calling skills

[101st501]

Has anyone ever had a bad day/season and started to doubt their calling abilities?

[grayfox]

Had quiet a few bad days/seasons but I didn't think it was my calling.  I thought it was because of the crappy turkey hunter that I am. I think you can not be a good caller & still kill turkeys.  Probably calling too much & too loud is way more harmful than bad calling in my opinion, especially on high pressure public land.  Best thing is just keep at it & eventually things will change for the better. 

[Cutt]

I know at times when my mouth gets dry I have hit bad notes, or a bad yelp, and they still respond. Sometimes I believe the cadence and rythm is more important, as I've heard some really bad hens I thought were hunters too.

[Cut N Run]

I've heard live hens throw out some seriously awful sounding calls and still manage to draw gobblers.  I also know a guy who the extent of his calling skills is being able to tap the plunger of a push button call against his leg. That's it.  It doesn't sound all that good to me, yet he kills grown gobblers because he hunts the right places, doesn't over-do the calling, and sticks to it.

To me, calling is just one part of the process, and not the most important part either.  It doesn't take world class, competition-winning-type calling to successfully kill turkeys.  You just need to make him believe there is an available hen nearby and let his curiosity and desire to breed help draw him towards you.  Scale back on the frequency and volume you call to keep him guessing.  Let him gobble several times back to your calls without answering him immediately,  Tease him along & sound believable.  Put some passion in your calls, like you're a horny hen ready to do the deed.

This time of season, you may be dealing with a gobbler that already has hens with him. Think of it like this, if you were about about to hook up with the object of your desires, how likely would you be to leave her to go chasing after another honey who is just sweet talking & should be coming to you anyway?

Be patient. Phases of the season can change quickly.  What had been an uncallable Tom a few days ago, may just about run you over to find the hot hen he hears tomorrow, because all his hens are suddenly nesting. Don't doubt yourself or your calling abilities.  You just haven't gotten a gobbler in the right mood yet, or found where he's comfortable hanging out.  One of these days pretty soon, he won't be so distracted and will be more willing to play along.  Impatience saves more turkey's lives than you can imagine.  When you think nothing is happening, force yourself to stay an extra 30 or 45 minutes.  It can make the difference between tag soup and turkey nuggets.  I've killed several of my biggest gobblers mid-morning when it had been fairly quiet at dawn.  Good luck & hang in there. Hunt like you mean it. Enjoy the turkey season.

Jim

[taylorjones20]

I've heard live hens throw out some seriously awful sounding calls and still manage to draw gobblers.  I also know a guy who the extent of his calling skills is being able to tap the plunger of a push button call against his leg. That's it.  It doesn't sound all that good to me, yet he kills grown gobblers because he hunts the right places, doesn't over-do the calling, and sticks to it.

To me, calling is just one part of the process, and not the most important part either.  It doesn't take world class, competition-winning-type calling to successfully kill turkeys.  You just need to make him believe there is an available hen nearby and let his curiosity and desire to breed help draw him towards you.  Scale back on the frequency and volume you call to keep him guessing.  Let him gobble several times back to your calls without answering him immediately,  Tease him along & sound believable.  Put some passion in your calls, like you're a horny hen ready to do the deed.

This time of season, you may be dealing with a gobbler that already has hens with him. Think of it like this, if you were about about to hook up with the object of your desires, how likely would you be to leave her to go chasing after another honey who is just sweet talking & should be coming to you anyway?

Be patient. Phases of the season can change quickly.  What had been an uncallable Tom a few days ago, may just about run you over to find the hot hen he hears tomorrow, because all his hens are suddenly nesting. Don't doubt yourself or your calling abilities.  You just haven't gotten a gobbler in the right mood yet, or found where he's comfortable hanging out.  One of these days pretty soon, he won't be so distracted and will be more willing to play along.  Impatience saves more turkey's lives than you can imagine.  When you think nothing is happening, force yourself to stay an extra 30 or 45 minutes.  It can make the difference between tag soup and turkey nuggets.  I've killed several of my biggest gobblers mid-morning when it had been fairly quiet at dawn.  Good luck & hang in there. Hunt like you mean it. Enjoy the turkey season.

Jim

This is probably some of the greatest advice I've heard...

[Marc]

I tend to doubt my methods more than my calling...  If I lose confidence in my calling, I just go to a box call...

