Just wonderin'? How often does a bird come in, in a straight line?
This morning was the first time in recent memory, that I can recall a hunt working out as planned... Birds roosted, flew down, and came in right from where I expected. I was actually kinda' surprised that they did what I thought they'd do.
I have been busted this season with a bird gobbling in front, only to hear him come in straight behind (quick head turn and they were running away)... Yesterday, I had several jakes and hens around me, and was watching a tom come at a fast pace right towards me, and I was set up perfectly for him... At the last minute (maybe 50 yards out) he banked all the way around and hit the tree-line above me.... Instead of being below me to my left (easy shot) he was above, and behind me to my right.
I never ceased to be amazed when I have birds coming in right below a little knoll or such, and how they will work all the way around before coming in... All too often I have tried to move on these birds (thinking they are leaving) when I should have stayed put.
And the number of times I have had a bird down to one side, and all the sudden they appear right in front of me from the other side???
Only time they come straight on is when they're looking for a fight. Usually a trotting, sometimes sprinting, B-Line straight to the decoys. This is cool, but the windy, skirting, strutting dance they put on for us is what makes it most of the time for me.
This is something I'm trying to be more aware of this year in my setups. I had one bird come straight in off the roost close enough to shoot but there was too much brush in the way. He started skirting me and I was able to get up on my knees and give him a load of TSS.
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