Silent Gobblers?

[JdGoodhart]

Just wanted to see if anybody has been experiencing the same pain I've had during the first week of the season here in PA. I've been seeing birds every time I've gone out but haven't heard one gobble yet. Is this happening to anybody else? Hopefully, things start to change soon!

 

[Hilljackoutlaw]

My buddies from potter county landed a double yesterday. They said they were gobbling their heads off all morning.

 

[PA deer hunter]

Pretty vocal here in Northwest Pa. as well. Maybe henned up, or seems like a few old dominant toms have put the 2 year olds and jakes in lockjaw mode.

 

[Gellar]

Around here on public land turkeys gobble about the first twenty minutes of light. They don’t gobble after they drop down from the roost. Preseason and in season scouting can pay dividends knowing where they want to go. I like to hunt pipeline or hi line clearings as Toms like to strut in those areas. If one happens to gobble midday, I sneak as close to him as possible, soft yelps and wait. He will come to check you out. Good luck!!

 

[JdGoodhart]

Around here on public land turkeys gobble about the first twenty minutes of light. They don’t gobble after they drop down from the roost. Preseason and in season scouting can pay dividends knowing where they want to go. I like to hunt pipeline or hi line clearings as Toms like to strut in those areas. If one happens to gobble midday, I sneak as close to him as possible, soft yelps and wait. He will come to check you out. Good luck!!

Thats the strategy we've been running and we've gotten close just haven't been able to close the deal. If we get any closer I'll have a bird in the back of my truck!

 

[3855WIN]

I don’t really want to hunt birds that won’t talk. The conversation is the hunt.

 

[LopeHunter]

Probably hunted 200 days for turkeys. Lot of those days were with gobblers that got silent after first bit of daylight. Add some rain and wind and can be very slow in the woods of the Midwest. Most of my hunts were on private. On public, gobblers are more likely to go silent after first couple of days of pressure. In the Midwest, we try to locate the turkeys at last light with crow call or similar call to get a shock gobble. Then, back at first light. Still can get skunked when birds decide to head another direction. Once in a while get a mid-morning gobbler talking its head off as is looking for a fresh hen. Often, is nap time once the woods go silent and another half hour passes. I have had gobblers come in silent and take 30 minutes to cover the last hundred yards or so. Probably miss more as napping on a cool, spring morning with a bit of sunshine is about as peaceful as my world gets.