# Michigan Spring Hunt Advise



## Bob1954 (Apr 22, 2009)

I have been turkey hunting for a couple of years and I have got Toms both years. This year so far has me stummped. Why are all the Toms running together ? They won't come to a call at all. They talk like a SOB when there in trees in the morning. Any advise her would sure help. 
Thank you , Bob
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## Chuck Smith (Feb 22, 2005)

Bob,

Welcome to turkey hunting. 

If it is anything like around my area you might be having a late spring. When this happens the birds stay grouped up longer. Toms will start to split off more later on in the spring. You will still have 2 1/2 year old birds hanging together but they will split once they start to fight and breed.

To let you know this past weekend is when they finally started to respond to calling.

What I do when this happens I try to pattern them. What that means is find where the hens are feeding or the strut zones of the toms and just set up there and wait.

This is how I got one of my birds last year.


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## Bob1954 (Apr 22, 2009)

Yesterday late morning on my way home from the woods. I seen about 15-20 Toms mosty jakes and acouple 8 inchers in a field . Today theres about 25 of them small Toms and jakes in that same field. So tommorrow I will setup on the edge where the pines meet the field. I may catch them comming thru there then. I want to thank you for the fast reply.Thanks again , Bob


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## Chuck Smith (Feb 22, 2005)

No problem. Always glad to help.

But yes I would set up in the field about an hour or so before the time you saw them or just set up right away in the morning. Get in there and just wait it out.

If you have a couple of decoys set them out. If you have a jake strutting decoy or any type of strutter decoy just set it out with a couple of hens. Once those long beards see those out there they will come a running in to check out the "new guy" in the neighborhood. Then it is lights out.

You don't have to call as much as you normally do. Just run a few clucks and yelps to let them know turkeys are out in that area. You don't need to do the aggressive calling like you would normally do.

Good luck and post a picture tomorrow after you connect with one. If not at least let me know how you did. :beer:


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## mnfshrman (Feb 21, 2006)

I've found the same thing here in North Central MN. They are very very late this year and the Toms are not talking much. Only early early morning and in the evening. Most of the Hens aren't ready yet, but I did get lucky and have one very aggresive come into the decoys with TOM on her tail.

David


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## Chuck Smith (Feb 22, 2005)

One thing you can do is if a tom has hens or a hen around him and will not come to your calling or decoys is get real nasty and aggressive towards the other hen or hens. Start aggressive cutting and loud yelping. You can call the hens to you in turn the tom will follow.

I told a friend I was calling for one time that I was going to call the two hens that were with the tom up to us. He looked at me like I was on crack. I said just watch. Started very aggressive yelps, cuts, cluck, etc. And about 15 mins later this was the result...


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## Bob1954 (Apr 22, 2009)

I got a Tom with 10 3/4 beard yesterday. He weighted almost 23 lbs. I never heard a word for1 1/2 hour. Then a hen was clucking down in the hard wqoods maybe 150 yards away. So I started talking too her. She finally came out and kept circling my decoys and putting. Then I heard another Hen from the same area and I called her up. She brought her boy friend with her. When she seen the 1st hen she got aggrassive with her talking. The tom still never said a word but kept maybe 5- 10 yards behind her. Finally she went around back of me maybe 12 yards . I kept watching for the Tom to come into my view. When he did I let him have it with my 10 gauge. He was about 20 yards away and piled right up. I was very happy and stunned at the same time. I have never before called in hens. Also the Toms in my area of Michigan still have lock jaw after they leave the trees. Now I have learned another lesson on Turkey hunting.


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## Chuck Smith (Feb 22, 2005)

Great story and congrats on the bird.

:beer:


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