What would you have done?

[barry]

During the last week of the VA season I was hunting with my nephew one morning. We had a bird strutting within range when another bird gobbles about 150 yards away. I shoot the strutter when he pokes his head up and then I immediately call and get answered by the other bird. I call again and get cut off by 2 birds that are on their way in. 2 longbeards soon come into sight at about 70-80 yards and stop. I call lightly and they answer then they gobble a couple timeson their own. They can see the dekes and most likely can see the dead bird but after a few minutes they walk away. I thought for sure we were gonna double.
Did I make a mistake by calling when they were within sight? We were set up in big open hardwoods that cattle run in so there was no undergrowth.
What would you have done?

[dirt road ninja]

Since ya didn't kill one, you probably should have not called. I would have done the exact same thing you did and wouldn't have gotten the double either.

[redarrow]

Perhaps my best gobbler ever I might have shot this year schooled me not to call once he shows up.

[guesswho]

I wouldn't have called, but they still might not have come in.  If the first bird was still flopping I'd have done a fighting purr on my pot call and mouth call.  But if he wasn't moving I'd have shut up at that point and let them play their hand before I reacted in any way.

[lonnie sneed jr.]

Anytime you kill a gobbler you did not do anything wrong. The 2nd. gobbler would have been icing on the cake. I  would have done what you did, ( I think) can't say for sure unless I was there. I would bet most if not all on here would have called. If you would not have called and the same thing would have happened, you would have kicked yourself for not calling. Hindsite is 20/20

[Shotgun]

I wouldn't have called, but they still might not have come in.  If the first bird was still flopping I'd have done a fighting purr on my pot call and mouth call.  But if he wasn't moving I'd have shut up at that point and let them play their hand before I reacted in any way.

This sums up my answer. 

[drenalinld]

When I was a teenager trying to get my first gobbler, I had a monster roosting in an 80 acre wood lot within hearing distance of my house. I heard him gobbling several mornings leaving for school. Back then, season come in on Monday and I worked after school most days until after dark. The first afternoon I did not work it was perfect for hunting. Storm moving in and the barometer was rising. I had spent the previous summer hauling hay with Don Shipp who just a few years later won three straight turkey calling world championships. He had me running a mouth call pretty well but I didn't know spit about killing a turkey. I got in there a couple hours before dark and called every ten or fifteen minutes. About my third or fourth series was cut off with a gobble at 200 yards. I hit him with a few cutts and excited yelping which had him losing his mind. It got quiet and a couple minutes later he steps out in the open at 50 yards in half strut and gobbled 15 or 20 times non stop. I probably would have killed him if I shot, but stuck to the 40 yard limit I had patterned. With nothing between us, I made some sexy clucks and purrs. He stood motionless. I clucked and purred a little more. He stared a hole through me. After what seemed like an eternity, he folded up and walked away and would not answer. I heard him fly up a few minutes later. I talked it over with my uncle who had over 50 long beards on his wall from years when AR hunting was tough. His response was "you dummy, he could see that was not a hen calling at the base of the tree"!

That has stuck like glue with me. I will not call when I know he can see me or my setup. Maybe if he was at 200 yards, but not close. I beleive he can see the hen is not yelping and tell it is coming from a blind. Some turkeys come no matter what, the ones you really want don't. BTW that gobbler taught me a lot over three Springs.

I'm not saying you messed up or that calling then cost you the bird, but I don't do it unless they put their head down or walk behind something.

[tomstopper]

Anytime you kill a gobbler you did not do anything wrong. The 2nd. gobbler would have been icing on the cake. I  would have done what you did, ( I think) can't say for sure unless I was there. I would bet most if not all on here would have called. If you would not have called and the same thing would have happened, you would have kicked yourself for not calling. Hindsite is 20/20

[VaTuRkStOmPeR]

I wouldn't have called, but they still might not have come in.  If the first bird was still flopping I'd have done a fighting purr on my pot call and mouth call.  But if he wasn't moving I'd have shut up at that point and let them play their hand before I reacted in any way.

X3

[barry]

If the first bird was still flopping I'd have done a fighting purr on my pot call and mouth call. 

Best decoy I've ever hunted over. I just assumed he wasn't flopping, woulda done the same if he was for sure.

He wasn't flopping, I was hoping he would flop with them in sight 'cause that's usually all it takes.

I talked it over with my uncle who had over 50 long beards on his wall from years when AR hunting was tough. His response was "you dummy, he could see that was not a hen calling at the base of the tree"!

After 30 some years of doing this I knew I was taking a chance by calling...Oh well mark it down in the book of lessons learned

[drenalinld]

Barry,
I sure hope that didn't come off wrong. I know you are an experienced killer and have been doing it very well for a long time. Just meant that experience really stuck with me even twenty years later.

I would guess they were cautious because of the gun shot but I have seen that go both ways.

[barry]

Barry,
I sure hope that didn't come off wrong. I know you are an experienced killer and have been doing it very well for a long time. Just meant that experience really stuck with me even twenty years later.

I would guess they were cautious because of the gun shot but I have seen that go both ways.

No, not at all. I used your quote because I know it's risky to call when you can see a bird. I was just saying that even with all my time in the woods the "heat of the moment" sometimes overcomes your better judgement.

[duxrus]

For me...less is more when it comes to calling.  If a bird has responded and is definitely coming.....why call ? Calling saves as many birds as it kills. In open woods I would find somewhere they would have to come for a look (just over a rise) rather than sit where I (and they) can see forever. I understand that isn't always possible but I would rather back off a bird to find a better set up  position. Too many times they will hit the brakes when the lonely hen isn't where she "should" be.....

I quit using decoys in the woods YEARS ago because they have the opposite effect most of the time (from my experiences) as what you want.....turkeys are heading to you , they see the decoys, and then draw a line in the sand waiting for them to come to him....usually ending with him getting tired of waiting and just walking away.

Now don't get me wrong on calling and or using decoys....both have their time and place. I just wouldn't set up in open woods where too many things are already against you to start with.