Calling before flydown

[Uncle Tom]

Tomspur, read my post on here to "? for you south guys" by birdyhunter. Believe I posted it a day or two ago. Have had success with this a few times and will work if conditions are right. Just stay with him, he will play one day when you are least expecting it. That's what keeps us coming back for more...if it were easy we soon would give this crazy game us and go fishing or something more challenging. Let us know what happens.

[Uncle Tom]

Tomspur, got your message and thanks for filling me in on whats happening. Sounds like you are messing with a lot of jakes. Keep at it that big boy is out there somewhere. Remember some years back got on one early one morning, and followed him up and down some high ridges till 11:30 one morning. The last ridge top was set up on him about 30 yards from the ridge crest and we were really going at it. He would gobble--going down the hill, turn around and come back--but would not crest that ridge, no matter what. We played this game for a while. Only gave him an occasional cluck..only ONE mind you... and a purr once in a while. Then a scratch in the leaves ever so often. Even would get up and walk away if I knew if he was further down the hill and going away. Only gave him the light stuff... I don't have to have you, but we can dance if you want. Take his temp. and don't go head over heels...but I can be had if you want. Well, after enough of this, I stood up gathered all my toys and started walking away, kicking leaves as I went down the hill back toward my truck several ridges over. Go to the bottom of nthis first ridge and here he comes gobbling his head off...getting closer all the time. Got to this creek between the ridges...crossed creek...up the ridge and quickly found this tree to sit down...got my mask up and gun on knee..all looking down this steep hill right into thick cover with leaves..could only see 5 yards in front of me. Probably less than 2 minutes he was gobbling just on the other side of this thick cover..and all of a sudden I could see a wing hanging down. Looking right down the barrel..made onto too soft cluck with mouth..he sticks his head out at 5 yards..almost took it off. He rolls down into the creek flopping...immediately a big bird goes running up the hill to my right..and one takes flight over my head..both big birds. There was 3 birds coming after this hot, hard to get hen...got one and he was a dandy I must say. All 3 were mature heavy birds. Goes to show you never know if you don't give up. Sorry this was so long, but I like to ramble on sometimes. Hope you get him. Just play hard to get just like the girls use to...sometimes things work out like you want.

[Tomspur]

Thanks Uncle Tom,
Certainly a little more paitence is in order but also a little luck would not hurt either. Am going to stay after them until the season is over. I am sure those hens are going to flydown and go to their nests pretty soon. When they do I will be there waiting for the big boys to show up. These jakes are cool to see and what but am going to wait on a mature bird. Thanks for all the encouragement and will post good results (hopefully) soon.

[Michigander]

If I know he has other hens near by then I give it a shot to see if he'll pitch down my way before they get off the roost. Usually doesnt workout like that but even if it doesnt, the outcome is usually the same--- he will walk off with the hens and I'll have to plan accordingly. Basically if he has hens I dont feel like I have anything to lose and there's that chance that he gets fired up on the limb and pitches down to me.


If I think he's alone I wait till he flys down before calling. 

Like guesswho said, if I'm not in a good position to call him in, Ill wait till I am. I dont want him heading in or even looking in my direction if I dont think i'm in a spot where he'll come all the way in.

This is my style as well.

[Gooserbat]

It all depends on what is going on. If I have completion, then ill call a ill more before they hit the ground. If I'm close enough to hear tree yelps and soft purrs then ill do the same ever so lightly. It's all about acting like a real turkey, so when in Rome do as the Romans do!

This  ^

[Tomspur]

Thought I would update this thread and keep everyone posted on my hunting. First, I am nominating myself for the WORST turkey hunter in the world. So, I went out this morning and heard a gobble about 75 yards from me. I back up a bit and get a great setup, sit down, get my calls out and wait. Soon, I hear another gobble from  same bird. After about another 10 minutes and starting to get a little light, I softly cluck and three note yelp. Nothing. I wait until daylight, birds are churping and the morning is coming soon. I cluck and purr and again hear nothing. About 10 minutes later and now it is good daylight I see him sliding through the trees. No gobbling but he is looking. He goes out of the woods and two minutes later here he is again maybe 50 yards from me and coming. He continues to come and gets to this clearing and for some reason I shoot. I stepped it off at 35 yards. I missed. Couldn't believe it. I killed a bird last year at 52 yards and miss at 35.
It was a perfect hunt up until I prematurely pulled the trigger. No need for advise or suggestions. I choked. Simple as that. I feel terrible. Now I am hoping it was a clean miss and that beautiful  birds lives. Sorry for crying but had to tell my story.

