So about 3 years ago I get a 70 ac piece to hunt. I found it by putting in windshield time and seeing a group of hens walking the wood line in the rain. A couple of listen sessions and I hear at least 2-3 birds gobbling. I hunt it a couple of times but have no luck and feel the birds are drifting off the property after flydown. A little mapping and I learn it backs to multiple pieces, cumulatively 300 ac plus. So I find out who owns the bigger parcels. Turned down flat by the first 3. Track down the next biggest property owner of 130
ac. He says he don't mind but he would have to talk to his caretaker who runs the hunting, as the owner is a farmer with a big operation. I give him my info but never hear back. In the mean time I still have the 70 ac and pick up another piece or two. Over the past two years I'm always on the lookout when I drive by that property. I saw turkeys including a Tom or two. Mind you, the owner lives a ways away from the property and I don't know who the caretaker is.
Fast forward to this year. Every time I would drive by the property I would look hoping to catch someone out in the fields I could talk to about hunting. Well, I finally catch up to the owners sons at the property. Again, I give them my info to forward to the caretaker. I also find out where the caretaker lives. A couple of days go by and I don't hear anything. Well this time I'm not waiting. I go see the caretaker myself. He said he remembered the owner talking to him about me a couple of years prior and says I can turkey hunt!!!! I just have to send him a text prior to hunting. This is week two of the 2019 season. So I hunt one day and get a text from the caretaker stating that he is not letting anyone hunt after Friday of that week due to farming activity on the property. So I tell him I'll hunt everyday that week and he said okay. So Friday comes and goes and I graciously thank him for allowing me the opportunity to hunt.
Well out of the blue last night I get a text from the caretaker saying that I can hunt again and he's been seeing a lot of birds from the tractor and 4 wheeler. I tell him I'll be there in the morning. He's says okay and gives me a little intel where I should hunt. Get there, find a spot and get set up. Nada, no gobbling, no nothing. Go on the move, set up again where I had seen birds on one of my two prior hunts there. Nada. Decide to make one last move and check out the property lines so I know how the property lays out. I was almost to the property corner and hear what I thought may be a distant gobble. It's about 10:05. About 30 seconds later much closer, gobble for sure!!! I pretty much drop in place, in the wide open woods, but my back against a tree wider than me. I let out a few yelps and cuts, gobble within 100 yards on the property I have permission.
I go silent, he goes silent, I call to check his location, he gobbles. Seems like this went on forever, but maybe 10 min max. I can tell he may be slowing drifting my way but suspect he's strutting out of my sight during the quiet time. I call again and he gobbles at 30 yards just over the hill. Gun was already up but now I'm on it. 10 seconds later I see his head coming from left to right up over the hill. He goes behind some trees so I set the bead. When he comes from behind the trees he's looking and at 25 yards. I can only see him from halfway up his neck up. By the time I pull the trigger, he got nervous, probably saw me, and started to turn and walk away. Too late, floppage!!!!
I tell the caretaker and he picks me up on his 4 wheeler. He's as happy as I am!!! Talk to him for a bit and he tells me there's more to be had, come back anytime!!!
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