Birds not responding to Locator Calls

[smalls]

Ever run into this situation?  I hunt strictly public land, and for years I've hunted the same place.  In all this time, I've tried crow calls, owl calls, woodpecker calls, hawk calls, even off the wall stuff like specklebelly calls.  Never have luck getting birds to gobble.  I've also heard many bad imitations of owls and crows (mine may fit in that category), and never heard a gobble in return.

This area also happens to have crows (A LOT of these), owls, woodpeckers, and hawks.  My theory has always been if they won't even gobble at the real thing, which they often dont, they aren't going to gobble much at the imitations either.

Have you ever experienced something like this?  If so, how do you go about locating the birds in a non-intrusive way?

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[dirt road ninja]

My theory has always been if they won't even gobble at the real thing, which they often dont, they aren't going to gobble much at the imitations either.

Have you ever experienced something like this?  If so, how do you go about locating the birds in a non-intrusive way?

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I don't think blowing the crow call will scare them, and I understand what you asking. That said, if anyone knew a way to make them gobble all the time there wouldn't be a turkey left in the woods. Not much you can do IMO, but keep trying. When everything is quiet and nothing is talking much - I've struck more gobbles cranking hard on a box call then any other call in recent years.

[MK M GOBL]

I run into days like that, but never a season or an area... Not to ask a dumb question but are birds gobbling on the roost day/night on their own? or is it you get can't birds to locate during hunt hours?

MK M GOBL

[mikejd]

I haven't had a turkey gobble at a locator call in better then 10 yrs. Ever. Crow, hawk, owl, peacock. you name it. Nothing.

[smalls]

I run into days like that, but never a season or an area... Not to ask a dumb question but are birds gobbling on the roost day/night on their own? or is it you get can't birds to locate during hunt hours?

MK M GOBL

They gobble from the roost.  I've listened to several birds gobbling at daylight.  Of course, there are those quiet days.  Ive had mornings were the damn things gobbled at owls, songbirds, woodpeckers, heck even trucks on the highway.  But during the hunt, it's difficult to get birds to gobble at locator calls.  This is a heavily hunted area (lottery hunts have 100 drawn), but it has a very strong turkey population.  The Parish has ranked as one of the top in turkey harvest in the state for years.  Probably also has the highest population of "owl imitators" as well.

It's a very odd place really.  I think the pressure and the amount of locator calling has something to do with it.  I've heard several people stop right at my truck, get out, blow on an owl call, wait 5 minutes, and drive off.  Never even kill the engine sometimes. 

And I'm not really looking for pointers so much as to start a conversation to see if anyone else has experienced this and maybe how they've dealt with it.  I've been out with other people on this place and we can't get anything to gobble, and these are far more experienced turkey hunters than myself.

And believe me, I've wondered if it was just me not being good on locator calls, but 4 years hunting this place and being with other hunters has proven that wrong.

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[buzzardroost]

I have the same issue. It's rare I hear one gobble up into the day and very rare of an evening, so blowing a locator call just seems useless.


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[Planner]

I haven't faced this problem but would a gobble call work? It seems like once one gobbler gobbles the rest just can't help themselves.


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[Buckmaster1546]

Hunting pressure can cause them to shut up once they hit the ground. Yahoo's running all over the place, making every noise known to man that can strike a gobble, will cause a bird to get lock jaw very quick, even on the limb.....
Think about it,  put yourself in their shoes.
More hunters educate turkey's on big clubs and public land than they kill them. Especially here in Louisiana. You hit the nail on the head.......
The turkey can hear so well, so what people are thinking when they pull up in a truck and start calling immediately.
It may work the first time, but when the inexperienced hunter doesn't hear a gobble and shuts the door and drives off, he just educated any bird within ear shot or sometimes,  in site. Think about it. To us, it's fun and games. To them, it's life or death!


This is where I really enjoy the challenge of turkey hunting. This is what turns a hunting turkey's into a passion and an obsession for us that think about turkey season 365 days a year!
To kill those birds, you're going to have to think like a turkey as well as out smart that turkey.....
Do what others are not doing.  Turkeys in your situation may not be as vocal as you would like, but remember this..... he still has one goal in mind come spring.....
So there still is a chance and turkeys are still going to act like turkeys. Slow down! And when you think you are slowing your pace down enough, slow down a little more and that'll be just right.  Call quieter and less. Some times don't call at all! I've scratched in more birds (scratching in the leaves like a feeding hen) than I can remember.
If you've got one on the limb and you know if you call to him he's just going to shut up and fly down and go wherever you are not.  Then try imitating a hens wings when she flies down. Use your hat or a wing, smacking it against your leg, then crash the leaves around as she hits the ground.
Warning! Get gun ready and don't move! Listen for drumming and scan with just your eyes for movement .
I hope this helps and I'd love to hear feed back if you try these tips. Like anything though, it may need practice and most of all don't gI've up. Experience and more time in the woods being patient and setting back and letting the turkey educate you instead of the other way around will improve your success more than anything else.

Sorry for the long reply.  Lol kinda got caught up in the moment. ..... Turkey season is right around the corner and I'm ate up with it bad! I almost felt like I was in the woods scratching up an old gobbler that's eluded me for weeks.
Good luck and don't miss!

