Gobbling on the ground but not on the roost ?

[ilbucksndux]

This morning a bird I have been hunting for the last week just flat out stumped me. This is a bird I have had in my back pocket just for this week. He has been roosting on one of two ridges for the last month and most of that time depending on the ridge he was on , in the same tree. This morning being my last day of hunting I was not gonna hold back and get in as close as I could. I went in very early only to find that he was no there. I sat until way after daylight before I heard the first gobble and it was more than obvious that he was on the ground moving already. He has not seen me( that I know of) and to my knowledge I have not spooked him. I have not went at him the same way in 5 days. I don't know what happened and have never seen a bird that all the sudden stopped gobbling on the roost. Suggestions ?

[1iagobblergetter]

Have you tried getting around in front of him or tried to pattern him when he's off the roost?

[jblackburn]

Have you been able to see if he gobbles in the evening at fly up time?  Or at least hear him flying?

[BowBendr]

Have you been able to see if he gobbles in the evening at fly up time?  Or at least hear him flying?

^^ This ^^

I hunted a bird last week that would not gobble on the roost. He would open up after being on the ground for 5-10 minutes. It always put me behind him and it was hard to move around in front of him due to the terrain he was hanging out in. To kill him I had to hear him fly up and then sneak in a tad closer to see exactly where he was, he never gobbled the next morning either, but he died.........

[ilbucksndux]

Yes he has been gobbling at fly up and he has gobbled four days on the roost but not today. I roosted him and he was 300 yards from where I but him to bed the night before.

[hunter-b]

Maybe a predator messing with he at night . Just a thought .

[TnRidgeRunner]

Guys I'm spitballing but....is it possible he has a harem and is roosted on the same limb....he hist the ground and the walks off trying to keep those birds with him?

[DirtNap647]

he may even see you or hear you coming in on him so he stays quiet hits the ground ten gobbles going away it may just be him knowing something isn't quite right

[Snoodsniper]

he may even see you or hear you coming in on him so he stays quiet hits the ground ten gobbles going away it may just be him knowing something isn't quite right

What he said