Nothing can make you lose confidence as quick as having seemingly easy birds slip away...  Nothing fills it up quicker than a dead gobbler, which came in struttin' and gobblin'...

If I have several trips out, and don't kill a bird, I certainly begin to doubt myself...  Then hopefully things come together, and once again I am the greatest turkey hunter ever.

[mgm1955]

I've heard live hens throw out some seriously awful sounding calls and still manage to draw gobblers.  I also know a guy who the extent of his calling skills is being able to tap the plunger of a push button call against his leg. That's it.  It doesn't sound all that good to me, yet he kills grown gobblers because he hunts the right places, doesn't over-do the calling, and sticks to it.

To me, calling is just one part of the process, and not the most important part either.  It doesn't take world class, competition-winning-type calling to successfully kill turkeys.  You just need to make him believe there is an available hen nearby and let his curiosity and desire to breed help draw him towards you.  Scale back on the frequency and volume you call to keep him guessing.  Let him gobble several times back to your calls without answering him immediately,  Tease him along & sound believable.  Put some passion in your calls, like you're a horny hen ready to do the deed.

This time of season, you may be dealing with a gobbler that already has hens with him. Think of it like this, if you were about about to hook up with the object of your desires, how likely would you be to leave her to go chasing after another honey who is just sweet talking & should be coming to you anyway?

Be patient. Phases of the season can change quickly.  What had been an uncallable Tom a few days ago, may just about run you over to find the hot hen he hears tomorrow, because all his hens are suddenly nesting. Don't doubt yourself or your calling abilities.  You just haven't gotten a gobbler in the right mood yet, or found where he's comfortable hanging out.  One of these days pretty soon, he won't be so distracted and will be more willing to play along.  Impatience saves more turkey's lives than you can imagine.  When you think nothing is happening, force yourself to stay an extra 30 or 45 minutes.  It can make the difference between tag soup and turkey nuggets.  I've killed several of my biggest gobblers mid-morning when it had been fairly quiet at dawn.  Good luck & hang in there. Hunt like you mean it. Enjoy the turkey season.

Jim

This is probably some of the greatest advice I've heard...

. Keep at it. Woodsmanship and the area you hunt are more important than calling.

[mudhen]

I've got a lot of pockets in my vest!


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[captin_hook]

I've heard live hens throw out some seriously awful sounding calls and still manage to draw gobblers.  I also know a guy who the extent of his calling skills is being able to tap the plunger of a push button call against his leg. That's it.  It doesn't sound all that good to me, yet he kills grown gobblers because he hunts the right places, doesn't over-do the calling, and sticks to it.

To me, calling is just one part of the process, and not the most important part either.  It doesn't take world class, competition-winning-type calling to successfully kill turkeys.  You just need to make him believe there is an available hen nearby and let his curiosity and desire to breed help draw him towards you.  Scale back on the frequency and volume you call to keep him guessing.  Let him gobble several times back to your calls without answering him immediately,  Tease him along & sound believable.  Put some passion in your calls, like you're a horny hen ready to do the deed.

This time of season, you may be dealing with a gobbler that already has hens with him. Think of it like this, if you were about about to hook up with the object of your desires, how likely would you be to leave her to go chasing after another honey who is just sweet talking & should be coming to you anyway?

Be patient. Phases of the season can change quickly.  What had been an uncallable Tom a few days ago, may just about run you over to find the hot hen he hears tomorrow, because all his hens are suddenly nesting. Don't doubt yourself or your calling abilities.  You just haven't gotten a gobbler in the right mood yet, or found where he's comfortable hanging out.  One of these days pretty soon, he won't be so distracted and will be more willing to play along.  Impatience saves more turkey's lives than you can imagine.  When you think nothing is happening, force yourself to stay an extra 30 or 45 minutes.  It can make the difference between tag soup and turkey nuggets.  I've killed several of my biggest gobblers mid-morning when it had been fairly quiet at dawn.  Good luck & hang in there. Hunt like you mean it. Enjoy the turkey season.

Jim

very well put

[TauntoHawk]

I often doubt if theres even a bird around for a Mile when im on PA public ground

[jakesdad]

I'm for sure not the greatest caller but I do pretty well.One thing I do tell people just learning to call is work on cadence and rhythm first,sound second.If you sound somewhat like a turkey with turkey cadence and rhythm,you'll kill birds.The sweetest sounds of a turkey coming out of your call in a way no turkey ever called usually wont cut it. Its a lot like people,even a great singer will hit a clunker here and there.

