I'm starting to think there is something mentally wrong with the turkeys in my area, I've figured the hens are pulling the gobblers away from my calls and I've stopped using them... But the hens make no noises at all and as for the gobblers maybe 4 gobbles in the morning and they stop after fly down, and it seem the gobblers flock up with each other I've never seen them fight or show any aggressive behavior.
I'm gonna have to hunt these turkeys like deer as they have no interest in calls or decoys, but thats the other thing they have no routine... They roost in different areas every night. Like yesterday I had 3 gobblers fired up across a field they were strutting with a couple hens soon as the sun got over the trees they moved back into the woods without a peep, this morning I set up closer to where they roosted yesterday and not one gobbler sounded off, where i hunt is public but not many hunt there so I can't imagine why they would leave the area... These birds are confusing and im not sure what else to do.
There's nothing wrong with them. They are being turkeys! As hunters we tend to base what we think turkeys should do by what we want them to do (roost in the same area, gobble good on the roost and after fly down, respond to our calls, etc.). But in the real world there is no rule book on how turkeys must act. I'm dealing with a lot of what you described this year. It's frustrating but its also turkey hunting. Good luck!
Quote from: Farmboy27 on May 10, 2016, 08:37:51 PM
There's nothing wrong with them. They are being turkeys! As hunters we tend to base what we think turkeys should do by what we want them to do (roost in the same area, gobble good on the roost and after fly down, respond to our calls, etc.). But in the real world there is no rule book on how turkeys must act. I'm dealing with a lot of what you described this year. It's frustrating but its also turkey hunting. Good luck!
YepSpring = mating...
Mating = Hens going to Gobblers...
Gobblers gobbling = attracting hens...
Gobblers that have hens with them = no need to gobble...
When the hens become less available (off to nest), gobblers will generally* become more receptive to the idea of going to find a hen (aka - you).
Most likely you are experiencing the common phenomenon of birds being "henned up". Not unusual. Frustrating as all get-out, but normal. Hens that are within sight of a gobbler, and vice-versa, don't have a need to be very vocal.
Not a damn thing wrong with them. The worst thing you can do is overthink things. Turkeys being turkeys.
Yeah I figure they are henned up but what's up with the toms grouping up, I watched 3 dominant birds just strut and look at each other not one of them were aggressive... Its like they are still flocked up, with this weather I wouldn't be surprised.
Sounds more like 3 subordinate 2 year old birds than 3 dominant birds. At this point they are probably tired of getting their butt whipped by the dominant bird (s).
I've watched four birds for three years now, as jakes, 2 year olds and now three year olds. They are inseparable. They'll all gobble and display. It's fun watching four full fans following one hen.
At some point in the late morning, the hens may depart the toms and head for their nests. At this point, the gobblers are more likely to respond to some hen yelps from you, especially if you throw in a few gobbles, making it sound like a new hen has shown up and is being courted by an intruder gobbler. Hopefully, either the desire to breed yet another hen or the peck order challenge will entice your hard-to-call toms to respond. If not, then trying to determine where they will head after fly down and set up an ambush seems to be another possibility. Let us know what finally works!
When the hens dont talk much, neither do I....Stick with them. When they lose their hens it will be a different ball game.
My only chance is getting them in the field but they haven't been normaly roosting there, most of the land around is way to thick and mostly swamp to follow or try to intercept them and they change routine every day... they may roost 100 to 1000 yards away from the night before and they go in all different directions, as for trying later in the day when the hens nest, the hens are not leaving the gobbler to go to their nest yet as i believe its too cold, i've seen hens still with the Tom up to closing hour (12am) and forget about trying to get one to gobble during the day... When it warms up i assume they will gobble more in the day when the hens leave them. I know there is a gobbler that roosts about 1/2 mile away from me on private land i hear him every morning sounding off like crazy, i wonder if thats the dominant bird and the 3 i've been seeing are subordinate birds?
