A blow by blow account

[Yoder409]

THOUGHT that I had one roosted last night in a place that does not bode well for a gobbler's survival.

Got in his bedroom before 5:00 this morning and waited.  2 birds gobbled down the ridgetop from me.  One about 250 and one about 350 yards.  Then some hen talk out front and left of me.  She flies down.  A minute later right down in front of me a bigger, heavier bird flops out right on to a small gas line that comes right up the hill to my left.

I call softly on a diaphragm.  Gun on the stick.....dot turned on....hammer back and I'm waiting for the white head.  Watching....watching.... when 2 mature gobblers start that "where are you ??" clucking and purring RIGHT behind me.  Like 20-couple yards right behind me.  The 2 birds from down the ridge had joined up and came straight down my back woods road to me.  So, they turned and drifted back across that road and on to the neighbor's property.  As soon as they were outta sight, I 180'ed around the tree and gave a couple yelps.  They both instantly gobbled back from about 60 yards !!  I hit them with a quick cutt and got ready.  Never heard them or saw them again.  I look to my right...125 yards through the woods and into a green field.  There goes the 2 birds I was originally set up on.  A small hen and a huge hen.  About then a jake came down the woods road and looked for me for several minutes before drifting off.

So, the longbeards weren't spooked.  Just couldn't find me.  I decided to just get outta there.  Spent the rest of the morning and the next 2 miles walking and calling.  Got a pair to lazily gobble occasionally around 10:30.  They were in the next field over from me and did eventually close half the distance., but never committed to sealing the deal.

Gonna be on that back woods road in the morning if the weather's fit.

[Tom007]

You'll get him brother. Good luck!

[Yoder409]

You'll get him brother. Good luck!

I'd like to get a whack at the one.

He's got one of the deepest gobbles I've ever heard.  Don't know if that means anything or not.  But, I'm hoping to ground-confirm or deny.    

[POk3s]

Ground checking is always best. Leaves no doubt! 😃

[Yoder409]

Ground checking is always best. Leaves no doubt! 😃

I heard all of THAT !!  Yep.   

[twyatt]

Good luck!

[Yoder409]

Got my arse handed to me from flydown.

Had him at +/- 65 yards just over the roll of the hill.  Called 2 of his hens past me and was waiting for the white head....hammer back, finger beside the trigger.  Then, the lead hen ripped about a string of about 8 or 10 loud yelps outta the clear blue.  He gobbles straight down over in front if me.  And that old bag of a hen went straight down to him.  Next time he gobbles, he's 500 yards across the valley !!  Then 700 yards.  Ugh !!!

So, I picked up shop and went to another spot shortly after 9:00.  Hung out and called occasionally.  About 11:00 one gobbles at a distance.  Between the wind, the birds, noise from the highway down the valley and someone running a lawnmower over in town.... I couldn't even tell what direction it came from.  Walked a few different ways and called.  Heard him several more times before I pinointed that he was behind me.  Long story short..... he TOTALLY fooled me.  Full roll gobble.  But when he finally showed up he was a jake.  "Jake and a half" as Marlin Watkins calls them.  4" beard, yellow on the end from...??  Mites, maybe ??  And he had more spur than just jake bumps.  Big chunky bird.  But not one I'll bust a cap on.

He milled around for close 20-30 minutes and wouldn't leave...til 11:58.  Gotta quit at 12:00.  Perfect timing !!

[Yoder409]

[nyturkeyduster]

Sounds like you're having fun though.

PA has beaten me up good the last two seasons.

[POk3s]

Yoder, that's the big throaty gobble bird? Confirmed? I was going to add that the deepest gobble I've heard in the eastern woods was a Jake. When I got real close he did sound off but at any kind of distance it sounded like he owned the woods.

[Yoder409]

 

No.   That's not him.  But, he DID have me fooled.  Called this one in, gobbling all the way.  When I saw he was not a full-fanned bird, I was TOTALLY surprised.

[POk3s]

No.   That's not him.  But, he DID have me fooled.  Called this one in, gobbling all the way.  When I saw he was not a full-fanned bird, I was TOTALLY surprised.

Understood. The chase continues!

[Yoder409]

No.   That's not him.  But, he DID have me fooled.  Called this one in, gobbling all the way.  When I saw he was not a full-fanned bird, I was TOTALLY surprised.

Understood. The chase continues!

The chase was a total abortion today.

I got hosed by the same freakin' bird TWICE by 9:00 this morning.

He's REALLY starting to aggravate me.

[Mossyguy]

At least you get to keep playing the game!

[Yoder409]

At least you get to keep playing the game!

Yessir !!!

So far this morning, I had to chainsaw a huge tree off the township road (in the headlights) to get to my property...... I climbed my fat butt straight up the hill onto the highest point of my big ridge.... only to find out the only 2 gobbling birds were across the valley.

So I'm over here, now, trying to fire something up.  VERY quiet at the moment.  Dunno.