Turkeys might gobble like crazy on the roost. But for an hour or two after daybreak the woods may fall as quiet as a mausoleum. That’s because the hens and toms are courting and breeding. Toms strut and drum but gobble little if at all as they have their fun.
What do you do when Tums aren’t gobbling?
If the birds aren’t being vocal, either get moving and mobile or get to a high-percentage strut zone to put the odds in your favor of tagging that tight-lipped gobbler.
Why do turkeys gobble non stop?
If you hear a lot of commotion and turkey gobbling on your property, early spring and mating season is likely beginning to set it. So many male turkeys will start gobbling early in the morning and will carry on for several hours, and it can last quite a few days.
Why do gobblers go silent?
And any public-land hunter can affirm that birds are far less vocal after periods of heavy pressure, such as opening weekend. Sometimes gobblers go quiet because of a pretty predictable reason: hens.
Why do turkeys gobble one day and not the next?
Some days, turkeys gobble from dawn to dark. Other days, they don’t gobble at all. Why? The easy explanation is that they’re unpredictable.
What time do gobblers leave hens?
As stated above, both male and female turkeys will leave the roost sometime between 5:00 to 9:00 a.m. The largest factor that determines the exact time during this window is the weather. If the weather is clear, the birds will leave the roost earlier. The gobbler will usually fly down right around first light.
Does barometric pressure affect turkeys gobbling?
Barometric Pressure: The average barometric pressure also affects gobbling activity. Higher pressure is often associated with higher vocal activity from the birds. According to research, turkeys are most active at 29.9 to 30.2 inches.
How often should you call turkeys?
every 15 minutes
But don’t call too often – less is more. Calling every 15 minutes or so and starting off quieter and then getting more aggressive/louder as the day goes on are good rules of thumb. If you hear a hen, try to mimic her exact vocalizations.
Why are turkeys quiet some mornings?
Most hunters move too quickly on toms that might eventually strut to their calls 30 minutes or so after fly-down time. Turkeys might gobble like crazy on the roost. But for an hour or two after daybreak the woods may fall as quiet as a mausoleum. That’s because the hens and toms are courting and breeding.
Will a missed turkey come back?
If you shoot and miss a turkey, and if that gobbler starts running or flying away, sit still until you know for certain he’s all the way out of sight. Then, sit still for another 30 minutes or an hour to see if that turkey will start gobbling again. The turkey doesn’t know what’s happened when that gun has gone off.
How do you hunt turkeys if they don’t gobble?
Those gobblers pause often to listen for the sounds of active hens. Even strutting gobblers are prone to drop from the strut, stand erect, and listen and observe. If hens are what they want, then you should work hard to sound like a hen. And carry several turkey calls so you can sound like young, old and many hens.
When should I start calling turkeys in the morning?
They respond to calling any time of day but they come to the calling better in the morning at first light. Another good time is between 9:30-11:30am when the gobbler(s) leave the tended hens and seek out other ones. I have had good luck at this time of day by simply giving an occasional yelp or content purr.
Do turkeys like cold mornings?
Temperature also plays a role in turkey activity, and particularly in how much noise turkeys will make over the course of a day. They tend to be the most vocal in mild temperatures—around 60-69°F—and weather that’s too cold or too balmy will slow them down. Just like humans, they prefer weather that is comfortable.
Do turkeys roost in the same tree every night?
Overall, the answer to the big question is that turkeys do not always roost in the same place. Turkeys are much like deer in that they shift to different parts of their home range throughout the year. That said, they do seem to favor certain ones, and spend more time roosting in favored locations than anywhere else.
How far can you hear a turkey gobble in the woods?
As a general rule a gobble made in a tree can be heard twice as far as one made on the ground. That same “twice-as-far” rule applies to all other turkey sounds.
How do you find a gobbler in the morning?
In the mornings, about half hour before shooting light is a perfect time to fire off a locating call. Setting up on a good listening vantage point is the first key. Being able to audibly survey lots of ground from a place where you likely wont spook birds from their roost is where you need to start.
Do turkeys gobble on cloudy days?
On cloudy days the toms would begin gobbling about 20 minutes later than they did on days when the sky was clear. Both the toms and hens flew down about 20 minutes later than normal on cloudy days.
Is it better to hunt turkey in the morning or evening?
The fact that birds gobble and their location is known takes some of the guesswork out of it. Again, mornings generally provide faster and hotter action with vocal birds, making it the preferred time to turkey hunt.
Does cold weather affect turkey gobbling?
A cold snap can cause gobblers to clam up for a few days. Stay in the woods later and remain patient when calling—a few hours in the smoker will warm that old tom right up. Turkeys are hardy and cold doesn’t affect them much.
How far can a turkey see?
He has an approximate visual field of 270 degrees around him, substantial compared to Bob’s measly 180 degrees. Put that together with Tom Turkey’s uncanny ability to rotate his neck completely around and he can spot the Bobs of the world coming a mile away, 360 degrees around him, with a simple twist of his head.
When should you call turkeys not to call?
Instead of trying to excite a gobbler to answer, a better course of action would have been to stop calling after only a few very light tree yelps and listen closely. If there are still no gobbles, refrain from calling and keep listening for the birds to fly down before attempting another call or making a move.