What hen sounds when gobbler is close?

[Marc]

That drumming bird just over a knoll, or other side of a bush, are often the ones that hang, or just never show...  I feel at that point, they expect that hen to show herself?

Very soft calling for me at this point...  Soft chirps, purrs, or whines...  Leaf scratching (which with the wet green grasses I hunt is not always possible).

And...  all too often, I have a bird drumming in front...  Drumming stops, and there he is poking his head out (quietly) to a completely different side.

[bwhana]

I quit doing what anyone does in the video world and paid more attention to real hens at 30 yds or less.  They make so many odd noises that can barely be heard at 20 yds by human ears.  I started making up sounds based on theirs that I can't really describe, but do on a ghost cut.  There are others I cannot replicate.  Very deadly the past several seasons!

[Meleagris gallopavo]

I quit doing what anyone does in the video world and paid more attention to real hens at 30 yds or less.  They make so many odd noises that can barely be heard at 20 yds by human ears.  I started making up sounds based on theirs that I can't really describe, but do on a ghost cut.  There are others I cannot replicate.  Very deadly the past several seasons!

I've often thought hens made barely discernible noises.


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[ChesterCopperpot]

I had a hen come within about a yard of me on Tuesday. I actually thought she was going to come and peck a box call that was sitting beside me. Anyhow, she's feeding around and just doing her thing. It was all purrs, bubble clucks, and will-wills. Even while she was doing it I just kept thinking, "You sound like Dave Owens." I think in the end when they're close and potentially hung up you're just trying to desperately convince them that a hen is still there and that, 1) she's in a place they can't see from where they're standing, and, 2) she's not interested in coming to him. So for me it's a matter of trying to pitch calls behind me or in a direction that indicates she's moved slightly, and I want it all to be feeding calls. I want him to believe she's just doing her own thing and moseying on off.


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[Paulmyr]

The barely audible sounds made by a hen are almost constant. Speaking as a timber hunter. The problem I have with making them when a gobbler is close, unless there's a solid physical obstruction between you and him, is you'll pinpoint your location more so than you already have focusing his attention to your exact location instead of having to look for you. Close would be a dependant on the hunter. For some it might 100yds for others it's half that.

[Flatsnbay]

I like a soft purr and scratch the leaves on the ground if he is close but out of view. Usually pulls him right in.

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[Kylongspur88]

Scratching in the leaves.

This. And maybe a soft cluck

[Marc]

The barely audible sounds made by a hen are almost constant. Speaking as a timber hunter. The problem I have with making them when a gobbler is close, unless there's a solid physical obstruction between you and him, is you'll pinpoint your location more so than you already have focusing his attention to your exact location instead of having to look for you. Close would be a dependant on the hunter. For some it might 100yds for others it's half that.

Yes, experience and common sense has taught me to avoid calling at a bird I can see (or more importantly a bird that can see me).  While turkeys are not incredibly intellectual creatures, they have been conditioned to be cautious and avoid "something wrong."  Whether they pick me out, or whether they can hear a hen they cannot see, they generally know something is wrong, and "book off."

I have, and probably will again call at birds I can see.  Generally out of desperation of a last ditch effort to call a bird that is moving off.  If I am, or can get and call behind and obstruction (such as a large rock, knoll, or tree) I might try to do so.

I think in the end when they're close and potentially hung up you're just trying to desperately convince them that a hen is still there and that, 1) she's in a place they can't see from where they're standing, and, 2) she's not interested in coming to him. So for me it's a matter of trying to pitch calls behind me or in a direction that indicates she's moved slightly, and I want it all to be feeding calls. I want him to believe she's just doing her own thing and moseying on off.

Well said!  I want him to know there is a hen there, but that she is not coming.  To me, excited yelping/cutting on a close bird tells him "hold on a minute, I am coming."   The perception of that hen moving (especially away) can be effective.  Subtle contented calls that emulate movement have been effective at times...  Sometimes that bird drumming just the other side of a knoll just wanders off, no matter what I seem to do though?

And...  Sometimes those last few yards take a painfully long time...  He might travel half a mile to get to you in 2 minutes, then take an hour to come those last 20 yards.

[Tom007]

If he is close, and I can't see him, I'll be patient and sit tight. If I know he's engaged and looking for me, no more calling. Leaf scratching is about it. My experience here has proven that the patience move on a close Tom finally breaks him and he commits just enough to get my shot.

[sixbird]

There is never any perfect answer, but I try to call to him early on and then begin to shut down as he closes the gap. If he is coming, just let him keep doing so. The one thing about calling to a bird if he is close - if you can see him, he can also see to where you are and expects to see a hen moving around where that hen noise is coming from. Once he gets into sight, silence is your best friend. You can still scratch in the leaves if need be, but if you are making hen sounds in sight of him, he expects to see a hen and will 99.9 percent of the time not be good with not seeing that if he is hearing hen talk no matter how soft it may be. If you are using a hen decoy, you can ignore some of that sentiment.

That is why I try to set up so that when I can see him, I can kill him. That way I can still call to him all the way up to that moment when he appears and is in range of my shotgun. But even then, if he is coming - let him come and let silence be your best friend and maybe just scratch in the leaves if you feel that you need to give him something.

When I became a professional leaf scratcher, my success went way up more so than any last little sound that I could give him with my calls.

This...


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[Bowguy]

Nothing is easier or makes em come look like scratching in the leaves

[paboxcall]

In my part of the country, the birds used to tear the woods up. In recent years, hens are very limited in their vocalizations most of the time.

Have found this to be the case in the fall as well. After a good break on the flock, birds seem to fly up and stay on the limbs, clamming up for couple hours and get together with soft flock talk or they have a visual on another bird on the ground. Seems rare anymore that fall flocks call often and loudly when they reassemble.

[Notsoyoungturk]

Very soft clucks and purrs.  As mentioned, scratching the leaves can be deadly at times.