Quiet for a week in PA

[Penguin907]

Haven't heard a gobble since last Saturday. Parents saw one Tom about a mile away. I'm hunting farm lands and hills covered in woods. Any recommendations on game plan when birds have shut up long term?

[Greg Massey]

Haven't heard a gobble since last Saturday. Parents saw one Tom about a mile away. I'm hunting farm lands and hills covered in woods. Any recommendations on game plan when birds have shut up long term?

They are going into a different stage of the breeding, just give it time and it will come back around as the hens leave to go nest more and more ...

[Ihuntoldschool]

/quote]

Not hardly. 

Just normal ebb and flow of breeding season.

[GobbleNut]

The question to ask yourself is "are there gobblers around and they are just being quiet...or is it quiet here where I am hunting because there are no gobblers around"?  You must definitively answer that question first. If there is physical evidence that there are indeed gobblers in the area (fresh tracks, droppings), then as others have suggested, your choices are to keep at it until the gobblers are sounding off...or resort to hunting tactics for hunting silent gobblers (Yuck).

Assuming there are gobblers around that are just being silent can result in a lot of wasted effort if they are just not there. In these parts, there are LOTS of places that are devoid of turkeys...places that look like they SHOULD have turkeys in them. Personally, my first inclination when hunting somewhere I am not hearing gobblers (at the appropriate times of day when they will be most likely to gobble) is to expand my search area and try to find gobbling turkeys.

Of course, that requires that you have the option of "expanding your search area". I suppose that option is just not feasible for a lot of folks...but if it is, that is one method of overcoming the silent-gobbler problem. Admittedly, that does not always work, but it is another "tool in the box" that can make (or break) a turkey season. 

[Happy]

I don't give much advice, but since it's the end of season, I will throw it out as I see it. You got two options. Option 1: sit in an area that is  showing sign of regular use and call every now and then. Pray you are hid good and he gives you a heads up before he comes in. If not, pray you see him and get the gun on him before he sees you. Option 2: Slowly sneak through areas you know hold turkeys, keeping your eyes and ears open. You can't go too slow. Find a flock and work your way into a favorable position that's in their bubble, and you will be amazed at the responses you will get to calling. Option 1 is the easiest and the most boring, in my opinion.  Option 2 is more my style.  It's best suited for someone hunting solo, though.  I think there is an option 3 that involves blinds and decoys, but I have little/ no experience in that side of things.