Mia Anstine shares 8 ways to outsmarting a gobbler at her blog via Beretta USA.
I’ve heard it a million times, and I’m sure you have too. Don’t over-call when you’re turkey hunting. That’s a good tip, but here’s a scenario that leads me to believe at times you need to call according to how the turkeys are responding.
Make time to make it happen
After a busy day we made it home, threw on our camo, grabbed the shotgun and decoys and headed to the closest hunting spot. With about three hours of hunting time, we started with some aggressive calling in an attempt to swoon a tom turkey.
Calling as a team
We started our run, Hank with his Cane Creek Pro Custom Aluminum and me with my Primos “Ol’ Betsy” Slate. He would cluck. I would purr. I would cluck, and he would cut me off. We chattered and waited and chattered and waited. We carried on with our concert for a couple of “sets” of calling.
Be open to relocating
Hank crawled over to the edge of the hill to see if any turkeys were down in the valley. I saw him scurrying back. He snatched up my decoys, and I knew what to do. I had to move.
Below Hank spied two toms headed our way in full strut. In order to cut the distance we first had to double back and drop off to get a set up further down the hill. We high-tailed it and hid ourselves behind the juniper and sage.
Always be ready for the unexpected
We found a bench on the side of the hill and waited for the two toms to show themselves. We called, and they gobbled from around the bend. I knew it wouldn’t be long, and they would be in front of us. Then I heard another gobble from the “wrong” direction. This one seemed to come from above us, up where we had come from. I signaled to Hank, and he gave me a signal back, “Yeah. I heard.”
We paused and waited then called again. Then we heard multiple gobbles from atop the mesa where we had just been. I looked back again at Hank and gave him a “What the heck?!” look. They were getting closer, and Hank gave me the “Get ready. Here they come through the back door!” look.
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