Cadence

[Greg Massey]

Does the proper cadence, ENTICE more gobblers to gobble? Do you practice on your cadence? Do you bang away at your calls, or do you start out soft calling knowing you can increase the volume if needed? Like low to high. Do we do enough soft calling? DO you also listen to the response of the hen or hen's that are with the gobbler or gobblers in trying to lure both within your setup? Opinions

[Jrkimbrough]

I like to start off with a little slower/softer cadence yelp and work up from there as opposed to some guys who start right outta the gate with excited yelps and cutting


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[Dtrkyman]

I believe it does, as well as putting emotion into your calling.  Many newer callers or not so good callers sound robotic.

I learned a long time ago on many occasions I call so soft I hope he hears me, response or not he usually does, amazing what they hear and how they pin point it!

Of course I hear at least one hen a year that sounds just awful, I really think they recognize another turkeys call, many time a bird will respond to a particular hen and nothing  else.

[turkeyfool]

I think so. I also wouldn't even necessarily say its all about starting soft. I think sometimes its about taking a slight break in there to delay things a quarter second or even take your time to turn your head slightly before you let another sequence go. This also goes for box and pots. The cadence on a box can't be replicated in my opinion that's why I'm going to try to use one a lot this year

[MK M GOBL]

Learned my calling from our farm birds, got to listen to them up close and they make all the same sounds/calls as wild birds, learned their rhythm/cadence and inflection to their calls and how they would change it to mean something else. Also picked up a lot of social ques for the dominance role of each birds body language and reactions with/to other birds. Couldn't have had better "teachers"


MK M GOBL

[WW]

I start calling turkeys with the same concept that I use to call to my woman..Soft and slow to start and depending on what the reaction is, I usually end up just calling hard and all over the place. Usually get a few gobbles or at least some drumming out of it.

[zelmo1]

Its a feel thing for me. Most of the time I mimic the turkey I am calling to, his mood. Change of pace is useful sometimes when a bird seems interested then wanders. If all else fails and I lose out to the hens, my last ditch effort is to p-off the boss hen and make her come to me, hopefully dragging her tom with her. Al

[Spitten and drummen]

Cadence is the most important part in calling in turkeys in my opinion. If the bird is on fire , I pour it to him. If he is lukewarm I usually start soft and sweet and build up the tempo if needed. I like to let a bird gobble a few times and then I may or may not answer. I try to flip the script with him gobbling and me answering him instead of him answering me.

[guesswho]

As with most things with turkey hunting "it all depends".   But cadence is important both soft and loud.   You can break it up but still have cadence.   My hunts usually start with me answering him, so I'm a little louder and moderately aggressive.   Once I get that scenario reversed to him answering me I'll tone and dial it back a notch.   I've hunted with some people who continue to answer him and never get it reversed.  I think some hunters don't realize that can be the tipping point to your favor.

[Gobbler428]

I like to start off soft and get louder if need be. The closer he gets to me the softer I like to call. If I am calling to a hen/hens, I like to get loud and aggressive in hopes of having one or more of them get mad and come in to check me out, often bringing the gobbler with them. I think cadence is very important and should be adjusted depending on the situation i.e.: tree calling to him on the roost vs cutting.  I also think calling with emotion and sometimes a sense of urgency is important. It all depends on the situation. I also think less calling is better and have been guilty in the past of calling way too much. I need to learn to be quit and listen more and listen for longer periods of time. Patience is a good tool to have in your box.

[Tom007]

Great post. I always start out when I am trolling with a short, soft cluck, then stop. I wait, if no response, I will do a short series of clucks. Before I move, I will do a soft Yelp. If I get an answer, depending on the intensity of his answer, that dictates the rest of my approach. I will only cal loudly on very windy days,  over 15 mph.

[WildTigerTrout]

Great post. I always start out when I am trolling with a short, soft cluck, then stop. I wait, if no response, I will do a short series of clucks. Before I move, I will do a soft Yelp. If I get an answer, depending on the intensity of his answer, that dictates the rest of my approach. I will only cal loudly on very windy days,  over 15 mph.

Tom you and I see eye to eye on this one.

[GobbleNut]

I think too many hunters associate the term "cadence" in turkey calling to mean repetition of the same spacing of their calling,...yelping in particular,  Nothing gives away a turkey hunter on a call more than hearing the same repetitive yelping sequences, with the same spacing between yelps, over and over again. 

For the most part, turkeys do not yelp, cluck, or cutt in the same repetitive sequences over and over and over again.  As others have pointed out, mixing up combinations of calls in natural, turkey-like sequences is the way to go.  Under specific conditions, those natural sequences can be long or short, soft or loud, and/or passive or aggressive. ....But they are rarely of a repetitive, drum-beat-like nature. 

Beginning hunters, in particular, seem to get into a rhythm in their calling that is just not natural.  Experienced hunters hearing those repetitive calls in the woods can identify that calling as being from another hunter (most of the time) pretty quickly and easily.  From the evidence I have seen, turkeys that have been through a season or two can also do that,...and respond accordingly.   

[Tom007]

Great post. I always start out when I am trolling with a short, soft cluck, then stop. I wait, if no response, I will do a short series of clucks. Before I move, I will do a soft Yelp. If I get an answer, depending on the intensity of his answer, that dictates the rest of my approach. I will only cal loudly on very windy days,  over 15 mph.

Tom you and I see eye to eye on this one.

Amen my brother, but sometimes the old quarry just doesn't want to cooperate...

[RutnNStrutn]

In my opinion, cadence definitely matters. I've heard good callers in the woods, but because of the cadence I knew they were not turkeys. Whether it makes toms gobble more, who knows?
Personally, I start out calling softly in case there are turkeys close by that I can't see or hear. Then I slowly increase the volume. Unless I hear a tom gobble far off, then I call loud enough that I think he can hear me.
I think I do enough soft calling, but again, who really knows how the turkeys respond to you unless they gobble and/or come in? If you can't see the turkeys and they don't respond, how do you know how they reacted to your calls?
Yes, I definitely listen to the hens. I try to mimic them, and I get into a calling contest with them if they are try to steal the gobbler away. Some days all turkeys are vocal, other days only hens or only gobblers are vocal, and some days the turkeys are tight beaked. I try to mimic what is going on in nature, especially on the quiet days, then I stick to soft calling.
Who knows what's best or the right thing to do? Not me!! I just do the best I can.