Inevitably every year early in the season I have a gobbler or two who love to roost in a bowl near a large pond on one side and a ridge on the other. Once they hit the ground they can head to the ridge, walk down into the bottom, or walk around pond and head out to the gravel road and pasture on our cattle farm.
I say all that to say that each year they're always henned-up to the teeth and it's nearly impossible to get very close because all the hens are surrounding the big boys in their roost site. I end up guessing which way they're going to go when they head down and it's almost impossible to pattern them because they really have no rhyme or reason as to which way they go. A lot of the land is suitable for strutting.
Anyone have thoughts on a game plan? I've thought about ditching the decoys and going in very early in the dark and just sitting down right near their bedroom on the edge of the ridge and not moving a muscle until fly down.
Anyways...something to pass the time before March 15
Quote from: northms on February 27, 2014, 10:33:54 AM
I've thought about ditching the decoys and going in very early in the dark and just sitting down right near their bedroom on the edge of the ridge and not moving a muscle until fly down.
This!!! would be my first move. Then I would challenge any old mama hen and if that didn't work I might try fanning one from a field edge to see if you can get him agitated enough to close the deal.
What's stopping you from letting them flydown, figuring out which way they are headed (either get a visual or hearing them), and then trying to make a move to get to where you think they're headed that particular day?
Calling to the lead hen never did much good for me and I'd usually try to let them tell me where they wanted to go that day and then get in front of them somewhere along the way.....
If they roost in a consistent spot then watch where they go that morning and put yourself between them and their roost that afternoon/evening.
Good advice Redleg. The really open terrain makes it tough to get around the birds once they hit the ground and head off in a direction.
Usually a last resort but I've waited till they roosted and busted the hens off with pretty good success a few times. Sometimes he'll be way more cooperative.
I have had some success doing the same as THattaway said and I have also had some luck busting them up mid morning and then wait about 30 to 45 minutes and try to get him fired up and coming to a call. The only thing with those options is you need to have several acres to be sure he is still where you can hunt him and make sure you aren't busting them up and running him to another hunter who might be nearby.
Take a friend and One of you get in each spot.
If I don't know where they are going I want to be above them.
This is just a thought I have had success hunting a dusting sight but generally mid morning find that spot and set up, no decoys and call to that lead hen.
Can you hunt all day in the state your from? If so and you want to kill one bad enough you could intercept them on there way back to roost. just shootem before they get in the tree though ;D
#1 Things you do know... where they roost.
#2 Things you dont know... where they are going when coming off the roost.
#3 Things to do... find them in the early afternoon and set between them and #1. :fud: :thanks:
TnTurk makes a really good point -- that'd be your easiest option.
If you must or can only hunt in the mornings, I like the ridge option the best, too (if I'm visualizing this area you're talking about right). I don't know if there's a way you could use that ridge as "cover" to ease around to that pond area, if they head that way, but I like ridges (or any rising land feature) a lot to use as a "blind" to maneuver on a bird. I've slithered like a snake before, many times, up & over ridges (or down into gullies & stuff before).
I'm also a big fan of challenging the boss hen & driving her out of the picture; I've done this several times (last year, in fact), and "won the fight". It's worth a shot; and every time I've done that, it hasn't seemed to bother the birds on subsequent hunts since the "real" hen beat me anyway (on days that I've lost the fight).
I'd really make it a priority to see *exactly* what's happening at roost time - where they're coming from, where the gobbler roosts vs. the hens, etc. & try to "wedge" in between them (on at least one hunt) under cover of darkness, as a morning "surprise". My very first gobbler I ever killed, we did this with a jake/hen decoy set out, and the gobbler never said a peep on the roost; as the real hens started waking up & calling, he finally pitched out, did a "fly by" over the top of our dekes, dropped down on the ground & proceed to waltz up to & drop-kick the jake decoy thru the goal posts & I lowered the hammer on him w/my 835 Ulti-Mag. We *thought* we had setup in the wrong spot, 'cause he never said a word - but I *BET YOU* he was watching that jake on one of HIS hens, and was madder than a hornet - hehe! :)
Go fall on them! Bust them up really good right at dark or maybe even off the roost. When he wakes up alone in the morning he will probably be lonely, talkative and ready go get the ladies back.
