When a turkey will hit a call from a distance but not when close

[JMalin]

Scenario that's happened too many times to count.  Cold call, strike a bird 300+ yards away.  He continues to gobble occasionally (or doesn't), but you close the gap as close as you think you can given the terrain and cover.  Hit the call again, and nothing (or he stops gobbling all together if he had been gobbling some on his own after striking him).  Obviously stop calling, but why do they do this?  And why do I never seem to kill that bird, even if I give him an hour (usually he fires up again a couple hundred yards away or never makes another peep over the next hour and it's off to find a different bird).  I get that the hen is supposed to go to the gobbler, but why would he respond to a call outside his bubble and not give the same response when you're closer?

[Greg Massey]

A lot of the time , they are just giving you courtesy gobble , letting you know hey if you want you can come my direction to the hen ..  most always these are non - working birds.  I see this happening more so mid-day afternoon.

[1iagobblergetter]

This year I've ran into more of this than I remember. Most generally when I get them to cut my call off its a done deal. Also when they close the distance,but this year not the case.
That's okay though it just gives me more oppertunity to be out after them.

[JMalin]

A lot of the time , they are just giving you courtesy gobble , letting you know hey if you want you can come my direction to the hen ..  most always these are non - working birds.  I see this happening more so mid-day afternoon.

Would it be prudent to wait a couple of mins and hit the call again to see if he'll respond (and hasn't walked farther away from you) prior to making a move on him?

[Greg Massey]

A lot of the time , they are just giving you courtesy gobble , letting you know hey if you want you can come my direction to the hen ..  most always these are non - working birds.  I see this happening more so mid-day afternoon.

Would it be prudent to wait a couple of mins and hit the call again to see if he'll respond (and hasn't walked farther away from you) prior to making a move on him?

yes you can , but more than likely you will never see him , that day ...

[GOOSESLAYER]

 You called at a distance and he gobbled then you called closer and closer. He thinks the hens going to him. No need for him to move. A lot of things can hold a turkey up that's no fault of yours just turkeys being turkeys. Now if you got closer and knew he had hens, change your calling don't call to him call to spark the hens.

[JMalin]

You called at a distance and he gobbled then you called closer and closer. He thinks the hens going to him. No need for him to move. A lot of things can hold a turkey up that's no fault of yours just turkeys being turkeys. Now if you got closer and knew he had hens, change your calling don't call to him call to spark the hens.

Oh, I don't ever keep calling as I'm moving on a bird.  I get as close as I think I can, setup, and then will check him again at that point. 

[paboxcall]

Most likely a courtesy gobble inviting you to his party.