Gobbling

[Gator]

Been listening for birds every morning since last Monday. I normally do this for about 2 weeks before our opener to find some birds. They have been very hit and miss as far as gobbling this year. I've never seen it like this before. Ideas on why? Weather? There's always days when they just don't talk but this year has been more off than on. With that said, found one talking good this morning.

 

[Mitch123]

Over the past 6-8 years, our birds up in the mountain have basically gone hush. Birds will gobble up the roost a few times, then once or twice when they hit the ground normally. Other than that we don’t hear the gobbles in our mountain birds like the old times. Why, I’m not sure but my idea is because of predators.

 

[weekender21]

Turkey populations that have been hunted hard for decades (east coast) generally get that tight lipped reputation. I’ve killed most of my turkey’s in CA but have hunted them in NE and the Carolinas. From my experience, the NC/SC birds aren’t nearly as vocal as the midwestern and west coast birds.

Species has little to do with it though. The birds I’ve hunted in CA are Merriam’s, Rio’s, and eastern/Rio hybrids.


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[Gator]

Turkey populations that have been hunted hard for decades (east coast) generally get that tight lipped reputation. I’ve killed most of my turkey’s in CA but have hunted them in NE and the Carolinas. From my experience, the NC/SC birds aren’t nearly as vocal as the midwestern and west coast birds.

Turkey density and hunter density have an effect.

Yeah I've been hunting this spot for a decade now but this year they are definitely quieter than normal. Lots of times they quit talking a week into the season from being called to so much but our season hasn't even started yet (opens this Saturday). I guess it's possible some dumbass is calling to them already trying to locate them

 

[weekender21]

Yeah I've been hunting this spot for a decade now but this year they are definitely quieter than normal. Lots of times they quit talking a week into the season from being called to so much but our season hasn't even started yet (opens this Saturday). I guess it's possible some dumbass is calling to them already trying to locate them

Possibly. That quiet time mid season is generally at least partially due to birds being henned up. I’ve had some of my best hunts late season when the hens are on the nest and Toms are looking for love.


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[deer patch]

I've always been told that on poor acorn crop years they will gobble less. Over the years of hunting this has some merit but I'm not all in on this concept. I've owned my property since 2005 and the turkey population has steadily went down hill. How's the population in your area?

 

[g squared 23]

Pretty sure this is natural selection happening before our eyes. The ones that get fired up and gobble all day are easier to kill, both by hunters and predators. The ones that sneak in quiet are more likely to catch you napping and get away.

That being said, the turkeys in our area never gobbled for beans after 0800. Now we never hunted late season (too hot and too many bugs), at which point the hens are bred and they’re more call responsive. Supposedly.


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[Gator]

I've always been told that on poor acorn crop years they will gobble less. Over the years of hunting this has some merit but I'm not all in on this concept. I've owned my property since 2005 and the turkey population has steadily went down hill. How's the population in your area?

Population has been great in recent years. Last year was the wettest on record in this area which equates to a lot more water and flooded timber which could have drove them to higher ground I guess.

 

[Gator]

I've always been told that on poor acorn crop years they will gobble less. Over the years of hunting this has some merit but I'm not all in on this concept. I've owned my property since 2005 and the turkey population has steadily went down hill. How's the population in your area?

Last fall we were loaded with acorns

 

[Hoseman]

Gator, this seems to be the common theme where I hunt in Va as well. Birds gobble well some days in the trees and maybe a couple of times right after they hit the ground. I am not sure if it has something to do with coyotes or not but they certainly do not gobble like they used to. Twenty years ago, we would work a bird every single day and kill a bird about 50% of the time. They would gobble to the call and come in like they are supposed to. Sometimes they would hang up and not come into range but that was just part of it. Now, it seems that it is vitally important to be set up where they want to go and maybe 1 in 20 will actually respond and come in. I was in S Texas a couple of weeks ago and never heard such gobbling but they were henned up and would not come in there either. We used to kill most of our birds after 10 when the hens left the gobblers but I seldom hear those late birds like I used to.

 

[tlh2865]

I can eco what my fellow Virginians are saying, West Virginian included. Birds don't seem to gobble like they used to. I've been turkey hunting since I was 12, and am now 22. The first five years was way different than the last five years have been. Ten years ago it was nothing to hear 8 different birds in a morning, and 1 or 2 that carried on past 10 o'clock. If I go now, I consider it a good morning to hear two birds on the roost, and if one of them gobbles more than 5 times on the ground then he is really hot. Predator uptick is my best guess, but birds just don't gobble like they used to. I can still call birds in, it seems a bit more difficult now, but not too much; but oftentimes they come from the roost all the way to the gun completely silent. I would also say that birds have seemed more henned up than in years past. I have had Toms on the last day of the season each of the last 3 years that I could not break off of groups of 5+ hens. But whatever the reason, the birds are more tight lipped.

