i stayed at my girlfriends last night. got up at 330 and headed out to meet my friend at 5. got everything in his truck and headed to his spot. at 556 the first gobble of the day drifted through the air. the bird is on the next property but it is ok. the birds roost there alot and gravitate to the property we was on. another bird sounded off way to the east. we set up the blind and was ready. he sent out some soft yelps and the bird answered. well he flew down and headed into the timber on the other side of the feild he was roosted over. so we head off to try and locate the far bird. no luck. made a loop and the first bird answered but he is still over there in the timber and we heard a hen a couple times so we hit the road running. went to some public we have never hit before. the first spot we stop. Bam a gobble. then bam another from a far off bird. then another from the close bird and his buddy. yep 3 different birds. gobbling on their own. oh this is an easy one. well we grab our gear. the birds have went silent. we cut the ridge and go about 200 yards and call. one nails it. then another down in the valley. we walk about 50 yards and. Crap the dang property line. we call a bit but they are fading away. so back to the truck and off we go. we go back the way we came and down to the next road. trying to get in the direction they were going. we stop and no answer. a bit further and crap property line. so we drive about1/4 mile and there is the line again so we stop. he lets out a few yelps. nothing. he cutts. nothing. i grab OL'NASTY. it is a beat up box call. let out a few yelps and bam. 250 yards away a bird hammers it. problem is he is on the private land. so we decide if he starts coming we will try and pull him all the way to the public. well he only answers sporadic and does not move spots so we figure he is henned up. man how i wish i could cut the distance and penetrate his bubble. the rest of the morning is a bust.
so now for how i messed up. i am sitting here looking at the map of the public. that bird was on the side of a ridge. probably 60 yards or so off the top. well according to the map the top of that ridge is the property line. so i could have circled and had an awesome chance to seal the deal. dang it man! but hey guys guess where i plan to be in the morning!
