How many birds have you killed that came in silent?

[Turkeytider]

I have killed a few birds that did not gobble or otherwise carry on a conversation with me.  Every single one of them was the result of me knowing where gobblers were likely to show up whether I called to them or not.  Yes, I did call some, but I have no clue as to whether those birds came to my calling or if I was just where they wanted to go.  The only thing I really know when that happens is that my calling did not scare them off. 

We have a standing joke about birds like that.  If a bird shows up without acknowledging our calling, we always tell the shooter right before he pulls the trigger,..."Yelp at him before you shoot so you can say you called him in".  In the meantime, if anybody hunts where the birds do not answer their calls and believe, when a gobbler shows up, that it was because of their calling, good for them.  I just happen to believe that to say you actually called a turkey in, the conversation has to be two-sided.  If it isn't, you are just speculating.

Agree with this for the most part . Particularly in the afternoon, you'll be hunting birds that may be moving to a feeding location or towards a roost area. Soft, "blind" calling serves a purpose to let any birds in the vicinity know that there are other birds in the area, it's safe, and can attract them I believe.

[Gobbler428]

Don't know the exact number but I have been calling and had several just show up.  I figured this out the hard way years ago when I was turkey hunting with a good friend who has now passed. It was around noon and we had been walking and calling. We decided to sit down for lunch, ate lunch and when we went to get up, we both heard the alarm putt, turned and looked through the open bottom we were in and there he was turning to run. From that day forward, I always look 360 slowly before getting up from a set, lunch etc.  Lesson learned!

[GobbleNut]

Killed a few, but I don't consider spitting and drumming silent. I'm always listening for the other more suttle sounds in the turkey woods than just a gobble. You would be surprised just how many birds play the game but know not to gobble.

For sure, if a bird comes in spitting and drumming, but without gobbling or otherwise "talking" to you, that is a pretty sure sign that he came to your calls.  Of course, there are always other indications besides gobbling that a turkey is coming to investigate calling.  It is just my position that there has to be clear evidence that a gobbler is responding to your calling in some manner to claim "I called him in".

The old "I clucked once thirty minutes ago and a gobbler showed up,...so I must have called him in" position some people seem to have just doesn't hold water for me personally.  ....And even if that is what actually happened in those cases, that is a pretty unappealing way to turkey hunt.

As some old statesman said long ago "Give me gobbling turkeys, or give me........fishing!"   

[limbhanger777]

Many of the birds I've shot have snuck in silently, I would say about 50%. Enough that when a bird goes silent, I just assume he is on his way in.

[Spurs]

I can remember 1.  If you haven't experienced a blind call setup, where you all the sudden hear drumming, then you haven't experienced turkey hunting IMO.  To me, that was the one time where a season full of knowledge of this tom all came to a strenuous ending. 

This tom had eluded me all season and had likely cost me other birds throughout the season. He would roost in a bottom that was wide open almost daily, unless I was in there.  It was like a chess match without any chessman.  He would sound off 4-5 times on the roost, give a few courtesy gobbles on the ground, then radio silence.  Different direction daily.  I attempted blind setups a few times near his typical roost and watched him fly up several times, just for him to move trees during the night and be 50-100 yards further the next day.

It finally game to a close on the last evening.  I hadn't been in a couple of days, but was giving myself one last chance.  After calling every 15-20 minutes, I heard drumming.  Like many know, drumming isn't a sound, but a feel.  I couldn't pin point it, so I froze.  For what seemed like an eternity, but was probably only moments, drum after drum deafened my all my being.  With every blink of my eyes, I strained to make out a moving limb, a leave move, or an angry song bird.  Like a ghost, he appeared 50 yards away, like a statue, para-scoping the bottom from a small mound.  Frozen, sore, and shaking, I attempted to cool my nerves.  With every closing step, my heart skipped.  When he finally struck the "no fly zone" he made his final stand behind an old bull pine.  There, I could only make out the outer edges of his fan on the occasional pop strut.  Slowly, ever so slowly, I attempted to mimic an inch worm.  Finally, the final step.  One that he regretted for about a half second before I welcomed his mistake with a slight pull of my left index finger.

