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Marching Gobbler (Video Included)

Wade's World Hunting: Scenario: It’s mid-morning, and you are “running and gunning,” covering ground quickly to locate a wild turkey gobbler. Suddenly you hear a bird, and you move in and set up. When you call, he answers, but he is farther away. You move toward him, and he gobbles again, but he’s farther still. He is gobbling at steady intervals, but despite your calls, he continues moving away. He is a “marching gobbler,” and he’s covering ground quickly looking for a hen or heading to his strut zone. What’s the best strategy for getting “up close and personal” with such a bird?

• Make your best determination of this gobbler’s line of travel. Use a topo map to plot his course and try to determine where he’s heading.
• Make a rapid movement to try to get ahead of the gobbler. Haste is of the essence!
• Don’t get close enough to risk spooking him. If he’s moving down one ridge, you move on a parallel ridge, behind the crest if necessary to keep the gobbler from seeing you.
• Don’t hen call as you make this circling move. If you lose track of the gobbler’s location, use a locater call to try to get a response.
• Once you get ahead of the gobbler, cross over to set up directly in his path.
• Wait him out and don’t call until he is close to your location. Then yelp or cluck to him very quietly and subtly. If he gobbles back, don’t call anymore, and wait for him to appear.