Hunting spring gobblers requires patience and a “Plan B”
Hunting spring gobblers requires patience and a “Plan B”
By Tyler Frantz
Though we hunters try our best to pattern wild animals, they still remain just that- wild animals. Just when we think we have them pegged, they surprise us and do something completely out of character, something unforeseen or unpredictable. Perhaps that’s why it’s called hunting and not killing.
If there’s any creature that truly “marches to the beat of its own drum,” it’s the wild turkey. All puns aside, wild turkeys- particularly gobblers during the spring season- are so sporadic and varied in their behaviors that they seem to possess little to no intelligence one minute and near genius-caliber intellect the next. In the past, I’ve experienced hunts where birds walked right in on a string to my decoys for a quick and easy harvest, while other years I’ve had to work my butt off all season long, yet still came up empty-handed.
On more than one occasion, I’ve roosted birds the night before a morning hunt and felt great about the setup- confident I’d kill a gobbler at first light- only to have the birds pitch off in the opposite direction shortly after daybreak, despite my stealthy approach and warm, enticing calls.
Truth is, there’s no telling what a mature old tom might do on any given day, and there are dozens of reasons- beyond weather, terrain and hunter error- for him not to cooperate with or fully commit to a hunter’s calling attempts and setup.
The gobbler could be with hens or focused on pushing off opposing male rivals. He could be feeling temperamental, finicky or disinterested in your calling. Other hunters could’ve recently pressured him, or perhaps he was slightly spooked by something he thought he saw or heard scurrying across the forest floor. Maybe he’s just hungry, and simply more interested in dining before dancing.
Regardless of reason, hunters should not be discouraged when an unresponsive tom foils an initial setup by doing his own thing. Just because all didn’t go as planned doesn’t mean it’s time to throw in the turkey towel. It just means that a “Plan B” option- meaning a change in location or even tactics- might be warranted.
It is always helpful for turkey hunters to keep a secondary setup option tucked away in their back pocket just in case it’s needed. In fact, I’ve found more success killing birds in these fallback locations than I have in my initial sunrise sets.
Of course, hunting at the crack of dawn certainly has its perks, as this is when gobbling activity typically peaks. However, gobblers become more susceptible to calling as the day progresses, especially once hens go to nest. So instead of forcing it, a simple change in venue may be all it takes for the birds to settle in for the morning. The 8- to 10- o’clock range seems to be the sweet spot for Plan B action. If something doesn’t happen right away on the private tract I like to hunt at first light, I’ll often make a quick switch to nearby public land, where by now, other hunters have packed up and left, subdominant gobblers have been scattered, hens have retired for the day, and the big boys are ramped up and ready to play.
I ease into an area I know consistently holds birds, set up a decoy or two and begin calling quietly. More times than not, I’ll have a gobbler respond and if I’m patient and sit tight, he’ll eventually work his way in.
If no response is granted, I’ll then go mobile, trying to locate a tom on the move through mid-morning. If I don’t get any hits, I’ll then return to the private tract for one last crack at the birds I first pursued in the morning, which by now are hopefully more willing to participate. This is one way for the impatient to demonstrate patience where patience is needed without getting stir-crazy. However, those who possess the tolerance and resolve to sit still all morning, can sometimes experience even better results than those who choose to move.
Many times, a tom will hear a hunter’s subtle tree yelps over yonder, but knowing the grass isn’t always greener, he will choose to stay with the hen company he already keeps. But that doesn’t mean he hasn’t logged it in his mind for future reference. Often by mid-morning, he’ll circle back as a love-struck loner to inspect the area more closely. If the hunter still remains, the wait will be well worth it.
Having a general idea of where the birds want to be later in the morning can be beneficial as well. Staking out a travel zone or feeding area can be an extremely effective strategy, especially later in the season when birds become a bit more call-shy from repeated pressure.
A few years ago, my good friend Jody Natale needed a spring gobbler to complete his PA Triple trophy season. Jody had a good handle on where some birds were hanging out, but didn’t want to over-call because the birds would go silent at each and every calling attempt. During the last week of the season, he fashioned a makeshift ground blind along the edge of a switch grass field and placed a lone decoy out in the middle of the adjacent clover plot where birds were known to feed. He sat still and silent for several hours until a gobbler peeked into the field from a distant wood line, spotted the fake and came right in to successfully end his season.
For those who are lucky, the first setup of the year can sometimes be the only one necessary for filling a turkey tag. But for most, subsequent attempts will be warranted in order to seal the deal. Hunters equipped with patience and several Plan B options will be better prepared for a season that could begin as a sprint, but ultimately turns into a marathon.
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