I've had a fun, but pretty unproductive season this year up until this week. Early on I called up several birds that just wouldn't get in range. I had one great afternoon hunt where over an hour and half period I worked in a bird from 400+ yds. I ended up missing him at 40 yards. It was my first miss in 15 years, so I was probably overdue, but it still stung.
Week before last they were really shut mouth, and the only good setup I had got messed up by a coyote coming through. When I tried to shoot the yote, he jumped when I took the safety off. But, this week made up for the hard times. On Wed., a bird I have been trying to kill gobbled once on the roost, and never made another peep. I'm not sure if he ever flew down. I waited about an hour after fly down time, and then eased back to the truck to head to Plan B. As I was putting my stuff in the truck, a bird gobbled right down the hill from me. I eased that way and bumped a big bird, and figured that deal was over. But, the bird continued to gobble. He was gobbling hard at virtually anything. There was another bird further off that he would gobble to, plus crows, cows mooing, etc. But, he would not answer a call. But, he finally came from about 200 yds and I shot him looking at 30 steps. He was a big 2 yr old bird with a skinny 10" beard. I was within sight of my truck so he was easy to pack out.
Since my hunting opportunities are somewhat limited, I stayed over even though a strong storm was going to hit that night. I spent a couple of hours in my truck instead of my camper during the worst of it. It had passed through by turkey time, but it was still windy and misting rain. I didn't even hear a bird on the roost. I went back to check on the bird I heard on the roost the day before, and could not get a gobble. But, I did have a gobbler come in close without a peep behind me and walk off pocking when I went to call again. The rest of the morning went about the same way.
I hunted until noon, and then headed back to camp to get ready to head home. I have some decent cell coverage there, and checked some emails and TNDeer before I went into the camper. While I was sitting there, I heard a bird gobble one time. It came from the hollow where I had the coyote issue the week before, so I had an idea where he might be. I grabbed my stuff, and eased over that way. He started gobbling hard and was about 75-100yds away. I set up quick, and made one call where he cut me off. I put the call down and got the gun up, and he was there in about 5 minutes. I almost felt guilty about pulling the trigger on that short of a hunt, but make up birds help take the sting out of some earlier losses. He was a big 3-4 yr old bird that had been doing a bunch of breeding.
As the years accumulate for me, I go into every spring sort of wondering if I still have it in me to run the ridges and hollows chasing these magnificent critters. There is nothing in the outdoors that gets my heart pumping like a gobbling bird. Our Good Lord has blessed me for another year in the ability to get out there and mess with them. I certainly don't take it for granted any more.
Week before last they were really shut mouth, and the only good setup I had got messed up by a coyote coming through. When I tried to shoot the yote, he jumped when I took the safety off. But, this week made up for the hard times. On Wed., a bird I have been trying to kill gobbled once on the roost, and never made another peep. I'm not sure if he ever flew down. I waited about an hour after fly down time, and then eased back to the truck to head to Plan B. As I was putting my stuff in the truck, a bird gobbled right down the hill from me. I eased that way and bumped a big bird, and figured that deal was over. But, the bird continued to gobble. He was gobbling hard at virtually anything. There was another bird further off that he would gobble to, plus crows, cows mooing, etc. But, he would not answer a call. But, he finally came from about 200 yds and I shot him looking at 30 steps. He was a big 2 yr old bird with a skinny 10" beard. I was within sight of my truck so he was easy to pack out.
Since my hunting opportunities are somewhat limited, I stayed over even though a strong storm was going to hit that night. I spent a couple of hours in my truck instead of my camper during the worst of it. It had passed through by turkey time, but it was still windy and misting rain. I didn't even hear a bird on the roost. I went back to check on the bird I heard on the roost the day before, and could not get a gobble. But, I did have a gobbler come in close without a peep behind me and walk off pocking when I went to call again. The rest of the morning went about the same way.
I hunted until noon, and then headed back to camp to get ready to head home. I have some decent cell coverage there, and checked some emails and TNDeer before I went into the camper. While I was sitting there, I heard a bird gobble one time. It came from the hollow where I had the coyote issue the week before, so I had an idea where he might be. I grabbed my stuff, and eased over that way. He started gobbling hard and was about 75-100yds away. I set up quick, and made one call where he cut me off. I put the call down and got the gun up, and he was there in about 5 minutes. I almost felt guilty about pulling the trigger on that short of a hunt, but make up birds help take the sting out of some earlier losses. He was a big 3-4 yr old bird that had been doing a bunch of breeding.
As the years accumulate for me, I go into every spring sort of wondering if I still have it in me to run the ridges and hollows chasing these magnificent critters. There is nothing in the outdoors that gets my heart pumping like a gobbling bird. Our Good Lord has blessed me for another year in the ability to get out there and mess with them. I certainly don't take it for granted any more.
