Setting up on a Gobbler question

[Bigeclipse]

last year I actually was not able to locate any gobblers prior to sunrise.  I was not able to scout so walking in the morning I did some owl calls but did not hear anything.  My question is how close should you try to get and set-up IF you do hear/locate a gobbler. Obviously, the closer the better but you also don't want to risk bumping them.  Basically, how close do you have to be for a gobbler to actually hear your calls?  From what I have read some say if they are inside 200 yards they will stay put if they have a good tree to setup on.  I have also heard 100 yards and 300 yards...etc.  Just curious what you all will try to do? 

[bamagtrdude]

last year I actually was not able to locate any gobblers prior to sunrise.  I was not able to scout so walking in the morning I did some owl calls but did not hear anything.  My question is how close should you try to get and set-up IF you do hear/locate a gobbler. Obviously, the closer the better but you also don't want to risk bumping them.  Basically, how close do you have to be for a gobbler to actually hear your calls?  From what I have read some say if they are inside 200 yards they will stay put if they have a good tree to setup on.  I have also heard 100 yards and 300 yards...etc.  Just curious what you all will try to do?

Well, there are a MILLION variables involved here (layout of land, do they have hens, woods vs. fields, etc.) *BUT* let me just say this:

a) IF POSSIBLE, get to within 100 yards of a gobbling bird; your chances are BETTER (still not 100%) if you can do this w/out bumping the bird; I hunt hilly terrain, and I like to maneuver on the birds *just* on the other side of a hill, so that when the bird tops the hill, his head is "in range" & I lower the boom on his noggin.  Pasture hunting is different, of course, but ...  use terraces & woodlines to your advantage, and belly crawl!    I've never had much luck calling a bird DOWN to me (ie he's above me, on a hill, and I'm in a bottom); I've always had MUCH better luck getting a bird to crest a hill/rise in the land to get to me.  YMMV, and a turkey will do anything he pleases, but ...  Pay attention to that aspect, when you setup.

b) USE A BOX CALL!  Get the loudest box call you can find (I highly recommend Spring Creek Turkey Calls, he's on here) and wear that joker out!  A turkey can hear a box call from a very, very long way off & this is the best method to bring him on in.  Once he's within 50 yards or so of your setup, you can switch to your mouth call (or friction call, but I prefer NO MOVEMENT once they're within 50 yards).

Also - DO NOT get discouraged if you don't hear gobbling right off the bat...  It's never game over until you leave the woods, ever, and always assume that whatever you're doing, the turkey's are hearing it (if you have birds on your land).  MANY TIMES, a subordinate bird will come into your calling completely silent; camo UP & be ready to plop down next to a tree at any given point in time, and NEVER prop your gun against a tree; keep it on your body & at the ready, at all times, ESPECIALLY when you're issuing calls.

Many birds have been taken between the hours of 9am - 12pm in the morning.

Hope that helps.
BGD

[GomerPyle]

last year I actually was not able to locate any gobblers prior to sunrise.  I was not able to scout so walking in the morning I did some owl calls but did not hear anything.  My question is how close should you try to get and set-up IF you do hear/locate a gobbler. Obviously, the closer the better but you also don't want to risk bumping them.  Basically, how close do you have to be for a gobbler to actually hear your calls?  From what I have read some say if they are inside 200 yards they will stay put if they have a good tree to setup on.  I have also heard 100 yards and 300 yards...etc.  Just curious what you all will try to do?

Also - DO NOT get discouraged if you don't hear gobbling right off the bat...  It's never game over until you leave the woods, ever, and always assume that whatever you're doing, the turkey's are hearing it (if you have birds on your land).  MANY TIMES, a subordinate bird will come into your calling completely silent; camo UP & be ready to plop down next to a tree at any given point in time, and NEVER prop your gun against a tree; keep it on your body & at the ready, at all times, ESPECIALLY when you're issuing calls.

Many birds have been taken between the hours of 9am - 12pm in the morning.

Hope that helps.
BGD

I can attest to that.......last year, I called in what WOULD'VE been my first bird, but didn't know it.  It was about 9am and had started raining lightly.  I'd been calling sporadically since sunrise and had not heard ANYTHING.  I had given up for the day.  shifted against the tree I was sitting against to start getting my stuff together when I hear all hell break loose about 15 FEET behind me.  I'd called a bird up, completely silent, and had no clue.  Neither of us knew the other was there until he saw me move.  He flew off - I thought he was gone for good.  sat there for another 15 minutes or so hoping he'd come back.  called a couple times - nothing.  Finally, I was convinced he was gone, so I stood up.  50 yards away, I hear flapping wings and look up and see him flying away.  The first time I scared him, instead of flying away, he flew up into a tree and was looking down at me trying to figure out what I was.  This second time I bumped him, I watched him fly several hundred yards away onto a different property before disappearing. 

[bamagtrdude]

To my point of gobblers wanting to come up to you, on a hill, watch what this gobbler does for this dude: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_leTIAUvqdU

Wish he could have kept the camera on the bird the entire time...

[Bigeclipse]

To my point of gobblers wanting to come up to you, on a hill, watch what this gobbler does for this dude: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_leTIAUvqdU

Wish he could have kept the camera on the bird the entire time...

thanks for all the insight.  I have called in some birds after it was sunrise....basically what I was doing was still hunting like I would deer...but calling here and there with my slate or box cal.  Before I would call, I would look around to make sure there was a tree I would be able to get to just in case a gobbler answered.  this actually worked 4 times but 3 birds hung up outside of shotgun range and the other busted me while I turned to shoot.

Anyways....I guess my questions was more for lets say you roost a bird the night before OR maybe you do an owl call 1 hour prior to sunlight and you get one to gobble...and lets say the bird is 300 yards away and no where near a field....you are saying you would try and set-up to with-in 100 yards of where you think that bird was roosting...and it sounds like you would try to set-up at the same level or maybe slightly uphill but definitely not downhill.  In this same scenario lets pretend you get to within 100 yards prior to daylight so you have time to set-up some decoys...do you? Or do you not set-up a few decoys.  Again this is always in the woods NOT field.  My woods are relatively open due to logging so not worried about gobblers not wanting to go through thick stuff as there really isn't many thick areas.

[Bigeclipse]

To my point of gobblers wanting to come up to you, on a hill, watch what this gobbler does for this dude: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_leTIAUvqdU

Wish he could have kept the camera on the bird the entire time...

WOW talk about a close encounter!!!!

[bamagtrdude]

Anyways....I guess my questions was more for lets say you roost a bird the night before OR maybe you do an owl call 1 hour prior to sunlight and you get one to gobble...and lets say the bird is 300 yards away and no where near a field....you are saying you would try and set-up to with-in 100 yards of where you think that bird was roosting...and it sounds like you would try to set-up at the same level or maybe slightly uphill but definitely not downhill.  In this same scenario lets pretend you get to within 100 yards prior to daylight so you have time to set-up some decoys...do you? Or do you not set-up a few decoys.  Again this is always in the woods NOT field.  My woods are relatively open due to logging so not worried about gobblers not wanting to go through thick stuff as there really isn't many thick areas.

YES YES & YES!!  Hahaha, ya man -- run in as close as possible (preferable w/in 100 yards), setup slightly uphill, throw out the dekes, and SPEAK THE LANGUAGE!