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Post by ff1126 on May 3, 2007 16:29:14 GMT -5
Are season here in Indiana is usually right on. But this year, is another story. Tuesday we were hunting a place that is turkey heaven, and we heard nothing, and just seen a couple of hens. Wednesday, I had a bird that was gobbling good on the roost. It sounded like it was a mile away, but it was the only bird that I heard, so I headed that way. The bird stayed on the roost longer than usual, and allowed me to get set up on him with in a 100 yards. He hit the ground and gobbled. I gave him a couple of soft calls and He turn inside out gobbling. I call a couple of more times, and each time He would cut me in my calls. I sure thought it was going to happen. WRONG..... He turned and headed straight away from me. The last gobble I heard sounded like He was in the next county. I never heard another bird the rest of the morning. Me and my middle son had the same thing happen last Saturday. That bird gobbled some what good, but stay on the roost about an hour after first light. After He flew down, He went straight away. Just to many hens not setting right now. I hope things get better as the season progresses.
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Post by mullis56 on May 3, 2007 17:11:21 GMT -5
I think they aren't henned up, they are DONE! I know of 3 nests with 11, 14 and 16 eggs, that equals DONE!
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Post by Ahawkeye on May 3, 2007 17:32:06 GMT -5
Henned up? yes, done? no, I think they'll be ripe for the picking soon. When the hens go to the nest you'll get your gobbler. Stay with it and fight the good fight!
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Post by mullis56 on May 3, 2007 18:10:32 GMT -5
Henned up? yes, done? no, I think they'll be ripe for the picking soon. When the hens go to the nest you'll get your gobbler. Stay with it and fight the good fight! I've seen 34 or more gobblers at 3 different spots I hunt and I've seen 3 nests full of eggs, in Indiana. The gobblers weren't too aggressive and weren't too interested in hens at all. One gobbler kept getting a hen on and off of her nest and never did they breed. I saw a group of 4 long beards just hanging out with no hens for 4 hours last weekend! The hens are running for the toms, they are DONE, at least in the 3 counties I hunt along with 2 other that my friends hunt! Maybe wrong, but I have hunted and killed quite a few of these things and I've seen it all in 11 states of hunting.
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Post by bbarth on May 3, 2007 18:12:31 GMT -5
ff1126 - I agree with you, i've been having the same experiences all season long, alot of hens that keep cutting me off!
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Post by Sasquatch on May 3, 2007 19:29:53 GMT -5
Tuesday morning I had two birds gobbling off the roost like crazy. When they flew down they headed straight away. Later that morning, I could see a gobbler strutting all around a hen on land I couldn't hunt.
This afternoon at 2:00 m landowner calls me and tells me about a gobbler in his pasture.The Landowner said a hen had been running all around the tom for two hours, but that he hadn't mounted her. I suit up like delta force and drive over there. Sure enough, the gobbler is all fanned out in the pasture. I figure I can go around the landowner's house and sneak through the woods for at least a fighting chance at a shot. The grass is wet and I am free to run to the back of a barn within 100 yards of the tom. I peek around the barn and there is the hen, right by the treeline. There isn't a chance of making it to the woods without the hen seeing me. The Landowners cow has a little shelter/shed that is between me and the birds, so I hoofed it to that. Had it been 20 yards closer, I could have zapped that tom. I had a perfect view! You couldn't have hoped for an easier ambush. Eventually the hen caught me manuvering for a better position and soon the game was over.
But there is two examples of big gobblers trying to get lucky this week still. maybe we still ave time.
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Post by cambygsp on May 4, 2007 3:19:08 GMT -5
Maybe those Toms your hunting are just GAY!
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Post by Sleazy E on May 4, 2007 4:11:38 GMT -5
Ihave not been out since last week... but I know for sure of one hent hat cut me off.... and we had a hen yelping and cutting out in front of us.... Like I said that was about a week ago maybe it has changed since then.
