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Author Topic: How to deal with a hung up gobbler.  (Read 5546 times)

Offline Goblen

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How to deal with a hung up gobbler.
« on: April 06, 2021, 07:25:05 PM »
How do you deal with a gobbler that's at his strut zone? I tried, clucking, purring and scratched leaves. He would goes crazy Gobbling at all of those,  but wouldn't budge off his spot.

Offline guesswho

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Re: How to deal with a hung up gobbler.
« Reply #1 on: April 06, 2021, 07:32:13 PM »
I'd beat him to his strut zone the next morning.
If I'm not back in five minutes, wait longer!
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Offline Goblen

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Re: How to deal with a hung up gobbler.
« Reply #2 on: April 06, 2021, 07:55:10 PM »
The thought has definitely crossed my mind. I really wanted to call him to the gun. But I may just have to get there before he does and call some. I just don't want to feel like I ambushed him.
He is 50 yards in front of me, in the opening.
« Last Edit: April 06, 2021, 08:03:52 PM by Goblen »

Offline Ozark Ridge Runner

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Re: How to deal with a hung up gobbler.
« Reply #3 on: April 06, 2021, 09:35:47 PM »
The best way I've found to deal with that situation is to completely stop calling and let the gobbler move off his strut zone.  It may take quite awhile for him to vacate the area but you need to let him lose interest and move out.  If you can confirm he far enough away to safely move get up and get to the strut zone and call him back.  I've done that several times over the years and it works very well.

Offline silvestris

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Re: How to deal with a hung up gobbler.
« Reply #4 on: April 06, 2021, 09:54:51 PM »
Fire him and then shut up.
“[T]he changing environment will someday be totally and irrevocably unsuitable for the wild turkey.  Unless mankind precedes the birds in extinction, we probably will not be hunting turkeys for too much longer.”  Ken Morgan, “Turkey Hunting, A One Man Game

Online Paulmyr

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Re: How to deal with a hung up gobbler.
« Reply #5 on: April 06, 2021, 10:08:15 PM »
Fire him and then shut up.

My thoughts exactly.
Paul Myrdahl,  Goat trainee

“I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them.". John Wayne, The Shootist.

Offline WildTigerTrout

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Re: How to deal with a hung up gobbler.
« Reply #6 on: April 07, 2021, 12:38:11 AM »
Back off, go elsewhere and try to find one that's wants to play the game and hunt him another day.
Deer see you and think you are a stump. The Old Gobbler sees a stump and thinks it is YOU!

Offline Sasha and Abby

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Re: How to deal with a hung up gobbler.
« Reply #7 on: April 07, 2021, 06:52:19 AM »
Fire him and then shut up.

THIS -  Let them KILL THEMSELVES...

Offline Yoder409

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Re: How to deal with a hung up gobbler.
« Reply #8 on: April 07, 2021, 07:47:17 AM »
Fire him and then shut up.

This would be my first try.  Yep.
PA elitist since 1979

The good Lord ain't made a gobbler I can't kill.  I just gotta be there at the right time.....  on the day he wants to die.

Offline Yoder409

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Re: How to deal with a hung up gobbler.
« Reply #9 on: April 07, 2021, 07:48:15 AM »
Back off, go elsewhere and try to find one that's wants to play the game and hunt him another day.

And........unless I had someone else with me...........this would be my second strategy.
PA elitist since 1979

The good Lord ain't made a gobbler I can't kill.  I just gotta be there at the right time.....  on the day he wants to die.

Offline Tom007

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Re: How to deal with a hung up gobbler.
« Reply #10 on: April 07, 2021, 07:16:52 PM »
Fighting purr. It can make em break and come in with a fire-hydrant red head. I do it on 2 push-pins. It has worked for me. Nothing guaranteed, but this has worked. Be safe, great thread....
“Solo hunter”

Offline tlh2865

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Re: How to deal with a hung up gobbler.
« Reply #11 on: April 13, 2021, 02:33:08 PM »
I'll throw out the dont try on public land disclaimer but gobbling has worked well for me in this situation. The thought that another gobbler has come onto his hen has made a lot of birds come in hot from a strut zone to see what is going on.

I will say this though, whenever I have tried this I can tell you for a fact that it was either the dominant gobbler or it was a pair of gobblers together. I reckon it is quite likely that a mild-mannered bird will shy away from a challenge when offered in this manner. But I also think that a a younger bird is going to be more likely to commit to hen calling.

Patience will kill a lot more birds than tricks like a gobble or fighting purr. I have used both, and had successfully with both in this exact scenario. But the best bet is to work him with hen calls and shut up.

Offline TRG3

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Re: How to deal with a hung up gobbler.
« Reply #12 on: April 14, 2021, 08:11:44 AM »
I hunt on private land, so do not have others coming in on me. My go-to method of bringing in a reluctant gobbler is to use my Primos gobble tube to answer his gobbles after he wants my hen yelps to result in me coming to him. With the peck order always in effect, it often results in the real bird coming in, sometimes after a couple of hours, to investigate the intruder sometimes vocally and other times silently. I often try to cut in on his gobbles with mine or double gobbling to show aggression. This method has worked best in the Illinois 5th season which is in late April/early May near the end of the breeding period and has resulted in taking my biggest birds.

Offline WALKER80

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Re: How to deal with a hung up gobbler.
« Reply #13 on: April 15, 2021, 04:39:52 PM »
The thought has definitely crossed my mind. I really wanted to call him to the gun. But I may just have to get there before he does and call some. I just don't want to feel like I ambushed him.
He is 50 yards in front of me, in the opening.


What's behind you?

Offline tomstopper

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Re: How to deal with a hung up gobbler.
« Reply #14 on: April 16, 2021, 03:34:50 AM »
Fire him and then shut up.
This is good advice.

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