Here's the deal ( The way I see it) It takes alot of leg work to find good toms that can be hunted (private & public spots). The flocks don't move a great distance come spring anyway. The Toms pretty much stay between water & nesting areas. Spring time Toms just guard "their area". Overlapping "areas" is where you will get YOUR Tom.
People are protective of what/where they find birds. It only makes it harder when the lottery boxes people out of a hunting period they want. It doesn't take a whole of calling & early morning pressure to shut the toms down & drive hens out of the area.
The hardests places to hunt are public( WMA) because those birds get called to day after day. Starting well before the season by new callers practicing. Not that their calling is bad but more like all over the place with clucks, purrs, yelps etc.with box calls, mouth calls, slate, shakers.
How many times do you think a tom will come to nothing?
Hope you have a great season but try & get out to locate some birds now. Then pin point their home range next month. It can be just road spoting for now
Don't worry if you are only seeing hens because the Toms are there!
