When To Stop Calling | Turkey Hunting

Published on April 15, 2025
Duration: 3:31

This guide from Mossberg details crucial turkey hunting strategies focused on knowing when to stop calling. It emphasizes that ceasing calls can be as effective as making them, particularly when a bird is on the roost, hung up, or when hunting with limited cover. The instructor highlights that silence can pique a turkey's curiosity, prompting it to investigate and potentially move into shooting range.

Quick Summary

Knowing when to stop calling is a critical turkey hunting tactic. For birds on the roost, silence after a response can make them investigate. With hung-up gobblers, stopping calls can pique curiosity and draw them in. If cover is poor, silence prevents detection as the bird approaches, ensuring it enters gun range.

Chapters

  1. 00:00Introduction: Importance of Knowing When to Call
  2. 00:29Situation 1: Bird on the Roost
  3. 00:57Why Silence Works on the Roost
  4. 01:20Situation 2: Hung-Up Gobbler
  5. 01:36The Power of Silence for Hung Gobblers
  6. 02:04Situation 3: Lack of Cover
  7. 02:22Using Natural Cover to Your Advantage
  8. 02:44Conclusion: The Effectiveness of Stopping Calls

Frequently Asked Questions

When should a turkey hunter stop calling to a bird on the roost?

Once a turkey on the roost has responded to your calls and you know it hears you, it's often best to stop calling. Continuing to call might make the bird expect the hen to come to it, whereas silence can prompt it to fly down and search for the hen.

How can stopping calls help with a hung-up turkey?

If a turkey is responsive but won't close the final distance, going silent can be highly effective. The bird may become curious about the sudden lack of calling and decide to investigate, potentially moving into your shooting range.

Why is it important to stop calling if you have poor cover?

When hunting with limited cover, stopping your calls as a turkey approaches is crucial. This prevents the bird from pinpointing your exact location before it's within gun range, which could otherwise lead to it spotting you and leaving.

What is the benefit of using natural cover when a turkey is approaching?

Using natural features like root balls or deadfall can help. By positioning yourself so the turkey must move around an obstacle to see you, you can bring it into gun range as it expects to find a hen, rather than it hanging up in the timber.

More Hunting & Outdoors Videos You Might Like

More from MOSSBERG

View all →