|
| | | Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 4/14/2010 11:57:55 PM
Posts: 2, Visits: 66 |
| | Where I hunt, I run into a lot of problems with "henned up" birds. What's the best way to call to a "henned up" gobbler? |
| |
| | | 
Supreme Being
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 3/23/2010 6:34:46 PM
Posts: 372, Visits: 2,718 |
| | Biggest headache a turkey hunter has to put up with. A few things I've had success with over the years are: 1- calling to the lead hen, or most vocal hen, mimic her calls and try to fire her up, if you get her to come you know who's gonna be with her. 2- figure out which direction the flock is headed and circle around in front of them and set-up. Remember those "strut zones" or just good overall places turkey's seem to love to hang out. This is where scouting is so critical. 3- Leave that henned-up gobbler alone and either find another one or come back and try him later on... sounds crazy, but alot of times his hens will go to nest and he'll be all by himself from 9 or 10 o'clock on... you can then get a gobbler to do things you never could just a few hours earlier. It can get real good real quick if you strike a bird in this time frame. To be honest I've had more success with #3... it's hard to get a gobbler to do what you want when what he wants is right next to him... but scouting, patience, persistence, and being a good woodsman will kill gobblers alot of times when nothing else will. $.02
|
| |
| | | Supreme Being
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: Yesterday @ 12:45:39 PM
Posts: 295, Visits: 974 |
| Very well put Turkenator, I agree with all three and number 3 works the best. But it is hard to leave one that is tearing it up to look for another.
Some of the most successful old time public land hunters would ride around to see where you were (that is if they were not on one already) and come back after you had to gone to work. Then you would wonder for two days why he don't gobble no more.
Ronnie |
| |
| | | 
Forum Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 4/22/2010 10:18:16 PM
Posts: 46, Visits: 102 |
| | Woodsmanship and scouting will put birds in the truck. This last season, I dealt with henned up gobblers for 2 weeks straight. Seemed like the hens had all of the woods on lock-down, other than the sneaky jakes. Stay in the woods as long as you can and like others stated. I have struck many gobblers at 11am-12pm. |
| |
| | | Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 2/28/2010 5:04:49 PM
Posts: 1, Visits: 3 |
| | pay attention. temperature has a lot to do with number 3 . He's more apt to feel froggy if it's 55 degrees at 10 o'clock than he is if it's 75. they get hot and they don't feel like playing sometimes |
| |
| | | 
Supreme Being
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: Yesterday @ 8:49:44 PM
Posts: 203, Visits: 248 |
| | Some great replies already provided.......I'll give my .02 as well.... Gobbling at him can sometimes be productive. I like to cut and yelp and then answer with a gobble. As if some new guy has landed a girl friend in his territory. Also, if you are able to keep up with the gobbler and his harem and he continues to answer you stay with them. Do not get too close but just keep the lines of communication open. I would even recommend using a locator call to keep him answering. Just don't loose track of his location as he is moving. Then call to him from a different location. Sometimes this can be the difference in success and failure. Change calls, whether calling to the gobbler or hens, change up your calls. It could be the difference with either conversation with the gobbler directly or calling to the hen's. You never know what sound will strike a nerve with them. As mentioned calling to the hens can work. One key thought when trying to start a conversation with the hen's is to start very timidly. A simple plain yelp with some clucking,to initiate the talk. Convey an inqusitive tone, as if your just wanting company. You may just pique their curiosity and due to a turkey's gregarious nature, they may come to see who the new girl on the block is. If this doest work, escalate your excitement and emotion level and start challenging them with some excited yelping and cutting. At this point your definetly starting to challenge the boss hen's dominance. Hopefully you will draw a response and be able to exploit your conversation with the her. The other scenario is they want no part of this "new girl" and simply lead him away from you.....I would say the later occurs more frequently, but as mentioned it is always worth a try. The key to any consistent success is having a deep bag of tricks to deploy on any gobbler in any situation...you never know what will work... S.E. |
| |
| | | 
Forum Guru
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 8/24/2010 7:46:39 PM
Posts: 57, Visits: 488 |
| | All great tips, and when you got an ol' longbeard that's henned up you'll do just about anything to get him in. The post that Turkenator wrote hit the nail on the head in my book.My favorite of his suggestion,and the one I use the most, is #2 on his list. Being patience and getting ahead of where the birds are going has helped me fill a tag or two. |
| |
| | | Supreme Being
Group: Administrators
Last Login: 4/24/2010 2:29:04 PM
Posts: 339, Visits: 1,867 |
| | All good replies already.....just another thought....don't give up on the fall tactic of "scattering-them" Make a game plan to flush the group and try to seperate the gobbler from his hens. Yeah, you've spooked him and he may not answer for a while ...BUT...if you stay in the woods(move toward where you saw the gobbler go) and stay where you can hear. He might start gobbling again trying to regain his lady friends(also be listening for them (hens)to be yelping etc....to find him) its all a GREAT CHESS game that we all love to play each spring....sometimes you win and sometimes you lose: Check? or CHECKMATE!????? Another technique to try is to be the "pest" hen. I have made this work out for me a few times. You really use your woodsmanship with this one: try to stay as close as you can tagging along with them and repositioning and give those soft, curious, stupid, I'm lost, oh silly me YOU KNOw....... the "BLONDE" hen ....calls....from behind the group.....just call enough to make the gobbler mad and think he's left one behind that won't stay with the group.....soft little kees and keekee runs can work here too! just more to think about........mike ps(i hear you ronnie: i'll be riding in the truck looking and taking notes! LOL) |
| |
| | | Supreme Being
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: Yesterday @ 12:45:39 PM
Posts: 295, Visits: 974 |
| The deal about the old timer's happened my first year in the spring. I didn't have a clue what I was doing and had worked three gobblers 3 days in a row(that means without success if you are there three days in a row) well in the restaurant at lunch this older fellow asked if I had heard any turkeys. Of course I would not tell where but I was so excited I had to say yes sir 3 of them every morning. He never asked where, little did I know he had been watching my truck so the next morning his son beat me to the parking spot.
Several things came from that experience, don't tell nobody nuthin and don't always trust us old guys.
So the tactic from this post is park somewhere else once in a while and go to the restaurant and LIE. Fisherman have nothing on public land turkey hunters.
Ronnie |
| |
|
|
