Non-Gobbling Gobblers

[NUTT]

Encountered a mature bird for the second year in a row that won't gobble. He silently came in twice this weekend to 50 yards. When you call other than just a cluck or two, he will walk away fast out to about a 100 yards and strut away. Have tons of pics of him and he has the most red head you'll ever see. Reckon if he ain't gonna participate with the spring rituals I'll shoot em like I'm deer hunting if I see him again. Feel like a wasted tag but is there a such thing as a cull gobbler?

 

[blong]

He just knows how to play! Probably an old bird.

 

[fountain]

Probably been shot or shot at

 

[MFOSTER]

You need a partner if you know where he's coming from.

 

[Pate55]

I got the same problem.....got plenty of Gobblers on cam .....silent spring so far

 

[01Foreman400]

The challenge is what we all love. Sounds like a great bird to hunt. Good luck.

 

[XIronheadX]

Probably a mature bird around that wears him out when he gobbles.

 

[T-N-T]

He is either very educated or very tired of getting beat up.
But as I type that I remember a bird I killed last year. ... 2 two year old were gobbling like nothing I have ever heard and a big bird slipped in silent and strutting. I thought he was the one who gets beat up and thus didn't gobble. But he was the only one I could shoot, so I did.
Turns out he was at least 3 years old. Guess he was just smart enough to stay silent and weary. But it didn't help him that day

 

[elfiii]

Encountered a mature bird for the second year in a row that won't gobble. He silently came in twice this weekend to 50 yards. When you call other than just a cluck or two, he will walk away fast out to about a 100 yards and strut away. Have tons of pics of him and he has the most red head you'll ever see. Reckon if he ain't gonna participate with the spring rituals I'll shoot em like I'm deer hunting if I see him again. Feel like a wasted tag but is there a such thing as a cull gobbler?

Why would it be a wasted tag? Sounds to me like he's the Mack Daddy who knows when to keep his mouth shut and just TCB.

 

[NUTT]

Just simply that if I had my "choice" of the type hunts I would like to bag a TOM; I would rather have him strut, gobble, spit drum etc. I mean wouldn't we all but really just not into a kill without the show. If that was the case I could have shot him last year. Not trying to sound boastful either but I've been blessed to kill many gobblers and just not into deer hunting style killing.

 

[Garnto88]

Truth is not all gobblers gobble all the time. I had two last season that never gobbled from the roost.. I hunted them 5 days in a row and finally got one. . They never gobbled from the tree but happen to be one of those places I knew they were there. They would not gobble from the ground until about an hour after they flew down. To me that is what makes the hunt that much more special.

 

[hrstille]

Old wise bird