Oh the pain of being out smarted

[sasquatch1]

Was up on some public ground today and never heard a peep off the roost. So I did some cutting and running and still nothing! Got back to the truck at 11 and made a move to another place. Made it back to a creek and took a seat to listen. After a few minutes I cut and got a response, it's around 12 now. Was way off and didn't get a good bead on the location so I sat and waited. After about his 5th gobble I now had him pinned which was across a creek. Worked my way across and got setup then let out a Yelp and he cut me off. He's about 200yds now down a big wide open bottom. I'm setup not far from the bank with a fallen Down tree between us about 20 yards out from of me and I'm all the way at the edge where the tree top is. Setup seems perfect, he will have to come in close before he can see where the calling is coming from and work his way around the tree top to see me then it'll be too late. He's steadily closing the distance and gets to probably 50 yds  and gobbles twicebfrom the same spot so I hit him with a light cluck or two to let him know where I'm at. Not long after I hear the foot steps in the leaves then See His head popping up and down the Fallen tree truck about 10-15 yards on the other side of it but he ain't staying still enough to get a bead on him. Then he starts working his way to the right, TOWARD MY OFF SIDE going along the tree truck towards the roots, oh no, I need him to go left and come around the tree top!!! Plan is heading south fast! Towards the right is also getting closer to the creek too where there's Roseau cane spread around making it some what thick. He goes behind one tiny tree and a patch of cane about 25yds out on other side the tree still and I decide ok I need to make something happen, so I rotate a bit to have a bead on him when he pops out from the other side. I move and wait and wait and wait. Damn, he saw me move and is stationary staring, so I believe. I wait some more and still nothing. So I decide ok it's now or never, lean over until I can see around the blockage and blast him before he can react. I start leaning over and see nothing, what the hell, lean some more nothing. Where could he be? So I start stretching to get a little higher to hopefully see him when I hear footsteps further to the right and see him run off and only get a quick glimpse of him headed out! There must have been a dip or something to where he was low enough to where I couldn't see him when he came out from behind that patch of cane and he was now on about a 45 deg angle to my right along the creek bank where it's full of cane and I couldn't see him and that's how he disappeared on me and ended up busting me while I was looking for him where I thought he should have been! Oh well,
     Turkey-1
      Me-0


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[Farmboy27]

Like you said it happens.  I feel your pain.  That said, I can't wait for the April 30th opener here in PA so I can get out smarted by a few!!!!!

[wvmntnhick]

That's certainly the fun in it for sure. Sorry to hear he got away but it'll be fun to chase him again.

[steinb3rg]

That's tough. I've had some similar situations where they won the battle and it just makes you want it that much more. Good luck with the remainder of the season

[Fullfan]

Good deal on almost getting him. Loosing is what keeps me going back. Keep after em..

[Greg Massey]

Sounds like it was a great day to be in the turkey woods...you will get him next time..it happens to us all..that's why they call it hunting..

[Rapscallion Vermilion]

Enjoyed that.  Thanks for sharing. 

[Happy]

Dissapointment is part of the game. Keep after him. It sounds like you had fun and that's what matters the most.

[R AJ]

Can't imagine you being outsmarted like that! Sooo many times I have the grease getting hot and wind up with nothing to cook. This is what I love about the pain of turkey hunting and the spy vs spy action.

Hey, at least you admitted defeat and you now have a story to keep you occupied till the next adventure.

[SteelerFan]

  Good story! Sometimes in this game of chess, it's checkmate! other times, we're just the pawn...

[JK Spurs]

Wow, sounds similar to what happened to me on opening day in 2013. Had a bird come in late morning gobbling his head off and he got behind a tree top and some brush. My shot was to the left and he decided to go right. I turned my body right where I was damn near lying on my side to get a shot when he walked out in the clear but he never appeared. Wouldn't you know it...he circled back to the left where I had a clear shot and here I am lying on my side and can't move. He's standing there in the open head stretched in the air about 20 feet...couple of puts and he was gone and I never had a shot.  I hunted that bird all season and never killed him.

[backwater]

Cool story.  Thanks for sharing.  Get back at em.

[OldSchool]

Sounds like you had a good hunt just the same. In my humble opinion, It's all about the encounters. I'll take a full season of close calls and time spent with the birds over a short one any time. Thanks for sharing and good luck.

Bob

[TauntoHawk]

Could you have just switch the gun and shot lefty? Reddots can make it about 1000x easier to switch shoot

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[Eric Gregg]

Sometimes it seems that the odds are stacked always in their favor