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I mentioned somewhere that the way to get a bird into gun range is to be quiet. Of course you have to call enough that a gobbler knows where you are, but keep in mind, seemingly, a single series of calls and that bird knows within a matter of feet where you are located. If he gobbles, he is coming unless the real thing takes him away. That is most likely to happen right at fly down. Calling is fun because it often makes them respond verbally, but remember if he's talking, he's usually not walking.
With this in mind I have nearly stopped using a diaphragm call completely. With the dang things in my mouth, I am tempted to call too often. I now use a slate when I want to kill a turkey. When they are close I'm generally afraid to make the move to call. It's proven itself deadly over the years. In fact, I'm so confident in the less is more technique that I feel almost certain when I get one to gobble, I'll kill it if I chose to. It's not arrogance, it's just the way things work with turkeys IMO, patience kills 'em dead.
After I shot yesterday morning, I dug around in my pocket and whipped out a diaphragm to fool with the two remaining jakes as they scattered. They came right back in because their little turkey minds can only process that there is another live turkey there even though they just heard a thunderous roar. They haven't got a clue what a gunshot is! As they scattered, I cut at 'em. They stopped, and for the next two hours I had 'em hanging around, inside of gun range mostly. The little video I attached is their first return trip up to me after I shot their fearless leader. Anyone that watches will notice the birds are within 10 yds of me until I call to them. Even though I haven't used a diaphragm call forever and I'm not nearly as smooth as I was when I used them religiously, I don't think my calling is why they walk off....they expected the other turkey to join them and move on down the ridge. When I sat quietly, they repeatedly walked right back up within yards of me over the course of the next two hours. I would let them walk off, call, and they would stand and gobble. After 15 minutes or so, here they would come, right back up to me. This repeated itself half a dozen times! To me, it was a good example of how turkey calling works. Too much, and they walk away. Very little, and they come in. Don't answer every gobble if you want to see them! If you are not interested in shooting, call all you want to make 'em gobble. It's fun either way.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3q1VjkdgOx8
With this in mind I have nearly stopped using a diaphragm call completely. With the dang things in my mouth, I am tempted to call too often. I now use a slate when I want to kill a turkey. When they are close I'm generally afraid to make the move to call. It's proven itself deadly over the years. In fact, I'm so confident in the less is more technique that I feel almost certain when I get one to gobble, I'll kill it if I chose to. It's not arrogance, it's just the way things work with turkeys IMO, patience kills 'em dead.
After I shot yesterday morning, I dug around in my pocket and whipped out a diaphragm to fool with the two remaining jakes as they scattered. They came right back in because their little turkey minds can only process that there is another live turkey there even though they just heard a thunderous roar. They haven't got a clue what a gunshot is! As they scattered, I cut at 'em. They stopped, and for the next two hours I had 'em hanging around, inside of gun range mostly. The little video I attached is their first return trip up to me after I shot their fearless leader. Anyone that watches will notice the birds are within 10 yds of me until I call to them. Even though I haven't used a diaphragm call forever and I'm not nearly as smooth as I was when I used them religiously, I don't think my calling is why they walk off....they expected the other turkey to join them and move on down the ridge. When I sat quietly, they repeatedly walked right back up within yards of me over the course of the next two hours. I would let them walk off, call, and they would stand and gobble. After 15 minutes or so, here they would come, right back up to me. This repeated itself half a dozen times! To me, it was a good example of how turkey calling works. Too much, and they walk away. Very little, and they come in. Don't answer every gobble if you want to see them! If you are not interested in shooting, call all you want to make 'em gobble. It's fun either way.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3q1VjkdgOx8
