• The SH Membership has gone live. Only SH Members have access to post in the classifieds. All members can view the classifieds. Starting in 2020 only SH Members will be admitted to the annual hunting contest. Current members will need to follow these steps to upgrade: 1. Click on your username 2. Click on Account upgrades 3. Choose SH Member and purchase.
  • We've been working hard the past few weeks to come up with some big changes to our vendor policies to meet the changing needs of our community. Please see the new vendor rules here: Vendor Access Area Rules

N. AL unsuccessful in the turkey woods

iamcorey

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 24, 2018
Messages
2,716
Got the spot I wanted to myself. 15mph+ out of the south. Humid as hell. Struck up First gobble at 0830. Set up and called again. He was closing distance fast and I was aiming in his direction. Less than 3 minutes he appears 20 yds to my far left (I’m a lefty). Sneaky Tom. By the time I was able to swing around he was putting away back down the road.

What’s the play here? Sit tight and try to call him back in? Crawl out to the road and try to catch him in the open?

I did some putting and tried to mimic him, but he kept moving away. Didn’t seem spooked, but he disappeared and wouldn’t gobble again. After listening to him get farther I got up and gave chase which was obviously useless. Dead silence.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:
I would have probably made some scratching noise and maybe a few calls and sat tight.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I would have probably made some scratching noise and maybe a few calls and sat tight.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I thought about the scratching on the walk back. After countless THP episodes, you’d think I would have remembered. I was just too worked up and lost my composure when he started walking away.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I thought about the scratching on the walk back. After countless THP episodes, you’d think I would have remembered. I was just too worked up and lost my composure when he started walking away.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It always easy to quarterback it from the house!! Lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
If he was putting fast, he made you and would not have come back whatever you did.

IMHO you were lucky, I hate scoring first thing opening morning and my season is ended.
 
If he was putting fast, he made you and would not have come back whatever you did.

IMHO you were lucky, I hate scoring first thing opening morning and my season is ended.

We get 5 in AL which seems nuts to me.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Went this past Monday hoping to be able to post in the successful hunt area. For reference I hunt on a military installation, so getting on the right side of the bird or circling around is not always possible. Called up 3 birds...on the wrong side of a 6 foot fence topped with barbed wire. I know they have jumped the fence before because I've witnessed it. Not today though. Cool to watch and play with them. Surprised at how much movement I could get away with. They wondered off, so I went down the road down the fence line. Called them in again, still couldn't get them over the fence. Left for lunch.

Went back that afternoon to see if I could catch them on the good side of the fence which I did. It's at a 90 degree turn in the fence and thick brush, so essentially the turkeys were about 70 yards around the corner. I tried to set up a decoy along the path since that was the easiest way to get to where I'd be calling from careful to not expose my arm anymore than I had to. Crept back to call, but they didn't bite. They stayed in their safe zone for a good while gobbling their head off.

Tried to circle around and get behind them, but its tough being a 200lb man moving through thick woods with dried leaves. By the time I called back, they had moved away. Since I've seen them in the same spot in the afternoons, I'm assuming that's a place I might find them again...hopefully. Next time I'll approach from a different direction.

Frustrating, but a lot more fun than deer hunting.
 
If you need help give me a call I could come help double team them LOL
 
Went this past Monday hoping to be able to post in the successful hunt area. For reference I hunt on a military installation, so getting on the right side of the bird or circling around is not always possible. Called up 3 birds...on the wrong side of a 6 foot fence topped with barbed wire. I know they have jumped the fence before because I've witnessed it. Not today though. Cool to watch and play with them. Surprised at how much movement I could get away with. They wondered off, so I went down the road down the fence line. Called them in again, still couldn't get them over the fence. Left for lunch.

Went back that afternoon to see if I could catch them on the good side of the fence which I did. It's at a 90 degree turn in the fence and thick brush, so essentially the turkeys were about 70 yards around the corner. I tried to set up a decoy along the path since that was the easiest way to get to where I'd be calling from careful to not expose my arm anymore than I had to. Crept back to call, but they didn't bite. They stayed in their safe zone for a good while gobbling their head off.

Tried to circle around and get behind them, but its tough being a 200lb man moving through thick woods with dried leaves. By the time I called back, they had moved away. Since I've seen them in the same spot in the afternoons, I'm assuming that's a place I might find them again...hopefully. Next time I'll approach from a different direction.

Frustrating, but a lot more fun than deer hunting.
Some times to the best way to get birds that will hang up at distance is a second person that gets 50 yards behind the shooter and calls.
 
There will be legit times that you have to just walk away from a bird, not matt wes r how much its gobbling. Alot of the most talkative birds Ive come across are the ones that sit tight in one spot and call hens to him, literally not moving more then 30 yards. I'm a very impatient turkey hunter, it's worked in my favor though, I dont "waste" time playing the waiting game. Point being is, there is no magic tactic that you can use for every situation with a turkey. I would consider an alarm put to be a hunt killer more often than not. There are no hard rules with wildlife, but I wouldn't invest very time in trying to "call that tom back".. keep at it, happy hunting, be safe!
 
[mention]CooterBrown [/mention] if you can access a military installation then come on.

Found this guy on the YouTubes and have been watching his stuff. Some good info.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
[mention]CooterBrown [/mention] if you can access a military installation then come on.

Found this guy on the YouTubes and have been watching his stuff. Some good info.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
no I don't have access:unamused:
 
There are two "Gobbling Peaks" and just before and just after those peaks are the best time to hunt them as the hens aren't with them all the time. If you're running and gunning you're gonna do a lot of switchups and moves, especially if its an old field strutter. Just keep at it. Alternatively, sit and wait in a blind with your bow and some decoys and enjoy the woods.
 
Another way to know is if they hammer everything on the roost then fly down and shut up. Yep, they're with hens. Try to make the hens mad with some aggressive cuts and cutting but not right off the bat. Make it sound like you're a hen that was roosted nearby and so do your tree calls at first light, some light purrs and clucks and then do a fly down cackle (really just a cut, cut, cut..... putt, putt) as you're slapping your hand on your thigh to mimic the hen taking light off thee roost. Then do some soft clucks and purrs. Gauge the Gobbler's "temperature" If everyone shuts up soon after flydown time it usually means they are with hens right off. Wait and see what they do or where they go.... try to set up, if you can, between from roost to where they want to spend the morning... a field to strut, an open ridge or bench, try to be between that or at that destination if you can. Scat, scratchings and dust bowls and feathers are all good signs of Turkey's spending a lot of time in an area (for woods strutting locations). Also spending some time in the mornings listening to where they go is very useful or if you see them in a field you know they spend the time there. Anyway, if they don't respond to your light calling, start to pick it up with some more aggressive clucks and purrs. Then some regular hen yelping but not a lot as everyone does that and they get wary. The three way leaf scratch.... with your hand or I like a stick.... scratch, scratch, scratch that sometimes will bring them in and they'll gobble just to that. I also like to throw in some moist sounding puts, purrs and little pops an what not. Go where turkeys are sometime and listen to all the small talk and try to mimic that. That works a lot on more pressured birds but also non-pressured. Remember they've been gobbling and breeding for a while now already. Try to listen to the sounds of the flock over several days.... you'll get a feel for the birds better. Finally, later on try some aggressive cutts and cutting... Pit,pit,pit.. pit pit... yalk, yalk, yalk. or Pit pit, pit pit, pit yalk yalk yalk. Maybe throw some keekee's in at first peep peep peep yalk yalk yalk. ... anything to get that hen pissed off. If she starts answering back.... do exactly as she does. Get ready.
 
Back
Top