Jealous Hen?

[bowhunter15]

I went out hunting this morning before work. Went in deep to the general roost area in a crows foot beneath a private field. I ended up having a hen roosted 30 yards behind me. I watched her fly down from the tree and work her way up into the field. The gobbler was sounding off in front of me and further down the ravines. Perfect... I thought, he'll follow the same path right past me into the field. He had a hen also, a raspy one. Every 5 or 10 minutes I'd do a calling sequence, yelping and cutting. He was all over it, gobbling two or three times and cutting me off every time I called. I'd wait a while too and let him gobble on his own, which he also did several times over a 45 minute period. But he appeared to be stationary. My guess was that he was strutting at the bottom of the valley with his hen and reluctant to come up to me.

I figured eventually the hen would lead him up to the field. But instead, by the time I had to leave, I walked a little ways and cut again. He gobbled immediately, but my triangulation put him on the other side of a small river. I could hear the hen too. Do you guys think that in this case, the hen drew him away from my calling to have him for herself? He sounded more interested in my yelping and cutting than hers. I would have been jealous. Tuesday morning I was on the other side of the river and unable to pull them across; however, I had to leave a little before they flew across today.

Is my best bet to try and keep tabs on him and strike him up mid-morning or mid-day when the hen has left for her nest? Or is it just a matter of setting up where they want to be? I was thinking about setting up on the opposite side of the river again and hunting until they hopefully fly over from the roost area. There is turkey sign on both sides.

[BassBoysLLP]

I've seen this numerous times when calling around nesting areas. I wouldn't necessarily call the situation a jealous hen...more like a wise tom. Why chase a yelping invisible hen when you have a visual on a receptive one? It is one of the fun, frustating things about turkey hunting. It is also why its important to get as close as possible to the tom's roost many times. The tom wants the hen to come to him...not the other way around.

[bowhunter15]

I've seen this numerous times when calling around nesting areas. I wouldn't necessarily call the situation a jealous hen...more like a wise tom. Why chase a yelping invisible hen when you have a visual on a receptive one? It is one of the fun, frustating things about turkey hunting. It is also why its important to get as close as possible to the tom's roost many times. The tom wants the hen to come to him...not the other way around.

Yea they were pretty much roosted on top of one another, and about 150 yards from me. Given that I got so close to the one hen when I set up, I could probably try to move closer to the gobbler's roost. If I set up the decoy in the flat ravine bottom near the river, they'll likely be able to see it from the roost or flydown. And if I sit 30-40 yards up the ridge I'll be out of their line of sight.

agreed.. I ve always called jealous but in fact its just nature and he is an opportunist when it comes to getting "lucky". Only way to combat her is to cut off her calls and get her mad at you. Mimicing her sounds and throwing cuts at her will anger her. But iv ehad a lot of toms dragged away simply because I cant walk to him like a hen can

That's something I didn't try. I focused more on firing up the gobbler than the hen. There were times when she was yelping that I stayed silent.

[Rome]

I'd setup right where you believe he was strutting/gobbling from this morning. I'd be willing to bet your tag that he'll be there tomorrow morning. It's up to you to bring decoys or not...I would not. I'd call lightly, if at all.

[bowhunter15]

Sounds like there's two options. The passive option of trying to capitalize on being in the right place at the right time, and the active option of trying to call in the hen, and thus the gobbler. I don't know what to do lol! Either one could work or backfire. Maybe some light tree yelps near the roost, and if they come my way... good. If the hen tries to drag him away, get aggressive because there's nothing to lose at that point. The weather looks absolutely beautiful again tomorrow and Saturday.

[BassBoysLLP]

I'd setup right where you believe he was strutting/gobbling from this morning. I'd be willing to bet your tag that he'll be there tomorrow morning. It's up to you to bring decoys or not...I would not. I'd call lightly, if at all.

Solid advice.

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[mauser06]

I see that often....you call..he is fired up but goes away...hens will goto them and will take them away...


By calling like a hen we are trying to reverse nature...in nature hens goto the males...that's why they often strut and gobble in the same spot...they are trying to gather hens..

Its just part of the game...if I know a bird has hens I dont say a peep until they are on the ground a little while...seems a little more effective at bring them in...


Had one this year gobbling on a point...hen was between me and him..she started yapping at me...he stayed on the point a while and eventually gobbled going away...she took him away from me...and I do believe on purpose..

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[bowhunter15]

I think I'll sit overlooking the anticipated strut area and stay fairly quiet until they fly down. If I miss the spot and the hen starts leading him out of range, I'll try calling to the hen, repeating everything she says and hope to get her mad and headed my direction. Because at that point, I wouldn't really have anything to lose.