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Sealin’ the Deal with the Purr “YOUR ADVENTURES” w/ Shane Simpson

Shane Simpson of CallingAllTurkeys.com brings you this video blog!

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Photo Credit: NWTF

Dylan waits patiently as the darkness retreats from the rising sun and before long, the familiar sound of a spring gobble breaks the morning silence. The gobbler is roosted a mere 100 yards away but it’s not by luck that Dylan is here. He has logged many hours scouting the land, discovering the recent turkey scratchings and droppings in the woods, spending numerous evenings watching the turkeys feed in neighboring fields before fly up time and preseason mornings just listening as the area’s gobblers announce their location. Because of all his hard work, Dylan is now in a position to possibly harvest another spring bird. When he makes his first call, a few soft tree yelps, the gobbler eagerly responds. The gobbler seems to be alone and gobbles at Dylan’s every call. It’s not long before his gobbles indicate that he is on the ground and heading Dylan’s way. When the young hunter makes a few more yelps, the gobbler hammers back. Judging by the volume, the gobbler has to be within sight by now but Dylan’s eyes fail to locate the bird. He makes a few more yelps and for the first time, the gobbler doesn’t respond. Dylan’s eyes now race back and forth, scanning the woods but he cannot find the gobbler. Just when he starts thinking that maybe the gobbler is hung up or has been intercepted by real hens, a slow moving object catches Dylan’s eye. It’s the gobbler and he’s a big ol’ boy too! Dylan can tell that this old bird has been around a few years as he is cautiously makes his way closer. The excitement is beginning to get the best of Dylan though, and he can barely keep steady as the gobbler nears. “Keep it together”, Dylan thinks to himself and just when he is almost in shotgun range, the gobbler stops and raises his neck, searching for the hen that has lured him here. The gobbler will not take another step closer until he is sure it is safe.

Dylan is relatively new to turkey hunting but he has been at it long enough to allow for him to hunt unassisted and still have success from time to time. An opening day bird had fallen to Dylan’s gun but this isn’t opening day. It’s the last day of the season and Dylan still has an unused tag in his pocket. His next decision can make all the difference in weather or not the hunt goes his way. What would you do if you were in Dylan’s situation? Would you remain quiet hoping the bird’s curiosity would get the better of him? Would you try a shot that was a few yards farther than what your patterning sessions had determined to be your gun’s maximum range or would you give a few soft yelps? After all, yelping is what had lured the gobbler this far so why not continue to yelp? If your answer was to give some soft purrs and clucks instead, then you may have just made the right decision.

I’ve called in numerous birds over the years and although I’ve been able to cutt, yelp and cackle my way to a gobbler’s heart, the purr has accounted for more successful hunts than I can recall. It’s not only a call that may be heard when turkeys are feeding but can also be considered a comfort call of sorts. Turkeys often produce this call when in close proximity to each other and it can put an otherwise wary turkey at ease. So when a gobbler stops short on your next hunt, throw a few “purrs” his way. It says to him, “How you doing? Everything is okay and the grass and bugs over here are delicious. Come on over an try some.” Odds are that the gobbler will commit almost instantly. When he does, quit calling and when he stops, purr some more. There is no need in calling to a bird that is walking toward you unless you have to. Don’t believe that the “purr” is an effective tool? Well, check out the video below for a couple of examples of the “purr” at its finest. The next time you have a gobbler heading your way and is reluctant to close the distance, seal the deal with this tried and true call.

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