another birdless weekend

[dirt road ninja]

Only got to hunt Saturday morning, but was so very close THREE times. I started out where Donald killed his Mississippi bird and two birds are lighting it up to the west (not on my ground), but close. I set up in my gobbler lounger on a small hill looking at a box stand and field. I had my dekes out about 20 yards in front of me. Well before fly down a bird starts gobbling to my south (close) and that fires off two more bird to my north (close).  So, now I've got 5 gobblers hammering away and it sounds like I'm right in the middle of them.  I freak out because I'm second guessing my set up, so I leave the lounger and climb in the box. Well that proved to be a bad idea. The two birds to the north flew down and came in on a string. They were gobbling and strutting 15 yards away from my lounger and only about 35 yards from the box. For some reason the never did come and challenge my decoys, they would gobble at them and strut, but would NOT come the last 5 feet I need for a clean shot. I had an iffy shot, but didn't take it. After a few very long minutes the birds move off to where they came from and I fly out the box. I belly crawled about 50 yards to a road top and hid behind a small knoll. I cut at them and they both gobble. I know they are very close, and standing in the middle of the road, so I take the safety off , shoulder the gun and pop up. They were close, but not in the road, they are staring at me from behind a blow down about 25 yards away. It took me an extra second to find them, but their putts and running really helped me out. I felt like I should have killed one, and I had a chance to take a questionable shot. I run back and picked up my chair, then made about a 400 yard move in the direction they were heading. About 20 minutes latter I got them to gobble with a crow call, so I eased out and left them to settle down.
Around 10 o'clock I hook up with a buddy that was with me and we head back to see if we can find them. As soon as I get back to the area I strike a gobble on the crow call. The bird is close. I tell my friend he's close enough to see and sure enough there is a tom about 60 yards away walking down the logging road right to us. I should have not moved, but when he went behind some brush we tried to hide and he must have seen us. He disappeared without a peep.
Our birds must have 9 lives. I've taken the safety off more times this year, and only have one bird. I'm so close every weekend, but can't seem to either get the last few feet, the angle, or a clear shot. I've had 5 different long beards inside of 45 yards the last two weekends, but have not been able to fire an ethical shot.

[boomer]

Same here. Saturday after work went out only thing that came in was two hens. Sunday they all went the other way. Only thing that made up for it was about 5lbs of mushrooms.


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[JVA54]

   
   Nice find Boomer, stay after them guy's!
           

[davisd9]

Both of you guys will have a bird down before you know it.  Keep hunting and remember it is not just the kill, it is the experience.  Good Luck!

[dirt road ninja]

Yet agian, I had a big gobbler inside of 35 yards with no shot. Hunting was sloooow Friday, and Saturday, but I managed to call in a bird early Saturday morning. I never saw it's beard, but his fan looked 3 feet wide. Once agian the thick stuff prevented a shot. My birds hardly gobbled at all this weekend. Hunted close to 10 hours Friday and only heard 1 in the morning and 2 at fly up. Saturday I heard 3 and nothing after 0800.

[Turkeykiller12]

Stick with em'. You'll kill another one before long.

[Bustabeak]

I'm just hoping they will fire back up here in GA. I've had a tough time over the past 2 weeks.

[dirt road ninja]

Well, I didn't kill one again. Hunting was slow I only heard 3 gobbles all weekend. The wind was up, so I'll use that as an excuse. I hunted LA Saturday and could have smoked a jake (they legal in LA), but it wouldn't have meant a thing to me, so I just watched him go by. We caught a few bass in my pond in MS, and spooked a bunch of birds off the roost Sunday morning. Been a fairly dry season for me thus far. My wife even mentioned that to me this week, so I know its bad. Good luck to y'all.