Why do they go quiet?

[101st501]

I hunt public land with a good supply of birds.  Here lately I have noticed that the birds will gobble occasionally and sometimes give a shock gobble, but when I try to call to them they go quiet and hardly make another sound.  This has not always been the case, but I have just started to see this activity this season.  What gives?

[Coachwate]

They did that to us yesterday morning. They were ripping on the limb and they stopped almost as soon as they hit the ground. We talked to a gentleman named Hershel who was kind enough to point us towards a bird first off. He said he's seen this when there are a lot of hens in the area. They pitch down and don't gobble because all their girls are waiting on him so why waste the breath. Don't know for sure from my experience since it's only two days. Does this sound right to anyone? I would like to know for sure. I do know we saw and heard a lot of hens today.

[Turkeyman11]

I would bet the mortgage there were hens present.  If you would have been able to see the birds my guess is the gobbler was just strutting his stuff.  No need to gobble when he's with the ladies. 

[BABS9]

Yep they are already with their hens so there is really no reason for them to be vocal. They are "henned up". Keep after them though.

[Bowguy]

It's already been said but yes with hens

[zelmo1]

Wait him out. The hens will leave him and he will get lonely. That is when he will come to your calls

[g8rvet]

Two years ago, on the last day of the season here in N Florida, I watched a bird strut on the limb with three hens all around him.  He never said a word and they were quite vocal.  They would  not come to my sweet talk and I had to shut it down as the hens headed in my nephews direction.  Never got aggressive calling. 

[grayfox]

I hunt public land too & they would do that after a week or two after season came in.  I always thought they did that to keep from getting killed. lol

[turkaholic]

Henned up for sure, try coming back around 10. They might be alone, and ready to play the game