Hunted five days in Iowa. Saw lots of toms in the fields on our day of scouting. Hunted hard. Morning, mid day, and roost hunts. On the fourth night on a roost hunt that we had patterned a couple of gobblers i had one chance. Saw a long beard coming at about 100 yards. His patch looked like it would put in front of me less than 40 yards to my right. shooting right handed a slipped off my turkey lounger to get a better right hand shot. Rather than following his original course he turned up hill into some cover. When he came out to my extreme right he busted me. I was maxed out being able to turn to my right, and it only took him a second to be in "duck and run" mode. Never saw him again.
Those easy easterns never gobbled after they came off the roost. Never gobbled mid day....when and if the hens left them. And maybe gobbled once going to roost. Public land birds are tough dudes.
Meeting Rut in Idaho tomorrow. Hope the weather forecast is off. Calling for wet through the next few days. Later in the week, it is cloudy. Left California this morning. Its supposed to be low 80's this week. its time for us old retired farts to but some birds on the board!
