No gobbling after 7:00??

[SoDakDean]

I'm sure this ties in with the threads of early season woes in Nebraska and Iowa (who knew I could have sympathy for you  guys lol)   I have been hunting in the woods along the Missouri river  in an area  of recreational & game trails  that when snow was on the ground a few days ago (and is now)  showed so many turkey tracks that my first thought was Wow! a turkey I-80. I've been out on a perfect morning and again this morning with a storm system coming in fast and both days have heard plenty of gobbling  before sunrise but seemingly almost exactly at sunrise everything went silient   Not even the  neighborhood crows or occasional hen yelps could extract a gobble. My calls? Ha! Any  ideas ? Is it just this messed up weather pattern?    The good news is it looks like that pattern may break by this weekend. 

[GobbleNut]

I don't know what is going on either, but we are experiencing the same phenomenon down here in southern NM, too.  I think our problem is that we have so few two-year-old gobblers because of the poor hatch year before last that most of our birds are older age-class birds. 

There are fewer gobblers competing for lots of hens,...meaning the gobblers that are here have all the company they can handle,...and the older gobblers have learned that keeping their mouths shut lessens the possibility of uninvited attention from predators,...and hunters.

Regardless, it is not a reassuring feeling to see turkey sign everywhere, know there are gobblers out there, and not be able to have them make a peep in response to your calling!

[WildSpur]

How is your predator population?  I hear that a high predator population...humans too...can suppress gobbling activity.  Otherwise I suspected hen competition.  What is it like from 10am to noon?

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[jakebird]

In that open country my advice would be to get to a high vantage point and glass. Henned up birds don't need to gobble much after sunrise. They also can cover some serious ground out there. Roosting sites are predictable so start with that bit of knowledge and see where they are going in the morning and afternoon. If the fresh sign is there, so are the birds. Might just have to ambush them on a travel route if they won't respond or wait till those hens start to sit the nest.

[SoDakDean]

Good morning As to the follow up questions its just a guess but it appears that there likely is a high number of hens to gobblers. As to glassing from I high point this area is heavily wooded bluffs  above the Missouri river no long distance viewing there. Later in the day Hmm have not been out for other than a quick look locater call later in day.  Predators? not sure of current coyote population,  there are consistant reports of mountain lion activity and a stable bobcat population. Not large numbers of either but they are there.

[Mike Honcho]

I think GobbleNut makes some very valid points...I live in Kansas and my area has high hen to tom ratio...plus high number of predators...coyotes. Right now very silent after flydown.

[WyoHunter]

Hunting in my favorite NW NE area the birds will gobble once or twice but never commit to coming to the call. No double gobbles or anything that shows enthusiasm. If you get closer and call they won't gobble at all. Funny thing is I've seen lone hens but have also seen gobblers still with hens. It's been very frustrating to say the least. Some attribute this to a late spring but the more I think of it the more I believe it might be due to hunting pressure.