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I want to vomit...

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megalomaniac

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Located the boss on my side of the swamp while walking doing feeding and social calls. He answered 125yds away in the same spot I had called to him earlier.

I moved down the logging road parallel to him 100 yards where it makes a bend right toward him. Sat down off the road with a tree in front for additional cover and called. He answered, probably still on the limb at 8am. I got more aggressive, and he went nuts. I shut up and he started free gobbling. I let him think about it for a while, then cut him off the next time he gobbled.... that did it, he started my way. After 10 min, he gobbled 50 yards away, but to my right on the other side of the tree... way too thick to see more than 15 yards that way. I shifted over to that side and heard him spitting and drumming. Closer, closer, closer.... he's right on top of me. I now hear his drumming moving to the left 15yds out. I shift back to the left side, and see the top of his fan at 10 yds... safety was off a few minutes ago. He closes to 8 yards behind a clump of yaupon, then picks his head up. Thick brush, not sure if he picked me out (I didnt move a muscle) or if he was looking for the hen. I debate whether to take the shot, the he ran 2 steps and took flight.

He's a good one, really thick beard and certainly worthy of my last tag.... esp after that kind of hunt.

The pic is my view. If he read the script, he would have rounded the bend in the road 25yds away (far left of pic). Instead, he came thru the thick underbrush (wth??? ) and was directly behind the yaupon in the center of pic.

Going to take a while to get over this one, time for church
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Thick stuff can be so darn tricky, and frustrating, especially when they get in tight on you like this one did. I suspect he saw a "blob" (you) and that was enough for him to say see you later. I have had similar hunts where I knew (hoped) they would walk the logging road to me, but instead they march straight to me in the cut over. I was like you, WTH?? Every turkey is unique, you never know what they are capable of, or what they will do next. I'm referring to traditional hunting in the timber, such as what you are doing, and what you experienced this morning. These kinds of hunts make me want them more, so there is always good to come out of it, depending on how you look at it. I bet your adrenaline and heart beat was up there when he was that tight on you, spitting and drumming, but could not see him. Fun times. Best of luck next time.
 
Hang with him. He'll slip up if he's willing to play.

I've had them right on top of me in the past and couldn't get a shot off because of the thickness of the vegetation. What's even worse is when you have another hunter with you and you're trying to get them their first bird. You have a wide open shot at the bird doing his thing but the shooter/hunter can't see the bird or shoot.
 
Yeah Mike, that's what happened yesterday on another property. This one really stings tho, since he's the one I really wanted, and it didnt help seeing that thick beard and those huge spurs as he took flight. Almost like watching one of the NCAA games where one team is so dominant, the the other teams comes back with 5 3pts in a row in the last 3 min and hits the 6th right at the buzzer to steal the game.

I'm still grateful for the opportunity, and at least I've been on birds. Noone else on the lease has even heard a gobble (but they are deer hunting them)

Also frustrating that I teed him up yesterday eve. He was roosted 20 yes from where I set up and called late yesterday hoping he would come to this side of the swamp.

Going back after him in a bit, but I'm going in 600 yds away from the other side of the swamp. I know he didnt see me as a human, heck, he never clicked or putted, and i didnt even move a muscle. Hopefully he's not too spooked. I still can't the image of my red dot on his head thru the brush at 8yds out of my mind.... shoulda pulled the trigger, no way he was not going down hard that close.

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Took the 4 wheeler across the head of the swamp to the other side, then needed to hike about 800 yds down a wide powerline to reach where I thought he flew to this morning. After 400 yards, my plan was to tuck into the woods a few yards and soft call to see if I could sneak to within 100 yds and get him to respond. At my second setup after calling 3 or 4 minutes, I crossed back to the powerline and there he was 35 yards away in the powerline sneaking in. His eyes got as big as mine as he turned to run. I let him run off. I get ZERO enjoyment shooting a Turkey that comes sneaking in.

I'll give him a few days off while I get back to work, then hit him again. Hopefully he gives me as much of an adrenaline rush as he gave me this morn.

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