# crazy hens !!!!!



## Whateversbitn (Mar 2, 2008)

I got 2 birds to gobble great this morning, however, as soon as I started to call with a quiet tree call, the hens went absolutely ballistic! I tried to mimic their calls, but I was no match for the real deal. As soon as they hit the ground the girls took the guys as far away as possible. They contracted a bad case of lockjaw and that was all she wrote! I am still hoping I can find a suicidal 2 year old bird to come to the dekes. I think I will have better luck toward the end of the season. Good luck all!

Whateversbitn (or gobblin)


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## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

Aren't we all looking for suicidal birds!? Where in the state was this?


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## Whateversbitn (Mar 2, 2008)

Licking County, near Alexandria. I'll be there in the morning.


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## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

Awesome, know much about the area north of there (sportsmans club, northridge)? I will be there friday.


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## zap (Jun 5, 2005)

Don't always be quick to give up when hens run off with the talking gobblers. After a couple hours....the hens slip off and you might find those gobblers coming back looking for that lone hen. 

Also, don't forget that there are often subordinate toms around that arn't gobbling at all...that might take an hour or longer to slip in on you. Sometimes thes are bigger birds too. 

One thing I never do is pressure henned up birds. If I can't break them away first thing off the roost....I"ll back off. I'll call lightly now and then...but not much. Just a cluck and purr every 15 minutes or so at most. Then after a couple hours....I'll open back up with some cutting or yelps. You'll be surprised how often one of those gobblers is back in the area and willing to not only talk, but come to the call. If I don't hear anything...I quietly back out and realize tomorrow...or the next day...or the day after that...those birds will hit the ground and come my direction if I don't pressure them too hard.


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## ThunderHawk7 (May 3, 2004)

Great Call Zap!!!!

I was calling for a friend of mine on Monday as I had my bird in the truck already...We had Three Toms come back into the area where we were sitting where I shot my bird earlier. I was able to see FIRST hand why the subordinates DON'T gooble. The dominant gobbler in the group was in the front of the line...I started purrrrrrin real soft and pretty like...Well he stopped and goobbled..so did the one third in line....He finished his throaty gobble and proceeded to, in a calm manner walk up to the other bird that gobbled...and wing slap him a couple times and added a spur for good measure...I so wished I could have laughed out loud!!!! We were unable to get them to come in any closer but the show was definitely worth it....LOL

Good Luck and Be safe out there guys,

Hawk


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## Whateversbitn (Mar 2, 2008)

Good tip zap. My big problem is that I have to leave the woods by 7:30 on week days to go to work. Last year my buddy and I had to bear crawl out of the area and leave 2 nice toms struttin below us. Man that was hard to do! We got it all on video, it was really cool. I watched 5 birds hit the ground this morning and head the opposite direction. I will be able to stay all day on Saturday. Can't wait! Be safe and good luck.

Whateversbitn


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## zap (Jun 5, 2005)

Yeah well...I've been skunked about every way possible by these poor defenseless little birds (sarcasm added) 8)

I've had a number of times when I locked down on a bird and it took the third or fourth day before I was able to get him to break away from the hens. One bird in particular --a boss gobbler-- took three full weeks hunting about 5 mornings a week before we got him. Turned out...there was a single hen there without a nest....all the biggest birds in the area were hung up on that hen for three seasons!

Watch for birds slipping in that act like they want to fan out...but suddenly clamp that tail down tight....there is a BIG boy around someplace...sometimes you'll hear or see him...and sometimes you won't!

Good luck guys.... I certainly feel your pain about being screwed up by work. I"ve not been out since last Saturday with my boy. Called in a hell of a good gobbler for him....but it came in on the wrong side of the tree ---twice an hour apart! (called him away from a hen yelpin her head off 30 yards ahead of him....called him 100 yards down the hill too!) 

I passed Monday for a better day on Tuesday...then got called in to work Monday night (get off at 8a). I was going to go today...but didn't get home from work last night til 330 this morning. I guess I'll be a Saturday baby myself! Lets hope for good weather!


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