Aggression level when setting up on afternoon birds

[RiverRoost]

Here in MS it's a "joke" or idea that if you get a bird to gobble in the afternoon it's a really good chance you'll kill him, or have a good chance atkeast. How aggressive can you get on your setup, distance wise choosing your setup , on an afternoon bird that first time he answers your call? I struck a bird two afternoons ago and he was pretty close so I didn't feel comfortable moving toward him 30-40-50 yards to get setup since he'd already heard me and I opted to move to my left and find a spot to sit, which happened to be much much thicker. The bird comes in to within 40-50 yards but we can't see him. I replayed it 100 times and wonder if he was interested enough at that time of the day to still come in had I moved toward him a little to get a better setup and he's of heard my second call a little closer than the first. I guess maybe I could have just toned the calling down to try to offset the distance I closed.

[g8rvet]

I agree a late morning/early afternoon bird is more likely to want to play - at least that has been my experience.  Not so much when close to roost time. How did you strike him? My approach is different (less aggressive) if he answered a call vs a shock gobble response.  I think you can move closer to a shock gobble, since he is not likely already on his way.  I had 2 longbeards answer my box call one time and I had to move to them to set up (no choice with the situation) and before I could sit down they had come in on a dead run from 100 yards+ away (literally were racing each other) and busted me before I could sit down.

There are so many choices you have to make for it to all come together and I play the "what-if" game a lot, but the best you can do is to make the choice that feels right.  You just have to be right once, he has to be right all the time.  If you did not scare him off, you now have valuable intel.  Stick with it and get him.

[Marc]

I have had zero luck shock-gobbling in the afternoon.  So when I strike a bird, it is generally with a hen call.

If I strike a bird 400-500 yards away, I might try and make up some ground (say half ways).  I make a quick decision on where I am going, and how to get there without being seen (using the terrain to hide me); and move fast to get there.

If I strike a bird at 200 yards away, I look for spot to sit for a bit...  Wait...  And call again a few minutes later, to see where he is now.  If he has gained ground, I sit tight, maybe reposition slightly depending on the direction I think he is taking.  If he did not move, I try and gain some ground (maybe half way)...  If he is quiet, I sit tight for a bit with some quiet calling, interspersed with some occasional agressive calling.  I have had a lot of birds gobble, and come in quiet in the afternoon, and if I do not know where he is, I do not want to bump him.  I have also had birds come in FAST in the afternoon, which is why I am less likely to make aggressive moves towards birds later in the day.

If I strike two birds, I might try and get mid-way between them.  Sometimes one will come, and the other will not...   "I feel" like if I get two birds going, there is a better chance one of them will travel a bit further due to competition/agression.

As to your situation, sounds like you possibly made a mistake in setup location?  I am hunting hills, and prefer to set up on a saddle or point (as soon as he breaches the top, he will be in range)...  Make sure he does not have to cross somthing he will not want to cross.  If no decoys, open areas are a poor choice, as birds will hang as soon as they should see a hen and don't.  If I can see the bird, I generally stop calling...  Sometimes they will come in fast, and those last few steps to get into range, painfully slow.

If a bird is in range and coming towards me, I let him keep coming.  If he changes direction, he gets shot...  If he is going behind an obstruction, he gets shot.

[RiverRoost]

I agree a late morning/early afternoon bird is more likely to want to play - at least that has been my experience.  Not so much when close to roost time. How did you strike him? My approach is different (less aggressive) if he answered a call vs a shock gobble response.  I think you can move closer to a shock gobble, since he is not likely already on his way.  I had 2 longbeards answer my box call one time and I had to move to them to set up (no choice with the situation) and before I could sit down they had come in on a dead run from 100 yards+ away (literally were racing each other) and busted me before I could sit down.

There are so many choices you have to make for it to all come together and I play the "what-if" game a lot, but the best you can do is to make the choice that feels right.  You just have to be right once, he has to be right all the time.  If you did not scare him off, you now have valuable intel.  Stick with it and get him.

