Hi Guys need to pick your brains a little. (gently I know)
I live/hunt in the Muskoka region of Ontario which is 3 hours north or Toronto. About as far north that you will find Turkeys in Ontario. The season has only been opened up to Turkey hunting 4 years ago.
Any way opening week the birds were vocal and responding well, but the area I hunt received a lot of pressure, there was still snow on the ground and the birds were still in their winter flocks and winter feeding area's. Now the third week of the season the birds have moved and spread out a lot more. The weather is still very wet and not all that warm 10 to 14 degrees when it's not raining.
Also the area is very forrested so there are virtually no open areas other than hydro lines to glass. The Toms have been silent but I have had a few single gobbels in the morning but no luck getting a Tom to come in. I start off very quiet in the AM in hopes to trick one because most of the other hunters in the area are very aggressive and call very loudly which does work in the early season but not the last 2 weeks.
So in a nut shell we can not glass for the birds to find them, we have to use leg work and watch for sign to locate an area where the birds are hanging out. Do you think that the Toms are simply Hened up still (I have seen a lot of Hens that have established an area and are staying in this area mostly near the road side. Seeing the same birds every morning in there area.) or would it be that the birds simply have had too much pressure?
I've tried changing mouth calls and have had the best luck with a combination of a slate call for soft purrs etc, and the mouth call to spice things up a bit and sound like multiple birds.
Any tips, I must believe that if the Hens have established their "Home range" the must be Toms somewhere near!
Thanks in advance
