I didn't get to go today I was running on fumes after a long day and a long night on top of that
Here's how Saturday unfolded ...
Made it up top before 5:30 this morning. The day started off as the quietest opener I've had in a few years. I heard 2 birds Gobble on the roost a country mile away.
Never heard a bird on the property I was on.
I set up a couple times and Blind called trying to spark one.
No luck.
I headed to the middle of the property where I killed a bird last year. It's a spot that logs were yarded years ago and it's a large dusting area.
Since it's mostly open I opted to drop under the slightly inclined hill 20 yards into the woods to hide myself better just incase I could get one going.
It's 8:00 am I run through a couple series of calls and laid the call down. Nothing answered and I'm not feeling optimistic about making it 3 openers in a row.
I heard a sound just out of my line of site and really didn't catch on to it until I heard it the 3rd time.
DRUMMING!
Oh crap he's here snuck in silently. I scratched the leaves hoping he would poke his head over to have a look.
He drummed for a minute it or 2 I guess and stopped. I probably should have tried to stand up and kill him but I didn't. Never had any luck calling him back.
After awhile I decided to keep moving. I would stop and call occasionally and wait a few minutes before going again.
Finally after 10:00 I got 2 birds to answer me in a bottom on a neighboring property. The gobbled good but they weren't going to come up the insanely steep hill to me.
A 1/4 mile or so ahead on top of another hill there's another spot that logs were yarded and I like to sit on one I call my listening log. There's a ridge that runs off to the left on a different property and two haul roads that split on the property I can hunt. Kinda makes a Turkey foot.
I made it to the log pulled out a call one series of yelps BOOM 3 gobblers.
Ok they're in the bottom to, but they might come out the ridge if they will commit.
I got them halfway an hour later and they fizzled out. I laid with them awhile just listening. Finally they gobbled on their own.
I was set up 50 yards facing the haul road. If they would commit and cross the property line I would be in good shape.
I ended up moving so I wouldn't be shooting directly towards the property line. There was a big tree to my right and I nestled up against the tree beside it. I was hid good.
While I'm working these birds again I heard that sound again just feet from me on the other side of the tree. Lots of intense Drumming! Another silent Tom has slipped up our haul road and is just 10 yards away jarring me drumming in full Strut.
I can't move I'm pinned down.
Another squandered opportunity. He dropped across the line on me after several minutes of standing there.
I didn't attempt to move on him before he crossed over so he wasn't educated that I was there at all. We will do battle again another day.
Those other birds quit me again.
I had heard a Gobble on out towards the end of the property from where this silent bird came from.
I decided to make a move on it.
I got to another triangle where I've sit and killed a couple before. They're always on a high knob there. I have to call them across the line to our side there to.
I called once I got there Boom 2 hammered. It's now after 12:30.
I had to get down fast they were probably within 150 yards.
They got hot and I thought it was a slam dunk.
Nope they fizzled out to. I'm thinking what is up with this. It's midday they should run over me and I shoot in self defense.
After 20 minutes of silence I opted to eat a honey bun because I'm starving at this point.
I get up and pull my mask off. There's a tree blocking part of the haul road I was looking down. When I stood up I could see past it.
There stood both of them 100 yards away.
Crap I eased back down and they walked back into the timber.
I went ahead and ate and gave them an hour. Decided to call again they hammered still close by.
Got them wound up again. I'm getting the shakes at this point now. Catch a glimpse of a bird heading my way.
Flipped the safety off. Turned out to be one of their minion hens coming to see who's trying to steal her fellers.
She gets within 50 yards and can't find me. Starts putting flies up on a downed tree looking around. Putting intensifies. I called soft to her and you'd thought I threw a rock at her. She jumped down and started walking away fast. I called again and she grabbed another gear. That ended that.
?
I'm tired and aggravated so I figured I start looping around back towards where I began the morning.
Found a honey bee nest in a holler tree and they were working it like mad. First one I've seen in years.
I also found an old Activ hull 2&1/4 oz #5 nickel plated shot laying at the base of a huge tree from years gone by.
I'd love to know who it belonged to and hear how that hunt unfolded.
I brought it out with me to clean up put up. My Great uncle always used those in his Mossberg 500 and it brought back memories of him before he passed.
Got settled in for the evening where lots of fresh scratching was. A few minutes before 6 the local trespassers road an extremely loud ATV up on the place and turned around before they got to me. I heard them go all the way out and back down and hit the gravel road where they live.
That just finished the day off. I figured that was enough so I eased back down to the bottom and headed home and push mowed a few minutes before dark.
If I can get up I may try a couple hours before church in the morning. I can definitely tell my legs aren't in mid season form.
Congratulations to all those who were successful today.
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