| Author |
Message |
BC
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 10, 2004 - 8:37 am: | |
We've all been there...You find yourself right in front of a turkey which just dosen't seem to want to play ball. He may give you just enough gobbles to keep your interest, but won't come in. All the while, your listing to another bird tearing it up quite a ways away.
But all to often you get up leave the bird you're already on top of, only to arrive at the other birds locale to find out he's gone quite, or called in some hens.
My question is this... What criteria do you use to make the decision to stay or go?...Thoughts |
gn
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 10, 2004 - 9:02 am: | |
GOBBLENOW"S rule #1: NEVER LEAVE A GOBBLING TURKEY TO LOOK FOR ONE THAT ISN"T. |
HODY
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 10, 2004 - 9:19 am: | |
BC thats a hard one. I think it depends on the mood, that is yours and the birds. I have gotten up several times to hear the gobbler gobble where you just were. Its a crap shoot, and I think the critera is differetn each time depending on the situation. |
Freddy McGuire (Vaturkey)
Username: Vaturkey
Registered: 8-2000
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 10, 2004 - 10:24 am: | |
GN has taught me well... his motto works... |
bc
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 10, 2004 - 10:39 am: | |
I agree w/ GN's statement...but that not exactly what I'm asking.
I'm not suggesting you leave a gobbling bird to go and try to "look for one that isn't".
In my scenario the 2nd bird is rattling his brains out.The bird you're on, is just giving an occational courtesy gobble and not responding otherwise..
Maybe I wasn't specific enough. |
chuck
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 10, 2004 - 10:55 am: | |
that is a tough call to make.but its how my son killed his first last year,we had two that would gobble sparaticly in front of us and one behind us just gobblin his head off,we gambled and me and my son moved to him and left my friend who was gonna video tape to work the first two birds and it payed off,i worked the third bird for ten minutes and he was in my lap.had the last bird not gobbled so much i dont think i would have left the first ones. |
GN
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 10, 2004 - 11:00 am: | |
ANOTHER SLANT ON THIS...IF THERE IS ANY WAY TO MOVE AND END UP IN A SET UP (ON TERRAIN THAT THEY ARE LIKLELY TO CONSIDER WALKING THROUGH TO GET TO YOUR CALLS) BETWEEN THE BIRDS THAT ARE GOBBLING , THEN i MIGHT MAKE THAT MOVE TO POSITION MYSLEF RIGHT BETWEEN THE TWO GOBBLING BIRDS. I SEEM TO BE STUCK ON ALL CAPS TODAY. IT IS IMPOSSIBEL TO CONSIDER ALL THE THINGS THAT WOULD MAKE ME MOVE/STAY..WIND, TIME OF DAY, TIME OF SEASON, PUBLIC PRIVETE GROUND, ETC ETC. |
Bird Dog
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 10, 2004 - 12:15 pm: | |
I almost always play the first bird out,if he gets to where he won't respond or continues away then i'll leave him for the gobbling bird. If the bird in front of me had been responding well I'll be less likely to leave him. I have turned toward the other gobbler from my position and called loud and hard to see if I can get him interested and coming and that has brought the first bird in. That of course depends on distance terrain etc. |
Browtine
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 10, 2004 - 12:31 pm: | |
On the first day a few years ago I had a hunt play out something like this scenario. I was working a bird that would gobble every few minutes. He was the closest to me while he was on the roost. He was roosted to the right of a gas line right of way. There was another bird roosted to the left of the gas line, but further away, that gobbled a LOT more. Anyway, I was working this first one and while he was coming in, the other bird started answering me too. When #1 was about 60 yards out, someone shot him with a rifle from across the holler. I got up, walked about 30 yards away (the second bird had quit gobbling when the rifle cracked), called, and the second bird answered me about 50 yards away. I sat down and killed #2 about 2 minutes later. I guess for me it depends on where I'm at and exactly how far away the talkative one is. You never know that the reason he's so talkative is because someone else is working him. |
Diablo
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 10, 2004 - 1:26 pm: | |
BC,
my easy answer is "it depends".
but here's the criteria I would be mulling over in my head to decide what to do.
-do i have the time to be patient with the closer bird?
