Outdoor Truths
Gary Miller
As in any opening season, there are pros and cons concerning the effectiveness of early hunting. Turkey season is no different. Because they have had no hunter pressure, it can be somewhat easy to set up very close to their roost and call an unsuspecting gobbler into firing range. On the other hand there is what is known as a tom being henned up. Henned up means a tom is surrounded by hens and is very unlikely to leave them in order to come to where a hunter is set up. This happens a lot in the early season. It’s the old adage, a bird in the hand is better than two in the bush. And for a big gobbler, he is thinking, “ten hens next to me are better than two on the other end of the field.” There have been many hunters who have had to watch a field of turkeys fifty yards out of range simply because they were content to stay where they were. Another way a gobbler gets henned up is when a lone hen actively works to keep it from leaving her. In fact, she will purposefully lead her man in a completely different direction – away from you. I’m not sure if she senses danger or what, but I know she just doesn’t like what seems to be transpiring. Gary Miller Outdoor Truths Ministries
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