How many birds have you killed that came in silent?

[JMalin]

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I can’t think of a single bird, other than one Tom that I bushwhacked coming back to roost.  A few jakes have, but I never pulled the trigger on them.

[dublelung]

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I've  called in and killed several gobblers that came in silent. I don't know exactly how many but i'd guess 18-20. The majority of them slipped in while I was working a different gobbler.

[shoer2]

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I have had a good many come in silent.I think years ago it to much calling in my part.but have killed a few that didn't gobble at all

[catman529]

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Opening day a couple years ago went in late afternoon to a spot where I heard one free gobbling 2 days before season. I bumped him in a thicket and then ran into 2 hunters headed back out along the field edge. Went and set up in some open woods in the direction the bird went when I bumped him. Nothing came of that setup, so I walked around the fields just looking for birds. Made a big loop and came back to the top of a big field looking down toward the woods where I had set up earlier. Sure enough that tom was standing on the field edge and luckily he didn’t see me. I got behind trees and made my move. Got within 150 yards or less, in a fence row between two fields. He could come down either side, so I set up where I could shoot into either field. Few yelps clucks etc and waited, 5 mins later here comes a red and white head silently bobbing down the field edge to my right. Shot him at about 15 yards, only time I heard him gobble was 2 days before.


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[1iagobblergetter]

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I can’t think of a single bird, other than one Tom that I bushwhacked coming back to roost.  A few jakes have, but I never pulled the trigger on them.

Coming in silent while calling?? A bunch...Bushwack?? None...Id just go to the store and buy a turkey..I had numerous times where I happened upon Turkey's I could have shot by simply being in the right place at the right time,but I hunt for the challenge and wouldn't get any satisfaction from a happen stance kill.

[Clydetaylor1]

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Several. Just because you don't hear him don't mean he ain't comming.

[CoachHunter]

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This guy came in silent this afternoon. Opening day in SC. Never really hear birds gobble here in the evening.


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[fallhnt]

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1 or 2 or more

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[tomstopper]

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I would say 3

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[GobbleNut]

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I have killed a few birds that did not gobble or otherwise carry on a conversation with me.  Every single one of them was the result of me knowing where gobblers were likely to show up whether I called to them or not.  Yes, I did call some, but I have no clue as to whether those birds came to my calling or if I was just where they wanted to go.  The only thing I really know when that happens is that my calling did not scare them off. 

We have a standing joke about birds like that.  If a bird shows up without acknowledging our calling, we always tell the shooter right before he pulls the trigger,..."Yelp at him before you shoot so you can say you called him in".  In the meantime, if anybody hunts where the birds do not answer their calls and believe, when a gobbler shows up, that it was because of their calling, good for them.  I just happen to believe that to say you actually called a turkey in, the conversation has to be two-sided.  If it isn't, you are just speculating. 

[JMalin]

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I have killed a few birds that did not gobble or otherwise carry on a conversation with me.  Every single one of them was the result of me knowing where gobblers were likely to show up whether I called to them or not.  Yes, I did call some, but I have no clue as to whether those birds came to my calling or if I was just where they wanted to go.  The only thing I really know when that happens is that my calling did not scare them off. 

We have a standing joke about birds like that.  If a bird shows up without acknowledging our calling, we always tell the shooter right before he pulls the trigger,..."Yelp at him before you shoot so you can say you called him in".  In the meantime, if anybody hunts where the birds do not answer their calls and believe, when a gobbler shows up, that it was because of their calling, good for them.  I just happen to believe that to say you actually called a turkey in, the conversation has to be two-sided.  If it isn't, you are just speculating.

I mean, if he comes in strutting and drumming, I’d say your calling likely had something to do with it.  But every bird that I’ve killed that has come in strutting and drumming has also gobbled at least once in response to my calling.  I’m guessing it comes with different approaches on how one hunts their spring birds.  I’m not one to sit for long periods unless conditions are terrible or I’m taking a break from hiking.

Come to think of it, there are a couple of occasions I think back to when I had gotten a hen talking to me and coming in that had a gobbler in tow.  One of those occasions I know for sure that the Tom never did gobble.  Spitting and drumming though and with a live group of hens feeding out in front of me, no reason to call.

[Gooserbat]

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Completely silent...some, but of the non gobbling type more were drumming than not.

[shaman]

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I am going to say that it is a very small minority. 

However, I will say that only about half of the ones I ever see are actively gobbling as they come in. The vast majority of birds gobbled at some point in the process, but were quiet when they came in.

I attribute this to two things.  First off, it is the way I hunt.  I'm not one of these guys who pound their calls. I try to keep my calling understated.  I figure if I get two gobbles from him and the second is closer than the first, he knows where I am. 

The second reason is the weather.  Most of the time, I'm dealing with wind.  Our ridge is very exposed. This tends to suppress gobbling.  In the afternoon, I may get a gobbler to honor my call at 1 PM  and he won't show up until 5.  The call may have carried several hundred yards.

[zelmo1]

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Completely silent...some, but of the non gobbling type more were drumming than not.

Silent the last 60 yards, a bunch. Most of the others were while working another bird. Biggest bird I ever killed came in silent and put a beat down on the bird that was gobbling. All it got him was a face full of longbeard #5's. And he had 6 beards and adorns my wall of fame at my house. 

[turkaholic]

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Killed a few, but I don’t consider spitting and drumming silent. I’m always listening for the other more suttle sounds in the turkey woods than just a gobble. You would be surprised just how many birds play the game but know not to gobble.