help killing this bird

[whippinpost]

Tomorow mourning will be the 5th day i have hunted this bird, please give some advice or any ideas you can throw at me for the mourning.

first day, i called a lot and aggresvie, he was very resposive, he came to about 60 yards and hung up at a thicket with water in it(i should have know that was there) he went back toward roost location, i walked away while calling, and it turned him around and he crossed the water, i as set up the wrong direction and couldnt turn on him. (no decoys)

second day, didnt call much just let him work in, a hen came out first then he followed, saw my struttin jake and hen, and strutted for about 2 minutes at about 40 yards, i was waitin on him to come out of strut to shoot and two trucks came by and mesed me up

third day, played tug of war for the tom with him in the middle and the hen on the other side, gobbled a couple hours but wouldnt come all the way in, sounded about 60 70 yards in the woods away, couldnt get him to commmit. i had decoys but i dont think he was able to see them

fourth day, i sat down closer to him than i thought and purred and he was roosted about 50 yards away so i couldnt move or call until he flew down, he went the opposite direction(probably from not seeing a hen after i was purring first thing in the mourning) same thing as the third day, he gobbled for 2 hours working in and out but would never commit to me

these four hunts have been within the last week and i hunted him this mouring(the fourth day) and am going back in the mouring.

i am going to try him from the other side of the woods tomorow mouring because he seems to like to go that way
I might change the calls i have used even though he seems to like my legacy diamphram,
any new suggestions to try?  should i use my struttin jake and hen decoys? maybe use a jake gobble call? Change my call?  call agressive and alot or just let him know i am there?   I would really like to hear any suggestions, this bird is killing me

thanks for the help i am hunting him in the mouring so as much advice tonight would be great

[Fan Club]

It sounds like you came closest to killing him on day # 2, with the soft calling.
 
I would approach from the other direction, like you have already decided. I don't like calling to birds on the roost because they expect to see a hen on the ground under the tree, so skip that. I agree with using a different call he hasn't heard yet as well. After flydown, hit him with enough calling to get his attention and let him know your direction, back off to some soft calling and then go silent. Purr softly occasionally and scratch some leaves with your hand. Let him come find you.
 
He's already seen your dekes a couple times so that is a toss up. I don't know where you are hunting, but if the woods is still wide open you might use just the hen. If there is foliage sometimes decoys surprise birds when they first see them and they hang up. Probably no dekes if it is thick.
 
Well, that's what I would do. The approach from the other side may be just the trick. Be sure and post a photo when you tag that rascal!
 
 

[swpatrkyhunter]

Without knowing the lay of the land your working on it's hard to know what exactly is going on for you. As fan club said, the tom is probably used to your dekes at this point. Me. I would not use them. You might be getting bust going in to your setup by other birds roosting in the area. And they may be draging the tom away from you. See exactly where all the birds are roosting. See where the hens are roosting. If a hen spots you she will fly down in the opposite direction and ole tom will follow! Find a spot you can get into undetected and not to close to the roost site that ( if possible) has a spot where you can setup where the tom would get into range before he expects to see a hen from your calling position.
 
Good luck! Hope by the time you read this you have already got him!

[cdn1]

There are three things that I would try, not in any special order, but
 
1) if you think he is dominant challenge him. Set up a full strut deke and gobble at him or deep raspy tom yelps ( please make safety  #1 if you think there are or are unsure of other hunters in the area don't do this.)
 
2) don't call at all. Get as close as you can/dare then scratch in the leaves flap your hat etc... but don't call even if he gobbles. That should
drive him nuts and get him to hopefully come take a look.
 
