99% of the people who hunt in Tennessee have nothing but great things to say. But for me the only good thing I can say about it is they've got some pretty woods.
My first year hunting Tennessee a friend of mine put me on a turkey on some public land, but the bird moved over onto a private field. He wasn't but 150 yards away and would answer almost every call I made. I figured I'd wait him out and eventually he would come looking, but the year 2020 had different plans for me, at 12 o'clock I got to feeling so bad I went back to my car and drove home back to Mississippi, for the next two weeks instead of turkey hunting I was trying not to die.
The following year same friend told me about some other public land to try so I was there opening morning , one of the craziest birds I've ever chased, I got within 70 yards of him while he was gobbling up a storm. I watched him break strut for no reason, walk up the ridge into a thicket and stood almost motionless for 4 1/2 hours. Every 30 to 45 minutes he would take a step or two to look around then back into the ticket he would go. Finally he eased off the backside of the ridge and I never found him again in four days. I went back the following weekend for four days, and never struck a bird.
So you can see why Tennessee is not on the top of my turkey hunting list of states to go to. Everyone I know that comes up here has a phenomenal trip, but for some reason it just does not like me.
This year I was able to hunt with my friend and he was gracious enough to take me to their farm. We got on top of the ridge before daylight expecting to hear a turkey that had consistently been roosting in the area, but in typical fashion, it was quiet this morning, except for the whippoorwills , my buddy looks at me and just shakes his head and says he can't believe it and I told him welcome to my world. About 30 minutes after daybreak we finally hear our first gobble, of course he was across the line but at least it was a gobble. We then heard another bird down in the bottom on their place, so we took off trying to close ground on him. Once we closed the distance, we realized the bird was going up a big draw towards where his brother and dad was hunting so we decided to go back to the top of the ridge where we had originally started out. As we walked by the trees we were sitting against this morning we didn't make it 10 yards and two birds gobble not 100 yards away just around the bend and iPhone on hardwood no right in front of where we've been sitting all morning, he made one call the birds answered, he took off walking straight away from me as I sat down and got ready. A few calls and about five minutes later I could hear the gobbler drumming just in front of me off to my right. the first bird steps out into the road, I can see it's a longbeard and that's all I needed. I wasn't waiting for the second bird to step out, I settled on my dot and his head pulled the trigger and to my amazement he jumped and took off running, so I fired a second shot. The other gobbler took flight. I saw him fly over the trees and pitch out down the side of the ridge. As I stood up and just in total disbelief and disgust I heard leaves thrashing around I thought to myself maybe that's the gobbler, but then the thrashing got closer and closer. Then I see a huge gobbler running and he's 10 yards away. I couldn't believe it. It was the bird I had shot, as he came running by 10 yards through the woods I had one shell left in my gun. I took my time and made that one count. I sure hate I botched the first shots, but it sure made for a memorable hunt.
Tennessee in so bad after all, lol
A little Funny, my buddy has had a rough but amazing year. He's missed 6 so far in 2 other states. When I missed I yelled that he has cursed me lol.
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