I have been hunting turkey 3 years...In that time i have called afew turkey in from almost all directions except DOWN HILL! Every year i am in a situation at some point where there is a gobbler on a ridge above me, When i first started out i would just set up and call as oppose to stalking up to about level terrain with them. Almost all the time i have called below them They had no problem answering my calls, gobble after gobble, and then stopping at the very edge of the hill looking down strutting from side to side like an invisible fence were there, Every once in a while dropping strut and sticking his head out to see whats taking the hen so long to climb up to him.
I happened to call one tom from up a hill 2 years ago and it took FOREVER, he lost interest on more than one occasion and headed away only to return when i submitted some very sharp and fast cuts and the occasional purr. He walked down hill WITHOUT STRUTTING and i stroked and missed. The one and only time in 3 years i have EVER got a tom to come down hill. It seems when i would scout they would go down hill when they weren't hot but just feeding, But something about them being hot and strutting holds them up from walking down hill.
Now i have heard more than one story on why they do this, Their lazy, They don't want to break strut etc. My answer is......I don't know! Has anyone here ever had one come to a call on more than one occasion? I have heard some say if they are hot enough they will come....I have had some pretty hot, But only one taker a couple years ago!
I've called in and killed several hot gobblers downhill.
I have called a bunch down hills, over creeks, and over fences. I will never understand why there is a stigma out there about why they like to hang up.
I have had just the opposite luck! I dont want to call it a coincidence.
Gobblers will go up and down hills all day long. They live out there. The only problem is that when they are above you they can look downhill and see the hen that has been calling. If they don't see a hen they get suspicious. It's alot harder to look uphill and spot a hen. You always want to put yourself in the easiest most accessible place for the gobbler to get to you. It's also harder to shoot uphill. I like to rest my gun on my knee and I try to shoot my turkeys from that position. Thats almost impossible if you are facing uphill.At some point you need to pick your gun up to shoot and that could cause problems.
TRKYHTR
if you get on a hot bird and there is enough cover for him not to see everything below him ,he will come. not saying every bird will commit to a down hill setup. but most will if they are lonely enough
SPOT ON! TRKYHTR
Quote from: TRKYHTR on September 20, 2011, 08:30:58 PM
Gobblers will go up and down hills all day long. They live out there. The only problem is that when they are above you they can look downhill and see the hen that has been calling. If they don't see a hen they get suspicious. It's alot harder to look uphill and spot a hen. You always want to put yourself in the easiest most accessible place for the gobbler to get to you. It's also harder to shoot uphill. I like to rest my gun on my knee and I try to shoot my turkeys from that position. Thats almost impossible if you are facing uphill.At some point you need to pick your gun up to shoot and that could cause problems.
TRKYHTR
:icon_thumright:
Quote from: TRKYHTR on September 20, 2011, 08:30:58 PM
Gobblers will go up and down hills all day long. They live out there. The only problem is that when they are above you they can look downhill and see the hen that has been calling. If they don't see a hen they get suspicious. It's alot harder to look uphill and spot a hen. You always want to put yourself in the easiest most accessible place for the gobbler to get to you. It's also harder to shoot uphill. I like to rest my gun on my knee and I try to shoot my turkeys from that position. Thats almost impossible if you are facing uphill.At some point you need to pick your gun up to shoot and that could cause problems.
TRKYHTR
:agreed:
As on level ground, sometimes they have to see something to come in or come down.
Quote from: TRKYHTR on September 20, 2011, 08:30:58 PM
...The only problem is that when they are above you they can look downhill and see the hen that has been calling. If they don't see a hen they get suspicious. It's alot harder to look uphill and spot a hen....
TRKYHTR
This!
If hes ready to die he'll fly across an interstate or as a recent experience a river. Path of least resistance is always good but turkeys love cover too so dont alway expect that clear open walk all the way to the gun.
If he's hot it doesn't matter where he is. I try to set up on the same level as the bird, but that's not always possible. Most of the birds I hunt will either roost on top of the ridges or in the bigger timber next to the creeks. An hour after flydown they could be anywhere. I've watched them fly down and run down hill to hens and vise versa. I really don't think their pea size brain cares if the hen is uphill or down the urge to breed will get the better of them.
I also think most turkey hunters give up to quick on a bird that's hung up. If he is gobbling at you he will come eventually. I kill enough birds after 9'o'clock to have alot of confidence in grinding it out with them.
Just remember how hard it would be to run down a steep hill with no arms to grab trees. Prob same for a gobbler. Just my uneducated opinion though.
I would much rather try and call one uphill 10 times more than I would to call one downhill.
Quote from: Deputy 14 on September 21, 2011, 01:38:25 PM
Just remember how hard it would be to run down a steep hill with no arms to grab trees. Prob same for a gobbler. Just my uneducated opinion though.
:TooFunny:
:z-guntootsmiley: haha thanks guys, I never used hen decoys then so maybe it was them being cautious and curious.