Calling to toms with hens

[nbadger23]

I had two encounters this weekend with toms coming by with 3-6 hens with him and I felt very helpless as they led the tom by at 50-60 yards and I couldn't get them to come any closer. The first was at 8:00 in the a.m. on a rainy morning and the second was at 5:45 PM that same night. These birds were in an open field and we were setup in a blind in good cover, with two hens and a jake decoy in front of us.

I'd usually start with some clucking and purring to try to lure them in. I'd also throw in a few moderate yelps and one time I did have a hen yelp back but I have a feeling she was saying "hey, come with us, we're heading to roost and we've got a spare room."

I did try calling to the tom a bit as well with some more excited yelps and some cutting but it didn't seem to phase them at all. Both toms were silent as they followed their hens and strutted for them.

I realize there's no tried and trued way and sometimes you just have to be lucky enough to be where the hens want to go but when faced with this type of situation - i.e. birds within a 150 yards moseying in your general direction, how do you try to get them in close enough?

[Archerysniper]

When that happens I try and make the hen mad by cutting her calls off,sometimes she will get mad and come in dragging the tom with.

[theghost_03]

I have had a lot of success with perfecting the "fighting purr". I brought a gobbler in this weekend because of this call upsetting the hens he was with. He wound up on the ground in a hurry! You tube it and practice the heck out it! Just another nice little tool in the box!

[Hoyt4]

Like archerysniper said get that hen mad to come in. Most time in the early season this workds great. I have called in many hens that led there boy to his dirt nap. Sometimes at least most the times for me you have to get aggressive with her. You might think you are calling a lot but pay attention there are times that hen will not shut up and call non-stop. The more mad you get her the more she will bark. Get her fired up and she will come in to find you.

[nbadger23]

Sniper - that's kind of what I was thinking. In the first encounter the hens didn't say a word. I think they were sick and tired of getting rained on and just in a low key mood :-)

Ghost - thanks for the advice, I'll look that up and see if I can learn to make that call.

[Cheetah]

Never had any luck calling gobblers off hens. Ambushing them in that situation works though if you have good terrain to work with and a good idea of what direction they are going.

[nbadger23]

Cheetah.. that's what we ended up trying.. they passed us by going up a very steep hill about 75 yards away and once the tom cleared the hill we went on a full out sprint out of the blind and up the hill, belly crawling the last 20 yards or so. Unfortunately the tom had lagged behind enough where once he got to the top of the hill he closed the distance on his hens as opposed to strutting for a while and we were too far behind.

It may have been a failed attempt but the best part of that was hearing these words from the 11 year old girl... "that was sooo much fun!' You know you've got someone hooked when they don't mind belly crawling in the mud after a tom :-)

[Sinker]

Haven't had much luck with this myself. Usually they gobble back but won't leave them. But I have found that after the hens nest, the toms usually come back looking for the hen they heard earlier

[Hoyt4]

Called one in last night off some hens but I messed up and couple jakes got in to close and I didn't even know they were there. The Longbeard was just behind some brush but let his hens feeding in a corn field to see me. I have not had a ton of luck just get the Tom to come in most time's it's calling in the hens. I got real aggressive and he could not stay away I just messed up. Dang snow if there would of been some leaves I might of heard them jakes get in. I couldn't even get the shot at the jakes on the wrong side of me without busting them all up. I will be back tonight and this weekend.

[Old Dewjabber]

I have had a lot of success with perfecting the "fighting purr". I brought a gobbler in this weekend because of this call upsetting the hens he was with.

This here works for me! The tom usually will come in 30-50 yards behind her!

[fsnrod]

I have better luck calling groups in with no decoys out in the early seasons.