Stumped. Need another opinion

[Bearhunter247]

There's this gobbler he starts gobbling every mornin bout 45 mins before daylight. He gobbles roughly 200 times on the limb. No matter what I do wait til he flys down or call on the limb when he hits the ground he goes the opposite way. He always gobbles 80-100 in the evenin on the limb. He will gobble on the ground pretty good to never see him with hens anytime iv hunted him. Hw (or I think it is) has been doin this for 3 years iv had him once at 50 yards too far. Idk wat to do now this will be the first time I try to go after him this year. Thanks in advance.

[NYlogbeards]

Does he always go the same direction or just the opposite of your location, you could try to get under him but I'd try this on a wet morning to keep quiet...

[Cutt]

Sounds like one that likes to walk and talk, which can be tough, he's demanding the hen follows him. If he gobbles enough like you say keep tabs on him and relocate out in front of him and call if possible? I truly believe if he is gobbling that much, he's killable, but might need to move several times to get him where he wants to be. I chased a bird like that a few years ago from daybreak, and killed him around 10:00, on the next ridge over from where I started. Got to stay with birds like that, if with no hens like you say and he's giving his location away.

[Bearhunter247]

No it's not the same direction every morning. Jus always the direction I'm not sittin lol. Iv seen him on the roost from 100 yards(across a field) to maybe 60 on a damp morning. He's by far the most talkative turkey around here. He's in a very difficult place to follow he has a small circle an makes a loop he's in a different spot for 5 days then he starts his loop over. Iv never seen a bird alone so much. I only get to hunt til 7:45 on wkday mornings unless its raining. And wknds can hunt as long as I please I'd just really like to see his hooks before he dies of old age!

[Marc]

If he always goes the opposite direction of you, he either has a hen leading him away, or wants you to follow...  I would bet he has a hen.

Either give him a break and wait for the hen to sit on the nest (for a day or two), or try gobbling back at him, along with some hen calling...  That is what I would do (and I probably still would not kill him).

One time I did bring a bird in range doing that (but did not get to make the shot due to cattle being in the way of shooting him), I gobbled back at him every time he gobbled, and he was in a complete frenzy...  I could tell it riled him up good.  Whether it is one gobble, or a bunch, will depend on his reaction to your gobble.

Something else I might try would be a fly down cackle (with wing beats), and then call while walking away from him...  Then shut up and sit tight.

[Bill Cooksey]

So, he dances around the woods in a flamboyant manner while shouting his desire for a mate, yet he spurts the company of females?  This is simple; your turkey is gay. Try yelping like a Jake.

[CMBOSTC]

If you're calling to him on the limb and he seems to always go the opposite direction, he has a hen taking him away from you. I would not call and try to get in front of him in the direction that he is headed (or where he wants to be). This is easier said than done. I feel like you have a good chance at this because it sounds like you know his routine pretty good. Good luck!

Chris
Gobble, Gobble... "BOOM"!

[fallhnt]

Get ya some DSD decoys

[Candyman]

Try not getting so close to him while he is on the roost. Don't call too early and don't call too much. Try to act not interested but give him just enough and use a different call than what you have used on previous hunts. Stick with clucks, purrs and soft yelps.

[Bill Cooksey]

I was obviously kidding about him being "gay," not that there's anything wrong with that, but I was serious about you pretending to be a male turkey. Don't gobble, but forget the hen stuff and try gobbler or jake yelps. It isn't threatening to a subordinate bird, and it usually fires up a dominant bird almost as much as a good gobble. Since few hunters do it, it can be extremely effective.

[jed clampett]

How close can you get to him?....i would go in very early in the morning...try to get as close as possible...set out 1 hen deke....all of this in complete darkness...when he gobbles do about 3 tree yelps light..maybe cup your pot little...just let him know where you are..when he starts gobbling when its light enough to see do a good fly down with your hat beating it against your leg..plop your hat on the ground as if he hit the ground....wait for 30 seconds or so...do 3 or 4 good clucks on your  pot...and nothing else for quite awhile...maybe some leaf scratching...wait for 20 minutes or so add some very soft yelping...sounds like less is more with him.....if you can put that deke where he might be able to see it        I would also use a slate pot for all this...most glass an crystals come off little to strong...do the tree yelps an clucks in between gobbles if ya can so he can hear you

[Bearhunter247]

this morning same gobbled his head off waited til he flew down did a fly down cackle. 20 minutes later clucked purred scratched he gobbled like always but I stayed a little later instead on being on time for work til he made it to his strut zone (for the day) gonna try to get therein the morning as far as how close can iget probably 40-50 yards he"son the edge of a field but I don't want to get that close.

[Bearhunter247]

Iv tried giving him space and crowding him. don't hear a lot of hen talk mornings in the past iv had hens walk right by me going to him. he seems to never stop moving and when he does its for less then 20 mins imo. I know pretty much the area he will be in every day but his routine on wher he's headed..... some mornings I don't even think he knows.

[Chilly]

Sounds to me like you need to take a buddy with you for help.  Have your buddy set up and call in one spot and you go the opposite direction.  Communicate well so the situation don't get dangerous.

[TauntoHawk]

To me I know exactly what I would do, since he gobbles on the limb in the evening locate the exact tree he's in and the next morning sit on top of him and dont call. usually unless he thinks somethings up hes not going to fly far from his tree just kinda plunk down on the ground so theres a good chance he does that in range if your close to his tree.