Q.Turkey Hunting & Breeding
Why do turkeys stop gobbling after being called to?
A.
A tom committing to a hen call often goes silent on the approach. He's heading to your position expecting a hen — gobbling now would announce his location to competitor toms. Going silent doesn't mean he lost interest; it usually means he's coming. Stay alert and stop calling.
The mistake hunters make is to call again after a few minutes of silence, assuming the tom went the other way. Aggressive calling at this point often pushes a committed bird off course or alerts him that something is wrong with the setup.
When a tom goes silent, hold position quietly for 20-30 minutes before re-calling. Many silent toms are inside 50 yards before the hunter realizes it. State turkey calendars time the most responsive phases.