Turkey flies down away from you at first light. What’s your next move?

[northms]

An all too common occurrence. You've heard him gobble some on the limb. You get close as you can, maybe not as close as you'd hoped, maybe tree yelped once or not at all and he flies down away from you.

What's your next move? (Other than "go after him")

I have this happen several times a year it seems and always playing catch up from there...

[afhunter1]

Sit tight and wait for him to leave his hens around 10-11

[paboxcall]

Sit tight and wait for him to leave his hens around 10-11

[avidnwoutdoorsman]

Sit tight and wait for him to leave his hens around 10-11

x2

They've actually shown this over and over when tracking with GPS. Hunters will get in close to a bird. They may or may not interact with the bird. Hunter leaves and hour after shooting light. Bird comes back some time later after 10am but before 1pm.

It's tough but you just gotta hunker down.

[Tom007]

I stay put.  If I here him gobbling away, I'll do a fly down with my wing, lots of leaf scratching, and purring. Most times, he will think he left a hen behind, and slowly work his way back. If time goes by and he keeps moving away, the chase is on. I love running/gunning, but I will return to that area mid morning and soft call/leaf scratch, sitting for a while. He may show back up later, or another gobbler could wander in. I normally do not get that tight on roosted gobblers. If they answer me, I stay put and soft call. Most of the time, they will eventually wander over to investigate. Be safe, best of luck...

[Brian Fahs]

I have killed several with the wait for them to come back approach. It works, sometimes but not always.

I rely more on my scouting and previous years encounters in that very spot. Where I hunt they roost in specific spots and usually are only there at very first light and very last light.

Knowing the pattern of the gobbler will usually find me where he is going not where he is currently roosting. Woodsmanship and current information on that bird is how I would kill him.

[PalmettoRon]

Stay where I am for a bit, sometimes they come back your way fairly soon. If you hear hens, sometimes getting the boss hen worked up pays off. I don't waste a ton of time if the gobbler doesn't head my way. I head out the opposite way and if I don't get on another bird, I will then slip back into that area by 9:30-9:45, softly call and be ready. I give him 2-3 hours. He heard you.  Having said that, if you know the birds later morning patterns, then circle wide and try to get ahead of him. We all know the drill. If he wants to come, he will. If he doesn't want to come, while you may sound like a turkey brothel, he still may well not come. It's the unknown that keeps us addicted.

[guesswho]

I go bobcat'n.   If no luck I'll check back with bird A in a few hours and hang out a while.

[GobbleNut]

This is one of those "it all depends questions".  There are so many factors that influence my decision on what to do in this situation that it would take a good portion of a book to cover them all.

The one common thread in all of my decisions is that I do not want to spook that gobbler/flock of turkeys.  Regardless of anything else, I do not want them to associate my calling as coming from a human.  If they do, I have just made calling any of those turkeys to the gun that much more difficult.

Generally speaking, I am not one to play the waiting game on a gobbler if there are any other options.  Unless I am hunting in a situation that I believe one particular gobbler is the only one around, I am going to do whatever I can to find a bird that wants to "play ball" by responding to my calling and, from there, carry on a conversation and see where that leads us in our "association". 

The bottom line for me is that spring gobbler hunting is all about starting up that conversation between me and a gobbler and then doing what it takes to get him within shooting range.  Those gobblers that don't want to participate,....well, they can just stay in the woods as far as I am concerned.  Spring gobbler hunting without that conversation is just "killin' turkeys" and is not why I am attracted to this addiction. 

So, my "final answer" to the question is,....after giving this gobbler an opportunity to engage in a conversation with me, I am most likely gonna go look for a gobbler that wants to do that.   

[Dtrkyman]

If he keeps running his mouth I would likely make a move.  If he has hens and there are other vocal birds I will leave him and if that does not work out I would go back after him later.

8am seems to be the worst time in the morning to kill a bird, so if I have nothing going around then I may return and hunt him near his roost.

It all works at some point you just have to keep playing the game, my only priority is not spooking the bird, I juts go with my gut.

The property I am hunting plays a role as well, if I know it well that dictates much of my game plan, if I am on unfamiliar ground particularly public I play it different also, but there is no set play to make for me!

[Greg Massey]

Pray the hens come in my direction. It also helps to be in the area of were the hens like to feed.

[eggshell]

I will give him maybe 15-20 minutes to turn around, then I am gone to find a bird that wants to play. I will sometimes come back late morning and see if I can strike him. I hunt almost all private land that is controlled access, so I don't continuously mess with henned up gobblers that won't play. I simply go hunt other spots for 2-4 days and come back to him. I never hunt a bird more than two consecutive days on our land. I know this is a luxury that many don't have, but I am grateful for it.  My pattern is to section off the farm and hunt sections two to three days apart. I may even leave it for a week and go to other property. I think way to many hunters hound their birds too hard. On public land it's a different game. This is where knowing your land and the birds is most important. Gobblers use the land in similar patterns. From year to year different gobblers will often move in similar ways. If you have this problem on a repeated basis, than I would suggest you reevaluate your methods/approach. One of the most overlooked strategies in calling spooky gobblers is "SILENCE". If he acknowledges you with a gobble, he knows your there and he'll remember it. As long as he has hens he won't leave them, but soon as he is not getting loved he'll come look for you. So sometimes just shut up and let him slow cook. You cam wait him out or move off and hunt other birds, then come back in 2-3 hrs. I slip right back to the same tree/setup and call. I also like to wait just a few minutes in case I was busted coming in. He didn't go far and soon as the woods returns to normal he be ready. This is assuming your original set up was from a spot he frequents. If your off normal movement patterns he'll only do a drive by and your still frustrated. Nothing in turkey hunting beats woodsmanship and knowing your land in relation to the turkeys daily routines. All the calls and good gear in the world will not gain you more advantage than these two things.

[shatcher]

Excellent post, eggshell.

[deerhunt1988]

Get a compass bearing of the direction I think he is headed. 'Still hunt' my way to where I know he last was. This involves moving ever so slowly, constantly scanning the woods ahead, and scratching as I walk. I may swing wide to try to and get in front of him or I may go at him head on. Just depends on the situation and terrain. If I come upon fresh scratching, I'll make a set up and call some. Killed a pile of birds that come in to my scratching as I approach.

I've already said too much. Ignore the above, it doesn't work.

[Kylongspur88]

I'll see if I can get on another bird and if not come back in an hour or two and sit tight.