Dealing with Hens

 

A tom’s springtime lust for hens dulls his razor sharp survival instinct and allows us to call him in, but sometimes it keeps him out of range because he won’t leave the hen he’s with to come to our call. Decades ago in the early days of the wild turkey restoration a tom had to walk for miles, filling the woods with his boastful gobbles to find a mate. Now with turkey numbers so high, he more than likely wakes up with roosting hens nearby. And that’s where the trouble starts for spring turkey hunters. Although a tom may gobble to every call we make he won’t leave the ladybirds he’s with.

Here is how to tell if tom stealing hens are horning in on your hunt.

1. When a tom gobbles on roost and stops gobbling right after flying down, he’s already with his gal or gals.

2. A hen yelping and cutting near a gobbler is either with him already or on her way to join him.

3. A tom that gobbles to your call but gets farther away with each gobble is being led away by a jealous hen.

4. A tom that gobbles to your call but never gets any closer is probably with hens in a feeding area.

Get tips for how to overcome those thieving hens and steal back your tom in  “How to Hunt the Wild Turkey”.

Details on e-book page or available on Amazon Kindle