Took one of my girls this morning to my best farm, and set up where they normally go and where the owner has been seeing them daily. Three gobbled together but took the hens to another pasture on the farm. With no leaves, we had to be slow and careful, and couldn't make a good set up. Three others had been gobbling, so we tried to get on them. Had a couple responses to calling, but no real commitments. Overall it was just a dud hunt. I think this was the first time I've hunted this farm and not killed one in like 8 tries. Girl was tired and hungry by 830 so we went home.
Got home and asked one of my other girls if she wanted to check out our back woods. She says yessir! She gets camo on and in 10 minutes we're walking back. We get about 3/4 of the way and a crow calls and 3 gobbled about 200 yards away. We slip into a creek bed and try to get into a good position. They gobble occasionally and they are moving back up the next ridge. Once they get over the top we get in as good a spot as we can and try calling. They gobbled right back once, still on top and 200 yards away. Woods are very open and any move is too risky, so sit and wait and wait, calling sparingly. After 30 minutes, we give up and walk back home as we both have lots of work to do. Sure had high hopes for today, but I keep learning. For some reason the toms at my place have been VERY call shy since I first hunted here. I've had turkeys responding for over an hour, hammering at everything I have and never come in. I've snuck in on one gobbling his fool head of on his own, make one call and he VANISHES. The only success I have here is knowing where he's going to go and get there ahead of him and call once and shut up... just hard to know sometimes!!
Got home and asked one of my other girls if she wanted to check out our back woods. She says yessir! She gets camo on and in 10 minutes we're walking back. We get about 3/4 of the way and a crow calls and 3 gobbled about 200 yards away. We slip into a creek bed and try to get into a good position. They gobble occasionally and they are moving back up the next ridge. Once they get over the top we get in as good a spot as we can and try calling. They gobbled right back once, still on top and 200 yards away. Woods are very open and any move is too risky, so sit and wait and wait, calling sparingly. After 30 minutes, we give up and walk back home as we both have lots of work to do. Sure had high hopes for today, but I keep learning. For some reason the toms at my place have been VERY call shy since I first hunted here. I've had turkeys responding for over an hour, hammering at everything I have and never come in. I've snuck in on one gobbling his fool head of on his own, make one call and he VANISHES. The only success I have here is knowing where he's going to go and get there ahead of him and call once and shut up... just hard to know sometimes!!