-how quick can i get to that distant gobbling bird?
-am i hunting alone or with a partner?
-what is the distant bird gobbling at?
if he's gobbling at crows, hawks, train whistles, etc but not gobbling at hen calls, i'll probably not waste my time. this one is tricky, because most of the time you must move to him to figure out if he'll respond to hen calls. if i can get to him fairly quick and easy to check him i'll do it. if i can't i won't.
if the distant bird is gobbling - and it seems he's not gobbling at crows, hawks, and sounds like that, i'll really think about moving to him...especially if i think i can get inside his comfort zone before i make my first sound. in hilly country and or hunting with a partner - i like my odds.
there's some other considerations i'll think about in the field i'm sure - and depending on the answers to all this stuff i'll make a decision about what to do...THEN I'LL DO THE OPPOSITE.
who the heck knows for sure when to move or when not to??!! worse yet, the answer probably isn't consistent.
so take everything i just said, read it then throw it away. bang 2 rocks together for a locator call, rub them together to make hen sounds...then move on him if you think you have a chance...expect to fail...expect that the decision you made is the wrong one.
turkey hunting success is more aptly labeled turkey hunting mistakes. likely we didn't do much right...more likely the gobbler did something he shouldn't have.
HAVE FUN!
|
Dale
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 10, 2004 - 2:12 pm: | |
I typically stay with the closest bird. Remembering some of the posts in the various contests, I try to pinpoint the second, more vocal gobbler's location, and save it for future use, whether it be that same day or another day. More often than not, where Scott and I hunt regularly if they roost one night they will be there for a few unless spooked. I've killed a bird or two by setting up close to gobbling I've heard the day before. |
Bird Dog
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 10, 2004 - 2:37 pm: | |
Another thing to consider, if the other birds gobbling is on the increase and yours is decreasing it may be telling you something about the seniority of the 2 birds |
gobbstopper1946
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 10, 2004 - 6:36 pm: | |
Go to the hot gobbler. He's hungry for lead!
GS... |
Stranger
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 10, 2004 - 10:13 pm: | |
I would if possible split the differene between birds. I have done this before and it seems to tick the other gobbler off which could end up being a race to you. If the terrain would not allow this i would go to the hot gobbler then if that didn't work out if time permitted i would go back to the first one. Try to get in your original area. After leaving him for a while could bring him on in later.
Doug |
Limbhanger
| | Posted on Friday, March 12, 2004 - 7:35 am: | |
I agree with much of what has been said already, in particular that it is very hard to say exactly what to do because the situation is rarely cutt and dry and there are a lot of things to consider.
However, if the bird closest to you is only gobbling every few minutes I would assume you mean he is not hammering back at your calls and is just gobbling on his own every few minutes. If that is true he likely has hens or is subdominant or there is something that is preventing him from coming your way. If at the same time I have a bird (#2) within hearing that is answering my calls, every call, I am going to do one of two things...
1.) first I will start calling directly to the other bird...if they are hot enough they will come a long way. Every time he gobbles answer him...he might come marching in and in the process might make gobbler #1 change his mind as well.
2.) get up and go quickly too him, especially if the first tactic fails and especially if I'm on public ground.
I agree with GN about never leave a gobbling bird, but if #2 is as hot as you say and you focus your calling on him he is likely to come if it is worth your time.
One more factor...you didn't mention if you are hunting public or private ground...it matters! If you're on public someone else might already be working #2...that might be why he is gobbling so much. Therefore, staying put and trying to work the hot bird from your current position is probably best until you are absolutely sure it isn't going to work for either bird then you can take the chance and make a move. On private ground you don't have to worry about someone else so you have more options and more time to decide. On public ground in PA I promise #2 will attract another hunter very quickly.
Thats my opinion.
-Eric |
Ryan Tucker
| | Posted on Friday, March 12, 2004 - 8:52 am: | |
If he is playing the game I stay with him, even when he is being picking. The grass ain't always greener on the other side. |
Stranger
| | Posted on Friday, March 12, 2004 - 5:29 pm: | |
Hey Eric... Around here if #2 is gobbling on private he also has attracted another hunter.
Doug |
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