Lack of Gobbling?

[WallyGator12000]

Here's another question I am curious about, just to take a census of you guys...I have hunted the same property in Wabasha, MN for the past 5 years, we have access to over 400 acres of private land. We aren't the only ones that hunt it, usually there are about 3-4 guys hunting it a season. There are literally hundreds of birds on the property though, and we saw plenty of toms, jakes and hens this year. And for the first time in a while the Toms we saw really weren't henned up with a large harem, we had quite a few singles and doubles come in. We just didn't hear much gobbling at all though! As we got talking about it, most of us agreed that we hadn't heard "the woods come alive" for about 4 years, I'm talking about hearing more than 4 gobbles in a morning. I hunted D season and I heard 15 gobbles total for the 4 days I hunted, I used to hear 15 gobbles a morning from an individual bird. The weather was perfect two of our mornings for lots of gobbles, crystal clear sunny after some crummy weather. So my question is this, do you guys think the birds are gobbling less than they used to? I think it is more a case of they gobble a lot on the right day, and you have to get lucky and have that during your season. But I am interested to hear your observations/opinions. Thanks guys!

[Hotspotter]

Wally:

See post regarding Bird-activity stickied on the top. From my observations the past 5 days, birds have been henned up something nasty. Give them a break in the clouds like you describe, and I think a good amount of breeding activity is taking place. I've seen birds, esp. birds roosted amongst hens that don't gobble once, even this time of year. If they maintain visual contact, rarely do they need to be audible.

Joel

[elusivecrappiecatcher]

Hunted this morning in here in MN northeast metro and man were the birds gobbling this morning. Started just as I got to my normal spot. I sat for a few in corner of the field, and as soon as a pheasant cackled the woods came alive.

Had 2 gobblers come out of roost right to me but would not cross the fence. They sat in the same spot for almost an hour. Right across a barbwire fence that is on the property line. It drops off after the fence and all I could see was heads but I knew they were toms because I got a glimpse of them walking through the woods. Never did get one this morning but I am off work in 5 minutes and I think I might brave the rain and storms and head out.

[Tim_Anderson]

I just hunted the D season southwest of you. Our first two and a half days were kind of crummy...cloudy, drizzly, and windy. The toms were not henned up, nor were they gobbling during the day. They would gobble early in the morning, then go silent during the day. Most of the turkeys were spending the majority of their time in the woods. Saturday afternoon the skies turned blue and the birds attitudes changed big time. My first set, I had five toms pretty much competing to see who could get there first. Four of them nearly ran us over, and we killed two. The next morning, we heard gobbling like you wouldn't believe. Probably 12-15 different birds all going at it. They kept at it until we called in four...all competing again to see who could get there first. First one in died.

I think their gobbling is so much weather related. I also think things are really behind down there this year...they might just be reaching their breeding peak right now.

Don't know about the rest of you, but I saw very little interest in the hens to do anything but eat! I had a few talking back to me when the weather cleared.

My experience this year was much different than other years. Normally, I call in singles or pairs. This year, it's like no one was interested unless someone else finally gave in...and then they all wanted in. God forbid another tom turkey get to you first! So it was basically "all or nothing." It felt really great to be "wanted" for a change!

[Tom7227]

I just wrapped up yesterday in a Metro hunt. On Sunday there was a medical emergency on a road about 1/4 mile south of me. When the cops and the medics came rolling in with their sirens going the turkey's went nuts and were gobbling up a strom - especially when the siren was making the up whoop. I was thinking about trying to get a siren as part of my turkey rig.

13 birds the first day and I held off on two jakes. 7 on day 2, 4 on day three, 3 on day four and one yesterday. I won't have to by any more shells for next year!!!

[elusivecrappiecatcher]

Went out last night after work. Alittle rain but it went away. I no matter got the blind up and sat down and figured I would give just a quick call to see if anything was in there area and a hen answered right away.

She popped out of the woods and came to keep me company in the field for about an hour. Figured maybe she would bring a tom or a jake with her but no. She left and 2 deer came into the field about 10-15 feet away. No turkeys though.

At least I had the hen and the deer to keep things interesting for me.

The dear almost made me laugh out loud in the blind. A doe was walking around the field and decided she wanted to sniff the hen decoy. When her nose touched the decoys nose she just about jumped out of her skin, it was pretty entertaining to say the least.

Won't be able to get out today. But going to hit it hard in the morning and afternoons for the rest of the week.