 

[Mennoniteman]

There's definitely some food for thought here, I'm all ears if there's turkey calling discussion going on, and those are some interesting ideas on why the gobblers won't gobble. Last year was tough, but I attributed it to a single year being different, rather than progressively tougher birds to hunt. I've read a lot of turkey hunting stories from the fifties and sixties and those old timers had certain years marked when the gobblers didn't speak at all, all season long. It'll be interesting to see how the next several years pan out with calling spring gobblers, as to whether they are getting harder to hunt?

 

[Drycreek]

I can't speak to why turkeys don't gobble as much as they used to, but I believe it to be true. I do know beyond a doubt that we have more predators than ever, both nest predators and actual bird predators as well. When I was a kid and even as a young man, people possum hunted, coon hunted, trapped, etc. Hardly anyone does that now where I live or hunt. We didn't even have coyotes then, and very few bobcats. Now, we have lots of both, which, together with the nest predators,(include hogs), will insure that we never have a good population of turkeys in most of East Texas. We have plenty of Rios W of I 35 in most counties but they've been established for years. On a wet year there are enough hatchlings to make up for the predation I assume, although you can tell a difference in amounts of turkeys observed from one year to another. This is by no means scientific, just anecdotal observations from 18 years on a lease in Central Texas.

 

[144]

Now, we have lots of both, which, together with the nest predators,(include hogs), will insure that we never have a good population of turkeys in most of East Texas.

Boy, that’s the truth. Counted 5 dead coyotes on the side of I20 back around Christmas between Shreveport and Dallas...



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[weekender21]

Nest predators absolutely have an impact on turkey populations, that's been well documented. But....I'm not ready to hang my hat on coyotes and bobcats being responsible for hunters hearing less gobbling.

Turkey populations in NC and SC were low when I was growing up (I'm 40). They have increased steadily, at least in NC, right along side the coyote.

NC turkey population growth:
1980-7,500
1995-85,000
2015-265,000


The most compelling first hand evidence I have is hunting in CA. I've watched turkeys exist along coyotes out west for years, I was stationed in southern CA for 15 years. Coyote, bobcat, and mountain lion density in those areas are extremely high. I've seen a good many coyote/turkey interactions as well. I've witnessed adult birds in open country stand their ground with coyotes 10 yards away. I have seen them flush/roost turkeys a few times and they'll definitely kill one given the chance.

I have a buddy that guides on a massive ranch in CA. They go out of their way not allow a turkey that's been called in to make it out alive. When they bump or otherwise spook a bird they'll stay on him until they seal the deal. All of this to ensure the birds don't become educated.

I'm willing to bet hunter pressure ranks higher on the list of reasons for tight lipped birds than other predators. We've all seen guys walking logging roads with a box call, sometimes even before the season opens. It doesn't take too many interactions like that to shut them up.

 

[Gator]

Well I heard one this morning. Gobbled a good 20 times before he flew down and shut up (presumably mating his hens). Guess I'll find out tomorrow morning when season opens.

 

[HB_Hunter]

I was out at the farm a couple weeks ago and they were gobbling like crazy. I heard 5 or 6 different birds. I went back on Monday morning and didn’t hear a thing.

I read an article that mapped peak gobbling and clearly showed two periods a few years ago. Basically, there was a peak early before breeding started and then it peaked again after breeding was cooling down.

I’ll be in the woods tomorrow morning and hope to hear some gobbling.

 

[Drycreek]

Who knows what's in a turkey's little pea brain ? I just know I like hunting them, especially with a bow, about as well (or more) than eating them !

My buddy and I were supposed to leave last Monday and go west to hunt, but he got bitten on his forehead by something (we still don't know what) and we had to cancel. I have eye surgery next Monday and a follow-up on Tuesday, and if he's better, we're leaving Wednesday. Fortunately for us, the hunt is on private land owned by a guy on TexasBowHunter.com, and we make our own schedule. Turkey season doesn't close until May 12 so we should be able to make it happen.

 

[deer patch]

Even when the gobblers are with the hens they will still gobble when called to but the hens will lead them away from you. The gobblers here gobbled two days before season but got quite since. I heard one gobble around 8:00 AM on Monday and he took a ride in the truck that day but I haven't heard another gobble since. On Tuesday I saw two hens and they seemed to be looking for a gobbler and Thursday I saw a different hen and she was alone also but just feeding along in a plot.

I have had pictures of coyotes and turkeys in the same frame and the turkeys hold there ground. I trap every winter and I am still loosing the battle to get a hatch or at least on camera.

Good luck to all that's going hunting tomorrow..