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It’s one of the most perplexing situations in turkey hunting. One day you hit the woods early to hunt or maybe just scout and you’re greeted by the gobble of not one, but several birds. You’re in a hot spot, you can feel it. 

Return to the same place maybe just a day or two later and nothing. You don’t even hear the first gobble. What happened? It’s a question that even top wild turkey biologists haven’t been able to agree on. Whether it’s the stage of the breeding season, hunter pressure, fear of predators, too many hens or the fear of a dominant gobbler in the area keeping these turkeys silent, two things are certain: One, every hunter is going to encounter days when the birds aren’t gobbling. 

And, two, when they’re not, he or she can still be successful. "Without a doubt, finding spring gobblers when they are not in the mood to talk has to be one of the most frustrating situations turkey hunters face," writes Turkey Call Editor Jay Langston. "I’ll admit, it’s not as much fun as working a bird that gobbles with every breath, but you don’t have to fold and toss in your hand. Just reassess the situation and play the cards you’re dealt." 

One of the top strategies Langston recommends when faced with silent birds begins with preseason scouting. If you know where gobblers have been hanging out during the day when feeding and looking for hens, odds are, they’re still in the area despite their reluctance to talk. 

Some light calling, a decoy or two (where legal) and a lot of patience can really pay off in these situations. Just set up and call sparingly and chances are, if a gobbler is alone and in search of hens, he’ll eventually come take a look. Because the gobbler will probably come sneaking in, it’s important to remember to sit as still as possible for as long as possible. 

"My own mistakes, like getting up and spooking a silent tom that’s on his way in, have taught me that patience will put more birds in the bag than running around the woods looking for a better spot," Langston said.