Tips from the pros - Break the Rules with Chris Parrish

"Break the Rules" with Chris Parrish

“When I first started chasing longbeards, I strictly followed many of the so-called laws or golden rules of turkey hunting. As a result, my personal experiences, mistakes, and success in the field have taught me that many of these rules simply don’t hold water. For example, I had once read that a turkey hunter should never call directly to a hen that is accompanied by a longbeard. According to the theory, this will only trigger a jealous response that will cause the hen to lead the gobbler off in the opposite direction.

Consequently, I will admit there is some truth to this rule and the hen just might pull the longbeard directly away from your calling setup; however, turning up the heat and challenging the lead hen can also have the opposite effect. A lethal strategy is to call aggressively to the hen and initiate a heated argument. Cutting loudly, and even interrupting the hen as she responds, can create some intense action. You really can’t beat Knight & Hales Cranky Hen Mouth Call with this technique. This custom-cut call is easy to run and produces ultra-realistic cutts and yelps that will make a lead hen want to scratch your eyes out.

In most cases, the enraged hen will lead the lovesick gobbler right down your barrel as she attempts to challenge the new girl on the block. I have personally watched hens swell-up and march straight to my setup angrily yelping and cutting with every bold- legged step. This tactic has allowed me to drop a number of hard-to-handle longbeards that absolutely could not be sweet talked away from their hens." – Chris Parrish