Help with quiet toms

[Handsonthepole]

Anyone know what the best approach is when toms go silent? We have a large population on our farm and the last 3 days has been dead silent. Can't get a tom to gobble on the roost in the morning at all. I know they are there as I see them throughout the day. Any idea why they are so quiet now and any suggestions on how to approach this? My blood is starting to boil as my season starts this Wednesday? Thanks!

[benbosh]

Call every half hour-45 mins and wait them out in a spot that they use.

[2044Mustang]

Not to change the subject but I thought the B season started Monday(today) and C season starts on Saturday? Either way good luck to you, they can be very frustrating when they are quiet. Find that spot where you see them during the day and wait them out.

[Handsonthepole]

I am hunting in Wisconsin so our 3rd season begins Wednesday

[Borch]

Set up in those spots that the toms eventually end up. I like to hit travel funnels and strutting zones. There's a lot of breeding going on right now so less gobbling. Gobbling should pick up again in the next week or so.

[NWBuck]

Crow call will probably get them to gobble, but may or may not help you kill them. Previous posts about setting up in areas they like to frequent is solid, although these areas are not always easily identified or consistent from day to day. Good luck.

[IlliniWalli]

they could be roosting elsewhere and coming onto your property later in the morning.

i have found they almost always gobble on the roost, even on those days when they go silent after hitting the ground. the times i have seen them not gobble on the roost was due to weather - wind, rain or cold.

another thing that will cause them not to gobble on the roost is calling to them too early. i always let them gobble on their own first, then maybe a tree yelp or two, but usually i dont start workin them until they hit the ground.

this is the "peak of the rut," so to speak. hens everywhere waiting to be bred, so not much gobbling needed to attract them.

but i still hunt the way i always do - not necessarily cuttin and runnin but moving slowly from spot to spot, looking to spark a gobble and being alert for one to come in silent.

[Cheetah]

If the toms are silent, chase the hens. Might have to set an ambush or get in front of a moving group and call very lightly to see if you can pull the tom away from his hens.

[brittman]

They went silent in the area my son is hunting too. Yesterday heard 5 separate toms from the road before sunrise. Today - nothing. Even where I know they flew up last night. I agree they usually gobble from the roost, but some days it is once, other days it is occassional, and some mornings non-stop. If they are roosting with hens nearby - they probably gobble less.

I have also noticed that the hens usually fly down first - any one else observe this ?

It also appears the birds are staying in the woods or openings in the woods. Fields were rather bare on the way home today. Saw plenty Sunday and Monday around the same time.

[brittman]

If the toms are silent, chase the hens. Might have to set an ambush or get in front of a moving group and call very lightly to see if you can pull the tom away from his hens.

A strategy that works best in the wide open west. As you well know.

[Wallydog]

Scaup,

Don't worry bout their level of vacalization if you know they are there. I hope you haven't been using turkey calls to get them to gobble?????

You obviously know what they tend to do. Set up in a blind ideally, in an area they will be near or at after flydown time. I basically call the same way every time I am set up.

I broadcast a series of calls every 1.5 min for first 15 minutes after flydown, every 5 min for next 30 minutes, every 7-10 minutes for the next hour, gradually decreasing frquency thru mid day but never less than every 30 minutes. This timing ofcourse applies until a gobbler commences communicating with you whereupon you need to take his "temperature" to establish what he likes. Silent birds cause many a hunter to prematurely go seeking their whereabouts only to bump them and squander your opportunity. Be patient, even tho they may not be vocalizing they are still in the midst of their breeding season.

Selent birds test even the most seasoned hunters!!!!

Good luck, you'll get him.

WD

[Handsonthepole]

Thanks guys.....hitting the woods tomorrow. Saw 48 birds in a field near our attack zone. 5 toms in full strutt. Hopefully the weather holds. Thanks again! Will post tomorrow hopefully with a pic of happy uncle and bird in hand!