Observations

[Marc]

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Having had a large uptick in younger birds being produced the last couple years, I have had far more interaction with turkeys (albeit mostly jakes).

Here are some things I have noticed and put to use.

If the woods are quiet, and you can get one bird to gobble, often times others (that have been quiet) start to gobble as well…

Here are some ways that I have used a gobble call to my benefit:

*Running & gunning.  Hunting any area, there are areas that you probably know are more        productive than others.  Before entering these areas and trying to raise a gobble, I will hit the gobble call several times BEFORE moving on to hit the hen call (from a slightly different location) to raise a gobble.  In other words, I am not using the gobble call as a locator, but as a primer…

*When sitting in a productive area for some time, without having heard or seen any signs of active turkeys, the last thing I do before moving to another area is to hit the gobble call, followed by some aggressive hen calls…  I have sometimes been surprised at a bird that was reasonable close (one time by a bird in range that I had no idea was there).

*With a henned up tom, I have used a gobble call (or tried to) to create an aggressive response as opposed to a mating response.  It has worked, but admittedly not very often.


I have also had the opportunity to watch birds (both that I am hunting, and just observing) from a distance (through binoculars) while calling at them.

Yelping…  A “hot-to-trot” bird will often gobble, and often immediately change direction and start coming.  I have also seen birds go right into strut without making a sound, and not make any forward motion (probably spitting and drumming).  I have also seen birds gobble, and continue on their route (not towards me).

Cutting…  Very similar to yelping.  Generally an attention getter, and often I will see heads come up on birds.  Maybe a bit more likely to get a “shock-gobble.”  I have always been more comfortable with yelping, as that is what I hear hens in my area do the most…  If I hear a lot of cutting, I will tend to cut more for a response.

Purring/clucking…  Interestingly, I have watched birds meandering, and change direction to meander to me…  Sometimes with a gobble, generally not.  I have been surprised at the distances that a bird will visibly react to such a quiet call (bird stops to look, head comes up, change of direction, half-strut, etc).

With all of the above, I have seen birds not react at all…  Often times a tom with hens will gobble, but will not move from the hens.  I have also seen hens appear out of “nowhere” and redirect the attention of the birds.

[Marc]

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Here are some calls that I have found will sometimes elicit a response:

*As previously noted, I believe that gobbling can make a bird more apt to answer…  Before moving locations, the last thing I try is gobbling, followed by some excited hen calling.  Sometimes that quiet bird will reveal himself, and since you were leaving anyways, you have nothing to lose.

*Searching cluck (previously referred to as a “bubble-cluck” on these forums)…  Sometimes, you can almost feel a close bird (that you cannot see or hear)…  I sometimes try a searching cluck, and have been pleasantly surprised to have been greeted with one in response, or sometimes even drumming.  At this time I would switch to clucks and purrs.

Often times I have heard birds vocalizing with that searching cluck as they approach…  To me this is a nervous bird.  He needs to be answered, and I will generally answer with a cluck back, followed by some subtle clucks/purrs to ease the tension.  If can see the bird, I do my best to wait until the bird is behind and obstruction to answer…  If I cannot see the bird, I answer immediately…  If the bird continues forward, but continues these nervous clucks, I will shoot him as soon as I have a good shot (generally their heads are up and looking if they are doing a searching cluck).

*Subtle clucks/purrs…  Multiple times this season, I have been greeted back by close drumming after some extended silence (on both my end and the bird’s).  I have also been answered back with gobbling on multiple occasions this season and last as well by birds a bit further off…  Some of the responses were a considerably distance, which is once again a testament to these birds ability to hear.

*Obviously the yelping and cutting, that most hunters generally do…  Mixed and varied responses from gobbles to spitting/drumming, to no response at all…