How to draw gobblers out of the flock????????????HELP!

tresmon

New member


So this will be my first SPRING turkey hunt. (Have been hunting fall season for three years or so.) I have stopped on the roadside when I saw flocks and tried to draw gobblers out. All that happened each time (three) was the hens marched off with the gobblers in tow. How do you draw a gobbler away from the hens in the spring before the jealous gals lead'em away???

I know I will have it a lot easier trying to draw gobblers at first light before they're all flocked up, but waht if there not roosting on the property where I have promission to hunt.

So again, If they're already in the flock, how do you draw the males out before the jealous gals lead 'em off??

Thanks,
Tres
 
Easy, well the concept is at least...you just have to get to where you can hear the lead hen(you will know who she is) and you need to copy her sounds(get hermad at you) she will think she is being challenged and come over to meet you(helps when you have a decoy) drawing the whole flock with her, this has worked many times for me and should work for you to.
 
I'd disagree about it being "easy". Henned up gobblers are some of the toughest to hunt. Yes, you can challenge the boss hen and try to fire her up hoping she'll come in to sass the upstart newbie hen in the territory. You do so with some loud and aggresive cutts and cackles. If you can get her to respond to you, mimic whatever she gives you - give it right back to her immediately. That works occasionally. Often the boss hen will do exactly as your experience is and turn the other direction and drag the tom with her.

In which case if you have lots of country and know the terrain you can cut a wide loop around and get in front of them. Keep track of the gobbler by using locator calls to get him to gobble occasionally. Do not give him any hen talk, it may well just cause the old hen to pick up the pace and you'll never head them off. Set up in front of them and ambush them as they come through. Yes, I know, it's not calling, however, it sure is a turkey killin' tactic.

Or, if you lose a battle with an old hen and she drags the gobbler off... take a nap. Yes, that's what I said, take a nap. The gobbler heard you, he knows where you are. After he follows the hen around for a couple of hours playing his/her games, she'll sneak off and lose him on purpose. Suddenly the gobbler realizes he is alone! This will most likely be mid-morning and he'll want some female companionship and will remember that sassy little hen that challenged his old gal he has been with all morning. If I lose that fight with the hen I'll take a nap, or scout some around the general area being very careful to not go in their direction and bump them. Then along in the morning I'll trail along the direction the gobbler trailed off to with the hen he was with. I may go 100 - 150 yards in their direction and find a good set-up. Every 20 minutes or so I float out a little soft calling, some soft plaintive yelps, whines, and purrs. Keep it soft and light. Use your hand to scratch a little in the leaves like a turkey. Be patient and alert. Often a gobbler will do one of two things. You may hear a thundering gobble from real close range as the old boy snuck back in and when he gets real close he finally cuts loose with a gobble that'll blow your hat off. He may come in strutting, and spittin' and drumming, but not gobbling. Or, he may come in completely silent sneaking along looking for this new hen. This is time to be patient and alert, sorta like sitting on a deer stand.

And finally, he may well take off for a favorite strutting area. This may be a certain field, ridgetop, even a good long hollow in the hills. If you've done your scouting and know about these areas where the old boy likes to spend his midday time, strutting, and hoping for a hot hen to walk into his life - you're set. Be there, get there after the hen took him away, cut him off. Use the tactic outlined above with an occasional soft call and little whine and purr. Some of the hottest working gobblers I've ever killed were up in the morning and along toward 11:00 in these strut zones. Woodsmanship counts! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
 
Use woodsmanship rather than relying solely on calling. Setup where the gobblers are headed and ambush them. Just an idea. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
The suggestion Cody M made will work, not all the time, but it will work. I have made a "Boss Hen" mad several times and she came straight to me like I was pulling her in on a string. When she comes to you, the rest of the flock will follow including the gobbler. Just mimic her and don't be afraid to cut her off when she is cackling back at you. Good Luck!
 
