Calling in a Tom

[Dr. Evil]

I hunt in Menard County and have never tried to call in a Tom. What is the best time of day to try? Any other techniques anyone care to share?

Thanks

[bowhunterhelm]

Locate them in the evening when they go to roost. Use a locator call and find out where they are roosting. Slip in while it’s still dark the next morning and set up some decoys. Start calling when the sun comes up. Good luck.

[darralld]

If they start going the other direction make a loop around them & get in front. It's harder to get them to turn around & come back to you.

[JB_Archery]

Some good advice from others... big thing I would say is don’t over call. If you have them committed let them come in and be patient until it sounds like they decommit. If I have within 150 yards I’m probably letting them come without calling again

[CabezaBlanca]

Some good advice from others... big thing I would say is don’t over call. If you have them committed let them come in and be patient until it sounds like they decommit. If I have within 150 yards I’m probably letting them come without calling again

Good advice here. I call about every 15 minutes. If I get nothing in 45 minutes I move to my next spot. And just because you don't get a response after you call doesn't mean squat. I've had them show up after 44 minutes without a sound.

[darralld]

Some good advice from others... big thing I would say is don’t over call. If you have them committed let them come in and be patient until it sounds like they decommit. If I have within 150 yards I’m probably letting them come without calling again

Yep, probably the #1 mistake people make. Once the turkey hears you he has you position pinpointed. Also if he has hens purr call to them. Try and get the hens coming your way.

[Wil Taylor]

Yep, probably the #1 mistake people make. Once the turkey hears you he has you position pinpointed. Also if he has hens purr call to them. Try and get the hens coming your way.

If you have hens the toms will show up. I hunt in Menard too, and I have killed toms with zero communication and I’ve killed them with them gobbling for 3-400 yards away. Just be patient and I’ve called and killed them all times of the day.

[Acameron52]

If you’re hunting off the ground don’t move too much!! Once that tom locates you he’s headed your way. Don’t try to outsmart him, it will bite you in the but.

[Charrison]

My favorite way to hunt them is to sleep in. Have a good breakfast, cup of coffee and lounge a bit.
About 10, when the hens start to break off and head to nests, go for a stroll along the edges of thick cover. Call every couple hundred yards and be ready to set up in a hurry if one sounds off. Mid-morning is a great time to call a Tom in and a relaxing way to hunt!
If a Tom is henned up in the morning and won't come, start calling the boss hen. Mimic her call for call- I've shot many a Tom by calling in the boss hen with him in tow.

[Gary Roberson]

I live here in Menard County but don't hunt them like most folks. Sleep in and leave the roost alone but know the direction they travel when leaving the roost. Set up in the direction that the birds WANT to go.
Leave the decoys at the house. Wind is generally a problem this time of year and I have had decoys blowing over spooking more turkeys than helping lure them.
Learn how to yelp on a box, diaphragm or slate call. If you can yelp, you can call a turkey.
Be patient and set up where the gobbler has to look for you (scattered cover).
If he is coming don't make another sound.
Raise your gun when he's behind cover or if he is in the open, wait until he's in full strut then raise your gun. This should cause him to come out of strut and raise his head before he runs or flies. Either way, you should have a couple of counts and that's all the time you need to kill him.
Aim the shotgun at the neck and I mean aim it like a rifle. The majority of the shot should be in upper part of the pattern.
Remember that a turkey is not dead until you are closing the oven door on him.
Adios,
Gary

[Lynn21]

Great advice here, I’ve been there, trust me- DON’T OVERCALL A TOM.

[texan16]

I live here in Menard County but don't hunt them like most folks. Sleep in and leave the roost alone but know the direction they travel when leaving the roost. Set up in the direction that the birds WANT to go.
Leave the decoys at the house. Wind is generally a problem this time of year and I have had decoys blowing over spooking more turkeys than helping lure them.
Learn how to yelp on a box, diaphragm or slate call. If you can yelp, you can call a turkey.
Be patient and set up where the gobbler has to look for you (scattered cover).
If he is coming don't make another sound.
Raise your gun when he's behind cover or if he is in the open, wait until he's in full strut then raise your gun. This should cause him to come out of strut and raise his head before he runs or flies. Either way, you should have a couple of counts and that's all the time you need to kill him.
Aim the shotgun at the neck and I mean aim it like a rifle. The majority of the shot should be in upper part of the pattern.
Remember that a turkey is not dead until you are closing the oven door on him.
Adios,
Gary

VERY GOOD Advice. I like to use my decoys though as much as the wind will let me. If the wind is blowing them around, def leave them in the bag.

[32drawlength]

2 posts about sleeping in & then going out around 10 am....best advice

Walk & call, be mobile as they said


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[12thman]

How you set up when you find a gobbler is also important. Make sure you have a backstop, usually a tree trunk, so you can be comfortable and stable without much movement, and a line of sight where you can see him before he is right on top of you. It also helps if you have some scattered obstructions (bushes, etc.) in case you need to adjust you can move when he walks behind them. I use a small set of shooting sticks to rest the gun on so I don't have to support the barrel. I can shoot with just the trigger hand if necessary.

I had two encounters this past weekend and went 1/2. The first was hung up on the fence line and I had to keep switching my shotgun back and forth each time he paced behind the push in front of me 15 yards. He finally made the mistake and crossed the fence into range.

The second bird was on me pretty quick and I was forced to set up in a pretty thick area without much line of sight. I got him in pretty close but he couldn't see me and I couldn't see him so after several attempts he moved on. Sometimes its just bad timing and location.

[WildThings]

Remember that a turkey is not dead until you are closing the oven door on him.
Adios,
Gary

Some great tips but that line is killer!!