This bird is smarter than me

[Tail Feathers]

22.250.

[Greg Massey]

Good luck , just remember you have a bird to hunt be glad as i know you are....some would just like to have a chance of hearing one or killing one...

[Gooserbat]

22.250.

Seriously though try using a wing to simulate a flydown but leave the calls alone.  And since you know where he wants to be stay there.  He'll eventually wander into gun range.

[WNCTracker]

22.250.

Seriously though try using a wing to simulate a flydown but leave the calls alone.  And since you know where he wants to be stay there.  He'll eventually wander into gun range.

I haven't tried the wing on him. I left them back home up in NC. I guess I could try the hat flapping but that never sounded right to me.


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[Marc]

Got to kill him. Gobblers that don't make a sound are a genetic problem. He is breeding your hens and polluting you gene pool. Get it done.

I definitely believe there is some validity to this statement.

Birds that are quite are less apt to get shot and more likely to survive...

Using pheasants as an example, birds that run, and do not cackle when they flush are more likely to survive the season...  Now we see more running birds that do not cackle when they flush.

Human interaction with nature, is bound to have an effect.  Without people hunting down gobbling birds, the birds that gobble are more likely to breed (and thus spread their seed in the gene pool).  With high hunting pressure, the quiet birds that can still find a mate are far more likely to survive...

As for tough birds, I had one of those the last two seasons that survived...  Partly due to his wariness, and partly due to my own stupidity and plain dumb luck (i.e. having cattle rush in when I finally had the bird in range and could not shoot safely).

Figuring out where that bird will be an hour or so after fly-down, and doing some soft low-end clucking and purring occassionaly would be my game-plan...

[perrytrails]

Ditch the decoys, for good. Yeah they work sometimes. You don't need them.

Not using any keeps them , moving, looking for that hen with their head up.

Get in there where you've seen him the most. Couple clucks every 20 mins. That's it for calling.

Scratch in the leaves for a minute or so every 20 mins. Be ready ...

If he catches you with your gun down, turn to stone, let him pass till you can raise it without being seen. Don't think your quick enough, be patient.

If he goes out of sight get the gun up and scratch in the leaves.

[oleman59]

He could be a ole tom that is out of his prime ( a hermit Gobbler just does his own thing) doesn,t associate with other turkeys much. they can be tough will just have to hunt him like a deer figure where he roosts in the evening were goes in the day no decoys and very little calling. OH YEAH ALOT PATENICE

[ALfwlmth]

I think my plan at this point would be to go find another bird and come back in a few days, maybe a week.  I've had birds like this that ruined a whole season and I ended up killing nothing all season.  Clear your mind on another bird and come back "rested and relaxed" and ready to take care of bizness.


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[fountain2]

I have the same troubles with a bird here.  He roost off of my land and I'm not even sure if he's using my place any more after fly down. I know where he roosts and kinda know where he goes, but don't have permission.  He's got several hens right now and I can't get him to even answer a call.  I'm not gonna give up tho!  It's about the only gobbler I have to chase, so I'm gonna aggravate him from all angles possible and hope that he messes up one day