Using several techniques we tagged out before 9 am both days.
Our opener in MI was Saturday. As usual, nothing would come in after fly down. It’s hard to move at all when some are in trees and some on the ground. Hens will often hang in trees for a long time. Once they walk off, I typically move and kinda stalk and call a bit and wait. Well, I was hunting and waiting and thinking about moving again when I see in the field few Tom’s and a hen, I wasn’t hearing anything since they shut up shortly after fly down. Some gentle calls and they came in. Dead big boy. no decoy, just soft calling and purrs and non-aggressive stuff for the hen. Pot call.
Sunday, took the boy out. Turkey’s hammering this morning. Couple hens came in to investigate the intruders soft calls but not the boys. Again did some moving using the topography and a little calling. In come 3 Toms after we moved away from the flock, and no shot and they leave. Right behind em 2 Jakes no shot as they followed the Toms. Moved 1/4 mile towards the direction of the 3 Toms, calling moderately loud a few yelps after every 20 yds of walking. Sat still & set up, no decoy and A little calling and they came in again pretty quietly, no shot. They saw a hen in the field and followed her. She showed no interest and I decided I had nothing to lose. Used 2 pot calls. They were 100 yds.
I absolutely hammered the calls with super aggressive yelps and purrs and almost non stop changing calls and just ripping it. As if the hens were arguing and fighting. They got all fired up, turned, and headed our way. Slowly. I didn’t stop calling until 40 yds out. A few soft clucks and purrs and they closed to range.
Super examples of just don’t do what you see others do in videos. Do what you think you need to as a hunter. A predator. Be different, improvise. I don’t think I’ve called as much as I did in that 15 min at birds in the previous 10 hunts.
