This is a follow-up to my previous question. Monday, I had a huge tom at about 100 yds, but he was with about 8 hens and was not

[jlfreeborn]

This is a follow-up to my previous question. Monday, I had a huge tom at about 100 yds, but he was with about 8 hens and was not coming to any call. One thing I did not try was a gobble call. Would this have been a good idea to challenge him and do you think it could have drawn him away from those hens?

[buckhunter]

I've never been able to pull a gobbler away from hens. It's tough to compete against the real thing. I do find that later in the morning after the gobbler gets bored with the hens he'll start to wander and repond to calls.

[alabamahunter]

It depends on so many uncontrollable variables it is impossible to say for sure. That said, assuming that he was the dominant turkey in the area, that you were on private land, and finally that the area wasn't too open, the gobble could have very well gotten him fired up and ready to go. I will assume it was on private land and say that you probably should have gobbled at him a couple of times. I would have gone about this by letting out some soft yelps on a mouth call and then "answering" them with the gobble. The gobble could possibly work by itself, but I would throw in the yelps in an attempt to make the gobbler believe one of the hens in his harem had gone off with another gobbler. The gobble is also not smart if the land you are hunting is wide open. The turkey will look and not see the other gobbler, and will be put on edge.

[rezavoirdog]

Try using a full-strut jake/tom decoy (B-Mobile, by Primos would good) in the open and set up and wait.

[jlfreeborn]

Alabamahunter, it is private land. The only open area on the whole property is a power line right of way. That sounds like good advice. I'll remember that. Thanks a bunch!

[Del in KS]

Another trick is to call the hens. If they come he will follow. This morning I called in and shot a nice bird. After stashing him in the truck went back out with a camera and called in 7 jakes. You can click my username then photos on my profile page to see some nice pics. Twenty min after the jakes left a far off faint gobble came floating over the trees. After about 20 more min a hen came in and nearly trampled me before cussing me out with a lot of cutting. Coming on her trail like he was on a leash was a nice longbeard. They had me nailed down with the camera tripod aimed too far to my left so no pics of them. It was a great day in the woods. Saved my 2d tag for a hunt near Wichita next week for Rio Grande goblber. Gobbling has worked for me a few times but the reward is not worth the danger. I only gobble (in KS which is fairly open country) if I can see well enough to know for certain no one is around that could shoot me.

[Del in KS]

Forgot to add the gobbler has 2 beards.

[DanInArkinsaw]

I was scrolling through the answers and thinking about what your options would be here and low and behold Del hit on exactly what I would have tried. Calling the hens. You can be assured that the gobbler will go where they go. You also have to be extremely careful in that situation. Instead of one pair of really good eyes you will be calling up a total of nine pair of really good eyes. Thats eighteen eyes looking for you. (Showing off my math skills there.) Tough situation to be in. I would think that once you get them coming your way you may want to get totally silent so maybe they wouldn't pinpoint the exact location of the "hen" they were going to check out. I would think. I am definately open to correction.

[Del in KS]

Dan is right about shutting up. I always hush when I know a bird is close and let them look for me. Those Jakes mentioned above milled around for a good 5 minutes looking for that raspy ol' hen. Note there was no decoy either. Last 3 years I rarely use one 'cause it keeps them looking. That last hen came in fast cutting and yelping. There was no time to move the camera. I missed out on some great photos because of it.

[Del in KS]

There is one other last resort that got me my best bird a few years ago (26 lb, 1 3/8" spurs, 11.5" beard) Bust up the flock like in the fall. Separate him from the girls. Then set up and call him back. Best to do it late just before fly up and call him first thing in the morning.

[rudyglove27]

Agreed with Del in KS answer above and A + 1 for you sir!!!