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Kill him on my terms or his?

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megalomaniac

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I boogered the boss again yesterday....

Called him in to 8 yds Sun morn, then he busted right before he was going to step in an opening. Gobbled 60-70 times, came in spitting and drumming, heart pounding hunt the way they should all be, and the way I prefer to kill them.

Sunday afternoon, I worked to the area where he flew to, and he came in silent without a peep. I could have shot him at 35, but didn't want to end my MS season that way.

I snuck out to the lease Tues eve and called from the north side of the swamp he lives in (I haven't hunted him from that direction yet) for 45 min, then slipped out, trying to get him to roost on that side of the swamp and tee him up for yesterday morning...

I didn't get out there till 745 yesterday, crossed the drain to get to the north side of the swamp, then just called every 50 yards working my way to where I wanted to set up (which was about 100 yards further north than where I had called from the evening prior). As the logging road made a 90 deg bend to the south, I glassed the road, called lightly with no response, then moved forward toward the spot I wanted to set up 50 yards ahead. About my 4th or 5th step down the road, the gobbler crossed the road running away 75 yards.... dangit, he was already coming in silent to my initial calls on the way in.

I really don't want to shoot this bird sneaking in, but I really want him... he's BIG. Going to put my favorite diaphragm and pot call in the closet and take 2 completely different calls the next time I hunt him, hoping he will at least give me another gobble. I feel certain he'd start gobbling back if I can give him a couple weeks break, but the lease is getting hunted hard by other members right now (although none have hunted the swamp he's in). And the way they hunt (pick a spot and sit there calling for 2-3 hours), he will be vulnerable, since he wants to find a hen so badly right now.

decisions, decisions.
 
It is going to be on his terms no matter what you do.


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Shooting one sneaking in on you sure isn't the same as one coming in knocking the tops out of the trees.....still the same bird though, the challenge is still the same....just not the same show. Gotta do what makes you happy brother.
 
It's always on their terms. I'm too stubborn and wouldn't kill him unless he will answer me at least once. But that's me and my weirdness
 
I'd have killed him at 35 when he came in silent. He busted you once, you moved on him and fooled him again, should have been over right then


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IMO, if you truly call one to the gun strutting and drumming, and he never gobbles, and you're still enough and slick enough to pick him up and kill him before he spoils the fun, you've accomplished the ultimate in the turkey woods. Of course, gobbling turkeys are more fun to hunt and kill, and my preference, but I've rarely had older gobblers ( > 1 1/8") come in blowing the woods down. Kill him as you see fit, but if I call him to the gun in open woods and I beat him at his game, my gun will fire every single time. Good luck with him.
 
I've had ornery boss birds that wouldn't do nothing but drum right up to the moment they died. If I called him in, whether he gobbled every other breath or not, he's generally getting toted out of the woods. That being said I've also had several birds slink in no gobble, drum, or strut...and I just didn't feel like killin'im.
 
He would already be dead a couple times if it were me :D

Maybe someone else will kill him so you won't have to keep worrying yourself about it.
 
I have no problems shooting him if he comes in spitting and drumming in full strut. I have no problems shooting him if he comes in gobbling but not in strut

At this point in the season with 2 birds already, I just don't have the desire to shoot him sneaking in for just a peek with a non fired up red head.

I found another bird across the creek a mile away.... got him on camera on a food plot by himself a couple days ago. He's at least a 3yo based on spurs, so I think I'll see if he wants to play my game and rest the boss for a week or so and gamble the boss doesn't get killed by someone else. That certainly makes my decision easier.

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megalomaniac":3snz0lf1 said:
I have no problems shooting him if he comes in spitting and drumming in full strut. I have no problems shooting him if he comes in gobbling but not in strut

At this point in the season with 2 birds already, I just don't have the desire to shoot him sneaking in for just a peek with a non fired up red head.
Click to expand...
Now that you've clarified this a bit more, I actually agree with you.

As much I like one coming in gobbling his head off, often the older Toms will come in silent,
but typically they will be drumming and spitting and go into full strut.
I find their drumming, spitting, and strutting within a few yards much more exciting than just gobbling.
That will get them killed by me every time, gobble or no gobble.

It's especially exciting when you "think" you're hearing drumming behind you,
and finally become sure you are, as the ground seems to vibrate beneath you.
Everytime I have this experience, I'm reminded of the original Jurassic Park movie scene of the water in the glass vibrating. That's what it "feels" like when you're barely hearing a turkey drumming.
And something big is about to happen :D
 
Then, there is this scenario, so what would the Mississippian do? :tu:

The old Tom sneaks in, no drumming, no strutting, no red head.
You weren't expecting him, he just "appeared" in front of you.
He hasn't gobbled, period, not even on the roost.
But obviously, he was drawn to your position by your soft yelps.
Then he BEGINS drumming & strutting only a few yards in front of you,
as his head goes from pale gray to blood red in a matter of seconds.

