Matt Fruge’ finds Sherburne WMA’s gobblers skittish, so he moves into his setup as quietly as possible.
“The birds where I am hunting are usually roosted over water,” Fruge’ said. “They’ll fly down on the (water’s) edge and walk around the area, picking up small crawfish and snails. They’ll also be working the water grass.”
And the birds are often in no hurry to hit the ground.
“I’ve had them stay in the tree until 8 a.m. or so before coming down,” Fruge’ said. “They’re cautious at times, probably because of the pressure due to scouting and hunting.”
Fruge’s main calling routine is to start with yelps and clucks emitted from an Old Lynch box call he has been using for 20 years.
Other calls he uses include Knight & Hale’s Ol’ Yeller slate and H&S Strut’s Split V diaphragms.
“Once I get the gobbler’s attention and I see what he wants, I’ll continue with that call,” said Fruge’. “Most of the time, I usually try to stay with the box or slate, but when they close in I’ll switch to the diaphragm because of less movement when using it.”
Regardless, he’s spare with calling.
“I’ll try not to over call,” he said. “These birds are easily spooked, and overcalling can make them even more wary.”
Opelousas’ Scott Pitre recommends soft and sweet calls — very slight yelps, clucks and purrs in the morning.
When he has to however, he will turn up the volume, depending on the temperament of the gobbler.
“I will do some cuttin’ and runnin’ on a box call at mid-morning,” Pitre said. “Certainly, if you can get a gobbler’s attention at mid-morning with some loud yelping on a box call, that bird will most likely come in.”
Pitre uses most varieties of calls to include box call, slates and diaphragms.
Fruge’ also stays away from decoys.
“I hunt as light as I can there,” Fruge’ said. “If I have to pick up and move quickly, I won’t have to take the time to pick up decoys.”
