Finish Strong!!

[HillclimberWV]

Notsure i feel your pain. I spent all weekend messing with some field birds that everytime i zigged they zagged. Multiple times i was within 75 yards but could not get them to close the distance. I haven't decided if i want to spend the last weekend of season chasing them or admit defeat and go look for willing birds on a different property.

[notsure]

I'm changing gears tomorrow and will hunt out of my "West Blind", located about 1 mile west (imagine that) from the location I've being setting up at since last Wednesday. You can't get near as close to where birds typically roost compared to the river blind, but I've killed several toms at this site simply by waiting for the "second bite".

[HillclimberWV]

Yeah i definitely understand changing it up. If i can get out before work this week one morning im going to give it one more shot as long as i can roost them the night before. This weekend I'm going to go to a spot i scouted early thats a little farther from home. I just hate to leave turkeys to find turkeys but also think i'm just educating the group at this point.

[JeffC]

Sounds like you 2 have game plans...me, going in blind, hoping for a Tom comes find me..Good Luck guys

[JeffC]

Wednesday was a bust, one gobble at 5:45, 95% sure it was a jake. Had a great conversation with a lone hen, nobody else want to get involved. Hit 4 other WMA's nothing. Even went back to area I was hunting at start of season. No fresh sign, too much pressure. Heading to another area Saturday. 

[lacire]

  Good luck Jeff, keep us posted.

[notsure]

Good luck Jeff. I took today off, and I'll probably stay home on Saturday and Sunday as well. Sleep deprivation is a real .... I haven't given up yet, but this season's been beyond difficult.

[austinc]

Good luck jeff, get it done!

How long does the contest run? As of now I'm heading to another new state next weekend to close out the season lol if I hear a bird I'll be happy, never hunted this late before.

[lacire]

Good luck jeff, get it done!

How long does the contest run? As of now I'm heading to another new state next weekend to close out the season lol if I hear a bird I'll be happy, never hunted this late before.

Good luck Jeff. I took today off, and I'll probably stay home on Saturday and Sunday as well. Sleep deprivation is a real .... I haven't given up yet, but this season's been beyond difficult.

The season for me ended three weeks ago, glad to see you two are still out there, good luck.

[HillclimberWV]

Missed my one opportunity this morning on the field gobbler ive been chasing the last 3 weeks. He was well within range when he periscoped over the edge of a knoll. He came in quiet and caught me with my gun in my lap. I didnt chance a fast move with the hopes of sticking with him. He soon grouped up with a handful of jakes and couple hens. I chased them around the field till end of shooting time never could them in rang and in plain view. Several times i had them within range but it was too hard to tell which was the gobbler and which was the jakes. They didn't gobble one time after 6:30 and never saw the gobbler strut. It wasn't worth it to me to make a mistake and shoot one of the jakes so he wins this year. All in all i had a good season. I only filled one tag but i got to battle with a big bird and devote alot of time to just him since i filled it early. I also can tell i'm improving as a caller because i called in more hens this year than i ever have. I attribute that to the wingbone mostly. It was my first year carrying one and i got alot of responses to it. I did mess up a couple of times with it though by playing too loud. Still need some more practice. Good luck to anybody that still has season left. Its been fun.

[JeffC]

austinc, contest ends when seasons end, sometime in June, believe Maine closes us out.

HillclimberWV you had a great trip out west with something to bring back! Thats a great year in my book. Its great when you can find a Tom that is looking for a long drawn out fight, you will get him next year!

I found a nice size flock on Saturday, but as usual on private. Spotted a young Tom last Wednesday, guess he was roosted in one of 2 blocks of woods on edge of public/ private, went in Sat. morning, had coyote sneak up to 30 yds, guess he smelled all the bug spray and ThermaCell heard him bust out into wheat, gray light time of morning so couldn't get shot off. Did see Owl dive on something, then 2 Woodcock flew by. Heard 1st gobble way off, moved in direction as It was only bird I heard. Gobbled great on limb, more then 1 bird, at least 2 Jakes. But they were 400 plus yards across private field. Answered every time I called, even gobbled on his own when I went quiet. Sometime after fly down, he is still hammering, saw 2 hens come out into field and make their way to the east. Thought I could pull the rest of flock across field now that hens left for nests, no luck. It was now 8ish, temperature was in 80s and getting hotter, no way were they coming across hot field in open sun, and I was worried I still had to hike back to truck, being fat and old in first heat wave of year, not a good thing. But learned where they are,  trying 1 more time Wednesday. Maryland closes tomorrow, Jersey closes Friday.   

[austinc]

Good luck Jeff, hopefully you can get it done. Work had asked me if I wanted to go to jersey this week, almost parlayed it into a hunting trip too, but ultimately I couldnt go and let another guy go.