Turkey stops responding

[NYlogbeards]

Here's my problem, Ive been chasing a bird for a few days and every time he will respond to my call and every time he gobbles he gets closer but until about 70 - 100 yards he goes silent and this has happened 3 times... I've waited him out and it seems he just disappears, and a while later sometimes I'll hear him gobble far off.

Can anyone answer why he runs out of the area?

[Spitten and drummen]

Probably hens have something to do with it. Also possible that he has slipped in and didn't see a hen and moved off. Set up where he is in range the moment you see him. That way he has to come in to see if there is a hen.

[C.Kimzey95]

NY longbeards. The bird I killed yesterday I had chased for 4 days and set up on at least 2 dozen times. He was terrible about this. Extremely vocal. I would get him fired up and try to sneak close and set up and he would never answer and I couldn't ever figure out why. I know a big part of it was hens. Twice I did this and hens would magically appear with him. Other times I think it was that simply I was not set up in the direction which he was headed. He was an older bird and was definitely used to being baradded with live hens going to him so why go to one that's helping her brains out a little ways off. I finally got that perfect set up on him yesterday afternoon. I had watched him get with a hen an hour or so prior and knew he would gobble when he had done his deed and search for a new hen. I had guessed on his direction and finally gotten it correct. He was dead in a few short minutes there after.

[Bowguy]

Think spittin and drumming has it right. Only thing I might add if you find yourself stuck again is to try gobbler sounds. Sometimes that fires em up but don't push it if he doesn't respond. Always tomo n those hens will be gone soon

[CMBOSTC]

My guess is that he is not the dominant bird and has had his butt whooped a few times. I would buddy hunt this situation with the caller fifty yards behind the shooter. If that doesn't work, look for another bird and come back to this guy in a couple of days just in case he was henned up.

[CMBOSTC]

Another thing, cut down on his travel distance, a lot can happen to a turkey in a couple of hundred yards. Also, keep him interested and fired up.

[Ihuntoldschool]

Why he runs out of the area?  He may be following hens who are leading him away from competition. You may be hearing a different bird when you hear that far off gobble a while later.  Your bird may be still in the same area, just quit gobbling. It may be the same bird going from strut zone to strut zone. Maybe he wanted the hen to come to him, to show herself. Maybe he is a subordinate bird thats afraid to commit.  Maybe there was an obstacle you are not aware of between you and the bird. Maybe it was to thick. Maybe he had a bad experience with a predator there. Maybe the hens are on the nest and he hasn't seen any hens showing up at the feeding areas anymore. Maybe you overcalled to him.   Lots of possibilities and unknowns.   Change things up, experiement.  Different setup, calls, calling style etc.

[TRG3]

While he may have hens with him, I'm doubting that it's their efforts that's keeping him from coming in since they didn't do so initially after fly down. I'd tend to believe that he's a subordinate bird that is extremely cautious about being whipped on again, so is very reluctant to commit. In these situation, something that has helped me is the Funky Chicken decoy placed directly behind a hen on the ground in the breeding position, hopefully in a clearing so that everything is very visual. Two of the three gobblers that I took this spring were a result of using this set up and the third was using a foam jake decoy in place of the Funky Chicken but the same set up. Good luck and let us know what finally works for you.

[Sevenyearsandcounting]

This opening week feels like closing week! Gun shots are very minimal. Birds shut up right off the roost. All I can tell you that's working is sitting a ravine edge and lightly calling on a slate and scraping the leaves.

I didn't get a bird but I've bumped one and saw another and he ran off with a hen. I didn't hear them gobble at all. Weird this year.

[ilbucksndux]

I have had this happen before.......this dont always work but....... I had this turkey we struck way up a ridge. He would come down the ridge and gobble from one side to the other but would not come on out.He did this 3 or 4 times. The last time we moved 50 yards farther back and called while we were moving away. Bang got him

[Will]

He's a subordinate bird. He's afraid to get his rear end kicked. I've tried purring aggressively while flapping a wing on the ground to mimick a fight. I've had them come running in.

[1sniper]

Definitely been a wierd season the birds aren't responding well in my area at all. Just some gobbling on roost and maybe 10 min after fly down. Seems like there are allot of hens this year.

[owlhoot]

Doesn't sound like he is running out of the area. Sounds like he is responding to your calling and just waiting for you (the hen) to come to him. Also during the time he is gobbling the hens maybe coming to him . To your advantage, is he going in the same general direction from you? If so get on that side of him. The turkeys are mainly going where they want to go anyway to spend their day, maybe a field , ridge top or creek bottom too. They still are going to feed , dust and mill around where they normally do or just want to.  Jmo.

[yelpy]

Hunt with a buddy and one of you call from farther away.

[renegade19]

Call more, call less.  Loop around on him and reset.  Gobble back at him.  Scratch in the leaves.  Don't get busted and keep trying different tactics and locations.  You'll get him with the right combo or on the right day.  Keep after him!