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

[VA_Birdhunter]

Sitting tight is a great strategy.  Alot of times the gobbler will be back.  Especially if he's flying down to his harem of hens you can on many occasions call them in and drag that gobbler right to u.   Purrs soft yelps, clucks and scratching in the leaves can be very effective in bringing a harem of hens to you.  Now I don't always sit still its a judgment call every time it happens.  If I have a gobbler fly away from me off the roost and after 20-30 (maybe less) min he continues to go away from me and I have another bird gobbling in the vicinity especially if he's answering everything I'm sending out I'm probably going to make a move on that bird.  This is a part of what makes turkey hunting so much fun trying to figure out the move and strategy!  God bless

[derek]

My impatience is shining on this one.. if he's still talking - I'm going to be following until I can find a way to get in front of him.  I struggle with the "sit and wait, he heard you, he's coming back" thing... If I lose him, or maybe can't chase because of a property line... I'll leave the area in search of a bird more willing and come back later in the morning to see if he's ready to play. 

[Happy]

If he is responding well I will stay on him and try different angles. If not then call in the coordinates for an air strike. Actually I can typically only hunt till round noon and I will snoop around elsewhere if he aint talking much.

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[Neill_Prater]

Lots of variables, not the least of which is how long I have to hunt. Also, whether he goes quietly into the unknown or likes to gobble along the way.

If he gobbles enough for me to determine his direction of travel, and that direction is land I have access to, and I am pressed for time, the chase will probably be on, with the  goal of getting to where he wants to go before he does. Hardly ever works, but it does often enough to keep me trying.

If I have all day, or at least all morning to hunt, and have access to other hunting areas within a reasonable distance, I will often just bail, then come back later in the morning.

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[Tail Feathers]

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

Same.  If he doesn't turn to me pretty quick, I'm moving on and will come back to him in 3 hours of so if my travels don't bring another bird.

[catman529]

Decide if I have terrain to my advantage to get ahead of him or if I should try and strike another bird somewhere else. I won't ever forget that one bird though, I may be back for him later


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[trkehunr93]

cuss! then regroup.

[Turkeytider]

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

Based on where I hunt, my style of hunting ( don`t move much, figure I`ll spook more than I get close to ), the research that indicates they " remember " where you are, and the fact that it`s worked for me in the past, this is what I`m most likely going to do.

[WTNUT]

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 is tough is an understatement!   There is nothing I love more than running and gunning.   There is nothing I hate more than sitting in silence waiting for him to come back.   But,  I do agree your odds are very good if you can do it,  and didn't unknowingly get busted earlier. 

It's tough but you just gotta hunker down.

[guesswho]

If all else fails I wait until the next morning and shoot him before he flies down.

[GobbleNut]

If all else fails I wait until the next morning and shoot him before he flies down.

  Ahh yes, us great turkey minds think alike!

[guesswho]

 

[eggshell]

 They're a menace to society, kill them however you can. I once was on a forum where guys discussed using artillery and dropping mortars on them....hmmm Me thinks a guy in NM was on that forum. 

[guesswho]

They're a menace to society, kill them however you can. I once was on a forum where guys discussed using artillery and dropping mortars on them....hmmm Me thinks a guy in NM was on that forum. 

That guy sounds like a nut!

[Missouri hunter]

Sounds like most of my mornings... I usually stay with the bird for awhile and many times with my setup if I think it's a good one. Sometimes I make a move or try to get around on them but it can be tough, especially on public ground. One time I had a bird that I was close to on the roost, he flew away to a bottom or bench a couple hundred yards away. I didn't know what to do so I back up a hundred yards down the ridge to a good setup and called one time an a slate call. After waiting 40 minutes and nothing, he then gobbled at 100yd. He ended up going around me and strutting behind me and I was able to get a 28yd shot. It was fun!