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Was underneath a bird before daylight this morning. I was set up about 5:45. He was gobbling good on the limb starting about 6:10. About 6:20 here comes a pickup truck down the gravel road. Truck passes, bird quits gobbling for fifteen minutes or so but then starts back up. He's still in the tree and I start tree talking to him some and he's answering me. After awhile I make it sound like the hen flies down and start scratching some in the leaves. Gobbler is about 60yds still hammering in the tree. He flies down and slowly starts working in. About the time I think he should be getting close I hear something behind me and it's two teenagers coming in on that bird. I start making a racket and they don't hear me or see me. I'm talking oblivious. By this time the front boy is on top of me and I literally slap him on the toe of his boot. He comes out of his skin and jumps back and when he does the other boy gets buggered bad and raises his gun. All that to say, I just about caught one this morning. They were making such a racket they scared the bird off but I managed to catch back up with him. Wound up following him about a mile and got it done. Last day for South Carolina and I'm tagged out at home so I guess that's it for me.
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Congrats on the bird.  I bet the boy that got the boot slappen needed new underwear. 

Glad everyone is safe.. congrats on the bird...

Wow, scary.  Congrats on the gobbler.

That's crazy! Congrats on the recovery and the bird!

Wow, glad your safe, congrats on the gobbler....

If you can hit his boot they were awfully close!
Congrats on tagging out. :icon_thumright:
And on not taking a load of shot in the face. :toothy12:

It was a crummy deal but the more I've thought about it those kids didn't do nothing wrong wrong. I was about a mile from my truck having pulled up way short so the gravel wouldn't bugger anything. Sure, they came in late, but they were going to a gobbling bird. Had the woodsmanship of Danny Devito walking in willy nilly on a bird that was within 50yds, but they were just doing what they knew how to do. Things bugger you in the woods a lot of times you just raise the gun. I remember one time real early morning I went into a place deer hunting and it was foggy. Something come running right at me loud and I got the gun up and I all but blew the shell off an armadillo when he got within about five yards where my headlamp could see in that fog Point being, I get what happened and I don't want to paint them in any horribly negative way. Just a reminder that this thing we love can be dangerous. Be careful and stay safe.


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Quote from: ChesterCopperpot on April 30, 2021, 07:46:27 PM
Had the woodsmanship of Danny Devito walking in willy nilly on a bird that was within 50yds,
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lol

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I've personally talked to people that got shot turkey hunting and that was before TSS, lucky to be alive type incidents.  When I teach hunter safety and talk turkey hunting always advise to yell at an approaching turkey hunter not whistle not wave not turkey call.  Turkeys don't yell or sound like a human but an oblivious hunter will easily mistake movement or sounds for the turkey they are looking for and they may even be in your hunting party, friend or relative.     FORGET ABOUT THE TURKEY YOU ARE HUNTING OR THAT SPOT FOR THE MOMENT, IT MAY MEAN YOUR LIFE!

Scary how quick that went from the excitement of working the bird to a possible life threatening encounter. Sounds like you handled it well and glad to hear you're ok. Congrats on sticking with the bird and closing the deal.

I was hunting in FL in March and a guy came walking in on me.  He was hitting his box call every 100 yards or so and I heard him coming for a while.  When he got about 15 yards from me I said in a normal voice "that box call sounds pretty good".  He had his gun slung so I was in no danger.  He jumped about 2' high, lol.
I was ready to go, hadn't heard a thing so I told him what I knew about the path ahead and that he had the spot.  He was apologetic and a nice guy and had no way of knowing I was there.  I agree with Chester, sometimes it just happens.

I believe I would avoid the "slap 'em on the boot" strategy in the future!    ;D :angel9:

Quote from: bigriverbum on April 30, 2021, 08:37:22 PM

Quote from: ChesterCopperpot on April 30, 2021, 07:46:27 PM
Had the woodsmanship of Danny Devito walking in willy nilly on a bird that was within 50yds,
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lol

(https://64.media.tumblr.com/662bd2fce91c80e6bdb040f77e2b3346/tumblr_ny1v5oHkCC1rfgyc1o2_1280.png)

(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/62/8f/c8/628fc8a6398cd36d1baf2e3bb9c39930.jpg)

LMAO!

Congrats on the Tom, I think I still would've had a little talk with them. Agree they really did nothing wrong, but dont get so focused on your target you have know idea whats going on around you. Good learning experience for everyone.