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Gobbler Answers, Won’t Come (Video Included)

Wade's World Hunting: Scenario: You’re walking and calling, trying to get a response from a wild turkey gobbler. Suddenly you get an answer, and the gobbler is fairly close. You set up and get ready. Then you make a call, and he answers again, but he’s still in the same place. You wait awhile, make another call and get another answer – same place! After a half hour, it’s obvious the turkey isn’t coming. What is the best strategy to hunt this bird?

• One of two scenarios is probably true: (1) the gobbler is following a flock of hens; or (2) there is something about your spot that he doesn’t like.
• In either case, back directly away from the gobbler’s location to avoid any chance of spooking him.
• Make a wide circle and approach him from the other side. (Do not call while making this circle.)
• Before getting too close, set up and listen for the gobbler to gobble again, giving away his location and possibly his line of travel.
• If he doesn’t gobble after 30 minutes, blow a locater call (crow, woodpecker) to try to get a response.
• If you can relocate him, slip in and try to call him from a different vantage. Use a different call from the first setup (i.e., if you used a mouth diaphragm in the first spot, use a box or slate in the second spot).
• If the gobbler doesn’t respond and can’t be relocated, leave the area and come back in mid-day. Use hen yelping/cutting to try to get an answer. If the gobbler was with hens, they might have gone to nest and left him alone, making him anxious to find another hen.