What Should I Have Done?

[open door]

I recently killed a jake. In my neck of the woods, turkeys are few, many predators, and last year hunted all year without seeing a bird. Here's the scenario - set up in favorite place where killed some birds before, 30 mins. before legal shooting time; Thought I heard a gobble, wasn't sure; 20 mins. after legal shooting time, a bird flew down 40 yards in front of me, behind a blow-down; then, a 2nd bird; then, out of nowhere, to my left, about 30 yards, was a good gobbler, behind a tree, and another bird back in the brush - couldn't see him good. The good gobbler was in full strut, could only see part of his tail behind the tree, and they walked away - never offering a shot. After 10 minutes, I could see the first 2 birds moving away - I called low, no response. Then, I could see "big boy" again, full strut, white/blue head looked life a softball, lol, about 60 yeards away. Too far, I refused to shoot even tho I had 3 & 1/2 inch hevi 13 #6 - I waited, finally, birds to my right, coming to my hen decoy - first one I saw was legal, I killed him. 2 other jakes ran up & wanted to jump on him, I watched them, and finally they spooked from my decoy & ran off a little way. The otherws were feeding, can't shoot but one a day, so I stood up & ran them off. Should I have done anything different with "big boy", who I think was with 2 hens & wouldn't come to me?

[renegade19]

I'd have called to him.  Sounds like he was waiting on the hen to come to him?  Add a decoy, MAYBE, he'd have seen it and come on in. 

PS:  I'd have shot the jake too.

[guesswho]

Gobbler yelp followed by a gobbler cluck or two.   Maybe even some agressive purrs.   There is no right answer.   If that didn't work I'd let them walk off then try to reposistion ahead of them.   As far as shooting the jake goes, if your happy with him then you did the right thing!  I wouldn't have stood up and scared the others way though.  I'd have sat there until they left on their own.  One thing about it, big boy is still there so stay after him! 

[open door]

Gobbler yelp followed by a gobbler cluck or two.   Maybe even some agressive purrs.   There is no right answer.   If that didn't work I'd let them walk off then try to reposistion ahead of them.   As far as shooting the jake goes, if your happy with him then you did the right thing!  I wouldn't have stood up and scared the others way though.  I'd have sat there until they left on their own.  One thing about it, big boy is still there so stay after him! 

Thanks for the reply. I don't get chances at turkeys very often, and I'm not really proficient with a call. I can call them in, yes, but I don't even know how to make a gobbler cluck. I just do the hen cluck, yelps & purrs, some aggressive cutting late in the a.m. Yep, he's still there, & I've intentionally left him alone so maybe my son can get a chance to go with me & he can get him. That would mean a lot more than me getting him.

[renegade19]

 

[Basser69]

Yep, he's still there, & I've intentionally left him alone so maybe my son can get a chance to go with me & he can get him. That would mean a lot more than me getting him.
[/quote]

Good luck on your son killing that bird. I know when my step-son killed his first bird last year it was way better than any bird I have ever killed

[open door]

Thanks, B69. My son doesn't get to hunt much, and I'm hoping he can go tomorrow. I hope nobody has disturbed thos birds, but I know they may have moved to another area by now. Just making a hunt will be exciting enough for him, but I would love for him to get one. LOL I can hunt all week & not hear a bird (not surprising, I'm so hard of hearing), and he can show up & they gobble everywhere. He's killed some good birds in the past, but it's been a long time snce he got one.

[lmbhngr]

He probably didn`t come in because of all those jakes. I`ve seen jakes gang up on boss gobblers and run him off.

[WyoHunter]

In your situation I might have done the same thing. I might have tried some aggressive hen cutting to get the hens talking and maybe get them coming to you. But sometimes no matter what you do they win! Congrats on the jake! 

[open door]

He probably didn`t come in because of all those jakes. I`ve seen jakes gang up on boss gobblers and run him off.

Thanks for the info - I didn't know that about jakes ganging up on a big gobbler. He was with another bird which I think was a hen, so I guess he already had a real girlfriend & wouldn't leave for a plastic decoy, lol.

[open door]

In your situation I might have done the same thing. I might have tried some aggressive hen cutting to get the hens talking and maybe get them coming to you. But sometimes no matter what you do they win! Congrats on the jake! 

I think you're probably right, WyoHunter. Two things - I'm not that good with a turkey call, & afraid I might run them off. Also, I don't get many chances at a gobbler, even a jake, so I think I probably did the right thing. My son and I went back today, and the birds had moved on somewhere else. I went back to my cabin to drink coffee at mid-day, & a hen is out near the garden area walking around about 70 yards - was hoping a gobbler would come out, but nope. She comes up around the cabin every year & nests (I think). Don't know why else she would hang around there like she does. Didn't see any little ones with her last year - concerns me, but we have so many predators I don't know how any turkeys hatch/survive. Wild hogs, coyotes, bobcats, raccoons, possums, hawks, fireants, you name it.

[turkey_slayer]

He probably didn`t come in because of all those jakes. I`ve seen jakes gang up on boss gobblers and run him off.

Same here.  I make them pay when that happens 

[Scottyb]

I see you had a decoy.. try not using one. The longbeard may have seen it and wanted it to come the rest of the way to him.....

[open door]

I see you had a decoy.. try not using one. The longbeard may have seen it and wanted it to come the rest of the way to him.....

I see your point, Scottyb - that may be true, because when I first saw him, he was within range, but behind a tree, with another bird, which I assume was a hen. They walked away from me without giving me a shot, which may have been her leading him away - dunno. However, I have a dilemma in that I don't get that many chances at birds, even jakes. I tried hunting all last year without a decoy, & never saw a bird. Not sure I even heard one. The timber co. has cut so much off our hunting club, there is little hardwood timber left, & I think the predators had a field day with the turkeys. It may take a couple of years for the numbers to build back up. I know in this bunch there was 3 jakes, that good gobbler & a couple of hens. Thanks for your response - I appreciate it!