Must be Pennsylvania turkeys that migrated to New York state! :o :z-dizzy:
I would forgot about trying to pattern them or ambush tactics. Try to call them to you; don't fool with decoys or other visual aids. Now you say the hens make no noise at all but most times hens are constantly making noises, you just can't hear them more than 40 or 50 yards as they constantly chatter little purrs, clucks, whirls etc. Forget about trying to guess where they will show up or patterning them, waste of time. Listen for their gobble from the roost and set up accordingly as close as possible up to 100 yds. Some people like to get closer but you don't have to see the turkey in the tree to call him in and the closer you try to get the more the risk of him seeing you. The worst thing you can do is overthink things and try to make assumptions based on where they showed up yesterday or the day before. Don't get in your head that you have to pattern them or they cannot be called, that will only make it harder for you to kill them. Calling them to you is what works. Experience and confidence are important here, now try different things on these birds, experiment, different calls, different setups, styles of calling, soft, loud, passive, aggressive till you find what works. Be patient and give these birds plenty of time to work. Pay attention to your setup, you mentioned seeing them I'm not sure how far you can see them or more importantly how far they can see to where you are calling from and not see a hen they heard. Again, the way to turkey hunt and really learn is by calling them to you not decoying them in.
You can still call them in. Just may not be with the traditional YELP, GOBBLE, YELP, GOBBLE. Call to them like a fall flock. Make turkey noises in locations where they want to be. Be alert for the Toms to come in quiet. Mix up your calling if it is not working. Don't judge if it is working by gobbles though. Try to get the hens to come have a look, or maybe just get them to feed by you because you sound like a contented feeding (and leaf scratching) hen. Don't pattern WHERE they were, pattern where they want to be! Easier said than done, but it sounds like you are in their living room, just figure out where they like to go when they fly down - not a spot, but a terrain (swamp, field edge, woods, etc). You don't need them all, just one to come in range. Stick with them, you have done most of the homework. Post a pic of him when you get him.
Mentally wrong with the turkey? Shoot I have thought it was the turkey hunters :)
Turkeys are ignorant! Talk to ya one minute and then not a word the next.
If there is a lot of public land available, this would be a good time to explore other areas while your turkeys are "off". Hunting large areas of public land, I have found that there are often places where the birds are active when in other areas they are being quiet. The interactions and dynamics of birds within a small area can make a big difference in how those birds are behaving as compared to groups of birds that might be only a short distance away. When my "regular" birds are off, I go looking for those groups of birds that are on,...and very often find them.
Quote from: GobbleNut on May 13, 2016, 12:46:26 PM
If there is a lot of public land available, this would be a good time to explore other areas while your turkeys are "off". Hunting large areas of public land, I have found that there are often places where the birds are active when in other areas they are being quiet. The interactions and dynamics of birds within a small area can make a big difference in how those birds are behaving as compared to groups of birds that might be only a short distance away. When my "regular" birds are off, I go looking for those groups of birds that are on,...and very often find them.
. Thats some darned good advice right there. I used to hunt some spots which were with 2-3 miles as the crow flies from each other and one place could be going crazy and the other dead quite. Also talk to buddies hunting not far away and they say birds hammer until 9 or 10 where they were and you hardly hear a gobble.
Quote from: WildTigerTrout on May 11, 2016, 03:02:26 PM
Must be Pennsylvania turkeys that migrated to New York state! :o :z-dizzy:
LOL! I would believe so!!!
Find them and bust them up like in the fall. That just might get them to cooperate. Or try some gobbler / jake yelps and clucks.
I had the same problem with for "boss toms". All four strut at the same time, all have white heads..... It's changed the farm big time.... I never see single toms anymore. They all are in groups and they don't respond to anything you throw at him. Ended ip shooting two of the four. One had a triple beard and the other had a double. Curious to see what happens now.
Quote from: owlhoot on May 14, 2016, 08:23:25 AM
Quote from: GobbleNut on May 13, 2016, 12:46:26 PM
If there is a lot of public land available, this would be a good time to explore other areas while your turkeys are "off". Hunting large areas of public land, I have found that there are often places where the birds are active when in other areas they are being quiet. The interactions and dynamics of birds within a small area can make a big difference in how those birds are behaving as compared to groups of birds that might be only a short distance away. When my "regular" birds are off, I go looking for those groups of birds that are on,...and very often find them.
. Thats some darned good advice right there. I used to hunt some spots which were with 2-3 miles as the crow flies from each other and one place could be going crazy and the other dead quite. Also talk to buddies hunting not far away and they say birds hammer until 9 or 10 where they were and you hardly hear a gobble.
Hey NYlongbeard get in the woods! They are working amazingly. We spent from 4:15 to 6:15 today and shot a 23 lb bird. The boss toms are active! Go get em!