Here is something that I have not seen mentioned on any of the forum.
I have heard many accounts of gobblers showing up without ever gobbling.
Hunter cold called, nothing responded, they sit tight and all of a sudden a gobbler comes sneaking by.
How many of you guys have had this happen
That's what happened with my double-bearded bird last year. He and another bird came in silently, had no clue they were there until they were at 20 yards as they came from behind me. Also had it happen the season before with two birds along with a harem of something like 15 hens.
I have had it happen several times over the years, most common in the late morning or afternoons. Usually when nothing is gobbling, and I have time, I may be sitting on some fresh sign (tracks or scratching, etc.) and being patient.
It happened a few time to me on a small 40acre lot of private land. That turkey would always skirt the back road on the neighbors land and it was well inside of shooting range I just couldnt bring myself to shoot into there land since there was alway a group of kid attending the church camp there. He said I could but I just couldnt bring myselff to do it.
it's happened to me and i've spooked them a few times too
I killed one gobbler like that. He came in REAL quiet. I heard him walking in the leaves and thought it was a deer.
has happened to me quite a bit. especially mid season after 10;00
I killed 1 last year in Kansas mid day that gobbled one time. All I needed was that 1. Lol
Numerous times. That's why I usually put a decoy out if I'm cold calling. If I'm caught off guard, his attention will usually be on the decoy and not me. Also, this is where a shooting stick comes in handy as you can get by with a lot less movement if your gun is already up and not in your lap.
Happens all the time. I love scoring a sneaker particularly when I know there are gobbling birds in the area. The sneaker is always a bonus bird.
Remember that gobblers do way more drumming than gobbling. Quiet birds are pretty normal.
Safe and Happy Hunting!
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I've had that happen more then a couple of times. Sometimes I nail them :), sometimes I screw it up! :(
One morning i hadn't heard anything so i set up and was just calling now and then for awhile and after awhile fell asleep woke up and theres agobbler and 2 hens standing 20yds in front of me! tried to slowly get my gun up but they picked me off of course and took off i managed 2 cut some pulp wood :)
QuoteOne morning i hadn't heard anything so i set up and was just calling now and then for awhile and after awhile fell asleep woke up and theres agobbler and 2 hens standing 20yds in front of me! tried to slowly get my gun up but they picked me off of course and took off i managed 2 cut some pulp wood Smiley
LOL.!!!!!
happened to me a few times
Yup it happened to me this past spring on opening day and the next day. The first morning I had 5 birds come in and 2 the next day.
I have shot a few birds that I never knew were around. The blind has saved my bacon more than once on this.
I hunt public land birds most of the time, so this happens about once a year for me. Some get a free ride in the back, some go about their merry way.
loose lipped gobblers
Here's something to think about. A gobbler can walk to the exact tree you've done your calling from even if he's quite a ways away. I've had it happen to me and been busted enough times that it's imprinted in my brain. From my experience non-gobbling turkeys are going to take their time getting to you, so if your going to be hunting "cold calling" it might be a good idea to do your calling and then set up within range of but not where you called from while waiting them out. Give it a while and if nothing happens move on.
Regular occurence... especially in afternoons.
Real common here in the south where hunting pressure is high, they'll gobble a couple times on tha limb if your luckly hit the ground and spit and drum the rest of the day, which is a call in itself that is heard from a long ways off.
Even when turkeys don't gobble that don't mean they are not answering you when you call. They might not gobble but they can still spit and drum or 3/4 strut in response but we just can't hear it. I don't believe that turkeys can just turn off being a turkey. They only have a small amount of time in a year to breed and during that time that is all they think about. Keep an eye out if you know turkeys are in the area. Sometimes they show up unannounced.
TRKYHTR
I had 3 birds come to me dead silent last year. I killed one. It happens alot. I like anybody like to hear gobbles but I like tight lipped birds too.
Patience is a virtue! Sometimes you never know he is there until he is gone!!
has happened many times to me
happens to me all the time here in Alabama,I was fortunate enough to be taught by a very experienced old timer,when in the turkey woods always expect one to show,even if you don't hear one. like it was said earlier he is probably answering you,and you just don't hear him.if you know turkey's are there stay put,and focused. I have ran many turkey's off simply because I wasn't paying attention
Quote from: TeocTom on January 09, 2012, 10:55:32 PM
Here is something that I have not seen mentioned on any of the forum.
I have heard many accounts of gobblers showing up without ever gobbling.
Hunter cold called, nothing responded, they sit tight and all of a sudden a gobbler comes sneaking by.
How many of you guys have had this happen
I've had it happen a few times. If it's a slow day and I know a particular area is being used frequently then I dont mind waiting them out for a while if I feel like it gives me the best chance to go home with one.
Alot of times they will come in and I'll hear them drumming before I ever see them.
Happened with this old Osceola, it might have been because I chased him all over the swamps the day before and he gobbled his head off staying just out of shotgun range.
Next morning I went in the same place and set up 4 hen decoys in a dried up cypress pond that had lush, green, grass, coming up and got hid all the way in a big pine tree, blow down, top.
He came in quiet from behind me and saw the decoys then took a long step towards them and I let him have it.
Had 1-5/8" spurs. Killed him in Greenswamp East public land in Fl.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/Iflytrout/GOBBLERS/bigbird.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/Iflytrout/GOBBLERS/bigspur.jpg)
most common in the late morning or afternoons.
X2 to this. I have gotten up after 30-45 min and got busted by a silent one a few times. Just goes to show that if you know they are in the area, wait another 15 min
Happens here in the Carolinas more often than not. I have come to conclusion they keep quiet to avoid Coyotes...
Quote from: TeocTom on January 09, 2012, 10:55:32 PM
Here is something that I have not seen mentioned on any of the forum.
I have heard many accounts of gobblers showing up without ever gobbling.
Hunter cold called, nothing responded, they sit tight and all of a sudden a gobbler comes sneaking by.
How many of you guys have had this happen
These are the hunts that I really blunder up. lol :TrainWreck1:
That's your typical satellite gobbler. Often two yr olds but sometimes older birds, too. Ya just never know exactly how the pecking order will look from year to year. Ive already seen a gang of jakes bully around the longbeards after a boomer hatch, and mature birds lived in fear that spring. The one i managed to kill was a three yr old that came in silent and on high alert while a bunch of jakes tended to some hens in a nearby field. Usually i get a satellite bird sneaking in while im trying to work or outmanuever a henned up boss bird. The satellite gobblers are always nearby, being opportunists. Always hoping to find a willing hen while remaining undetected by the boss's sharp spurs. I for one, love these kind. They save a lot of hunting trips. Ive literally gone from cursing my luck with henned up boss toms one minute, to tying on a tag in the next when a satellite bird snuck in and met my gun. Knowing they are nearby and silent, helps makes me hunt better and sit still for longer.