I need some expert turkey hunting advice
Contributors to this thread:Turkey
From: trail hound
18-May-16
I discovered a lone gobbler in his strutting area this morning. He is staying in the same small field and has been there at least a couple hours now. I'm going to opt to leave him alone and try a play on him tomorrow morning. I'm curious how many of you readers would try to go after him right away. It would be a fairly easy sneak to the field edge because a creek would provide good cover right up to the field.
From: trkyslr
18-May-16
I'm no expert but I'll try to help... Does he fly from the roost right to the field he's hanging at? Or does he get there later in the morning?
From: Brotsky
18-May-16
No expert here either....Have you seen him there multiple days or just today? If he's there every day I'd vote for tomorrow. If this is the first time you've seen him, then I'd make the move on him now. Sometimes gobblers can be difficult though to call out of an open field into the woods. They like to strut out in the open so that the ladies come to them. Worth a shot though if you don't anticipate him showing in that field in the future.
From: trkyslr
18-May-16
As brot said if he's there most days id hunt him there tmrw. Get there before him and wait him out.
From: lewis
18-May-16
Kinda damn if you do or damned if you don't NO ONE knows I'd go now Lewis
From: Somersbow
18-May-16
Agree with trying tomorrow. If nothing else, you determine if he is using it daily if he shows tomorrow. If he pitches in the woods and walks out try setting up on his route the next day if you can't connect in the morning. Also agree calling back to cover from the field could prove difficult.
From: greg simon
18-May-16
If I really wanted to kill him I'd go today and take a fan with me. Sneak as close as possible, if not close enough to shoot pop up the fan. Odds are good he will come to you. If I wanted to hear him gobble on the roost, see him strut, and come in to decoys and was willing to take a chance on him not being there tomorrow, go tomorrow.
From: longbeard
18-May-16
Ding Ding Ding Ding...Greg said it exactly as I was thinking. It's unbelievably so much fun to fan them and have them come running at you like a bully in a playground. If it works out that way you'll never forget that hunt. Good luck!
From: trail hound
18-May-16
Thanks all. I guess he made my decision for me. He's not out there now. I have no history with him other than last week I heard gobbling over there, but didn't move on it. Then later saw a gobbler headed away from the area on another property. I'm only assuming he does this on a regular basis, so tomorrow morning could be a bust. There is a fence line and little creek that runs through the field. I'm hoping to get in there early and set a couple decoys then set in the fence line. Thanks for all the help.
From: trail hound
18-May-16
I like the fan idea! I'll take one along and use it if he doesn't come to my Jake decoy. There are large trees close enough he may fly down straight from his roost tree. I don't know, but he was there fairly early this morning with no hens with him. I did see a hen in the next field heading toward him.
From: Knife2sharp
18-May-16
It depends on the amount of time you have and the weather. This is a great way to harvest mature boss toms, pattern one, arrive before he does and wait him out without making a single peep or using decoys. I've noticed toms don't always have a daily pattern, but more than likely he'll show back up within a few days if he's not there the next.
I'm with the majority, setup there tomorrow morning. The only reason to consider moving in on him while he's already there is if you're hunting public land.
I typically hunt the last week of the season, which is a great way to pattern a tom for the following season. Two years ago I had two separate toms patterned on the last week, they were gobbling late morning and early afternoon from their respective spots. They were across the road from one another and the following year I got a tom from each spot and I hadn't previously roosted or knew was still there.
From: trail hound
18-May-16
Knife, that's good advice. I don't plan on calling at all, but will put out a hen and Jake decoy hoping he'll see them and do enough fussing around them to give me a shot. if it doesn't work out for this year I'll be keeping an eye on the spot next spring.
From: XMan
18-May-16
I always go after a hot lone tom right away, tomorrow it could be with a few hens or gobble them up on the roost. A lone tom is a vulnerable tom... My .002 :)
From: jstephens61
18-May-16
Where's TBM when you need him ;)
From: jims
19-May-16
Send me a text and I'll tell you how you have an 80% or better chance of getting him if you find him alone and can shoot straight!
From: trail hound
19-May-16
Well tomorrow's another day. He came in from opposite direction than I expected. I turned my head a smidge and saw him looking my way. The rest is history. Will be trying again in the morning.
From: trail hound
20-May-16
This morning I was in a blind with a jake, hen, and laydown hen decoy set. Hen came walking across the field. I was thinking, I sure wish that was a gobbler. Five minutes later here he comes. He stood between the hen and my decoys, strutting and eyeing my laydown hen. He was about 100 yards out and at one point he did what looked like a little self pleasuring facing my way, but alas, followed the live hen around like the lovesick boy he was, until both left the field an hour later. I set up another blind closer to where I think he entered the field and hoping it comes together tomorrow.
From: jims
21-May-16
Think about what you are seeing each day and put yourself in the place of the tom. Sounds like he's been interested in a single hen for quite some time? Give him what he's looking for! Possibly try some movement with a single hen decoy if it doesn't work without movement.
If he looks your way and doesn't like what he sees something is obviously wrong!!!! He may not like your blind, non-movement of decoys, or doesn't get excited about your calling? If there is brush to hide in close by possibly try without your blind and put a string or string/sled on a decoy to give it movement. By all means change up your calling. It's obvious he's not too terribly excited about the jake/laydown/hen set up. Possibly try just lone hen or 2. This late in the season there is a good chance he doesn't want to fight the jake. Toms are pretty unpredictable but if you try the same set up each day there is a good chance you'll see the same reaction on another day. Try to think outside the box rather than the same setup, calls, and decoys each day!
From: trail hound
21-May-16
That all makes sense. Tomorrows the last day here in IA and if I don't get him tomorrow, there's always next year. Thanks everyone for all the advice.
