gobbler answers my calls but will hang up out of range

[BigGobbler]

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Simple answer take me with you thats a a doubles bird easy to kill

[JonD.]

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I'm going to post this knowing I'll probably be laughed at, but I don't care. Turkeys do have a sense of smell. It's not a very acute sense of smell or none of us would ever kill one, but the next time you have one hang up for no apparent reason make note of the wind direction and speed. I think you'll be surprised at what you find.

[GobbleNut]

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I'm going to post this knowing I'll probably be laughed at, but I don't care. Turkeys do have a sense of smell. It's not a very acute sense of smell or none of us would ever kill one, but the next time you have one hang up for no apparent reason make note of the wind direction and speed. I think you'll be surprised at what you find.

I agree entirely, JonD.  Years ago, I had an experience with two gobblers were coming on a bee-line for me without any hesitation, gobbling steadily as they came. There was a steady breeze and they were coming in at an angle such that they were going to end up directly downwind of me about the time they were going to come into sight.  When those two gobblers got directly downwind, they suddenly shut up and vanished.  They didn't hang up,...they just stopped gobbling and left.

There was no other logical explanation for what they did other than that they had smelled me.  Ever since that encounter, I have been a firm believer that turkeys do use their sense of smell more than we give them credit for.  Now, I certainly don't think that every turkey that smells a hunter is going to shy away, but I am pretty certain some of them are more aware of odors than others, and will react to those odors if they somehow associate them with danger. 

[JonD.]

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Ever since that encounter, I have been a firm believer that turkeys do use their sense of smell more than we give them credit for.  Now, I certainly don't think that every turkey that smells a hunter is going to shy away, but I am pretty certain some of them are more aware of odors than others, and will react to those odors if they somehow associate them with danger.

Absolutely.

[Marc]

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I'm going to post this knowing I'll probably be laughed at, but I don't care. Turkeys do have a sense of smell. It's not a very acute sense of smell or none of us would ever kill one, but the next time you have one hang up for no apparent reason make note of the wind direction and speed. I think you'll be surprised at what you find.

I agree entirely, JonD.  Years ago, I had an experience with two gobblers were coming on a bee-line for me without any hesitation, gobbling steadily as they came. There was a steady breeze and they were coming in at an angle such that they were going to end up directly downwind of me about the time they were going to come into sight.  When those two gobblers got directly downwind, they suddenly shut up and vanished.  They didn't hang up,...they just stopped gobbling and left.

There was no other logical explanation for what they did other than that they had smelled me.  Ever since that encounter, I have been a firm believer that turkeys do use their sense of smell more than we give them credit for.  Now, I certainly don't think that every turkey that smells a hunter is going to shy away, but I am pretty certain some of them are more aware of odors than others, and will react to those odors if they somehow associate them with danger.

Sooo...  It turns out we should bathe even if it is not Saturday?

Maybe they do have a sense of smell, but I have always attributed that sudden spooking to something else such as a stalking coyote or an intercepting hen that I am simply not aware of...  Maybe a bigfoot???

[sswv]

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great post. lot's of good advice here.  last year there were 2 longbeards in one area across a big hollow behind a good size field. they would gobble like crazy every morning then walk off no matter who, or what they heard. as the season went on they wouldn't gobble until about 8:30am and do so while walking off. I know for a fact that 7 different hunters tried to call them in and a few actually got to see them but they always walked off. no hens were ever seen or heard. one morning at nearly the end of season I went in and set up and sure enough about 8:30am they start sounding off. they were making a loop around the big flat like they always did but this time I tried something new. I moved from where I was and got set up and when I heard a gobble, they in turn heard a gobble. just like calling a hen, every time I heard a gobble I cut it off with a louder gobble. within a few minutes I was proudly taking pics of a big longbeard. I grew up with the old guys preaching to me 'NEVER GOBBLE', it will get you shot. I knew for a fact I was the only person in there that morning and man did it pay off.

just goes to show that sometimes you just gotta try something completely different. so next time that old bird hangs up instead of trying to sweet talk him, gobble at him. I'm not saying do it everytime a bird hangs but heck, it's worth a try sometimes.

[GobbleNut]

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I'm going to post this knowing I'll probably be laughed at, but I don't care. Turkeys do have a sense of smell. It's not a very acute sense of smell or none of us would ever kill one, but the next time you have one hang up for no apparent reason make note of the wind direction and speed. I think you'll be surprised at what you find.

