Finishing

[shanec]

What's y'alls philosophy on finishing a turkey. Lets say you did every thing right. Walked up the road at first light blew a owl hooter, he gobbled 300 yards away, you set up. You call he answers, this repeats a couple times and it is clear he is coming in. Do you shut up and let him come or continue calling?

[Cut N Run]

If he's on the way, I let him keep coming.  The more you call, the better the chances are he might catch on to you.  Play it tempting & don't over-do it.
 
Listen to what the other turkeys in the area are doing and don't make yourself stand out of place.
 
Jim
 
 

[nhtrkybstr]

Jim's right on the money.
If I hear him that far off, and he's answering me, I shut right up and let him come on in.
If you call too much, he is much more likely to pinpoint your exact location and bust you before you see him.
With turkey's less is more, especially with calling.
One other point. Sometimes a bird will come in silent over those last few yards, and you may never know he is there till it's to late and you hear the dreaded PUTT!
 
Mike

[mark hay]

There have been times when I hammered on the bird all the way to the gun. BUT! the set up MUST be one where he won't and can't see the caller until it's too late . RISKY BUSINESS. Plus he must be gobbling his head off all the way in . Have had a couple that gobbled hard up to within 50 yards or so and then went silent ,,,,if he shut down , so did I. STILL RISKY BUSINESS .
 
Best of my hunts were soft calls ,,,,and sparingly . Some never gobbled to any of my calls ,,,,I just happened to know he was in that holler .
 
This brings to mind a new thread .[:D]

[WillowRidgeCalls]

If I had a hot bird out at 300 yds that was coming in answering my calls, I'd stay talking to him until he is in to 100yds or less, then I'll change my calling tactics to a softer call and a lot less. I never answer him, I make him answer me. If you stop calling to a bird that is fired up at that long of a distance chances are your going to be cut off by a another hen that he called in, or he may go cold on you. That is why I don't want to sound like the other turkeys in the woods, I've already got his number and he's coming to my calls because he likes what he is hearing, if I sounded like every other hen then that is an open invitation to every other hen to try to take ol' tom away and some ol' boss hen will start cutting and zoom he's off, and you'll end up telling your buddies that I called one into about 50yds but he hung up and wouldn't finish, he didn't finish because you changed what ever you were doing that he wanted. Then once you have him in sight, say at 50yds then I quit calling all together and make him come find me. If he turns and leaves, I'll let him get out of sight, then go to a loud and aggressive cutts if he answers I'll cut him off with an excited hen cutts and scold him for leaving going right into some soft sexy putts n purrs.

[nhtrkybstr]

Good strategy Scott!
 
I try to use a soft technique while he's in the tree, then hit him with harder calls on the ground.
I employ this because if a hen is nearby, she might try to come run me off, thus bringing the tom with her.
 
Mike

[Duke0002]

Great advice above.  Once he's coming in, I know my calling has done its job in directing him to me.  Time to get the gun in position, remain still, and move only my eyes.  If I think he has "lost" me (in woods or thicker cover), a soft cluck or soft yelp helps him relocate me.

[Gobblernut]

In my opinion it depends on the bird he will dictate the hunt. But if your an average caller as myself if he coming let him come. If he stops or hangs up then it's game time that's when decisions get tough maybe he's coming the rest of the way silent or maybe he has been intercepted by a loving hen. But one thing is for sure if you don't have the patience. You'll never know the outcome. Give him your best.. That's all we all can do. And if he get's away that's just another day you get to hunt him..