So damn close....

[frogfish]

I am determined to kill my first bird this year after striking out in 2012. I got up bright n early on saturday for opening day in Franklin county, NC. The property I hunt doesn't have a lot of birds, but they are there. Set up in a field next to a pine stand where I found a roost and a bunch of turkey feathers back in late December while deer hunting. I was hunting solo, and because I am terrible at the mouth call, i brought along my slate and a jake and hen decoy. Set up and started listening and called softly about 10 min after first light. Had a bird respond but he was at least 300+ yards away easy. Over the next 30 minutes heard a couple other birds gobble, but they were even farther. Had the nearest tom gobble back at me a couple times, so at around 7 AM I decided I'd go and see if I could stalk him. I decided to leave my decoys where they were and just take along my gun and slate. The bird was in another stand of pines that I was familiar with on the other side of a decent creek. I started slowly making my way over there, clucking/purring ever so softly about every 5-7 min. I noticed that the tom was slowly making his way towards me too. Finally I made my way to about 10 yds from the creek bank, and the bird was about 70 yards or so out of sight on the other side of the creek upstream from me. I was hoping he'd walk down the creek and I could shoot him. He went silent so I stayed put and got ready. Unfortunately after about 20 min of silence I hear him gobble again, and he had retreated all the way to the back of the pine stand, about 200+ yards away. Dammit. I did a big circle, cutting across an adjacent field on the far side while keeping tabs on the tom. I was trying to position myself in front of him as he seemed to be headed away from the creek. When I finally got in position, the bird stated gobbling again but was getting fainter. Ughhhh, he was heading back down to the creek again where I was about 70 yards from him earlier. I retraced the big circle I made, and slowly made my way up the creek. Again, calling softly every 5-7 min. He went silent again, so I found myself a good spot and waited...i cut my clucking/purring down to only a few clucks and a purr every 7 or so min.  After about half an hour, I see something moving in the woods...its him. He sticks his head out from behind a tree, silently strutting while looking around. He clearly is looking for the source of the clucks/purrs. Unfortunately I see his eyes, so I get my gun ready and realize now I can't work the slate anymore.  He is about 70 yds from me now, and slowly makes his way towards me. He hangs at about 50 yards and struts. C'mon, 10 more yards! He has two choices to make, follow a path in the pine directly to me and a face full of lead, or a cut down to his right through some saplings. And of course, he takes the right choice and heads back out of range from me. I sit still and hope he turns back and heads towards me (he would or walked right into the stream, so he would of either had to cross it (get shot), hit the stream and head downstream to the left (get shot), or head upstream (and away from me). He must of headed upstream away from me...because 20 min later he gobbled again and was probably 150+ yds away. He probably had some hens with him as I heard some clucks every once in a while. Had some work to do so I got up and left the woods around 11 AM. Wish I could of stayed longer...


Hopefully I will be able to bag him this upcoming weekend Practicing my mouth call all week so I don't make the same mistake twice. It was my first time I've had a bird in visual sight while hunting, so it was a thrill to say the least.

Any critiques/suggestions would be awesome.

[stone road turkey calls]

sounds like you had a good day, hang in there you will get him.

[DirtNap647]

keep after him

[tomstopper]

keep after him

x2

[fsu33952]

Be careful moving towards a bird that has already started answering you, even if he hangs up somewhere. It is far better to have to wait a while than it is to scare him. If you spook him then your hunt is just about over. I have let impatience get the best of me and moved only to have him walk to where I had called the first time. Lots of times when they shut up for no reason, they are just standing out there strutting somewhere or they are coming to you.

[WV TURKEY THUG]

When they start to hangup I just walk back away 30 yds or so and. All I like to make them think I'm Leaving. I also use a gobble call on private land that will bring them right in if its the dominant bird.

[howl]

Sounds like a great hunt to me. I try not to do any calling when the bird is within sight or 80 yards because it will help the turkey avoid me. If the imperious rascal can get to a point, usually higher ground, where he can see your location he has no reason to come further.

[lightsoutcalls]

I know it's frustrating to get so close and not close the deal... been there several times.  I wish you the best on your next outing.

That said, is there any chance that you might be willing to edit the profanities out of your post, since this is a family oriented site?  Just asking in a friendly way...

Thanks

[redleg06]

Sounds like you have a few birds to work on!   

I'd stop worrying about calling when he's that close and maybe just scratch the leaves if he hangs up OR go totally silent.  If you've called and he's headed your way then he already has a pretty good idea where you are and it will help you if he has to search you out instead of pinpoints where you are by calling when he's getting fairly close. 

If you were hearing some on the roost at 300yds for this bird and further than that for some others, I'd gain some ground on him before setting up or even thinking about calling to him. That's quite a ways to get one to come and I'd have tried to make sure I was on the same side of the creek as him before I ever called. He'd likely hang up on that creek and I dont like to give up my position to him by calling unless it's in a spot I think  i have a pretty good chance to call him all the way in.

Good luck and hang with them!

[whaler]

I'd stop worrying about calling when he's that close and maybe just scratch the leaves if he hangs up OR go totally silent. 

Thats a strategy I use and agree with. Yet, if you heard some clucking, did any of the hens answer back at you? Not sure if you heard yelping but if you piss the hens off some, they will come looking for you, bringing Mr. Tom along for the ride.

If not, scratching the leaves like Redleg said is a great tactic.

[frogfish]

Awesome, thanks for the great tips everyone. Can't wait until saturday. Plan is to set up on the right side of the creek this time and try and close the gap as much as possible 

[redleg06]

Awesome, thanks for the great tips everyone. Can't wait until saturday. Plan is to set up on the right side of the creek this time and try and close the gap as much as possible 

And I'd wait to let them start gobbling on their own and not call till I was in position to call them in!  They'll more than likely sound off without you calling to them...then go and set up accordingly

[frogfish]

Awesome, thanks for the great tips everyone. Can't wait until saturday. Plan is to set up on the right side of the creek this time and try and close the gap as much as possible 

And I'd wait to let them start gobbling on their own and not call till I was in position to call them in!  They'll more than likely sound off without you calling to them...then go and set up accordingly

Thanks for the help! This newbie turkey hunter sure can use all the help he can get. Hopefully I bag him this weekend.

[spur collector]

Keep after him, he sounds like he is a killable bird.

[surehuntsalot]

sounds like you had a fantastic hunt
I do not believe that you have to kill a bird to have a great hunt,if that was the case,I would have quit turkey hunting a long time ago.