What's Your take on this?

[Jfowler82]

Well if the hens are talking back then your doing something right ! Sometimes gobblers just won't respond to anything some days .

[Tom007]

Next time, go hit them with a fighting purr sequence. A friend of mine on this forum saw 2 Tom's fighting a week ago. With multiple Tom's, a fight challenge just may break one or 2 of them. It's worked for me when nothing else will. Good luck, thx for sharing.....

[zelmo1]

Similar situation here and I think many have hit on parts of it in this thread. I think that the torrential downpours we had for 3 straight days and cold temps right after killed some nests and those hens are now available to breed again. This is keeping the Toms busy rather than have them cruising solo as they should be. If you have the birds and the patience, I think less changing spots and letting the gobblers come to you is a good bet. Late morning sounds like our best chance here if you dont get a chance at flydown.  Z

[ruination]

Similar situation here and I think many have hit on parts of it in this thread. I think that the torrential downpours we had for 3 straight days and cold temps right after killed some nests and those hens are now available to breed again. This is keeping the Toms busy rather than have them cruising solo as they should be. If you have the birds and the patience, I think less changing spots and letting the gobblers come to you is a good bet. Late morning sounds like our best chance here if you dont get a chance at flydown.  Z

Sadly the season is over.

I didn't really mention it, but a lot of the hens were very vocal also.  But the gobblers were really ignoring them also and talking to each other it seemed....and the solo ones were definitely henned up.

You're right though I do move too much.  I don't have patience enough to sit and stare at empty woods though.

Thanks for your input.

[bbcoach]

This is what my buddies and I talk about every year since we are Retired and hunt every day during our month-long season.  With most of the breeding done (75% or better) by our opener, we see gobblers with hens most mornings hoping to get lucky, especially off the roost.  When the hens move off to lay their egg for the day, we will get some mid-morning action, or a 2-year-old will come our way.  As the season progresses and the hens feed and head back to set on their nests, the Gobblers and jakes will group back up, and we know our season is coming to a close.  The gobblers will gobble at your calling but normally won't come because they expect that lone hen to go to them for breeding.  As others have said, you have to change your calling tactics or be right where they want to be (In Their Bubble) to fill that tag or tags.  What we have found is as the season progresses the turkeys will move and don't follow that early season pattern, so YOU have to SCOUT and be where they want to be not where they were the first week or two.  Change tactics, change your calling and Scout hard will put birds in front of you.  This is why we enjoy this Sport so much, it's hard to match wits with a walnut sized brain that only has 2 things on its mind, SURVIVAL and propagating the species.

[ruination]

This is what my buddies and I talk about every year since we are Retired and hunt every day during our month-long season.  With most of the breeding done (75% or better) by our opener, we see gobblers with hens most mornings hoping to get lucky, especially off the roost.  When the hens move off to lay their egg for the day, we will get some mid-morning action, or a 2-year-old will come our way.  As the season progresses and the hens feed and head back to set on their nests, the Gobblers and jakes will group back up, and we know our season is coming to a close.  The gobblers will gobble at your calling but normally won't come because they expect that lone hen to go to them for breeding.  As others have said, you have to change your calling tactics or be right where they want to be (In Their Bubble) to fill that tag or tags.  What we have found is as the season progresses the turkeys will move and don't follow that early season pattern, so YOU have to SCOUT and be where they want to be not where they were the first week or two.  Change tactics, change your calling and Scout hard will put birds in front of you.  This is why we enjoy this Sport so much, it's hard to match wits with a walnut sized brain that only has 2 things on its mind, SURVIVAL and propagating the species.

Thank you, this was the reply I was looking for.

I got in real close and maybe would've gotten it done if a hen didn't creep up on me while I was setting up.

The behavior is just a new one for me so I was curious what caused it.  I think unlike many states we had a very good breeding cycle in MD that had them on a new routine.