i am just wondering if it's not anyones secret, what is your go to call for opening morning (1) to get ole tom to gobble , and (2) what call technique do you use to catch his attention and get him to commit to your call.
I usually sit and listen, on public land somebody is gonna try to get em gobbling...if not I hit a goose call....
The setup is the key, pick the right spot, and setup...quiet call if I strike a bird I will scratch around, and maybe purr...but I dont want him to make too much racket (every hunter within a mile will be headed in his direction) or stop...so I usually just sit a while and maybe call 2more times... Now as the season goes on I get more aggressive with my calling...but woodsmanship is the most important characteristic!
my opening day call starts with me locating a gobbler by listening at daybreak, then i give him a chance to gobble at least 3 times ,(sometimes they gobble once have their hens withem so thats all you get),if that happens ,on the third gobble i figure he is lonely so i sneak close enough for him to here me but far enough away so he can't rush in b4 i am ready to shoot ,then i give a couple -three wake up yelps (low) and if he gobbles i give a fly down cackle while i am flopping my cap against my leg to make him think i just hit the ground..........then i get my gun up and ready and be silent to see if he is committed to me and coming my way. if he stops ,i'll coax him a little more with some purs and in the meantime do some scratching (2 scratchs then a single ,,2 scratches and a single maybe a low yelp and some cutts..usually by that time he is closing in.. turkeys have nothing else to do all day,so don't rush him be patient
If I roosted a bird or know there is one there I will do a couple soft tree yelps. Then I will do a fly down kackle.
If I am trying to strike up or locate a bird, in the morning I use an owl call and in the afternoon a crow call.
My go to call is excited yelping and cutting.