After a good start with youth season and then a working a friend's first bird for him I have hit a bit of a wall. I have one bird that I can't seem to leave long enough to find one more willing. I have spent my last three chances to get in the woods hunting this one bird.
Last Saturday's hunt started with several birds gobbling on the limb and my new buddy being the closest. I had managed by luck to be set in between he and his hens in a thin block of pines between two blocks of hardwoods. His hens were roosted behind me and he was directly in front. He gobbled a couple of times on the limb, hit the ground and answered me. Next thing I know I have 11 or so sets of eyes all around me. Fortunately they never got bumped but went straight to him. I tried to get in front of them but couldn't quite beat them to where they were headed. I decided to back out and try him again Sunday morning.
Sunday morning I got in very early and got in the bottom with him. He gobbled once on the limb hit the ground and shut up. His hens were roosted up the bottom this time to my left they flew down and came right to him. He was just out of range from fly down to 11:30 these birds didn't move more than 50-60 yards. When they finally did ease off it was off my property line so I backed out and left him.
This morning I set up on in a bottom about 75 yards from a food plot that they have been using. I had to be back at work at 12 so I figured I'd give it a shot with it being windy and see what happens. Gobbler popped into the field at 9:45 alone for the first time since I have set him. He started working my way and got to about 60 yards when of course 3 lady friends decided to come from my right straight to him and that was that. Left him in the field to get back to work. I could probably kill this bird setting up on the food plot but really want to get him in tight with me in the hardwoods. As hard headed as that sounds ha.
This was my buddies first bird, he is now hooked. Had 4 gobblers come in to 15 steps he shot it with my 20g. Nice bird 10" beard and 1 1/8 inch spurs
Congrats, I'm having a hard time finding one that will gobble.
Yea, they haven't gobbled very good since pecking order was established in my neck of the woods a couple of weeks ago. 2 weeks before season they were on fire establishing themselves. Now that they have their harems it has been pretty quiet. A few gobbles on the limb and that has been about it. It seems as though this guy is starting to lose some of his hens so hopefully another week or so and he will be ready to play the game.
Congrats and good luck!!
What counties y'all in? I'm in desoto, panola, Benton and Marshall counties
You will get him. Be careful though , I have been a victim of a evil bird that I let eat my entire season up because I became obsessed with killing him and ended up getting skunked.
Best of luck to you! It's hard to let one go like that.
congrats
Heck, if 4 gobblers came in I would be hooked too.
Stay after him! Congrats to your buddy.
Congrats! Sounds like some good hunts so far. Stay after him. He will eventually mess up! Good luck!