Quote:
I'd disagree about it being "easy". Henned up gobblers are some of the toughest to hunt. Yes, you can challenge the boss hen and try to fire her up hoping she'll come in to sass the upstart newbie hen in the territory. You do so with some loud and aggresive cutts and cackles. If you can get her to respond to you, mimic whatever she gives you - give it right back to her immediately. That works occasionally. Often the boss hen will do exactly as your experience is and turn the other direction and drag the tom with her.

In which case if you have lots of country and know the terrain you can cut a wide loop around and get in front of them. Keep track of the gobbler by using locator calls to get him to gobble occasionally. Do not give him any hen talk, it may well just cause the old hen to pick up the pace and you'll never head them off. Set up in front of them and ambush them as they come through. Yes, I know, it's not calling, however, it sure is a turkey killin' tactic.

Or, if you lose a battle with an old hen and she drags the gobbler off... take a nap. Yes, that's what I said, take a nap. The gobbler heard you, he knows where you are. After he follows the hen around for a couple of hours playing his/her games, she'll sneak off and lose him on purpose. Suddenly the gobbler realizes he is alone! This will most likely be mid-morning and he'll want some female companionship and will remember that sassy little hen that challenged his old gal he has been with all morning. If I lose that fight with the hen I'll take a nap, or scout some around the general area being very careful to not go in their direction and bump them. Then along in the morning I'll trail along the direction the gobbler trailed off to with the hen he was with. I may go 100 - 150 yards in their direction and find a good set-up. Every 20 minutes or so I float out a little soft calling, some soft plaintive yelps, whines, and purrs. Keep it soft and light. Use your hand to scratch a little in the leaves like a turkey. Be patient and alert. Often a gobbler will do one of two things. You may hear a thundering gobble from real close range as the old boy snuck back in and when he gets real close he finally cuts loose with a gobble that'll blow your hat off. He may come in strutting, and spittin' and drumming, but not gobbling. Or, he may come in completely silent sneaking along looking for this new hen. This is time to be patient and alert, sorta like sitting on a deer stand.

And finally, he may well take off for a favorite strutting area. This may be a certain field, ridgetop, even a good long hollow in the hills. If you've done your scouting and know about these areas where the old boy likes to spend his midday time, strutting, and hoping for a hot hen to walk into his life - you're set. Be there, get there after the hen took him away, cut him off. Use the tactic outlined above with an occasional soft call and little whine and purr. Some of the hottest working gobblers I've ever killed were up in the morning and along toward 11:00 in these strut zones. Woodsmanship counts! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif



I didnt mean that getting the hen away was easy, i just meant that it is an easy concept to understand, i know it is difficult because it has failed me many times, but has also worked a few times, the first two toms i shot were killed using this technique.
 
I've used each of those tactics sucessfully. Most novice turkey hunters get hung up on calling while ignoring their to most important weapons- woodsmanship and patience.
 
I've said it many times about calling predators, but it's the same for turkey hunting, IMHO success is about 20% calling, 20% marksmanship, and at least 60+% woodsmanship.
 


Well it was opening weekend here last weekend. Me & the wife (observer) got skunked all day saturday, and before church Sunday morning. Never found any Turks, much less call 'em in. Ugh. The land I have permission to hunt on is hit'er'miss with the Turkeys.

But like I always say: A day a field with a weapon put'n the sneak on is the best day ever!
Prasie the Lord!
 
Seems like everyone already covered it. If he is with hot hens, he isn't gonna leave them for the sounds of a hot hen in the brush.(that he cant see). He's gonna go for the sure thing.LOL If you can mimic her enough she may come in to run you off and bring him with her. This has worked for me befor, but... the secret "NAP" technique has worked for me more often. If she draws him away when you call agressivly to call HER in for a fight, just shut up and give it a break. Maybe soft call every 30 min. or so. 10 or 11 she will go to nest. He will come back looking for you. Just be careful... He may just come in silently.
 
I have also mimiced the lead hen to [beeep] her off.
It does work, - sometimes. It's also backfired.
Funny - I remember on very upset hen running right up to a hen deek and try to scrap with it.
 


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