Separating him from the hens

[roosterstraw]

What's your go to strategy when trying to separate a gobbler from hens in the woods? I can get within 75 yards of their roost and have been even closer but no matter what I do hens take him a different direction. The closest I can get is when I set up where I think they're gonna go but even then the hens keep him at a distance or use terrain to keep away.

[Paulmyr]

Separating him from his hens is a tall order. Most will try calling to the hens to try and bring them in close with the gobbler in tow. When you hear the hen calling try to imitate what she is saying and give it right back to her. Try to get her aggrevated. With luck she'll come to see the intruder and put you in your place. Odds are not in your favor. It works sometimes. Usually the hen/hens pull him the other way.
My best advice to you is find out where they are heading and try him later in the day after the mourning breading routine. Better yet later in the season when he breeds all his hens and they aren't paying attention to him.Toms tend to stay with or close the hens throughout the day during this period.
Satellite toms hanging around the breeding group are your best option.
If later in the mourn/day you think he's away from his hens get as close as you can before calling. If he decides to come there will be less of a chance for one of the hens to come in and steal him away.
What you are trying to do here is a difficult task. Most hunters will leave this tom alone until he's vulnerable later in the season.

[Turkeytider]

If you engage a Tom , even if he has hens, he'll remember where you are. If you're patient, he will come looking for you after the hens dump him. Many, if not most, don't have the patience to sit for a couple of hours and wait for that. He won't always come back, but science has shown that they definitely remember.

[GobbleNut]

What's your go to strategy when trying to separate a gobbler from hens in the woods? I can get within 75 yards of their roost and have been even closer but no matter what I do hens take him a different direction. The closest I can get is when I set up where I think they're gonna go but even then the hens keep him at a distance or use terrain to keep away.

If push comes to shove and you have tried about everything else, I would suggest just walking in and scattering the flock off of the roost in the dark.    Assuming you can manage a good scatter, that gobbler will soon be looking for his hens, and will likely be pretty vocal when doing so. 

If he starts gobbling, he is doing so to get his hens rounded up.  If possible, move towards him as much as possible to get to him before his hens start gathering up.  A combination of moving towards him as much as you can and a little calling while he is anxious to get back with his ladies will sometimes make a wise old gobbler act more like a lovesick two-year-old.