Didn’t get it done but electric morning

[blakeo33]

Trying to get my first turkey and had been scouting this area for a couple weeks trying to track down some distant gobbles and navigate public land. Got into the woods about 45 minutes before sun light and within 15 minutes heard a tom come down and start gobbling his head off probably 100+ yards away down in some hard bottoms. Gave him some soft yelps and we went back in forth for close to 30 minutes, but seemed like he was hung up. Did a little bit of scratching and a couple cuts then went silent and that drove him crazy but still wouldn’t pull him to me.

All in all he probably gobbled 30-40 times and man I could feel it through the ground. Going to go back there and see if i can close the deal, but wanted to see if anyone could offer some pointers.

Thinking about bringing in a decoy, maybe getting closer to where he flew down in a creek bottom.

What are y’all’s thoughts? Why do you think he got hung up? Maybe henned up already?

 

[1eyefishing]

I would try to roost him in the evening and carry that knowledge back with me the next morning.
Set up on the uphill side of him.

 

[antharper]

Honestly if you didn’t spook him at all and know really close to what tree he was in I’d ease in his area a couple hours before dark and either roost him Or probably kill him , good luck !

 

[BASS1FUN]

If he gobbled in one spot for a while and moved away I would’ve gone to that spot and waited without calling for a couple of hours a lot of times they’ll come back, I’m not trying to roost him this afternoon/evening but kill him, soft feeding and contentment calls might do him in, if he’s close he can hear you walking so make him think you’re another turkey.

 

[OffTheBeatnPath]

What that ole saying ? Move his feet not his beak.. I’ve had a lot more success since applying that.
Love hearing one burn it down but a majority of the time for me when they are and you go back n fourth with them they think you’re coming to them and hang up.
Don’t be scared to get n his bubble especially while hes on the limb. I don’t call at them on the limb until I’m where I want to be. You ought to be able to get pretty close with the ammount of foliage n the woods now

 

[kingfish]

Man I feel your pain. My entire public land season was basically this. Lots of gobbling on 2 different WMA's (NW Florida). Hurricane debris and blow downs made it as challenging as it's ever been. Lots of hens didn't help. I bet I learned more this season than I have the last 5.

 

[Hillbilly stalker]

Sounds like you were somewhere he just didn't wanna go. The easiest way to kill a turkey is to get between where he is...and where he is going. That's sounds easy . Often in wide open bottoms where they can see a good deal...if they cant see the hen, then they aint coming. Mite be he's already been called in by someone this year. I like to get where they have to move around a corner, a hillcrest or small thicket to see. Sometimes you just need the patience of Job. I've stayed behind them for over an hour soft calling and killed them after they lost the hen. They will come back to where they heard one as long as they didn't get spooked.

 

[bassculler]

I went through this on my second bird this year. He would not come to my minimal calling. I figured out where he was going and set up along his path....about 100 yds from his roost tree. Getting down in there was sketchy due to slope, but i did it. I never called. Just sat still until he came walking by and busted his head. Was a lot of fun.

 

[blakeo33]

Got up right under there roost the other morning but might’ve been too close because they didn’t fly down by me..set up the next morning across the creek where I think they move to in the mid mornings and didn’t here a peep. These birds are somethin else