How long can you take it?

Turkey hunting tips & tricks that have worked & can help others.
Cut N Run
Posts: 326
Joined: January 18th, 2015, 8:37 am

Re: How long can you take it?

Post by Cut N Run »

Depending on the place I'm hunting, it can be 45 minutes up to 5 hours. I've been busted by a gobbler coming in silent too many times that I make myself stay longer than I'd normally want to. It pays.

On the smaller farms I hunt, I'll sit 4-5 hours without hearing a sound. Because of how narrow the land I can hunt is, I need to be there and be ready. If I can't call 'em to where I'm set up, they probably wouldn't come through there.

Jim
jakesdad
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Joined: January 1st, 2013, 2:31 pm
Location: NE Missouri

Re: How long can you take it?

Post by jakesdad »

Like several have said it depends on weather,size/type of land,etc. but I usually sit 1-2 hours before moving on as a general rule.We can only hunt until 1 so I dont have to deal with long afternoon sits.
turk835
Posts: 44
Joined: April 13th, 2015, 10:25 pm

Re: How long can you take it?

Post by turk835 »

If it's later in the morning I can sit and cold call for a while, sometimes I find a tree that just feels good and other times there's that little rock or root that just hits your butt the wrong way and it's time to move. If I have heard a bird from the area I can sit and try to wait him out but I am not the most patient hunter. If I had my way I would prospect until I had an answer but at 62 sometimes the body just says sit.


Bill
turk2di
Posts: 28
Joined: September 25th, 2011, 8:56 am
Location: Western Ky

Re: How long can you take it?

Post by turk2di »

Never could sit very long but the older I get, the longer I set.
BrowningGuy88
Posts: 750
Joined: February 13th, 2013, 9:01 am

How long can you take it?

Post by BrowningGuy88 »

Jaybird wrote:All day is common for me, especially when I know the area. Most of the areas I hunt are not run and gun areas due to lack of cover. I shoot birds all different times, because they know where I am at, and eventually they come in. My kill success really jumped up, when I learned to stay in place, and call every 30-45 minutes. I had great success from 10-10:30, when others go to a run and get busted approach. Birds finish with strut Hens and go looking for action some where else. I bought a Gobbler Lounger, kick back and relax with my Kindle. Usually I know Hunters that are hunting when I am, and text them to see how it is going. I never get bored, because I just love to be outside, and observing the wild life.
This!
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GLS
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Location: Lowcountry, GA

Re: How long can you take it?

Post by GLS »

I don't have the patience to sit and cold call. Just as soon be sitting in a dentist's chair. During the week, time is limited by work. I listen for one on the limb and if don't strike one up driving to various spots and listening for 5-10 minutes, I'm on the road going home within a couple of hours of fly down time. On the weekends, I may woods walk troll, but it's not in me to sit and cold call. Fortunately, I have a lot of public land acreage to hunt 30 minutes from home. If I know a bird is out front, I'll sit as long as it takes for one of us to make a mistake. More often then not, it is the party that sleeps in a bed that screws up and not the limb sleeper. I have a buddy who is hard of hearing who successfully hunts with a flock of decoys and sits in a blind for hours at a time. Not for me, kemo sabe.
drenalinld
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Re: How long can you take it?

Post by drenalinld »

I rarely kill turkeys sitting in a spot for longer than an hour without hearing drumming or gobbling. That is about my limit without hearing or seeing a gobbler.
Tail Feathers
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Joined: December 2nd, 2014, 9:27 pm
Location: E. Texas

Re: How long can you take it?

Post by Tail Feathers »

I'm going to get up and pee and stretch my legs a few times, but I forced myself to do a six hour stint in FL this spring. I found a bird that would hit the food plot each day. I saw him late morning but I didn't know when he came to the plot.
I did all one day till 1pm and he came to the plot the next day and I got him about 7am.
It's not my preferred method but sometimes you gotta do what it takes to get that tom. In hindsight, it was well worth it.
Turkey fanatic :turkeywave:
Bigspurs68
Posts: 666
Joined: January 10th, 2015, 9:28 pm
Location: SE Ohio

Re: How long can you take it?

Post by Bigspurs68 »

Unless I'm desperate and know a old bird is frequenting a spot, I just can't take it. Period.

I'm fortunate to have a bunch of places to explore and I always kill my birds and find birds for my girls by covering ground. It's what we enjoy..
Momma said "kill that turkey"
turk835
Posts: 44
Joined: April 13th, 2015, 10:25 pm

Re: How long can you take it?

Post by turk835 »

If it's quiet in the early morn I'm not staying put very long. If I hear gobbling around me and it quiets down I'll stay a while and hopefully fire up one of the gobblers later in the morn.

Bill
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hawglips
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Re: How long can you take it?

Post by hawglips »

I had two firsts related to this issue this year. 1) I walked the longest I ever walked in a day of turkey hunting - 15 miles. 2) I stayed the longest in one place on a successful hunt - I laid down and took a nap and killed one on my back 2.5 hours later.
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gut_pile
Posts: 48
Joined: March 4th, 2013, 4:59 pm

Re: How long can you take it?

Post by gut_pile »

If I know a bird is using the area, I can sit 3 or 4 hours.
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swampchicken
Posts: 664
Joined: March 17th, 2014, 7:12 pm
Location: Central Missouri

Re: How long can you take it?

