Turkey question

Was wondering if Tom’s only gobble on the roost in the spring or do they all year?

Second question
Want to buy a locator call for turkey’s. Was thinking crow would be best? Any comments would be great. I hunt in southern mn Rochester area FYI

I have heard them “shock gobble” in the fall to the report of shotguns while waterfowl hunting, but I believe for the most part it is a spring thing.

I like my crow locator and it does work well during day light, but in the early morning before the crows are awake the owl call is by far my favorite. I carry both of them all the time and use them when the time is right.

It may sound weird but one of the best locater calls I’ve found is a wood duck call. One morning I was set up near a small creek and each time a wood duck would call all the toms would shock gobble. Went home and dug out a old call and have used it ever sense.

Watching Avian X the other week on the pursuit channel, and oh Fred Zink was using a short reed goose call to locate toms on the roost. Roch would be a perfect place to try this out.

Toms will gobble all year, but it definitely is far more prevalent in the spring time. In the spring, toms are more likely not just to gobble on the roost, but during the entire day.

As far as turkey locator calls, that’s a tough question. Most hunters carry at least one, and a good crow-call is right up there. That said, crows are exceedingly common in most parts of the nation, and I’ve seen places where toms won’t gobble at a crow unless it’s cawing and dive-bombing it. I’ve seen other areas where toms will gobble everytime at every crow. It’s really about the volume IMO.

That said, I carry two calls, a quaker boy crankin’ crow and a Hook’s Custom Harrison’s Hoot Stick, synthetic version. That owl call is one of the few that does volume well and still sounds realistic. I seem to have the best luck with that call no matter where I hunt. Out west, I usually have a coyote howler. Around our neck of the woods, I’ve actually shut off a fair amount of birds, but out there, it drives Merriam’s birds nuts.

Joel

I have heard them gobble all year, even to thunder but by far the most in spring. I use an old bugle and blow as hard as I can and it does the trick almost every time.

I have the primos three in one. yote ,woodpecker and Peecock. They respond to all. I will use the crow call most times but fall back the 3 in 1 when they do not respond. Also remember like Joel said above about the crows dive bombing and crowing above. When you see this out hunting 9 out of 10 times there are turkeys below them. I use this all time to find the birds you don’t always have to hear them. You see and hear the crows go to that spot if they are on your land. I have taken many birds this way. Know you land on how to get there with out being seen.
One more thing I just use my voice for the owl call in the morning and that sure will get them going if they are willing.

I get a lot of gobble responses to a coyote howler horn call. It is very loud and ear piercing. Another call I like is the Canadian goose honk call. It seems to work well in the spring when a lot of calls wont get a response.
I have heard and seen tom’s and jake’s gobble in the fall. While on roost some gobbles can be heard. Shock gobbling to a variety of natures noises. But, when the flock lands in the morning and they are establishing their pecking order that’s when I have heard the most gobbling in the fall. Still, there is no comparison between the amount of gobbles in the fall versus spring. In the spring they just go crazy.
I was helping my father-in-law clean out his fathers old barn this last winter. While cleaning I found an old “AarroooogA” horn. I hooked it up and it still worked. So I installed it on my 2006 F150 under the hood nice and neatly, hiding the wiring and hooking it down securely. I put a push button on the dash so I can reach it with ease. I play it quite often like when I see a friend aside the road. My kids just love it, but you should see some of the looks I get. My dad, who left this world 5 years ago now, had one of these when I was a youngster. I remember it to be a source of entertainment for me, and a annoyance to many others. Great memories. Anyway, I found that it works very well for locating turkeys in the spring from the road and make them shock gobble. There is nobody in my area that uses a “AarrooogA” horn, maybe it could be an advantage. Two bird’s, one horn if you know what I mean.
Whitetail Strategies Guide Service
Fred Scott

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