[JeremyPennekamp]

I can think of three but I imagine there have been more.  The last one I remember is calling for my youngest son and took a mini nap between calls because there was nothing happening.  The blast of my sons 20 Gauge woke me up instantly.  The Bird came out of some very thick brush only 20 yards to the left of my son. He watched the Bird come right into the set up and put on a show.  To this day he reminds me of the hunt.   

[GobbleNut]

I can remember 1.  If you haven't experienced a blind call setup, where you all the sudden hear drumming, then you haven't experienced turkey hunting IMO.  To me, that was the one time where a season full of knowledge of this tom all came to a strenuous ending. 

This tom had eluded me all season and had likely cost me other birds throughout the season. He would roost in a bottom that was wide open almost daily, unless I was in there.  It was like a chess match without any chessman.  He would sound off 4-5 times on the roost, give a few courtesy gobbles on the ground, then radio silence.  Different direction daily.  I attempted blind setups a few times near his typical roost and watched him fly up several times, just for him to move trees during the night and be 50-100 yards further the next day.

It finally game to a close on the last evening.  I hadn't been in a couple of days, but was giving myself one last chance.  After calling every 15-20 minutes, I heard drumming.  Like many know, drumming isn't a sound, but a feel.  I couldn't pin point it, so I froze.  For what seemed like an eternity, but was probably only moments, drum after drum deafened my all my being.  With every blink of my eyes, I strained to make out a moving limb, a leave move, or an angry song bird.  Like a ghost, he appeared 50 yards away, like a statue, para-scoping the bottom from a small mound.  Frozen, sore, and shaking, I attempted to cool my nerves.  With every closing step, my heart skipped.  When he finally struck the "no fly zone" he made his final stand behind an old bull pine.  There, I could only make out the outer edges of his fan on the occasional pop strut.  Slowly, ever so slowly, I attempted to mimic an inch worm.  Finally, the final step.  One that he regretted for about a half second before I welcomed his mistake with a slight pull of my left index finger.

Great story, Spurs.  "No fly zone",...I love it!  I adopting that one into my turkey hunting vernacular.   

[Longbeard33]

I have killed several over the years, but they were subdominant birds that came in while I was working the dominant bird.  I believe they were thinking they were gonna sneak in on the action.  Some gave themselves away by drumming within 30 yards before showing themselves.  Others just came in cautiously looking for the hen and I heard the foot falls in the leaves or caught movement.  Small bands of jakes 2-3 birds seem to do this a lot where I hunt.   

[Dtrkyman]

How ever many showed up, I'm not prejudice!

Lot of public land birds slip in quiet, if they cam to my calls or just happened to walk by I couldn't care less!!!


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[Cut N Run]

I can only think of 3 that came in silent and two of them came in while I was calling to a more distant bird.  Drumming isn't silent, but the third one never gobbled and only drummed.  My guess is that they were subdominant birds that feared to gobble so the boss wouldn't know they were making a move on a hen.  None of those 3 were exceptionally large birds either.

I have also had silent gobblers show up a couple of minutes after I shot one bird and go to thumping the downed bird, though I don't know if the second bird was coming to my calls or just following the other bird.

Jim

[Turkeytider]

In afternoon hunting, silent birds are the rule, not the exception. It's totally different, more akin to deer hunting. I can see where it wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea. You don't carry on many conversations.

[JMalin]

In afternoon hunting, silent birds are the rule, not the exception. It's totally different, more akin to deer hunting. I can see where it wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea. You don't carry on many conversations.

This probably varies depending on where you're hunting.  While I do typically hear less gobbling in the afternoon, the Rios and Merriams I've hunted are more than willing to gobble, and when you strike one, they can get on you in a hurry.

[Clydetaylor1]

Some of where I hunt have what I call swamp turkeys. They like to sneak in with out saying a word.

[Harty]

Some.... I scout a fair amount and talk to the farmers and landowners. I get a feel for the birds daily agenda,strut zones etc.Did they come in to my calling? I like to think so, but I really don't care. When they show up unannounced just getting the bead on em can be quite nerve racking and challenging

[MK M GOBL]

A few, Could be that I fell asleep and woke up to them being there

But as far as they haven't gobbled at all, I have had birds show up strutting and heard that when they were coming in. I have also called hens in that were talking and a silent tom following/displaying.


MK M GOBL