Struck him with a simple hen yelp. Wanted to check and make sure a bird wasn't close before I fell off into the bottom I was going to set up in and he immediately gobbled. Not far, 150 yards maybe. I'm not very good judging audible distance. I feel like I probably could have made a mad dive to a little more open ground about 30-40 yards in his direction from where I was standing when I struck him but I'm just not very big on moving dead straight toward a bird once I get a response from him on a call, a shock gobble to a cut or crow may be a different thing but him answering a yelp so quickly made me want to kind of move sideways in my move to setup

[GobbleNut]

Simply put, every time we make a decision on how to work a bird, if we guess right, we're hero's and if we guess wrong, we're zero's.  Just how the game works.  Sounds to me like you made a sound choice in strategy, but the gobbler had a different idea as to how he wanted the hen to act.

Perhaps you might have made a better choice by moving towards him initially,...but on the other hand, you may have spooked him and that would have been that.  On every encounter, we make a decision (or several) on strategy,...and then we live with the results.  Ain't none of us are turkeys, and no matter how long we do this, we will never completely bridge that gap.

As far as gobblers responding during the day, around these parts a single gobble in response to a call is a "courtesy gobble".  It often means nothing other than a gobbler is letting you know he heard your calling and is acknowledging it.  It does not imply that he has the least bit of interest in coming to you or otherwise meeting face to face. 

A second gobble means there may be some interest, but again, the gobbler may or may not want to play the game.  However, it is enough to make me spend a bit more time exploring the possibilities.

Now, a third gobble,...and especially if it sounds closer,...usually means the doors are open for business and things are apt to get exciting,...if we play our cards right!   Even then, sometimes the gobbler's cards are better.   

[Greg Massey]

I agree don't put a lot of stock in those courtesy gobble, most of the time you never see that gobbler who gives you that one gobble. I have witnessed 2 gobblers in all my hunting, that gave me that one or two gobbles, but that's pretty much it, most of the time he's a good distance from you...  It's good to hear one and it does get you somewhat excited if you haven't heard anything else...  Now i do get excited if he continues to gobble, a different story if this happens...  Moving on gobblers who know what's right or wrong, they are so unpredictable, i guess that's why it's called hunting ... LOL... 

[RiverRoost]

Thanks for the replies. This was no courtesy gobble, this was a full blown "I hear you and I want you and I'm coming gobble". He came In super close, about 40 yards screaming gobbling and was just too thick to see him. One thing we as turkey hunters always do, and part of the allure of this game, is you replay a scenario over and over in your head a thousand times and think what could I have done differently. That's the fire that keeps us coming back.

[howl]

When they're that hot you can run away to a better set-up. Compromised set-ups are for suckers.

[Prospector]

RiverRoost, just read this so forgive me for a late response. I tend to view many absolutes as not so but imo the pm response to a call, a shock gobble or a gobbler just doing his thing as close to an absolute as it gets. My opinion is if he responds to your call in the pm he is interested. Not always so in the am- sometimes they just give you courtesy gobble just cause it's morning and likes gobblin. In the morning he might not be alone but if he answers you after lunch then it's more likely he is alone and maybe desperate for action. Also, how quick did he fire back. Sometimes it seems an answer is kinda like he had to think about it/ the best time is when it overlaps your call.... As for your situation? You said you called him to 40ish and couldn't get a shot? Then you did just fine. You made contact. You called him into gun range. Congratulations. A kill just doesn't happen. My last thought is this: had you advanced to a more open area then he might have hung up coming in because he "should" be seeing that sexy hen by now. By being less visible he may have come closer. Thanks for an interesting scenario. I hope my view helps or at least gives you some food for thought.

[davisd9]

I hunt the same regardless the time of day.

[Hook hanger]

One thing I learned over the years don't make a call till your at a spot where you think you can kill him. Then if he responds too far off and terrain allows close the distance if the terrain is suitable to kill him. The odds of killing increases if you put yourself in a good location and make him come to that location.

[silvestris]

Exactly.  Never call unless you are standing beside a tree he is likely to come to readily.