Will you pull the trigger?
 
TheLBLman":2nk907cc said:
Then, there is this scenario, so what would the Mississippian do?

Will you pull the trigger?
Click to expand...

Oktibbeha county native right here...yeahhh...prolly. :party:
 
TheLBLman":3s9z91l5 said:
Then, there is this scenario, so what would the Mississippian do? :tu:

The old Tom sneaks in, no drumming, no strutting, no red head.
You weren't expecting him, he just "appeared" in front of you.
He hasn't gobbled, period, not even on the roost.
But obviously, he was drawn to your position by your soft yelps.
Then he BEGINS drumming & strutting only a few yards in front of you,
as his head goes from pale gray to blood red in a matter of seconds.

Will you pull the trigger?
Click to expand...
If it's the boss I'm hunting I'm shooting. The other birds I probably wouldn't unless one of my kids are in the gun. I really want the boss to replay the hunt I had with him last Sun. I need a do-over!

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I think if you call him up you should shoot him, whether he Gobbles or not. He's still playing the game, just being tougher.

As long as your not sitting in food plots waiting for one to walk out I think it's all fair chase. But do whatever you want.

If you feel like you would cheat him, don't. Because every time you looked back at the pictures and spurs you'd think to yourself I didn't get him the way I wanted.


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It is more of an accomplishment to call up and kill a seasoned, pressured turkey that sneaks in silently than just about any other turkey scenario. Everybody sets their own personal rules, so hat's off to whatever you decide, but I cannot understand targeting a particular turkey, calling that turkey up despite the pressure he's encountered, but then not shooting him because he didn't gobble on his way in.
 
Southern Sportsman":2j8b3a7u said:
It is more of an accomplishment to call up and kill a seasoned, pressured turkey that sneaks in silently than just about any other turkey scenario.
Click to expand...
Agreed. 9 out of 10 hunters will get picked off from losing interest and fidgeting/moving since they are not being reassured he is coming by his frequent gobbling.
 
Southern Sportsman":294yadoe said:
It is more of an accomplishment to call up and kill a seasoned, pressured turkey that sneaks in silently than just about any other turkey scenario.
Click to expand...
TOTALLY AGREE!

Southern Sportsman":294yadoe said:
Everybody sets their own personal rules, so hat's off to whatever you decide . . . . .
Click to expand...
AGREE :)

Southern Sportsman":294yadoe said:
. . . . but I cannot understand targeting a particular turkey, calling that turkey up despite the pressure he's encountered, but then not shooting him because he didn't gobble on his way in.
Click to expand...
i actually understand where Mississippi Meg is coming from on this.
It wasn't just that the ole bird wasn't gobbling, but it was also that he wasn't "fired up", wasn't "playing the game" as Meg defined it.

Give you another example.
Several years ago I worked an old Tom for about 2 hours after his hens went to nest.
Actually saw him thru the woods about 150 yards away with several hens.
He never gobbled on the roost or on the ground, until the hens left.
Then he started free gobbling, and responding to my calls.

This bird had been on somewhat a hillside bench, behind my setup (which consisted basically of my having my back to a creek and mainly watching the creek bottom in front of me, thinking it more likely birds would be on "my" side of the creek). Anyway, this one gobbled his head off for about 2 hours, much of which was with him strutting within range, but behind me. I had my back against a big oak, but was otherwise kinda out in the open, and felt turning around would most likely get me seen and game over. Also, there was limited good shooting opportunity behind me, especially under 40 yards, why I had my back that way to begin. My back was also to the rising sun as well, so sun illuminating my movement if I peeked around behind.

At any rate, I had been sitting there all morning "playing the game" with him, but pinned down, unable to relocate or reposition. However, I had picked this spot in part because turkeys did sometimes cross the creek near there, just typically didn't cross it at all. Just picked the wrong side this morning. Sometime near noon, after not hearing or seeing him for over an hour, I decided it was time about time to go. One more peak around the tree.

As I did nothing more than slowly turn my head, our eyes met with him being no more than 3 feet away. He had "sneaked in" across the creek, and not only was he 3 feet away, but he was more beside me than behind me. About the time our eyes made contact, he lifted off, giving me an easy "flying" shot.

I'm not sure which reasons were more why I didn't shoot, but at the time, I believe the main reason was I didn't want to take a chance on getting pellets in his breast, as to this day, it's a clean head shot or no shot for me. The secondary reason (at least at the time) was I felt he had "won" that morning's game. I remember being a little frustrated that I had turned my head when I did, a little frustrated that I "blew" an opportunity that likely would have resulted in him stepping in front of me and starting back gobbling & strutting, maybe within seconds. But I was not frustrated over the decision not to shoot, not to take an easy shoot. He had won the game, I had enjoyed playing it. It was a great morning I'll never forget.
 

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