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Post by jb1069 on May 4, 2007 6:59:51 GMT -5
I have to agree with mullis. We had birds strutting and gobbling back in March. I had hoped they would slow down through the cold snap in April but i'm not thinking so now. I have had 5 to 6 different toms in the field at one time and not a single bird with any interest. They are DONE with that part of the game. Atleast where im seeing birds.
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Post by hunter7x on May 4, 2007 8:05:32 GMT -5
nests full of eggs are good for hunting gobblers.
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Post by bschwein on May 4, 2007 8:09:43 GMT -5
There henned up where i've been hunting as well. Managed to call 1 bird in saturday for my brother about 9:30 and he killed it. You gotta go to the birds when they get like this!
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Post by oneshot on May 4, 2007 8:37:21 GMT -5
Patience is the key to killing turkeys that are henned up. Give them some time boys....they willbe be back one the hen ditches him. He will come looking. Might not gobble, but he will be back.
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Post by larryhagmansliver on May 4, 2007 9:11:57 GMT -5
Quite a few differences in opinion on this one. Since I haven't killed a bird yet, I've got to keep my chin up. I will be sitting in a blind most of the weekend. I hope later in the day they come back around silent. We'll see. All we can do is try. I don't see changing tactics to not calling at all making a difference.
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Post by gobblerfreak on May 4, 2007 10:18:14 GMT -5
I dont know about em bein DONE, but I can say the've been buisy. All the GOBBLERS I saw checked in down south had totally bald spots on their bellies from ridin the hens so much. I believe that the Toms will still be interested in breeding, just not the hens, after all they are still MALES just like us I dont think they cool down like someone threw a switch, I think they'll stay in the mood for awhile after the hens go unresponsive and thats all it takes, just a touch of interest could be the undoin of that TOM. Like some of the others have said, with less hens interested in breeding it'll put the odds in yer favor. Less compitition is always a good thing. Good Luck All
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Post by jb1069 on May 4, 2007 10:51:39 GMT -5
I sure hope your right gobblefreak. The spot I have been hunting is new and incredible. It is just very frustrating to see the number of birds I have been seeing and not being able to sing the right song. But hopefully like you said once all the hens get satisfied the toms will still be needing alittle attention. Im still very happy to have seen everything I have seen this year. Good Luck to all
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Post by bschwein on May 4, 2007 12:50:22 GMT -5
Bush Wackem'
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Post by bsutravis on May 4, 2007 15:18:23 GMT -5
I'm hoping the birds in the Northern part of the state are acting a little more interested than the Southern birds. Would it be baiting to toss out Viagra on the ground for the Tom's to eat?
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Post by hunter7x on May 4, 2007 15:42:32 GMT -5
I'm hoping the birds in the Northern part of the state are acting a little more interested than the Southern birds. Would it be baiting to toss out Viagra on the ground for the Tom's to eat? I don't think that's their problem ! maybe some sleeping pills for the hens would work better?
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Post by mullis56 on May 4, 2007 16:50:16 GMT -5
I have to agree with mullis. We had birds strutting and gobbling back in March. I had hoped they would slow down through the cold snap in April but i'm not thinking so now. I have had 5 to 6 different toms in the field at one time and not a single bird with any interest. They are DONE with that part of the game. Atleast where im seeing birds. Someone else agrees!!! This is for sure what has happened, I saw 2 hens on nests 10 eggs in one and 8 in another. A group of toms together, and not interested in the hens at all today! I busted them up trying to bush wackem! Another buddy has been hunting everyday and he is seeing 4 toms in 3 fields all by their lonesome and they have no interest in dekes or calls, and gobble a lit on the roost.....they are done breeding. The hens not on nests have them torn up from the coons, etc....that is what is going on IMO!
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Post by mullis56 on May 4, 2007 16:51:24 GMT -5
I'm hoping the birds in the Northern part of the state are acting a little more interested than the Southern birds. Would it be baiting to toss out Viagra on the ground for the Tom's to eat? Try it, along with some hen stratch and crushed corn.....guranteed kill but not the typicall kill!! At this point it isn't a bad idea, but it is illegal!
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