[Kylongspur88]

With respect to set up it all depends on my surroundings and what the bird is doing. I might be able to get comfortable and cut a few lanes or I might just have to make due. It totally depends. I remember one bird a few years ago I struck while walking down a gas road at 2ish in the afternoon. I didn't have anywhere to get to before he was on me so I just sat down where I was at and got my gun up. He came trotting down the road and I killed him at 10 or 12 steps.

I will say this. If I can get one to answer me a few times in the afternoon I'm feeling pretty good about my chances. It might happen quick or it might take a while but I'm confident I'll likely call him in.

[mountainhunter1]

I have had zero luck shock-gobbling in the afternoon.  So when I strike a bird, it is generally with a hen call.

If I strike a bird 400-500 yards away, I might try and make up some ground (say half ways).  I make a quick decision on where I am going, and how to get there without being seen (using the terrain to hide me); and move fast to get there.

If I strike a bird at 200 yards away, I look for spot to sit for a bit...  Wait...  And call again a few minutes later, to see where he is now.  If he has gained ground, I sit tight, maybe reposition slightly depending on the direction I think he is taking.  If he did not move, I try and gain some ground (maybe half way)...  If he is quiet, I sit tight for a bit with some quiet calling, interspersed with some occasional agressive calling.  I have had a lot of birds gobble, and come in quiet in the afternoon, and if I do not know where he is, I do not want to bump him.  I have also had birds come in FAST in the afternoon, which is why I am less likely to make aggressive moves towards birds later in the day.

If I strike two birds, I might try and get mid-way between them.  Sometimes one will come, and the other will not...   "I feel" like if I get two birds going, there is a better chance one of them will travel a bit further due to competition/agression.

As to your situation, sounds like you possibly made a mistake in setup location?  I am hunting hills, and prefer to set up on a saddle or point (as soon as he breaches the top, he will be in range)...  Make sure he does not have to cross somthing he will not want to cross.  If no decoys, open areas are a poor choice, as birds will hang as soon as they should see a hen and don't.  If I can see the bird, I generally stop calling...  Sometimes they will come in fast, and those last few steps to get into range, painfully slow.

If a bird is in range and coming towards me, I let him keep coming.  If he changes direction, he gets shot...  If he is going behind an obstruction, he gets shot.

This is wise counsel by Mark. Pretty much rules I also live by. I also agree with Hook Hanger that we can always TRY to get to a spot where we feel like we can kill him before we give away our location with calling. Can't always do it, so that is why I say try. You got him within forty yards - so it was still a win in my book. Killing is not everything. 

Personally, If I had been in your shoes, I would have likely either scrambled 30 yards forward and hit the ground or fell back going away from him to a similar killable location. If you go away from him, you have a lot more forgiveness as far as spooking him, but if I can move up even 20-30 yards and get closer that is usually my first option where he has less distance to come. Just trying to be helpful and will leave you with this - whatever you decide to do, try to never sit down in the sun. I will move to a less desirable position where I can sit in the shadows before I will try to seal the deal sitting in a sunny spot on the perfect ridge.

[GobbleNut]

Seems to me the most obvious mistake a hunter can make is moving on a gobbler when you don't know if he might be able to see you.  That includes those instances where he is either close...or farther away.  Basic tenant for me is that I don't move on a bird unless I am certain there is a physical barrier between me and him such that I KNOW he will not be able to see me.  Granted, sometimes there are those situations where a guy has to "chance it" in moving when there is some uncertainty as to whether the bird (or birds) might be able to see you, but that is typically going to be a "last resort" move...at least for me. 

Generally speaking, however, I am going to move towards a gobbler...and especially when I strike him a good distance from me...as long as I know I can do so without being detected.  The exception to that rule is when he has "told me" that he is coming and I don't need to bother with trying to cut the distance any further. 

On the other hand, if a gobbler does not continue to tell me where he is at...and what his intentions might be...and it is questionable as to whether my movement will be detected, I am staying put until I get some sort of confirmation from him.  Where I hunt, that confirmation almost always comes as a function of me calling and him answering.

Now, if I strike a gobbler (any time of day) and he starts continuing to gobble on his own...well, that is a gobbler that has an excellent chance of taking a ride in my truck...again, assuming I execute my end of the "transaction" correctly (which, granted, is not necessarily a sure thing).