Aggravating Toms

[TOWM]

I have been chasing some toms for the past three weekends. Every morning I have heard three different birds. Every weekend I have called one of the toms to my location, but each time the bird hangs up out of gun range.
Yesterday, I called in a tom and a hen. The hen walked right up to within 10 yards of me. I expected the Tom to follow her, but he stayed out of gun range; about 60 yards. I could could see the Tom strut and feed, but he would not come close enough to shoot. Eventually, the hen got nervous when she could not find the “other hen” that was supposed to be there. She putted twice and calmly walked away taking the Tom with her. It was frustrating and exciting!
Last weekend, I called in a tom off the roost. He came running to my calls, but hung up behind me. I was afraid to move because I could not see exactly where the tom was. I could hear him spitting and drumming. For some reason the bird refused to approach any closer and eventually got frustrated and left when “the hen” he was looking for would not come to him.
The weekend before that I was just walking the jeep trails clucking and cutting as I walked. I struck a tom and tried to work him in. At first it sounded like he was coming to me, then it sounded like he was moving away from me. I made a move hoping the tom would think a real hen was trying to find him. Again, it sounded like the gobbles were getting close but when I stopped clucking and soft yelping it seemed like the tom lost interest and went away. This bird never got real close…maybe 80 yards or so.
I wish I had more time to hunt. One day per week isn’t enough. Maybe I will get lucky during the last weekend.

[onefishtwofish]

That is why it is so fun. I have been pretty aggravated too at times, had two at just out of my comfort zone of shooting and messed up (again) by a poacher. Called one in earlier for my SIL to end his season and I called one in on Saturday. The two hens were 10 yards from me, but he followed too close! Still got three days left to hunt to finish! Never say die!

[Danibeth]

I hear ya on aggravating toms. I have had a good number of opportunities but this year, they all seem to be coming in in totally the opposite direction I am set up in. I have been sitting there and turned my head and THERE HE IS!!!! Once about 20 ft from me....no way I could swing around on him before he would be lost in the brush. It has happened four different times this season for me. So far I have not connected at all, though not for lack of trying.

PLUS they have been aggravatingly quiet this year when I could hunt. The weather hasn't helped on the weekends either. AH well.....

[onefishtwofish]

I have kinda had the opposite early. Lots of action and the birds would hang up just barely out of my comfort range. Like 45 yards. Every time there were hens involved and I have had hens literally inside 10 yards multiple times this year. One sat and stared at me - never alerted but knew that lump on the tree was not right. She eventually went back to feeding but the two toms stayed just out of range. A blow down saved one of their lives as he just stayed behind it scratching and feeding.

I called one in for my SIL and it was only his third bird ever and I let him take the shot. I connected this past Saturday and the hens were at 10 steps, but he came in to 20! Oops! I have three more days to hunt and then it is furniture building and redfish season!

Good luck to anyone that has any days left to hunt.

[TOWM]

Whelp …The gobblers beat me this year. I came close this morning, but something went wrong and the gobbler retreated without giving me an opportunity to shoot.

[howl]

The instance where the hen came in and the gobbler didn't was due to your set up. The economy of nature dictates an animal must not spend calories unnecessarily. If the gobbler can see your position without coming in range, it will usually use its eyes instead of its feet. Set up so that it must come within range to see your position. (This is also the reason turkey dolls are silly.)

Call only enough to convince the gobbler that a hen is where you are. That's what hens usually do. If you call more, a gobbler may answer but it won't be more likely to come.

Gobbling means "Here I am!" That is all it means. Gobblers usually don't gobble when they're actively travelling toward you. That would be saying "There I was!" If it was gobbling a lot and then shuts up, you shut up too lest you make it stop coming and start gobbling again.

[onefishtwofish]

Those are all great points and I learned those lessons the hard way. Sometimes though, the bird dictates the set up-like they are encountered close with no time to reposition, or in that case where the terrain was wide open river bottom and they stayed there all day. Had to try something as they were not coming out of their comfort zone, I could not choose that field of battle on those birds. I eventually left them be and chased some birds in better spots. I did employ those exact tactics this year in both kills-the birds were both in range before I could see them or they could see me - made no difference the one was with hens, because he was looking for the other hen (me).

My motto on calling gobblers is the same as calling to Mallards - I call at arses and elbows, never call when they are doing what I want. And never, ever call when the tom can see you unless it is to get him to pop his head for the shot.

You are on OG as howl? I go by a different name there and have had this discussion many times.

[howl]

Yeah, I go round howling all over.

It feels silly but I've been known to run away from a gobbler to get to a better spot to call it in. Been chased a couple times. I swear they think it's a hen running.

[onefishtwofish]

For sure. Used it to perfection on a hunt with nephew. He gobbled on the limb, I eased up and walked away from him raising a ruckus and walked him right in to nephew. He stopped at the exact spot I made my first call. It is amazing how they can pinpoint the sound.