3) try sounding different if you can Kee Kee, sound like a new fresh hen he hasn't heard before. that might be all it takes. The kee kee is usually a fall call made by young turkeys. Its different.  
 
and oh yeah #4 if your can figure out his daily routine. Ambush him on his route. (it ain't as glamorus as callin him in,  but mashed taters and gravy
ain't the same without the turkey and the stuffin)
 
Good luck hopefully tomorrows the day!
cdn1
 

[CB on the run]

Sounds like you have a strutter with hens.  Is there a field involved?  I don't like field birds as I don't carry decoys and older birds tend to hang up out of range where I hunt.
I have had a lot of success with strutters that are henned up in the morning.  Depending on your season and how far along the hens are towards laying, waiting him out till he gets lonely works for me.  I have left many birds that refused to leave their hen(s) only to return at 10-11am and have them run right in.  Changing calling positions and as another responded "raking leaves" also have been tactics that I have used to seal the deal.  I like when a bird cuts off my calling with a gobble at which point I try and turn it around, me answering him as he start in. Certain birds like certain types of calls, each bird is different so you'll have to feel him out. 
Birds seem to love roosting on east facing ridges in my area as they get that first morning sun to warm them up which is where I concentrate my early morning run and gun.  Good luck.
 
Charlie Belle

[JFPittJR]

Since you are so familar with this guy I would try the following. Go to the side of the tree he has flown down on the most often. Get about 100 yds from him. Since you have hunted this bird so often you probably know within15 minutes of when he flies down. I would wait until about the earliest he has flown down and do a hen flydown cackle. Wing beats and all. Then do some softer calling and then shut it off and wait.

If possible have a hen decoy facing you between you and him about 20 yds away. Maybe off to one side.
I know that may be getting a bit close to his roost but I do not know the lay of the land so you would just have to use your best judgement.

It may not work but that is probably what I would try next.

Please note, I am an ordinary hunter. No grand puba here so take my advice with a grain of salt. Only use it if it makes sense to you.

[badger75098]

Hi Guys, I know I'm a new dude but I've been hunting Easterns and Rios for 20 years. 
 
I recommend sleeping in, eating a sandwich at the truck, and hitting this bird at about 1pm.  Why get up early and deal with the stress of fly down and being henned up?  Wait until the hens go to sit and then you'll get him.  Also, bring a partner to call 30 yards behind you and set up in between him and the bird.  If he likes to hang up at 60, you'll have him.  It works for me quite a bit.  I just shot my biggest Eastern ever last week using this tactic.  13" beard and 11/4 spurs. 

[swpatrkyhunter]

Going after birds around 1 pm is a nice idea but in some states like mine, PA, You can't hunt past noon.

[whippinpost]

I apreciate all of the advice, unfortunatley I am going in the woods tomorow for hunt number 7 on this bird.

on hunt 5 i went around the other side of him where he usually flies down toward, got in real early..everything going good.....well dang deer starts snortin at me, and it shock gobbled him once...i was pissed, the deer didnt just snort 3 times and leave he stayed snorting running around all on top of the roost are, I left after 15 minutes of this.

this mourning, i sat up on the same side as when the deer snorted at me(the side he usually goes toward, he changed his roost about 50 to 75 yards, so i ended up closer to him than i wanted for the plan i was using but not a big deal, I purred 2 or 3 times and did a couple soft tree yelps, he gobbled so i gave him the silent treatment, he gobbled probably 6 or 7 times on the roost, i heard him fly down, and i waited him out for a long time without calling, and never saw him
is it possible for a hen to be real old and not be able to be properly bread, so she doesnt go to nest?  I have seen the hen a couple times and she is by far the biggest nastiest hen ive ever seen, she is the size of most gobblers.  i have been hunting the bird for over 2 and a half weeks and i keep getting the same song and dance

i am giving him one more try in the mourning and am going to move on....and maybe come back the last 2 days of the season
i am afraid i may have beaten this one in the ground

to answer some questions asked, no fields around the bird, it is really hard to know where and what this bird is doing after 9 or 10 ocklock, i have not been able to figure it out mainly due to not many long roads or anything to watch him move on

i think i am going in in the mourning really aggressive and maybe try to piss the hen off, i have been unsuccesfully at this previously, i copy everything she says, tried the fighting hen purr once, it is getting very frustrating

i am huntng south carolina, season ends may 1rst

thaks for all the help

[whippinpost]

heres another question, i may be able to kill him on the way to the roost, what time do yall think they usually get to the vecinity of their roost before flying up

roost time is around 730 right now

they like to get in there and mess around for an hour or two before flying up dont they?