[Uncle Tom]

Tomspur,feel for you...what bad  luck. Take heed though, the last thing you did..that soft cluck and purr..that did him in. He just had to see this sexy thing over there..let me see if I can find her. Many times that is exactly what happens...will almost bet you it was around 7:00 also. Seen it happen like that a few times. Think I said the other day on here some where, that that soft cluck can be heard long, long way off...maby 100-200 yards if no wind. If a human can hear it at 50 yds. you can double or triple that for Mr. Tom. Now if he can hear it...only give him ONE ..not to or three where he can hone in on it and know exactly where you are sitting..so that when he gets to approximately where he heard that one note..he has to search a little bit to find her...I feel like he is saying "I know she is up in here somewhere." Someone told me that once..or showed me that one time, years ago now.Saw it work and have done it many times since. In fact, 2 years ago had one jump on me thru an opening in front of me and fired over head at him..missed, almost fell out of my chair..swung my gun and fired twice at his buddy at probably 10 yards out front..missed him also. I had laid my gun in lap and was trying to get a MADD Hatchet call to work..rubbing with a scotchpad... got it to make a highpitched whine..looked up and here comes longbeards running to me, dragging ropes full throtle. First jumped on me...second was right behind him. These birds had come that cluck and soft purr from long way off...probably 1 hour ago..heard them gobble.Took them that long to get there..but when they arrived that long soft sexy whine done them in...they were running to see which could get there first. If I had not been so well hidden and camo on they could have figured me out before they got there. Long winded again...let us know what happens. God bless.

[Tomspur]

Uncle Tom,
I am  already of it and getting after them again. Tough luck and hope it doesnt happen again. Went out this  afternoon and called in three jakes. Let em walk. Will  try again on Wednesday and see what happens. Love this sport. Bummed I  missed but that is part of the game. Thanks for the help and advise.  Much appreciated. Jim

[Duke0002]

Thanks all, this is a fabulous thread! 

I've found that a soft, whiny "peep" followed by very soft purrs can be effective.  Just enough to let him know you're there.  If he flies down and is with hens, I'll try purrs and a few very soft clucks.  Clucks, IMO, are location vocals.  Hopefully, the hens with him that he's not yet breeding will come to investigate.  After 10-20 minutes, he might come looking for the rest of his hens.  Always be on the lookout for subordinate gobblers (or jakes) approaching silently.  They like to pick up the crumbs that fall from the master's table.

Before calling, and if possible, I'll put a hen decoy somewhere nearby in an attempt to distract birds from my position. 

I really do like soft purrs, an occasional soft cluck, and soft leaf scratching in these situations.

[Uncle Tom]

Well said Duke0002, will work when you apply this soft, not too often, light calling at the proper time and place. It is just so natural to the everyday sounds in the turkey woods and all this yelping,cutting,etc. is just the opposite....like have said before, you just don't hear all this loud calling by the hens...and the mature toms know it. How many times have you heard a hunter break out with a yelp or sharp cutt at some distance and you know it is another hunter...can pick it out most of the time. If you can do it Mr. Tom can certainly do it. And he just goes the other way in many cases. But if you will be patience...there's that word again....and apply this soft calling and then just sit tight...many times he will come in searching, trying to figure out exactly where you are at.

[SCGobbler]

I usually call prior to fly down but nothing extensive.

I use nature to tell me when to start tree yelping.  Once I hear cardinals I usually throw a few soft tree yelps and that is it.

Where I hunt in SC, the Cardinal is one of the very first birds I hear in the morning.  Once I hear them I throw 2-3 three tree yelps every minute or so depending if I get a response.

If I get a response, I try and "turn the tables."  Meaning if I get a response I will wait until he gobbles at me then tree yelp a bit.  At this point, I am no longer calling to him, but he is calling to me.

[PALongspur]

If its early in the season and I know the gobbler hasnt been harassed I like to tree call once and thats it. I also like to use a real wing to scratch and pop the tree and then flap the "hen" to the ground. If you're close enough for him to hear that wing, it can be poison!