I'm not much of a turkey hunter guys. But I'm calling for a friend tomorrow. Because of the situation we were able to place our blind less than 60 yards from the roost with a great entry where we will not be heard or seen. So what's your calling strategy in this situation? I'm thinking probably nothing more than purrs and clucks at that range. But I'm open to all suggestions!
Jon, I like to yelp a little and try to fire up the gobblers, then use a fly down cackle, maybe make a wing flapping sound. Sometimes the gobblers will fly down right in your lap. Lots of fun when it works.
For me it would depend on how visible you will be. If the birds are in conifers so they can't see the trees near you I would use a wing or hat to imitate a fly down. Then a couple of clucks and shut up. If on a field edge and you can get there in total dark you might even set a hen decoy on the edge of field (if on one) or close to you , but out of sight of the roost tree. Then when the toms pitch out they see your decoy associated with the fly down as soon as they pitch out.
If open hardwoods I would not make a peep until the birds are on the ground, then some clucks and soft purrs.
4-5 soft yelps before they fly down, and 4-5 few soft yelps after they fly down. Then just wait.
I have killed a handful of birds that exact way. I believe that less is more in that situation.
Try putting out a jake and a hen decoy. cluck and purr real soft. If you can, gobble a couple of times. Make sure just at first light you immatate the birds flying down by flapping your hat. Then nothing till the gobblers fly down then soft purrs if needed. That is what has worked for me in the past.Yesterday it fooled 2 jakes into about 10 yards.Good Luck
I find the more I call to birds on the roost, the less likely I will see them.
If they respond to a soft tree yelp, shut up. I know its hard to not keep calling due to the excitement.
If they hear you the first time and you shut up, they will think you are less interested in them than they are of you, then come investigate. If they think you are more interested in them than they are of you, they could save you for later.
Of course if its one tom in with a bunch of hens, you may have to wait half the day till he's done spreading his oats.
Oh yea, Good luck, let us know how you do.
Jon,look at this way.If you where a gobbler and had the advantage of being on a roost.Wouldn't you want to see that hen that's calling to you?
That's the way it's suppose to happen.The gobbler sit on his perch,calling to all the hens and the hens flauck to the tree he's perched in!
Feeding calls!
cluck,purr,,scratch,scratch.Cluck,purr,,scratch,scratch.
I think getting on 'em close to the roost is a really great way to pull off a successful hunt. I would get a decoy out if possible, be there plenty early, like in pitch black dark so you won't be seen setting it out. I've been having great luck with full strut gobbler decoys, along with the standard hen.
I normally do several yelps and purrs, trying to get a response from a roosted gobbler. Whether he answers or not, I'd only call a few times, and if other hens are calling, try to imitate them. I've had that work especially when a bird has hens, you can call the hens to you and Mr. boss gobbler will usually follow. I agree with others saying to use a hat or something to make a fly down noise, if there's no risk of being seen. Making some scratching noises in the leaves helps a lot with the realism also.
At any rate, sounds like you're set up for success, good luck!
Zane
I like to use my slate call and give a few low level tree calls with a few purr's in there.
If you can get in clean and unseen and get out a hen decoy or a few of them I would do that and than a fly down cackle maybe even a couple spaced 30 seconds apart just at first light and wing flap than a couple soft calls and shut-up and wait. If they fly down and head your way you are set, if they fly down the opposite way than a few yelps and some leaf scratching, never overcall. Shawn
When I'm in close I like to tree call real soft just when the morning starts to break. Then after light I will call real soft and a few clucks, soft and sparingly kills more birds than loud and obnoxious.
I like the fly down thing also.....soft call and not to much, sounds like a good spot you have.
I'm all for a fly down cackle, but wait till you think the Tom is down. One time I did one before he was down and had the pleasure of listening to him gobble and watching him strut up in the tree for the next hour....and then he flew the other way!
If you are not in his line of travel I don't think you will get him. If he is in your path, do what Shawn said a few soft ones before then let him come looking. Either way, turkey hunting is the bomb!
Wait till he gobbles several times on his own. Then yelp softly about 4 times. He may gobble straight back or he may not depending on his mood. Have a good decoy out around 5 to 7 steps from the blind. Don't call any more he will know where you are. If you call too much he will sit there and gobble then figure out something is wrong.
The key to killing turkeys with a bow is being where they want to go, not calling them to you.
At least this is what works for me.LCH
Ok guys here is how it went. Thanks for the advice! I was calling for my buddies girlfriend. Not much gobbling on the roost. Cold and rainy here. When they hit the ground I gave them a few clucks and purrs on a slate that David Halloran made. They were on it like Rosie O'Donnel on cake! Came right in. Unfortunately my buddies girlfriend made a little too much noise in the blind while she was getting into shooting position. Game over! Good times!
:thumbsup:
what I found that work's good on illinois turkeys, when that close to the roost. Is do some soft, soft tree yelps, then pause, then I take my hat and flop it like a turkey flying down. Make sure to hit the ground with hat and flop it few times. then I pause and start to rake the leaves and wait. Unbelievable, the raking of the leaves with hand and stick works mighty well on eastern turkeys, they think they are missing out of grub and come in. Have shot 4 turkeys (two that hung up) using this and patience.
Nice! Less is more with easterns. I've seen hens jump in and lead toms away if they think you Sound too interested. I usually cluck and purr sparingly. Not more than one soft yelp sequence unless they are alone midday.
Sounds like you played it perfectly, 60 yds is really close, good to wait until they hit the ground as they know exactly where the hen should be.
I start with some light yelps, then I watch them fly in :)
I've found that a gobbler might fly down from the roost at daylight and come directly to your calls but there's a better chance he'll just gobble back to you while he flies down, struts back and forth and then drifts off in another direction with the hens roosted near him. In the latter case, I'll stop calling and wait until they're gone. Then, I'll sneak into the roosting/strutting area and set up and wait. I might even take a nap for an hour or two just to kill time. Then, I'll do some lost hen yelps and maybe even a cackle. If the tom gobbles back, I figure he's going to come right on in. The reason being, he's now though mating with the hens and they're drifting away from him to nest. All of a sudden, he hears the hen (you) that was yelping earlier in his morning strutting area. He heads back to service the hen he missed and there's your shot opportunity.