Staying Put

[Camouflage]

I learned a lesson today in staying put. I was set up well before sunrise. Sun pops and a bird starts gobbling several hundred yards out. Bird probably gobbled 75 times.

After about two hours of this he stopped. I decided to try to close some of the distance between us. There was a 400 yard field between me and the wooded area I believed the bird was in. Theres a nice clear four wheeler path that goes through the woods.

I made it all along the field edge to the entrance to the woods on the other side. I made it about 100 yards of that down the trail and of course theres the bird another 60 away and he flies off.

I follow the direction he flew to hoping to find the only bird I've been decently close enough to this year. I now venture though the woods in search. Eventually I stop to drink some water. When I look up to drink sure enough there is he again perched very high in a tree and there he goes flying again.

I hunted till the day was over but never saw another bird or heard any. Should I ever have tried to close the gap on that bird or should I have stayed put in my original location?

 

[Setterman]

Absolutely you should have closed the distance, that wasn't the issue

You made a mistake I've made a bunch and I'm sure many others have as well. You noticed the 4 wheeler trail being an easy path and so do turkeys. If I'm moving on birds that I haven't pinpointed I stay off the easy trails to avoid what you experienced.

I'd also add that if you waited 2 hours of him gobbling without closing the gap you waited way too long. If I only hear one bird, but I'm worried there might be others I will give it sometime and then close the gap

Second mistake and this one to me is a major one, was pursuing the bumped bird. Now he's extra spooked and if you walk up on one stop right there and give him an hour or more before calling etc.. Most of the time they'll settle down on one nudge. Patience and more patience, move with stealth and a plan

 

[callemquacktn]

Absolutely you should have closed the distance, that wasn't the issue

You made a mistake I've made a bunch and I'm sure many others have as well. You noticed the 4 wheeler trail being an easy path and so do turkeys. If I'm moving on birds that I haven't pinpointed I stay off the easy trails to avoid what you experienced.

I'd also add that if you waited 2 hours of him gobbling without closing the gap you waited way too long. If I only hear one bird, but I'm worried there might be others I will give it sometime and then close the gap

Second mistake and this one to me is a major one, was pursuing the bumped bird. Now he's extra spooked and if you walk up on one stop right there and give him an hour or more before calling etc.. Most of the time they'll settle down on one nudge. Patience and more patience, move with stealth and a plan

Setterman is spot on.

 

[Camouflage]

Thanks for the reply Setterman. It is a mistake I hope to not make again.

 

[Setterman]

Thanks for the reply Setterman. It is a mistake I hope to not make again.

Not to be the bearer of bad news, but you and I will both make the same mistakes again, and included will be some much dumber that afterwards we will just shake our heads. It's part of the game, and mistakes happen to me every year no matter how many times I've learned to not do something.