Calling after a gobbler has answered.

[wvlimbhanger]

I like the analogy Will Primos gave several years ago on a Truth video, you gotta take a turkey's temperature.

Some birds just can't get enough calling and are so ready to die you think, man that was easy and exciting.  Not many of these birds around.

Sometimes you gotta play it tight lipped to make him come your way. 

For example, last season I was set up on a damp misty morning in a blind at the edge of a field that I knew the birds roosted on the flat above.  One pair of gobblers hammered on roost and I could tell got with hens.  Another gobbler roosted about 75-80 yards to the left of them did not get in the crowd.  He stayed above me and answered every time I called, most often cutting me off, but I could tell he wasn't moving.  So I just shut up for about 15 minutes and he started gobbling on his own but was noticeably closer.  I replied back and he stayed put gobbling for several minutes.  I realized if I kept calling he wasn't gonna move, so I never said another peep.  He broker over the hill strutting and when he say my decoys he slid right up to them.  Had I not realized he was luke warm to the calling he would've most likely stayed above me gobbling until some real hens came in. 

Again, I've had birds you could throw everything at and they get wound up and gobble all the way in and  others where you had to play hard to get with.  Just be mindful of how he is acting when you start out and remember to take his temperature.

[chatterbox]

Once he has committed, and I know he is coming, I only give him enough calling to kill himself.
Once he has responded to my calls like Gobblenut said, if the next time he gobbles and is closer than the first, shut off the calling, and have your gun ready. Unless there is an unseen hen between you that lures him off, you are in business.

[Timmer]

A trick I have used to avoid over calling, yet keeping him engaged and knowing where he is to add 5 mins to the time between calls each time.  5 mins, then 10, then 15 etc. 

[Uncle Tom]

Once he has committed, and I know he is coming, I only give him enough calling to kill himself.
Once he has responded to my calls like Gobblenut said, if the next time he gobbles and is closer than the first, shut off the calling, and have your gun ready. Unless there is an unseen hen between you that lures him off, you are in business.

Hit a home run that chatterbox...dead bird 95% time if you can shoot. Don't do like my wife did few years back, was sitting by herself for first time, had been hunting with me only. Well, this day she had her own call and worked 3 big gobblers right into her lap...marched right by her and into my set-up couple hundreds yards away...killed the biggest of the three. She had bead on them and could not make herself pull the trigger..had never killed anything in her life. Funniest story have ever heard..and really happened. You do have to pull that little thing in front of your finger...he not just going to drop dead.

[Cut N Run]

There's some quality information on this thread.  No wonder there's so many successful turkey hunters here.  You could absolutely write a tutorial on the great advice given here.

After a gobbler has responded to my initial call (usually cutts on a long box), I'll let him gobble back a few times before I talk back to him.  When I do answer, I'll turn my head away from his direction and call again on a mouth call to make it sound like the hen is moving away and is not all that interested. Then, when he's closer, some purring or leaf scratching is usually enough to get him to commit. If his follow up calls keep getting closer, there's no need to let him pinpoint your location.

Once a gobbler has responded, too many times I've heard other hunters stay in the same spot doing the exact same call with the exact same pitch & the same volume over and over.  It doesn't take long for a seasoned gobbler to realize that something's not right.  By mixing it up and changing the sound or the (perceived) location of the calls it adds more realism to the situation and increases your chances. At least it has mine anyway.

Jim

[Marc]

Once a gobbler has responded, too many times I've heard other hunters stay in the same spot doing the exact same call with the exact same pitch & the same volume over and over.  It doesn't take long for a seasoned gobbler to realize that something's not right.  By mixing it up and changing the sound or the (perceived) location of the calls it adds more realism to the situation and increases your chances. At least it has mine anyway.

Jim

Interesting point...  I guess I do the same thing.  Cup my hand over the call to make it seem like it is coming from a different direction, or put my box call behind the tree and call (if the bird is far enough away), or walk away while calling (and coming back the the tree I was sitting) if the bird is far enough away...

Obviously, once the bird is closer, I stop all this nonsense and just sit still, but I am often working birds that are a long distance away, and off property I have access to hunt.

[Honolua]

When he gives me the gobble I am listening for, the caller goes in the pocket and doesn't come back out unless he fails to come or gobble within thirty to forty-five minutes.  You have a decision to make which is do I want to hear him gobble or kill him.

Winner winner turkey dinner

[TRG3]

There's years of successful turkey hunting expressed in these replies and lots of good advice. The only thing I could add is what I've observed over the past 25 years of my turkey hunting, and it is this...Almost always, the dominate gobbler is not the first bird to come to the decoys, rather the hens, jakes, and subordinate gobblers arrive first, often in that order, followed by the dominate bird bringing up the rear...and he's not necessarily in any hurry to get there. I've had at least two successful hunts where I shot what I though was the dominate gobbler only to see him fly off a few yards before coming into view. If the turkeys are milling around the decoys and seem to be preoccupied with them, just give it a minute or two longer to let the dominate gobbler come on in if he hasn't already done so.

[Youngturkey]

Killed one yesterday morning and I wasn't calling to the gobbler I was calling to his hens. I called quite a bit but it got the hens to head my way which brought the gobbler in. Guess it just depends on the situation

[owlhoot]

Killed one yesterday morning and I wasn't calling to the gobbler I was calling to his hens. I called quite a bit but it got the hens to head my way which brought the gobbler in. Guess it just depends on the situation

[greentag]

i think the less is more approach works more than others,i love to hear them gobble,dont get me wrong but i dont know how many times calling and making him gobble more has backfired,alot of times it draws the attention of hens,if he doesnt have one with him and is own his way to you gobbling,alot of times a hen will come in and take him away,and like the people in the above post have said,not only does it attract hens to get him but also hunters if there is any around,had one shot out right in front of me one day on public land,i was on top a ridge and the turkey was coming,gobbling at any sound i made,he was getting bad close and when he got to the bottom of the hill below me someone shot and i could hear him flopping,i never knew they were around they never made a sound but had got between me and him and cut him off as he was coming to me.talk about a bad feeling,i could hear the shot hitting through the woods sounded like it was close to me,i got up looked over the hill and saw the guy packing the bird out at a quick pace,i learned a valuable lesson that day.