[smalls]

Hunting pressure can cause them to shut up once they hit the ground. Yahoo's running all over the place, making every noise known to man that can strike a gobble, will cause a bird to get lock jaw very quick, even on the limb.....
Think about it,  put yourself in their shoes.
More hunters educate turkey's on big clubs and public land than they kill them. Especially here in Louisiana. You hit the nail on the head.......
The turkey can hear so well, so what people are thinking when they pull up in a truck and start calling immediately.
It may work the first time, but when the inexperienced hunter doesn't hear a gobble and shuts the door and drives off, he just educated any bird within ear shot or sometimes,  in site. Think about it. To us, it's fun and games. To them, it's life or death!


This is where I really enjoy the challenge of turkey hunting. This is what turns a hunting turkey's into a passion and an obsession for us that think about turkey season 365 days a year!
To kill those birds, you're going to have to think like a turkey as well as out smart that turkey.....
Do what others are not doing.  Turkeys in your situation may not be as vocal as you would like, but remember this..... he still has one goal in mind come spring.....
So there still is a chance and turkeys are still going to act like turkeys. Slow down! And when you think you are slowing your pace down enough, slow down a little more and that'll be just right.  Call quieter and less. Some times don't call at all! I've scratched in more birds (scratching in the leaves like a feeding hen) than I can remember.
If you've got one on the limb and you know if you call to him he's just going to shut up and fly down and go wherever you are not.  Then try imitating a hens wings when she flies down. Use your hat or a wing, smacking it against your leg, then crash the leaves around as she hits the ground.
Warning! Get gun ready and don't move! Listen for drumming and scan with just your eyes for movement .
I hope this helps and I'd love to hear feed back if you try these tips. Like anything though, it may need practice and most of all don't gI've up. Experience and more time in the woods being patient and setting back and letting the turkey educate you instead of the other way around will improve your success more than anything else.

Sorry for the long reply.  Lol kinda got caught up in the moment. ..... Turkey season is right around the corner and I'm ate up with it bad! I almost felt like I was in the woods scratching up an old gobbler that's eluded me for weeks.
Good luck and don't miss!

Man, you making me crazy!  Lol!

Kinda went a little Kenny Morgan there.  Reminded me of One Man Game with some of that "Get the gun up and get ready" and "slow down a little more" stuff.  Haha!

I'm itching for the season to roll around.  Hopefully I'll be in the woods more this season chasing those darn birds.  I start getting that itch in December, and I've already made some scouting trips.  Can't wait for those March woods!!

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[Buckmaster1546]

It definitely doesn't get much better than a spring morning, walking to where I want to listen at daylight!
Don't get me wrong,  I love my deer hunting and I never thought anything could drive me as crazy as bow hunting deer. When I was younger, I remember being told by older guys in camp, how they just deer hunt to pass the time till turkey season or because they just like to be in the woods. But their real passion is turkeys.  I never could agree with them. Lol about 9 years ago I struck my first gobbler with my little deuce slate call and he couldn't get enough of it. Heck I couldn't get enough of it. I never saw him but it sounded like he was about to be in my lap at any second. Then of course a hen came between us and stole him away. Lol then I was hooked and it gets worse every year! Now I'm one of those guys at the camp thats talking about turkey season all the time.
Yeah honestly though my passion for it has been my biggest and hardest thing to overcome in the turkey woods. I tend to be to aggressive at times and I've finally slowed down and man just because you haven't heard him in 30 minutes or at least it feels that long, doesn't mean he's not there! I've learned a lot since I slowed my ways. I love it!
I haven't scouted just for turkey yet, but I'm in a big club down here and plenty are still deer hunting so I don't want to step on any toes. But I cover a lot of our turkey woods in February with my squirrel dog and get a lot of Intel on the turkey's in the process.
I've been polishing me and my sons turkey barrels this last month. Yep now it's time for the annual try and get the best pattern possible from my gun thing! Haha its rediculous  lol
Good luck man and happy hunting!

[LaLongbeard]

Lot of Louisiana on the forum latley. Leave the owl and crow call in the truck. You answered your own question too many people blowing crow and owl calls. I can't count how many times I've been working a gobbler and heard a truck coming down the road stop and start crow and or owl calling. They heard the gobbler they knew the general direction why the locator call the gobbler was already located lol. If I can hear the truck and door slamming believe the gobbler heard it better. There are other ways to get them to gobble( nothing works 100?) Since you hunt LA I'll let you in on the secret , get you a dog whistle and blow it till they gobble.

[smalls]

Hmmm, that's an interesting tactic, but then again I've heard some pretty crazy things used to locate turkeys.  I'll have to try that.

Definitely been a lot more Louisiana posts around here.  I've been lurking around for the last 2 years almost, and this is the most chatter from the Bayou State I've seen.  Pretty awesome.

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[357MAGNOLE]

Its about the same here. Higher pressure.....

They don't respond to calls much, but they will gobble back at a horn off a car.

[WisTurk]

I've never been able to get one to respond back from a owl or crow call.  But I can sometimes get a gobble from some aggressive cutting on my glass or box call.  Even if they are henned up or just not interested in coming to a call, they will still gobble back a lot of times but not always.

[Buckmaster1546]

That's turkey hunting. ..... time to try and find another bird, maybe.
Come back and try him again later.