It could be one of the greater challenges in the sporting universe. “Ain’t nothin’ like the real thing baby.” You, a mysterious, fake hen who fails repeatedly to show herself, is supposed to draw attention from a gobbler in the catbird seat. Especially early, male birds will always entertain an opportunity for more hens (i.e. – “you”), they just tend not to go very far or even offer many clues to their interest. That said, for the early season hunters facing big flocks and henned-up toms, there’s a few things you can try to tip the odds in your favor.
Start Small
Consider it the first day of school, and you’re making friends. Don’t start the conversation with a drop kick off the swingset, followed by a shouting match with the recess ring-leader. Go small to begin with. Maybe some scant tree talk, leading in to a hat or wing-simulated fly down. A few yelps here and there, but mostly clucks and some purrs. Be interesting, but not a suspect of interest. Blend-in, and simply be another one of the group. Hens offer subtle clues and especially body language when visible. Usually you’ll know how accepting they are if your scouting and roosting activity has put you in a good position.
Introduce Yourself
Eventually small talk has to give way to a real introduction. As much to the lead hen running the show as to the bird you hope to bag. Still, try to stay within the bounds of the general attitude that morning, at least at first. Eventually if nobody is talking, you need to put yourself out there with some more excited yelping and carrying on. Don’t interpret that as top-end and constant cutting, but hopefully as any other hen excited to wake up.
Pick a Fight
Getting on a fellow hen’s nerves is one of the best ways to bring the boys into range. It’s usually pretty simple, but is far from foolproof. Nobody likes a copycat, and I’ve had the best luck mimicking what the lead hen says, to a “T.” The better you can recreate her cadence, pitch, and overall sound, note-for-note, the better this seems to work. Get her talking and get her walking is the best rule of thumb I can offer. When she starts looking for you, or if you feel her slipping away, start stepping on her calls. Amp it up by cutting her off, then calling longer and louder.
It’s important to note that this may work like a charm, without ever drawing the tom into range immediately. For that reason, it’s absolutely imperative that you’re comfortable, well-hid, and ready to have a hen mere steps away from you for an indefinite period of time. Some of the worst standoffs I’ve ever had with turkeys have been with gobblers that approach slow behind their hens that are literally at my feet. Talk abut being handcuffed.
Stay in Their “Back Pocket”
Perhaps the best tip that was ever given me by an old tymey woodsman style turkey hunter, was to “stay in their back pocket.” Birds will move throughout the day, sometimes great distances on their own without harassment. You start threatening a lead hen as a new jenny, and you’re likely to increase the speed and distance with which the group will travel. That’s doubly true if you’re really leaning on them with the calling, after failing to pick a fight. This could also be one of the tougher ways to kill a tom with hens early, as vegetation has barely afforded you the cover to sneak around at this point of the season. Drop back if you have to, and use terrain to end-around them such that they’re working your general direction. No matter what, stay in their back pocket and follow them around as long as you can get away with it. Good things happen when you’re at least near their bubble.
Last-Ditch Efforts
Harold Knight and David Hale pioneered the fighting purr call years ago now. It was a double plunger style pushpin call that mimicked two hens really having it out, but I was never talented enough to run it well. Instead, I utilize a mouth call as one hen, and a slate call as hen #2, mimicking that same fighting purr. I’ve observed many times a schoolyard style hen fight where gobblers RUN to the edge of the ring and gobble profusely at the hens that are sparring. While that tactic works occasionally, what I can tell you is that when it does work, it really works and will always be something to keep deep in your bag of tricks when you need it. Many times now I’ve had toms abandon their hens and literally come running like something out of a game call commercial. Still more times I’ve completely boogered the birds that were not prepared for that kind of racket. Utilize it as the hero-or-zero tactic that it is.
Say you’re not practiced up enough on the calling to try that fighting purr, maybe the best thing you can do is to stay in their back pocket while calling occasionally. I can say that in all the drawn out hen fights and grouped up gobbler blues I’ve withstood over the years, when I do kill a tom in that situation it’s almost rare when it’s the bird I was after. More often, it’s a completely different bird that shows up unannounced, off to the side and from a completely different direction than I had intended. Many more times yet, jakes show up in force provided the lead birds are working off or out of range. Old birds and young alike don’t want the big fight with 2 and 3 year olds, so they approach cautiously and quietly. For that reason, stick tight, be vigilant, and keep at it throughout the day. You never know when a tom quietly loses interest in his existing game, to start a new one.
Photo Credit - Matt Addington Photography