Played the long game on this public land bird in Iowa last week.
- I had been hunting for about a day (day before) and the weather wasn't ideal for either day. Blowing 30 and was pretty chilly, Mid/low 40's. I had spotted this group of birds that (until later on) had 2 mature Tom's, 3 Jake's and maybe a half dozen hens on a small saddle on an open little ridge (maybe 50ft of elevation change). I snuck around to the back side of it just out of sight in the river bottom and literally inched my way into a 100 yards and up the small ridge. These birds weren't gobbling, and to be honest most birds I had run into so far hadn't really gobbled good after 15 minutes from fly down.
I made some soft hen yelps and a few clucks just to get some sort of a reaction and hope they would crest the ridge and give me a chance to get on one. After about 5 minutes of not hearing anything, I was worried they'd spotted me or something just because of the silence. So I got after it on the call a bit. Moments later I hear a hen start getting fired up, cutting and excited yelps, and could tell she was facing and walking toward me.
I sat on a stump next to a dead fall and dialed up the gun just in case I seen a red head over the ridge. 30 seconds later she is trotting right at me, and gets within 10 yards and hits the brakes. She knew something was up, she did a little cluck or putt, but when she started moving left I drowned out her voice with more calling. I was pretty fixated on her, but I seen movement right down my barrel and seen a dark body moving right at me, I got a bead on it and was cocking the hammer and noticed 2 more dark bodies coming down the pipe. Once they cleared some brush I beard checked them and seen all 3 were Jake's. Now this little gang was 15 yards out and looking hard into my ridge side and couldn't pick me out. They kinda fumbled around for a bit and moved off with the hen. Couple minutes pass and 2 more hens pop
Out to my 9 o clock at about 75 yards just picking there way along the ridge. It's kinda chaotic, I can hear a lot of movement all around and I know I'm in the thick of it. Short time later one of the Tom's gobbles behind a crest where the hens had popped out and he carried on for 5 minutes or so gobbling every 30 seconds (calling his hens back). He was moving off definitely following them toward wherever they went.
Once all the birds slipped over the rise and were out of sight. I eased my way over to peak over the top of the ridge just to check where they're at. I get to the top and see 2 strutters, the Jake's, and a group of hens working this river bottom by the river. Not moving much just pecking away and preening on some logs. I called a good bit at that point from the ridge to get a reaction but nothing happened. So I back off and swing around to the saddle they were on to try and ease off the point towards the birds. I used a bunch of big oaks and other trees just to ease my way down into the bottom. And I mean TEDIOUSLY slow. I could see nearly every bird, and broke up my outline with trees and whatever else was in the way, but I worked toward them. I got 75-85 yards and had no more trees so I just anchored up and waited... and waited... and waited... after a hour or so. The birds started moving around. And 1 gobbler kept popping outta strut and looking up toward my area. Eventually. Something was just tugging at his heart strings and he made a direct bee line for the ridge. I started shaking and was probably more shocked than anything. He did the march straight to me and I shot him at 25 yards.
Afterwards it came to mind that he remembered when I was calling on the ridge and was going to investigate it. I hadn't called for an hour, but It's crazy how things shake out sometimes. Was a
great bird and awesome experience.
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