Tight Lipped Gobblers

[JohnnieB]

I have shot a few birds that I never knew were around. The blind has saved my bacon more than once on this.

[FullChoke]

I hunt public land birds most of the time, so this happens about once a year for me. Some get a free ride in the back, some go about their merry way.

[SonicBanshee]

loose lipped gobblers

[MY]

   Here's something to think about.  A gobbler can walk to the exact tree you've done your calling from even if he's quite a ways away.  I've had it happen to me and been busted enough times that it's imprinted in my brain.  From my experience non-gobbling turkeys are going to take their time getting to you, so if your going to be hunting "cold calling" it might be a good idea to do your calling and then set up within range of but not where you called from while waiting them out.  Give it a while and if nothing happens move on.

[Bamarich]

Regular occurence... especially in afternoons.

[mrclif]

Real common here in the south where hunting pressure is high, they'll gobble a couple times on tha limb if your luckly hit the ground and spit and drum the rest of the day, which is a call in itself that is heard from a long ways off.

[TRKYHTR]

Even when turkeys don't gobble that don't mean they are not answering you when you call. They might not gobble but they can still spit and drum or 3/4 strut in response but we just can't hear it. I don't believe that turkeys can just turn off being a turkey. They only have a small amount of time in a year to breed and during that time that is all they think about. Keep an eye out if you know turkeys are in the area. Sometimes they show up unannounced.

TRKYHTR

[cahaba]

I had 3 birds come to me dead silent last year. I killed one. It happens alot. I like anybody like to hear gobbles but I like tight lipped birds too.

[DK Allen]

Patience is a virtue! Sometimes you never know he is there until he is gone!!

[GobblinNC]

has happened many times to me

[twinters]

happens to me all the time here in Alabama,I was fortunate enough to be taught by a very experienced old timer,when in the turkey woods always expect one to show,even if you don't hear one. like it was said earlier he is probably answering you,and you just don't hear him.if you know turkey's are there stay put,and focused.   I have ran many turkey's off simply because I wasn't paying attention         

[redleg06]

Here is something that I have not seen mentioned on any of the forum.
I have heard many accounts of gobblers showing up without ever gobbling.
Hunter cold called, nothing responded, they sit tight and all of a sudden a gobbler comes sneaking by.

How many of you guys have had this happen

I've had it happen a few times. If it's a slow day and I know a particular area is being used frequently then I dont mind waiting them out for a while if I feel like it gives me the best chance to go home with one. 

Alot of times they will come in and I'll hear them drumming before I ever see them. 

[hoyt]

Happened with this old Osceola, it might have been because I chased him all over the swamps the day before and he gobbled his head off staying just out of shotgun range.

Next morning I went in the same place and set up 4 hen decoys in a dried up cypress pond that had lush, green, grass, coming up and got hid all the way in a big pine tree, blow down, top.

He came in quiet from behind me and saw the decoys then took a long step towards them and I let him have it.

Had 1-5/8" spurs. Killed him in Greenswamp East public land in Fl.

[NYGobblergetter]

most common in the late morning or afternoons.

X2 to this. I have gotten up after 30-45 min and got busted by a silent one a few times. Just goes to show that if you know they are in the area, wait another 15 min

[NCDEADEYE]

Happens here in the Carolinas more often than not. I have come to conclusion they keep quiet to avoid Coyotes...