Seasons been open for a week and had only one day that was really active. The second day of the season we had 3 toms, a jake, and two hens in the field. The hens came within 5 yds, but the others stayed at about 80 and no matter what we did they wouldn't come in. The toms were fighting for dominance the whole time but kept their distance from the hens, however, anywhere the hens went they followed, and kept a 75-80 yd gap from them. All the other days we'll get a distant gobble, or see a tom out about 300 yds. They're just not interested in anything we do. The big problem is we are on private land and where we see them the most is on someone else's property. We could set up where we commonly see them otherwise. We have 3 hens and a jake decoy, but decided today to not put the jake out. We are frustrated because nothing we do has any effect, at all. It appears to us that they aren't mating here yet but still stay close to their hens. Any suggestions? Anyone else having similar difficulties?
I have found that gobblers that trail behind hens still want to fight. I have used a strutter decoy in these situations with great success. Especially with multiple gobblers. Place the strutter facing you on a set up and if you have spotted the birds, use ditches, creeks, draws, etc to work close to them or in front of them and make your strutter visible head on to them. Should get them running to you. Ive also found to add red paint to waddles of strutter. All white makes them hesitate a little it seems. This works for me. Others opinions are out there
May I suggest trying near the last part of the season, when they might not be henned-up.
Thanks for the advice! Thinking that myself. I figured out where the hens are feeding, it's about 40 yds from a 5 mature tree natural bluff in the middle of 1000 yds of open field. Tomorrow I'm concealing myself in ambush in that natural bluff with no decoys and minimal calling. Going to try to let the live hens draw the tom I've been tracking to me.
I would ditch the field efforts and look for single toms that's away from the hens in the fields, or just go buy 100# of corn.
It could backfire on you, but try some cutting/purring followed by a good gobble call...
I might try putting out a jake right behind a hens butt.