Opening weekend for me here in Arkansas has been tough. Public land all weekend. With our late opening the gobbling is pretty limited. Had two birds roosted last night. Got in real close this morning. Gobble time comes and the birds had moved roost trees almost 300 yards down a ridge. Made a quick move and got set up within about 70. Set up just off a logging road thinking he would pitch down to it and he did. He was coming in after responding to my first set of calls when he first hit the ground. At about 50 yards he was just about to round the corner in the road and he takes a 90 degree right hand turn straight up the side of a very steep hill. He works high around is out of range. Had visual on him the whole time. Spitting and drumming. Tried to coax him down the steep hill to me but he wouldn't work. Made a quick move and chased this joker all morning. I think he was a member of the Kenyan Olympic marathon team. Never spooked but he was booking it. Just not my weekend.
