of the season, in priv. property. So I think they didn't like the gobbler decoy?

Just a small bit of advice...I noticed in your signature lines that your 870 has a modified choke. Try putting a full choke in if you can. Or for even better range and performance on turkeys, an extra full choke.


Good luck, and keep at 'em. When you do bust one, it will all be worth it.