Post by swampchicken »

Depends on too many variables maybe an hour unless I know what the birds patterns are.
blunderbuss
Posts: 150
Joined: April 7th, 2013, 12:20 pm

Re: How long can you take it?

Post by blunderbuss »

Waddle Whacker wrote:I try to force myself to sit longer than I really want to. An hour or so is about my breaking point. If I got up and moved every time I felt like it, I'd run out of property to hunt before lunch.
:thumbup:
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WoodMoose
Posts: 454
Joined: November 17th, 2012, 9:39 pm

Re: How long can you take it?

Post by WoodMoose »

depends on what the area is like, and what the birds are doing,,,,I prefer to stay mobile but will set up to fool them as well,,,killed my SC birds this year by hiding in a bush between them and where they were heading,,,,,,,,
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BuckyT
Posts: 153
Joined: February 8th, 2016, 2:50 pm

Re: How long can you take it?

Post by BuckyT »

I'm pretty much a "hybrid" hunter. I can sit still for hours on end and blind call with the best of them and also run and gun with the best of them.

I sat once for almost 5hrs blind calling. Ended up calling in a flock of hens with a strutter in tow. He had 1.5" hooks. Never gobbled. Just came in with the hens that were curious about me.

I normally only resort to sitting and blind calling when the world seems dead.. No gobbles...... No nothing... I have a few spots that have worked out for me over the years hunting like this. I'd rather chase a gobbling bird all day long than sit still for hours on end waiting one out.
BoWhoop
Posts: 6
Joined: March 23rd, 2015, 10:25 pm

Re: How long can you take it?

Post by BoWhoop »

I will do whatever it takes. I HATE to sit and blind call. I probably shoot half my birds on my feet (as in called in, I just like the advantage of being higher and seeing better, and I CAN stand still). I have sat dark to dark a few times (once in a brush pile...FAIL!)...while it has worked, it is brutal on my butt (and brain) no matter on what or where I sit. Rainy days or hot and humid afternoons I may sit, but it is only enjoyable it I get some action. Otherwise, I second guess myself every second of every minute!
Uncle Nicky
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Joined: October 20th, 2013, 6:21 am
Location: Valley Forge, PA

Re: How long can you take it?

Post by Uncle Nicky »

I have gone as long as 5 hours. Any longer and I have to get up and move.
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hookinembig
Posts: 228
Joined: April 19th, 2015, 5:12 pm
Location: Central, VA

Re: How long can you take it?

Post by hookinembig »

Last year 20 minutes max. This year as long as it takes to get him to come in and taste my buffet of TSS!(I've learned and read a lot in a year)
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madmike1977
Posts: 171
Joined: January 1st, 2015, 6:46 pm
Location: eastern west virginia

Re: How long can you take it?

Post by madmike1977 »

depends on the area and the # of birds, small acreage+lots of turks+comfortable seat=all day. Large acreage+few turks+mountain rocks and near vertical ridges=20-45 mins.
fisherxp
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Joined: March 18th, 2016, 1:11 pm
Location: Cape Cod, MA

Re: How long can you take it?

Post by fisherxp »

At my age I don't have any choice. Used to "Run n Gun"...now I'm forced to "Sit n Put". Should have made the change years ago...it's amazing how often patience pays off!!
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Cleveland48
Posts: 97
Joined: March 22nd, 2015, 5:28 pm

How long can you take it?

Post by Cleveland48 »

I like to find a hot bird to sit up on, but if they have lock jaw I usually set up in a good spot to dry call. I can usually do 1 -2 hours. Sometimes I just want to sit down to rest if I'm tired of walking.


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E72
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Joined: February 9th, 2016, 8:23 am
Location: SE Ohio

Re: How long can you take it?

Post by E72 »

ICDEDTURKES wrote:There are many ways to skin a cat, some folks like to be on the move, some like to sit in a likely spot for "long" periods..

I struggle to set in one spot for too long.. But with that said there are usually a couple times during the day, where I will get to a likely spot, set up and cold call for a while.. Usually I kick off my boots to let my socks dry and call for 20-30 minutes.. Anything longer than that and I am going nuts.. Sometimes in the evening out west I will set longer in a likely spot, but mainly due to exhaustion.

So what say the Gobbler Nation faithful.. How long can you stand to sit and cold call in a likely spot when not hearing gobbles?
It depends for me what time of day. I Mostly run and gun looking for the gobbler thats lonely.... But if I determine that its a quiet day for gobbling , I'll stop in those likely spots to call sparingly for an hour or so. Maybe take a short nap.... Ive been woke up more than once by a gobble late morning or afternoon. Sometimes when you close your eyes , you will hear things a little better. ;)
Slateplayer
Posts: 3
Joined: February 4th, 2018, 3:44 pm

Re: How long can you take it?

Post by Slateplayer »

I agree with Roy. If you're where turkeys are? latch yo butt to th ground and wait!!!
if you are moving in turkey woods, you are bumping wildlife you don't even see!!!!
being patient and still equals dead turkey.
BumbleFoot
Posts: 175
Joined: February 14th, 2017, 9:28 pm

Re: How long can you take it?

Post by BumbleFoot »

If they ain’t gobbling, I got other chores and hobbies to attend to. I’m sure it’s cost me dozens of opportunities over the years, but oh well...
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