catman529
Well-Known Member
from sunrise to about 4pm this bird was gobbling. Sometimes he might go 15 min or an hour between gobbles and sometimes he would gobble hard. Responded well to loud aggressive cutts and sometimes yelping.
I was on the WMA and this bird was on private property the whole time. I tried my hardest to get him to come over. I was in the woods mostly and he was in or across a field mostly. I'd call, he'd answer, I'd sit and wait. Sometimes he'd be further away, sometimes he'd go quiet for a while, and sometimes it sounded like he was coming straight to me. I even had two hens come in very close in the woods. And met the strangest turkey hunter... More like a guy new to tennessee wearing no shirt or camo, carrying a mossy with a mod choke, who knew next to nothing about turkeys. He even was wearing earplugs in case he had to shoot - he didn't know a bird was hammering till he took them out and I made some cutts on the tube call and the bird hammered. Crazy the people you can meet. He was a nice guy but had no clue what he was doing.
anyway, back on topic - this bird finally seemed to be coming closer early afternoon. Went silent for a little and when he hammered again he was off to the left. I plowed through woods and made it to the bird. I was in a CRP type area on the WMA and he was just byond the barbed fence on private land. Gobbled good. So close I could hear it resonate in his chest and I could hear him spit. Tried to get a peek around one of the red cedars along the fence. Hen putted and took off. Bird still hammered. Another hen yelped and I tried to talk back but she wouldnt come check me out. Gobbler was locked with her. He was easily within range of the fence - maybe 20 yd judging by the sound - but due to foliage I never did see him. Some would have just shot over the fence - it was tempting, yes - but I had to wait and see if he'd come onto my side. There was enough gap in the fence for a turkey to cross. Well the cows that were on the private land came over and took the turkeys place. Each gobble I heard was farther away. Went back to car for water and gear and headed back out to the same spot around 445pm. No gobbles, just cows. A disappointment for sure. But on the bright side, I'm meeting turkeyburd in the morning to try and tag out with a private land bird.
I was on the WMA and this bird was on private property the whole time. I tried my hardest to get him to come over. I was in the woods mostly and he was in or across a field mostly. I'd call, he'd answer, I'd sit and wait. Sometimes he'd be further away, sometimes he'd go quiet for a while, and sometimes it sounded like he was coming straight to me. I even had two hens come in very close in the woods. And met the strangest turkey hunter... More like a guy new to tennessee wearing no shirt or camo, carrying a mossy with a mod choke, who knew next to nothing about turkeys. He even was wearing earplugs in case he had to shoot - he didn't know a bird was hammering till he took them out and I made some cutts on the tube call and the bird hammered. Crazy the people you can meet. He was a nice guy but had no clue what he was doing.
anyway, back on topic - this bird finally seemed to be coming closer early afternoon. Went silent for a little and when he hammered again he was off to the left. I plowed through woods and made it to the bird. I was in a CRP type area on the WMA and he was just byond the barbed fence on private land. Gobbled good. So close I could hear it resonate in his chest and I could hear him spit. Tried to get a peek around one of the red cedars along the fence. Hen putted and took off. Bird still hammered. Another hen yelped and I tried to talk back but she wouldnt come check me out. Gobbler was locked with her. He was easily within range of the fence - maybe 20 yd judging by the sound - but due to foliage I never did see him. Some would have just shot over the fence - it was tempting, yes - but I had to wait and see if he'd come onto my side. There was enough gap in the fence for a turkey to cross. Well the cows that were on the private land came over and took the turkeys place. Each gobble I heard was farther away. Went back to car for water and gear and headed back out to the same spot around 445pm. No gobbles, just cows. A disappointment for sure. But on the bright side, I'm meeting turkeyburd in the morning to try and tag out with a private land bird.
