After 5 Days

[rifleman]

Finally got a bird this morning in VA.  I have heard a few gobble once and that is the end of it.  I have not been close enough to mess with the one time gobblers.  Yesterday I heard nothing.  Today i heard what sounded like 3 jakes on a hillside which after flying down, nothing.  I was sitting in a makeshift blind calling occasionally for maybe an hour when out of the corner of my eye I see a gobbler in full strut that I was able to whack.  A two year old with maybe a 9" beard.  He was dead silent, wonder what gives with the silent stuff?

[renegade19]

 

[LaLongbeard]

I've noticed over the years I have hunted the same areas the population has remained steady or slightly increased but I hear fewer gobbles per day than I used to.Maybe more hens per gobbler reduces the need for gobbling ,maybe predetaors ...or maybe the turkey is adapting too the hunting pressure.Gobblers that don't gobble much live longer and pass on the trait to more offspring than the loud mouthed ones.That's why I almost hate to shoot one that gobbles every min on the way from his tree to the gun ,maybe we should give them a pass?

[taylorjones20]

Congrats!

[Greg Massey]

congrats

[kyturkeyhunter4]

Congrats!

[Swenny]

When they go silent I never know if they're around.  It makes it hard to do the patience and persistance thing.

[rifleman]

You are spot on Sweeny.  Right now the woods are so open that you really can't move about much.  I heard a couple gobble this AM and one came close after closing quite a distance but he stopped short at maybe 80-90 yds. and disappeared (I couldn't see him). They gobbled late like 8:30. 

[surehuntsalot]

congrats