Making a turkey backtrack?

[Marc]

I was laid up last week, and had some time to do a bit of reading...

In one of the turkey hunting books, one of the strategies discussed was getting behind a turkey and calling him back to where he just was...

Now, maybe I am way off base here, but that is absolutely reverse of my own experiences.  I have found it far more difficult to get a turkey to backtrack, and far more productive to get ahead of a bird...  In fact, I cannot think of one time I have ever made a bird turn around and go back to where he just was.

What say the brain-trust here???  Has anyone found it productive to try and make a turkey backtrack?

[guesswho]

I think several factors come into play.  A gobblers age plays a big part in it.  Not all, but a lot of Jakes can be called back to the same spot numerous times.  I think the older a bird is, the less likely they are to come back in a reasonable amount of time.  A lot of birds come back at some point, but usually the hunter has lost interest and moved on.   I think it's the silence that gets to the older birds.   Another factor is if he's alone or not.   If he's with hens he's probably not coming back, at least no time  soon.   If he's alone or with another gobbler then I think you have a good chance of calling them back. 

Then there's the turkey factor.  They just do what they want to do.   Which usually isn't what the hunter  wants them to do.

[TerryLNanny]

I've heard of this strategy and used it a few times successfully. I think the reasoning is that the bird has traveled through the area safely so it should be safe to return.

[wvmntnhick]

I've called a couple back once they've gone past me at a distance. Heck, several years ago I had 7 go past me. They investigated the area with great scrutiny. It was a rather open wood lot and they ended up leaving and walked around the face of a hillside in front of and to my right. All I did was move forward about 30 yards to put them in range should they decide to come back and I made a series of yelps. They turned and came right back around the hillside. Once the strutter came around the hillside, I rolled him. The others ran around the hillside and I called a few more times. Two of them came right back and my buddy shot another. To be fair, these birds see very little pressure so I'm sure that helped.

[Swampchickin234]

In my opinion I think the terrain plays a big part.  Some places it may work and some it may not.  I've never personally successfully done it but I can't count on 1 hand at the times i have tried.  I bust tail to get in front.  Interesting topic tgough


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[dejake]

I don't know if it's the same thing, but one of my favorite scenarios is when I get a bird to answer me on the roost, and then he goes off with hens.  It's been my experience that as soon as the hens start going off to lay, he'll come back looking for me.  May take four hours or so, but he usually comes back.

[ferocious calls]

Yes often times it is call him back,swing around wide or go home. We have several times called back toms' after they moved off or are with hens. Early season when they are really fired up, getting aggressive can make them do an about face and make thier way into range.

That said, I have ran toms' far distances that I'm not sure even looked back my way. Lol

[Ihuntoldschool]

It can work sometimes.  Just like anything else nothing works all the time.   Don't get that crap in your head that people want you to believe. Can't call turkeys back to where they just were, can't call them downhill, can't call them across a creek, through brush, etc.  If you believe you can't call a turkey in any scenario you will most likely prove yourself right.   Confidence game.

[renegade19]

It works.  Sometimes. 

[callmakerman]

It can work sometimes.  Just like anything else nothing works all the time.   Don't get that crap in your head that people want you to believe. Can't call turkeys back to where they just were, can't call them downhill, can't call them across a creek, through brush, etc.  If you believe you can't call a turkey in any scenario you will most likely prove yourself right.   Confidence game.

Well said. If the mood of the bird is right you can get them to do most anything.

[GobbleNut]

As others have stated, the circumstances,....bird's mood, who he's with, normal travel patterns, his life experiences, etc.,...all play a part in whether a gobbler is willing to reverse his course and go back to calling from where he has already been.   

Everybody should heed the general rule that a turkey is easier to call to where he is headed than to where he has left,...but there are times when a hunter just has to play the cards he is dealt and try to get a bird to return to where he was.  There are times when that strategy is a waste of time,...but fortunately, there are also those occasions where it will work.  Overall, the "get in front" strategy will pay off more consistently than the "call 'em back" strategy. 

Personally, I like to call a bit to give them a chance to come back if they are willing.  That also gives me the chance to get a feel for their attitude, even if they won't come back towards me.  However, there eventually comes a time in the conversation where I just have to admit that a gobbler just ain't coming back,... in which case it is time for a new tactic,...or a new gobbler. 

[dirt road ninja]

Much like Guesswho said, it will depend on whether or not he has ladies with him. If I can't get to where he is going the next best thing to me is to go where he has been. I know he is comfortable in that area and the he'll return if he gets lonely or if you can get him looking for a fight.

[hotspur]

This past spring I was following a walking gobbling machine when I didn't hear a gobble for a few minutes I would sit down and wait, or maybe call,after an hour and a half after I just sat down and was thinking about calling  hear he came back while I was digging out a different call and I got busted. I e killed a fewwalkers by getting in front and I've killed a couple by following if I can't get in front

[Happy]

I have called them back to where they have ready been before. Will take the option of getting in front of him every time though if possible.

[derek]

You may mean something entirely different, but an instance where it can work well is on a bird "working a pattern".  If he's is in the back and forth, back and forth... slipping in where he just was, when he's on the far side of his "pattern" can be what it takes to get him to come storming back.