Are they harder to call?

[blake]

I have been hearing from a number of experienced turkey hunters that they feel the turkeys numbers are down this year and that the gobblers are more difficult to call than in past years.

What do you think?

 

[JakeWym]

I think they are all deaf in my neck of the woods.

 

[Daver]

I have been hearing from a number of experienced turkey hunters that they feel the turkeys numbers are down this year and that the gobblers are more difficult to call than in past years.

What do you think?

It has been very tough sledding in our turkey woods!! When numbers are down like this there are fewer younger birds available that might break away from the pack and come looking for a hen. The dominant toms will gobble on the roost knowing that the hens will come to them. After a dozen gobbles and 15-20 minutes or so, the tom flies down once he has a couple hens in view and off they go. You just about have to outguess them and intercept them on their travels with an ol' fashioned ambush at this point.

 

[rutnstrut]

I dont think its any different than any other year where I hunt. Just depends on the bird and the day, Ill hunt a bird one day and not have any luck set up on him the same way a day or two later and have him in my lap by 6:30. It is getting to be that time of year that the hens should be nesting more and the toms should be a little easier to get in range. I think the weather has been the hardest part of this season, between the cold, wind, and rain we had early there werent many good days of hunting till 4th season started. So I guess what Im trying to say is that its no harder to call one in this year than any other you just have to catch them on the right day

 

[Liv4Rut]

I think it just keeps getting better and better every day. They start to get lonely and come in on a string, now if I had time to get out that would help.

 

[Wiggleworm]

calling

This year has been my best year as to calling in birds. Whether its been all the practice I've done on the diaphram this past year or what but I've been out 7 times and could of had 6 birds on the ground if I was toten the mossberg. They have been very responcive to calling, Both toms and hens, morning and evening.

 

[SEIowaDeerslayer]

There's a lot more hens this year, more birds in general, which makes it harder. Everywhere I've hunted this year they've still been in their flocks.

 

[Hardcorehunter]

I only hunted 5 times, tagged out with my 2 bird limit with my archery equipment. Setup by 5:45 and sending pic texts to my buddies by 6:10. It all just came together this year. 1st year I have tagged out with 2 birds killed with a bow and arrow. I attribute my success this year to painting pretty boys head red. 2 times out with him red, 2 dead birds. When he was white headed, birds ignored him or didn't stick around long.

 

[MOhunter]

I think the numbers are down, but I also have a theory that all the loud mouth birds get killed off quicker in the breeding season so we are breeding more shut mouth gobblers than loud mouth. Just a thought. What do you guys think?

 

[Hardcorehunter]

I think the numbers are down, but I also have a theory that all the loud mouth birds get killed off quicker in the breeding season so we are breeding more shut mouth gobblers than loud mouth. Just a thought. What do you guys think?

My 1st bird of the year came in silent and never gobbled what so ever. There was no gobbling at all in the woods that am, not even on roost