I agree entirely, JonD.  Years ago, I had an experience with two gobblers were coming on a bee-line for me without any hesitation, gobbling steadily as they came. There was a steady breeze and they were coming in at an angle such that they were going to end up directly downwind of me about the time they were going to come into sight.  When those two gobblers got directly downwind, they suddenly shut up and vanished.  They didn't hang up,...they just stopped gobbling and left.

There was no other logical explanation for what they did other than that they had smelled me.  Ever since that encounter, I have been a firm believer that turkeys do use their sense of smell more than we give them credit for.  Now, I certainly don't think that every turkey that smells a hunter is going to shy away, but I am pretty certain some of them are more aware of odors than others, and will react to those odors if they somehow associate them with danger.

Sooo...  It turns out we should bathe even if it is not Saturday?

Maybe they do have a sense of smell, but I have always attributed that sudden spooking to something else such as a stalking coyote or an intercepting hen that I am simply not aware of...  Maybe a bigfoot???

I have personally concluded that a bath every other Saturday is sufficient.   

..And for those smelling turkeys, I have found that it also helps to use corn-flavored soap... 

[eggshell]

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I won't argue the point, but I will say I am content to hunt and kill the stupid ones that don't realize what danger smells like. If a bird hangs up on me and won't budge I will simply leave him for another day and go hunt for a more cooperative bird. I have had certain birds hang up all season then that magic morning come and he dances right in....
I think t is some gobbler's nature to simply set up camp in a strut zone and wait for the hen. As long as hens are coming he will wait, as season goes and hens stop showing he'll move more, but if he has had a bad encounter he will still keep his distance. We get busted way more than we realize. I once watched a couple gobblers being worked by hunters and was amazed at how aware they were of the hunter's location. I had sat down before daylight and was where I could see them from around 200 yards away. I heard hunters owl hoot and the birds gobbled. Next thing I heard was calling. The birds turned there attention towards the call and slowly started strutting towards the calling. when they got maybe 75-100 yards from the calling their heads shot up like periscopes and they both backed off and set up gobbling at every call. Next thing I heard was calling from a new location and the birds moved an equal distance from the hunters in a lateral move. Finally the hunters moved closer and the birds putted and quickly moved about 100 yards down the hill. I then saw the hunters appear where the birds had camped sneaking in to try an ambush. After they moved on I sat and watched for a while, knowing the gobblers where still close. After around 30 minutes the gobblers were right back in their spot. At that time I give them about three real soft yelps and a cluck or two. They whirled in their tracks and started their strutt towards us. My buddy shot one of them at 20 yards. While they were coming I heard the other hunters open up calling from down the ridge and across a ravine. We ran into these two jewels later and they were livid swearing we had cut in on them and ambushed their bird. After a short discussion of why they were on private land and an offer to let the game warden sort it out they were ready to drop it and move on.

I think many failed set up have more happening than we realize. One of those might just be a smell sensitive gobbler, but I am satisfied there are enough with the dumb nose blind ones.

[TauntoHawk]

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Setting up right is the most important thing in Turkey hunting in my humble opinion. Once you have him fired up sometimes the best call to make is none at all. He knows where your at

Too many deer hunters want to set up where they can see as much as possible on turkeys. The set up is important

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[silvestris]

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At least I have added a couple of names to my list of who to pay attention to or not when they post.

[trkehunr93]

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I change my calling spot, move away from the turkey calling periodically so he thinks I'm leaving.  If I can circle and set up at a different angle maybe he'll commit or maybe he won't.  Sometimes I've held my ground and that one hen he heard has now become a flock of hens because I'm working five-6 different calls.  Don't know until you try.  Or you can just go silent, curiosity has killed many a gobbler.

[mspaci]

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they are not smelling you, lol

[Rapscallion Vermilion]

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they are not smelling you, lol

Oh yeah, well how do you explain the wild success of this product?   

[JonD.]

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I knew what I posted would be received with skepticism, but back when I used to smoke I got putted at-- a lot, and I'm pretty confident in most of those situations that it was not from being seen.

[eggshell]

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Alright I may as well add fuel to the fire......read this! 

https://www.audubon.org/magazine/january-february-2014/birds-can-smell-and-one-scientist

I am not sure of the turkeys, but especially on damp fall hunts I have smelled turkeys before I knew they were near. Those dang birds stink when they are damp.