How to trick the bird across a River

[briton]

I was hunting public land in GA, the Flint river was the border on one side, got chose for a quota hunt. Anyways, there were 3 gobblers hammering on the other side of the river, I hadn't had any luck anywhere else so I was just gonna play with them and enjoy hearing them. Set up on the top of the hill that dropped off to the river, and hit em with every call I had in the vest and they gobbled constantly for over an hour, I made it sound like turkeys fighting and took an old turkey wing out and flapped it against my leg and gobbled with a box call, I could tell they were on the bank on the other side hammering away, second time I flapped the wing and did some excited cuts and cackles I see two gobblers gliding across the river beards hanging right towards me, they landed and came right up the hill and I bagged one, the river is probably 200yds wide right there, I still cant believe it happened and replay the sight of them gliding the river beards hanging, prolly the coolest hunt ive had. The 3rd bird was a little smarter or lazier one because he stayed on the other side of the river.

[mdtkyhntr]

One of the spots I can hunt is bordered on one side by a small river. I've watched birds fly back and forth before and even once convinced a big gobbler across but by the time he got there it was after shooting hours. Last year I got a bunch of birds gobbling from across the river. I walked around on my side scratching leaves and running multiple calls to sound like a small flock of hens. They ate it up closing the distance until they sounded like they were directly across the river from me. I sat down and got set up and instantly heard wing beats and watched some birds coast across the river. The next sight I saw was three gobblers in full strut cresting the hill in front of me. They didn't strut straight to the gun but I did end up tagging one about three minutes later. Still probably the coolest thing I've ever seen in the turkey woods. So basically, find a super hot, or multiple super hot birds, sound like a flock of hens waiting across the river, then cross your fingers and hope that this is that 1 out of 50 times it actually works.

[DocGobbler]

Have had a buddy that uses a strutter in this situation. Puts it in view of the other bank with an upright or submissive hen. Gets aggressive on the call and sometimes throws a gobble call in the mix. Has worked for him several times.

[Tommythreetoes]

If he's really hot and bothered and hammering on every call, sometimes the best thing to do is walk away. Walk away from him calling every now and then. I he stops gobbling sit down RIGHT THEN. It could mean he gave up and walked away too, but every now and then it also means he quit gobbling and flew your way. If he did, you'll know quick because he won't waste time. I've had it work twice, but it's not a situation I encounter very often.

^^^^^^THIS^^^^^^^

I've made this work a few times.  We hunt a river bottoms, and the other side is a different county (can't cross legally).  We've tried about everything over the years.  If he's going to cross at all, this is how we've made it happen.  Doesn't work often for me, but it has worked a few times. 

[THattaway]

A turkey will go where he wants to go. Generally, if they respond to calls from across the river I'd linger in the area. Most times they have hens holding them there and will eventually come across if the hens leave them later in them morning. Called two across last season myself, multiple times in years past and even across a 4 lane highway once.

[silvestris]

Fire him up, then shut up.  If he wants to get to you bad enough, he will then come.

[CMBOSTC]

Beat the tree they're roosted in with a stick, works every time.

[OldSchool]

I've never had much luck calling turkeys across fair sized bodies of water, but then again, I'm not the best caller. I've had them hang up on creeks they could have hopped across. Sometimes they'd eventually cross, other times I've had to, where I could. I've had birds hang up on creeks I could shoot across, snuck to the edge and killed them on the other side.  If I was trying to call them across a fair sized river, I'd either try to fire them up and then shut up, or call loud and long and hope one or the other worked.

Bob

[catman529]

Only time I remember a gobbler crossing the river was 4 years ago and it was I think 3 gobblers and it's not just my calling but because they saw an actual hen on the river bank next to me. That hunt is unforgettable and another entire story, I ended up killing one that day but by pure luck.

I have taken off the boots and long pants and waded in gym shorts across thigh deep water to call in and kill a gobbler a couple years ago. I'll cross almost anything for a hot bird as long as I can keep my gun and my gear dry.