Silent toms

[Wild public]

Hello fello beast. I’m new to turkey hunting but was able to take 2birds last year here in ky. Over 2.5 miles back on public land. This spot got very little pressure and I’m sure that’s why I had success. I went out this morning to the same spot to see if the birds were there. Turkey season starts Saturday here. I didnt hear a single gobble in the area but had at least 3-4 hens yelping their heads off for over 45 minutes before they flew down. I know sometimes they don’t gobble but I would think if the hens were that vocal they would at least gobble some. My question is do you think there are toms in the area? Do I walk back there on opening day? I do have another spot with a Tom or two around but it’s certain to get more pressure than this spot. If I heard one gobble this morning then no doubt that’s where I would go. But since I didn’t I’m questioning that location. Any input would be appreciated thx

[Jdw]

I have seen Toms with hens be completely silent. Especially if the hens are within sight.

It is also possible depending on the number of birds in the area and the last couple of nesting seasons that you might have thinned out the resident birds, but there are usually toms around if the area has what they need (and it sounds like it does).

[Wild public]

Thx. I have to believe there are toms around. I will give it a shot Saturday morning,,,but sure wish I had heard gobbling.

[thwack16]

It has been a very, very quiet spring in Mississippi. One morning they’ll gobble, the next three they won’t. I’m attributing it to the late spring.

If there have been birds there in the past at this stage of the year, then I bet they’re there this year as well. Good luck when your season opens!

[Uncle Lou]

What happened? I would think where there are hens yelping there would be toms in the area.

[Wild public]

When I went in to to hunt the hens were in the same location and sure enough there were at least 3 or 4 gobblers with them opening morning. Hens took them away. 2 days later I went back on a cold morning and there wasn’t a hen or gobbler making any noise. But based on what I’ve seen before I think they probably were still around. I moved to another location that second morning that had some sign and set up decoy and called every 30 minutes. Had 2 jakes come in silent and was able to harvest one of them. They are not gobbling good on this piece of public. All I can guess is the cold weather. But I definitely learned that not hearing a gobble doesn’t mean there not around even if the hens are vocal. I would have thought if the hens were vocal then toms would be too. It looks like that’s not always the case. Thanks everyone for thoughts.

[hunter_mike]

nice observations

[JoeRE]

About half the birds that I shoot come in silent - thats in the midwest. I'm at the point where I think its basically normal. If its public land there are more silent toms for sure, hunting pressure. Another general rule is that if its an older tom, he is going to be quieter on public land for the same reason.

Toms will be silent if they are henned up as well, if its windy they gobble less not to mention harder to hear them, cloudy they gobble less than clear weather. The higher the barometric pressure they gobble more...lots of factors.

You can tell if turkeys are in the area w/o gobbling. Look for sign just like with deer. Scratchings, feathers, tracks in soft dirt. Turkeys frequent open timber, edges of open areas, small clearings, logging roads so I just walk all those areas looking for fresh sign and if there isn't sign there isn't turkeys. If there is, I make a quick setup and call a little bit wait an hour then move on and repeat.

The above is a favorite mid-day tactic of mine....I rarely kill a tom in the first 2 hrs of daylight and most are after 9AM. Similar to big old bucks at peak rut only cruising at mid day if they are going to cruise at all, I have seen an awful lot of big old toms respond around the noon hour....and most are silent coming in. I think early morning turkey hunting is kinda over rated....as are toms that gobble 50 times while they come in that rarely happens and if it does its probably a 2 year old

[hunter10]

Been a while since I’ve posted but I have taken a lot of long beards over the years and have learned different things. I also know that many hunters get frustrated, over call and leave early when they don’t hear gobble after gobble etc. Some days they gobble and sometimes they don’t. If it’s a rainy or windy day and the previous night is that way then gobbling will usually be limited. It all depends. Example from this weekend. Took a hunter out Sunday morning. Heard distant gobbles.. 2 hours later had 2 toms come in silent. This morning took another hunter to same area.. lots of gobbling on the roost and had 2 birds come in silent again. 2 days of the same weather and 2 different gobbling outcomes from the roost

[Wild Bill Army Scout]

Wild public: Late Post, Sorry (about a year late)...JoeRE provided some great feedback and I agree. I have seen what you are describing several times. I have found success in getting silent Gobblers to sound off during the evening roost (Fly up). About a half an hour before sunset, try to "Shock Gobble" them from a distance. This will also help you identify where to set up in the morning for the fly down. There are several different calls to Shock Gobble a Tom in the roost, many hunters use an owl or crow call. Believe it or not, I have most success with a Coyote howler. I never use a Coyote howler to locate Coyote; however, it works really well for locating Toms in the Roost. If you can get the Toms to Shock Gobble when they fly up, you can identify how many Toms are in the area and where they are located. In addition, when you get one Tom to Shock Gobble during fly up (Roost), the other Toms in the area will also sound off. Now, you just need to practice a Coyote howler and whatever you do, don't ever use the Howler other than from a distance during fly up. If you use a howler during daylight or in the morning, Turkey will hit the ground running. You also need to figure out what shocks them best in your region: Howler, Owl, or Crow. Crow does not work at all where I live; but Crow works great in the South. I hope you find this technique successful. "Every bearded Tom is a Trophy!"

[greenhorndave]

About half the birds that I shoot come in silent - thats in the midwest. I'm at the point where I think its basically normal. If its public land there are more silent toms for sure, hunting pressure. Another general rule is that if its an older tom, he is going to be quieter on public land for the same reason.

Toms will be silent if they are henned up as well, if its windy they gobble less not to mention harder to hear them, cloudy they gobble less than clear weather. The higher the barometric pressure they gobble more...lots of factors.

You can tell if turkeys are in the area w/o gobbling. Look for sign just like with deer. Scratchings, feathers, tracks in soft dirt. Turkeys frequent open timber, edges of open areas, small clearings, logging roads so I just walk all those areas looking for fresh sign and if there isn't sign there isn't turkeys. If there is, I make a quick setup and call a little bit wait an hour then move on and repeat.

The above is a favorite mid-day tactic of mine....I rarely kill a tom in the first 2 hrs of daylight and most are after 9AM. Similar to big old bucks at peak rut only cruising at mid day if they are going to cruise at all, I have seen an awful lot of big old toms respond around the noon hour....and most are silent coming in. I think early morning turkey hunting is kinda over rated....as are toms that gobble 50 times while they come in that rarely happens and if it does its probably a 2 year old

I wish I would have seen this post before I had a good bird come in silent on me when I was calling to an active gobbler further away.

Good stuff. Locked and loaded in my brain now.

[Bio1]

Just seeing this a couple years too late! Funny the different tactics that work for guys. Joe thinks morning are overrated but I kill probably 75% of my birds within minutes of fly down - maybe even a higher percentage than that. If I don’t kill him then it’s find a good spot and chill til they start gobbling again (when girls leave them) usually about 0930. If I hear one after 1100 it’s pretty close to a sure bet he’s coming in.

I listened to the Meat Eater Podcast - Gobbling your A$$ Off a few days ago - excellent info and well worth the time to listen. Research biologist out of Univ of GA. Cool stuff.

To tell you the truth if they aren’t talking to me it’s not much fun. I like the interaction - if I have 2 birds come in and one is quiet that’s the one I kill. I try to leave the vocal ones. I hunt on public pretty much exclusively - I don’t want him gobbling a 100 times or he will draw another hunter but I want some response for sure.

Bio1