[fallhnt]

I kill turkeys every spring and fall, with calling, but when I call in a contest you wouldn't think I could even call a bird in when you see my score.

[woody328]

I've heard live hens throw out some seriously awful sounding calls and still manage to draw gobblers.  I also know a guy who the extent of his calling skills is being able to tap the plunger of a push button call against his leg. That's it.  It doesn't sound all that good to me, yet he kills grown gobblers because he hunts the right places, doesn't over-do the calling, and sticks to it.

To me, calling is just one part of the process, and not the most important part either.  It doesn't take world class, competition-winning-type calling to successfully kill turkeys.  You just need to make him believe there is an available hen nearby and let his curiosity and desire to breed help draw him towards you.  Scale back on the frequency and volume you call to keep him guessing.  Let him gobble several times back to your calls without answering him immediately,  Tease him along & sound believable.  Put some passion in your calls, like you're a horny hen ready to do the deed.

This time of season, you may be dealing with a gobbler that already has hens with him. Think of it like this, if you were about about to hook up with the object of your desires, how likely would you be to leave her to go chasing after another honey who is just sweet talking & should be coming to you anyway?

Be patient. Phases of the season can change quickly.  What had been an uncallable Tom a few days ago, may just about run you over to find the hot hen he hears tomorrow, because all his hens are suddenly nesting. Don't doubt yourself or your calling abilities.  You just haven't gotten a gobbler in the right mood yet, or found where he's comfortable hanging out.  One of these days pretty soon, he won't be so distracted and will be more willing to play along.  Impatience saves more turkey's lives than you can imagine.  When you think nothing is happening, force yourself to stay an extra 30 or 45 minutes.  It can make the difference between tag soup and turkey nuggets.  I've killed several of my biggest gobblers mid-morning when it had been fairly quiet at dawn.  Good luck & hang in there. Hunt like you mean it. Enjoy the turkey season.

Jim

Good advice. I'll add that a turkey that gobbles at you in the morning but won't come is often easily killed in the afternoon/evening. When I get in that situation, I back off and go back to where I think he roosted around 2:00 p.m. I get comfortable, make a good blind, and yelp with a box or a loud mouth call. More often than not, I'll kill him then.

[HFultzjr]

I've heard live hens throw out some seriously awful sounding calls and still manage to draw gobblers.  I also know a guy who the extent of his calling skills is being able to tap the plunger of a push button call against his leg. That's it.  It doesn't sound all that good to me, yet he kills grown gobblers because he hunts the right places, doesn't over-do the calling, and sticks to it.

To me, calling is just one part of the process, and not the most important part either.  It doesn't take world class, competition-winning-type calling to successfully kill turkeys.  You just need to make him believe there is an available hen nearby and let his curiosity and desire to breed help draw him towards you.  Scale back on the frequency and volume you call to keep him guessing.  Let him gobble several times back to your calls without answering him immediately,  Tease him along & sound believable.  Put some passion in your calls, like you're a horny hen ready to do the deed.

This time of season, you may be dealing with a gobbler that already has hens with him. Think of it like this, if you were about about to hook up with the object of your desires, how likely would you be to leave her to go chasing after another honey who is just sweet talking & should be coming to you anyway?

Be patient. Phases of the season can change quickly.  What had been an uncallable Tom a few days ago, may just about run you over to find the hot hen he hears tomorrow, because all his hens are suddenly nesting. Don't doubt yourself or your calling abilities.  You just haven't gotten a gobbler in the right mood yet, or found where he's comfortable hanging out.  One of these days pretty soon, he won't be so distracted and will be more willing to play along.  Impatience saves more turkey's lives than you can imagine.  When you think nothing is happening, force yourself to stay an extra 30 or 45 minutes.  It can make the difference between tag soup and turkey nuggets.  I've killed several of my biggest gobblers mid-morning when it had been fairly quiet at dawn.  Good luck & hang in there. Hunt like you mean it. Enjoy the turkey season.

Jim

Well spoken words!

I'm a Spring Hunter of about 8 years. Haven't got many, but it's sure fun being out this time of year. Enjoy the season, don't worry about the birds. They will come. Besides if I would have bagged a gobbler every time I was out, I would have missed some of the most exciting times. Enjoy yourself and when the time comes......give him a load of whatever!

[Dr Juice]

It's natural. I start to doubt myself when nothing answers.