April 2023 - 29

resting it on an upright knee. A bird catching
you with the shotgun on the ground drops
the odds to zero of raising and shooting fast
enough. I've never been able to master calling
with a mouth diaphragm. Those who can are
able to call while in position to shoot without
moving. I've mastered using a box call, but it
demands me to be cautious about movement.
Basic calls are easy to master.
Many turkey hunting videos
can help you with the skills to
bring in birds. What they can't
teach you is when to call and
when not to.
Understand that hunt-savvy long beards
won't necessarily gobble approaching a
setup. Like bull elk coming to a call they
can approach like ghosts, suddenly appearing
with only a bright-red head peering over
some brush. It's a cat-and-mouse game then,
especially if they unexpectedly come in from
the side. You'll sense them in your peripheral
vision and you can't turn your head. Sit tight
and let them make the move. They think a
hen is there and will move to find her. I've had
them walk in a complete circle around me.
While patterning elk is sometimes possible,
it's a regular strategy in turkey hunting. It's
called putting them to bed. Turkeys roost
nightly in trees, and locating that tree can
be an advantage. After gobblers have gone
to roost, call to find their location. Then it's
simple. Rise long before daylight and silently
set up near the roost. You'll hear gobblers
sounding off in the dim light of morning,
and if you're close enough you'll hear them
fly down. Patience is required. A couple of
soft purrs will do. If you're lucky, a gobbler
or gobblers will come lookin' for love.
This situation also can be incredibly frustrating.
Hens regularly roost close to gobblers,
and the old adage, " a bird in hand, " plays
out. Gobblers who can see a hen will woo
her instead of chasing even the most seductive
sounds of a hen he can't see. Regularly,
there are six to 10 hens together and several
gobblers try to impress and breed the hens.
Once hens are bred, they leave to lay an egg
in their nest. Hens lay 10-12 eggs during a
Camouflage is key for hunters who seek turkeys, but even the best camouflage doesn't always work.
two-week period, and incubation begins when
the last egg is laid. Sometimes it takes several
hours before the hens disperse to their nests,
prompting gobblers to search for other hens.
That leads me to sage wisdom my turkey
hunting partner Rolly Jurgens discovered. We
used to be in the turkey woods well before
daylight. Now, Jurgens doesn't leave the house
until about 9 a.m. " Think about it, " he said.
" When the gobblers fly down they immediately
go where they see hens. Only after
the hens disperse will they go looking for
more romance. If they answer my calls they're
looking for love in the wrong place, " he said.
Jurgens knows more about turkey hunting
than I ever will. His strategy has merit, and it
works for him. I've had lots of luck putting
them to bed and scoring first thing in the
morning. Also, I've sat frustrated with gobblers
and hens dancing at a distance ignoring
my calls.
Wyoming Wildlife | 29

April 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of April 2023