Quote from: jblackburn on February 27, 2014, 10:56:17 PM
Go fall on them! Bust them up really good right at dark or maybe even off the roost. When he wakes up alone in the morning he will probably be lonely, talkative and ready go get the ladies back.
+1 :agreed: I think this is worth a shot, for sure! And, added to what I said, if you can watch & know exactly where the gobbler is roosted the evening before, you *might* be able to tell *exactly* where he flies off to, after you bust them up, and then setup on him and it should be very easy pickin's. My experience has shown that stranded birds tend to be more vocal, too. YMMV. And, I would *still* say, be prepared for a "fight" with the boss hen!
Quote from: Gobble! on February 27, 2014, 04:20:58 PM
If I don't know where they are going I want to be above them.
^^This. If you are above them when they fly down and they start working farther away from you, then I would wait and try to sneak around them when they get out of sight to intercept them. IMO it would be easier to sneak around them from up top vs. trying to sneak around them from the bottom (in a hurry and making it up a hill at the same time). All of the above is good advice though. Good luck this season and keep us posted......
One option would be to wait till they wander off, then get tight on their roost tree. Once their hens leave them, they will be looking for love, and they know that roost tree was a safe area. Start calling, then scratching in the leaves.
Worth a shot.........
Be sitting within 45 yards of that roost by 415 AM.... It's amazing what happens when you're that close to them and they fly down. It's also cool to there observing and listening to them as they wake up.
All good stuff. Its a chess game sometimes, that's why we do it.
As said, get in there early, be above or on the same level as him. I stay on the ridges or in the highest areas when Turkey hunting. If your in a bottom and he is half way up or on top its more work for you. If your on one ridge or hill, and hes on the one across from you, get on his ridge or high area before you call to him.
Loose the decoys, You don't need them. I don't use them cause I want the bird to come in with his head high looking for that hen. Set up so when you first see that bird he is in range.
If the morning game doesn't work out, back to roost area around 10, setup and call off and on.
Just scratching in the leaves has called in and killed 15 or more birds for me over the years. One of the best calls there is and its free.
If the leaf scratching doesn't work (which is DOES), I like to try this around noon: Cut, cut and cut some more! Three or 4 sequences and more agressive w/each one. Then, sit like a stone for an hour and be ready.
Quote from: flintlock on February 28, 2014, 12:35:59 PM
If the leaf scratching doesn't work (which is DOES), I like to try this around noon: Cut, cut and cut some more! Three or 4 sequences and more agressive w/each one. Then, sit like a stone for an hour and be ready.
I like to do this, too; works!
These types of threads are soooooo much better than the "my shotgun shell is superior to your shotgun shell" peeing matches :thanks: I have nothing really to add as there's already some great advice.
No game plan that has been suggested is any better than the other, as all of them will work in the right situation. The first thing I'd try is getting to know the birds a little better during these two weeks before the season, then opening day I would be there well before first light and sit there til they start talking. Take your chances of the birds flying down into your lap if you can get close to the roost. The other strategy I would try is one most people don't like to do. I read a couple comments about busting them off their roosts the evening before to maybe split them up a little more before they go to bed, but what about just busting them off the roost in the morning and calling them back together once they are on the ground looking for each other? This has worked for me a few times. The first time was by accident about 8 years ago, but it worked like a charm. I busted them off a ridgetop and they all split up on either side of the ridge and hit the ground. I eased down the ridge and set up right between the two flocks of birds and just listened for a little while. When I started hearing the kee kee's and lost yelps, I gave it right back to them. I ended up calling about 6 hens up that gathered about 15 yards away from me to my right and continued calling. From that point I let the hens call the gobbler the rest of the way til he met his maker. He never made a sound all morning. It was one of the most exciting hunts I can remember. You never know, you might use the ridge at your place the same way and call them back together at the top. You can do this really early so they fly to other trees, or you can wait til it's light enough to where they'll fly down when you bust them up. Either way they end up separated and will want to all get back together eventually. You got two weeks to go sit and observe so I would first try to pattern them as best you can and get there well before first light to get as close to them as you can. Good luck to you, and March 15th can't get here quick enough for you and me both!
On a rainy day I would be setting up at that cow pasture. They will be there sooner or later.