Gobbler Nation

Curious....What one tactic in your bag of spring turkey tricks you learned from a mentor or through hard-earned experience seems to produce or at least shift odds your way? Me, learned a long time ago if I strike a bird re-positioning forward, or if terrain dictates moving parallel of his position before calling again adds a layer of realism to the situation, vs. standing my ground and calling from the same spot.

Kee kee run during a set can be a deal maker.

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That's a good one that I learned by accident but now use on purpose, mostly moving in parallel if the terrain allows. Another one I've used on stubborn gobblers is to cut off his gobble mid-gobble with hard cutting if he seems hung up or reluctant.

set up as tight as possible.. of chorse this is dictated by terrain but ill get 40 or 50 yds if I can

Mine is simple, patience...been set up on birds and get impatient and try to move in tighter, or just don't wait out an area I know birds are frequenting (when birds aren't talking). We don't have many properties where we can really get out and run, so sometimes walking hurts way more than it helps.

I try to set up in downed trees near ridge tops in woods that wouldn't otherwise offer much cover to hide. Ideal spots seem to be just below ridge crests in areas where gobblers like to move through. The gobbler can hear your calls from long distances in most directions and approach from above, where they can see beyond and around your position, yet never suspect there's danger nearby. Kind of like hiding in plain sight. It certainly doesn't work every time, but it works often enough that I know there's something to it.

Jim

Jakes like to stand and look. They'll stand and wait on you to come down a ridge or down a road. They'll stand and watch you walk by if you don't get to close. And awful lot of the weird traits gobblers have comes from conditioning which occurred when they were non-gobbling jakes.

Turn your head and soft call behind you for a hung up Tom

Call softer than I think I should, call way less than I think I should, act way less interested in him than he is in the hen I'm pretending to be and scratch leaves.

Figure out if I'm answering him, or if he's answering me. Then go to trick #2 based on who's driving the conversation.

When hunting w/ a friend, if a gobbler responds, but hangs up and won't come in, I'll set my friend up w/ a good open view of the area then start walking away calling as I go. When I get 50-100 yards away, depending on the terrain and how open the woods are, I break out several different calls and mimic a hen joining a flock of turkeys, or as an older gentleman described it to me 35 years ago, "Cut a Rusty", which is throwing everything which you've got at the gobbler. I have even used this tactic by myself, and will "Cut a Rusty" then move back toward the gobbler. Many times the gobbler will come in silently going to the faux flock which he thinks is leaving, going away from him. It doesn't work every time, but does enough to give it a try, and it is a real treat when it does work!

Like paboxcall,....I've had luck getting a bird to break by just making a slight move. Moving too far especially in dry leaves can spook him but try Crawling left , right or slide up or back 10 -15 yards if cover and terrain allows.,..... Sometimes that can give a gobbler a sound change that mimics a moving hen. I like scratching leaves too. All good tactics mentioned so far.

Leaf scratching and light purrs kill long beards.

When you think the hunt is over, stay 5-15 min's longer.

Patience kills alot of birds for me.

I use a wing alot; late in the season when the birds have been hunted hard I use a wing for a flydown and never make another sound. Well, sometimes just one cluck real light. Set tight for as long as you can stand it. Works best on damp mornings when you cant here the leaves crunch.

You can use the wing in the middle of the day like a bird just stretching for a little confidence call.

God Bless, Louis

When a gobbler is with hens,or hung up, and the terrain is hilly enouugh like in N Ga I like to ease in close as I can. Stop, and call, and see what’s happening. If I still have the terrain to my advantage I like to tip toe run 15 to 20 yards closer not stepping on any limbs, and sit down with gun on my knee, and soft call as soon as my butt hit the ground!!! Kilt many a hard headed gobblers, and gobblers with hens that way. But, every now and then you bump one!! It works better when the leaves are dry, and you can hear what they are doing, and where they are. Sometimes a gobbler hearing you tip toe through the leaves is just as effective as when you call. Especially when you get in close, and get inside his head.