I got schooled today

[Tomspur]

Went out yesterday afternoon and did some cold calling. Not too long get a hen and two jakes to come in. Pass  on them. So, go back this morning and set up  again (gas pipe line), put out a jake and hen and wait. Hear a gobble in the distance. About 10 minutes later hear three more. Start to get up and one roars right behind me, not 50 yards away. He is gobbling his head off. About daylight I give a three note soft yelp. He stops gobbling all together. About daylight I see him pitch down. He is walking away from me so I give him another soft yelp and he runs the other way. I was sick. Should I not have yelped to him on the limb?
So I move on and set up again and get between two gobbling between me. I go for the one that is near a dry creek bed. Get a good setup and begin soft calling to him. No answer.  30 minutes later give another soft yelp. Nothing.  I see some pigs crossing the creek and figured they ran the bird  off. Sit there for 20 more minutes and decide to move on. When I get up I see the gobbler right where the pigs were. Of course he sees me too so hunt is over. I was sick. Should have sat there another 15 minutes. Going back this afternoon and do the same thing. Feel  like my brain is smaller than a turkeys right now.
Any thoughts?

[AUDoubleBeard]

Do you think there is a chance that the bird might of saw you either walking in/setting up or when you said you were about to get up?  If so I think that's probably what happened.

[Tomspur]

That is a great point. There were some trees between he and I but definitely he could have heard me. Still a disappointing day.

[redleg06]

There's no definite rule....

If I'm in an area that I KNOW there are birds close by, like you were with them gobbling, then I'm MUCH more inclined to be patient and wait them out for an hour (maybe more or less depending on a number of things) or so IF I feel like I've done a good job getting to an area they are willing to come to. It's hard to be patient when they arent gobbling all the way in to you and you're wondering what happened but IMO I'd have waited a little longer once I'd committed to a setup on a bird that had gobbled. This is especially true with the way they are acting right now where they're not being very vocal and arent running over themselves to get to the call.  The last few days they've been coming in slow and silent.   

There are days when they are REALLY fired up that you can tell they are hung up or they should have made it in etc. and you may not be as patient.  I also factor in things like the amount of leaves on the tree's, is it a little windy?,  wet leaves or dry leaves, do I have some terrain to use to move around etc.  to determine whether or not I'm better trying to sit and set up or try to hang with them a little while before setting up.  The harder it is to move on them without getting seen or heard, the more likely I am to set up and try to get them close the distance to me instead of me moving on them. 

[Tomspur]

Redleg,
All great points. I am certain that I should not have moved on that second bird but with the pigs running through about 15 minutes earlier thougth  there was nothing there.
On the first bird, believe that he probably heard me coming in. I had no idea he was that close or would have given him room. That may be why he did not answer my soft yelp. Anyway, lessons learned. Going back out there this afternoon and try it again. Thanks for all the input.

[Gooserbat]

Man I feel your pain.  I've been doing this long enough to have screwed up a few setup myself.  There is no set rule.  your play'n the chess game with the guy who rights the rules as he goes, and his name is Mr Tom D Turkey.  The best turkey killing tactic you can use is simply patience.  There are days when you can't call to much and days when you can.  There are days when they talk and when they don't.  Enjoy it, and let each and every trip afield be a classroom and learn.  You'll never really master this game, but do it long enough and you get somewhat good at it and a bit lucky from time to time.  Best of all you'll have a blast doing it.

[Tomspur]

Gooserbat,
Thanks for the tips and adivse. I do  love to hunt them but it can get frustrating at times. I do feel I made rookie mistakes today and have been at it for several years. Love waking up to the mornings especially when they are hammering on the limb. Will let all know how this shakes out. Maybe I will get lucky.

[DirtNap647]

every time i go i learn somethin

[turkey slayer]

Do you think there is a chance that the bird might of saw you either walking in/setting up or when you said you were about to get up?  If so I think that's probably what happened.

[Uncle Tom]

 :-[Redleg, good advice given here especially by Gooserbat and Redleg. Patience has killed many a bird that  otherwise would live another day. I we will all step back and examine the mistakes we made on a bird we did not get...whether he hung up, stopped gobbling, flew down and went the other way, or many other reasons things did not go like they should have...most of the time it can be traced to a lack of patience, whether we like to admit it or not. I am one of these "a little goes a long way" hunters and it has taken me many hunts to learn this. About all the calling I ever do is soft clucks, purrs, scratching in leaves. From the very first calls of a new day, hem gobbling on the limb, even if I know he is with hens... many times he will come back some time that day to that soft clucks and purrs if you don't get him at first light.It took me a long time to realize that I was the one making all this noise calling in the woods...think about it..how many yelps, cutting, gobbling, and all the other turkey sounds you hear in a day. Most of the time it is quiet unless something other than the real thing gets cranked up and tells every gobbler within 500 yards that a hunter is over here and I want to see you. Just last year I called in 2 birds (different hunts) that came 100 to 200 yards to one or two soft clucks about every 30 to 45 minutes...and both of them I heard early that morning, but would not commit. Never moved. Just sat there till about 9:30 or 10:00 and here he comes...killed each one when he got close enough to hear a whine, purr, and touch the leaves. They absolutely cannot resist sometimes. Another thing, they can hear this soft cluck or purr I believe, with a still wind, at least 150 to 200 yards, or further, and know exactly where you are setting. Old timer told me one time to only cluck to him...if he is close... when he is at the very end of his gobble or better yet just before ends it. Same thing if he is on the roost.. that way he cannot pick you out exactly where you are... maby 50 yards in the general vicinity. Another thing, get away from as many other hunters as you can..that will up your odds if you apply these tactics. Good hunting.

[Hooksfan]

I have had the same thing happen and I have learned that if I get what I consider too close to a roosted turkey---60 yards or less---that if I want to have a high success rate of killing that bird, I will not make a peep until the bird hits the ground.  If he hears calling that close and can't see a live hen out walking around, he will get nervous.
Good luck.  Still a couple weeks before I get my chance to be schooled.

[Tomspur]

Guys,
thanks for all the feedback. Very helpful. Can't change the mistake I made this morning. haha. Will apply suggestions and advise and hopefully seal the deal  soon. Thanks again and God Bless all.

[surehuntsalot]

school is in every day that I go hunting turkeys
it's one of the things that I love about it,no hunt is ever exactly the same,something is different every time

[Tomspur]

Went back this afternoon and had a great hunt. Sat down in a dry creek and after about 30  minutes I see three hens. A little later here comes a big tom. I did a soft yelp to him but he was deadheaded  to the hens. Probably 75 yards away from me. They head away from me so I am hoping they will return. About 30 minutes later another tom comes by about the same distance. Doesn't even look  my way when I call. Headed  straight for the others but boy was it exciting. Those birds were beautiful. Will try again tomorrow.

[Spring_Woods]

You are gaining ground on him. Sounds like he's got an appointment with his maker in the morning!!!