What is he doing right before you shoot.

[Marc]

The last bird I shot was very alarmed and alert to my presence when I shot, and it got me to thinking about what most of the birds were doing right before I shot...

The vast majority of birds I have shot have been without decoys in wooded areas.  They are generally wandering in, mid-morning, looking for the hen that is calling.  Often, they are kinda' causally strolling in, and pecking at the ground.

Generally, about the time they get in, or get close to shooting range they tend to get nervous (maybe they hear my breathing or heartbeat for all I know).  I generally assumed, that they are looking for that hen that is supposed to be there, and either they sense something is wrong, or they are nervous she is not there.

This is that moment they stop walking, and the head comes up and is perfectly still, eyeballing the world around them....  This is generally the moment I pull the trigger if they are in range.  If I have a relaxed bird coming towards me, once he gets this side of 20 yards, I am generally going to cluck to make his head come up and take the shot...  (I can only think of a couple of birds in which this was the case though).

I have had hot birds come into range gobbling and strutting (especially walking down a logging road expecting that hen to be around a corner), but most of my non-decoy experiences, those birds are a bit nervous in their final moments. 

I have also had birds coming in strutting, and as they get in range, they suddenly become alert...  Walking head-up and nervously...  If he is still making forward motion, I let him come, but when he stops, I shoot.

Having had enough birds come almost in range, it is that moment when they stop (head up), that they are also deciding to turn around and get out of Dodge.

Decoys are a different story...  They do not work all the time, but when they do, you often get birds in a full strut, just yards away completely ignorant about your presence, and completely indifferent about any possible dangers.  I have made some sort of sharp cluck to make them lower their tails and lift their head (and I have also shot them in full strut).

Having had decoys work against me (probably more often than to my advantage), I do not necessarily think they are an unfair advantage.  I do enjoy the interaction of the birds with the combination of calling and decoys, and especially early in the season, still employ them with the hopes of witnessing this interaction. 

I have to admit, that I enjoy that tension, and sense of anticipation of the bird coming into me in the woods without a decoy though...  Thinking in my head "keep coming..."  That sense of relief when the bird is in range, and then the sense of "pressure" in making the shot as my finger puts pressure on the trigger.

Most of my hunting is wing-shooting, and although there is some degree of anticipation watching birds work, there is not generally that magnificently painfully slow anticipation that comes with the decision to pull the trigger on a turkey...  That (and of course the gobble), is one of the really great aspects of turkey hunting for me...

Curious to hear thoughts of others with different (or similar) experiences...

[SteelerFan]

Non-decoyed birds definitely seem to have that sixth sense radar thing going on. They come in to where they believe a hen is in sight with their "HELLO LADIES..." attitude, which can flip like a switch to "uh-oh".

I think it depends on the bird, on the day, and level of "love" interest. I think we've all had birds that were stubborn for days (or weeks) on end, only to have them stroll in on a string one day.

As far as that last nano-second of thought in the bird's brain? Probably something along the lines of: "Hey, wait a minute... something doesn't seem quite rig#*!!" 

[guesswho]

I usually tell them don't put your head up, but they never listen.   Then the last thing they do is get that Ooooops look.

[Lucky_Strutter]

Probably thinking oh sh** its a trap!

[Spitten and drummen]

most of mine have that "OH MAAAAN" look lol.

[Bill Cooksey]

Marc,

Great description. I rarely get busted by turkeys in the woods, but I had one bust me Sunday in a woods scenario like you describe. The bird flew across a big creek to get to me, and that was exactly what I expected because it happens with at least 50% of the birds I've killed in that area.

Problem was where he landed. Where the woods drop off to the creek there is a thin strip of river cane, and birds almost always land on the creek side of the cane and then walk into the woods looking for the hen. Normally, I hear the wings, spot the bird in the air and shift my gun right as he hits the ground on the other side of the cane. There's a second or two where they simply can't see movement.

This bird though flew right over the cane and landed in the open woods 30 yards from me. No problem, I'd just wait for him to walk behind a tree, shift my gun and kill him when he walked out. But he didn't walk...he just stood there staring a hole through me. Slowly, he turned and began to walk away, and I started a slow and deliberate move with my gun. He putted and quickened his pace, and I ended up not taking a shot because of him moving through cover.

[OkatieHunter]

I've killed four turkeys this year and each one was a different experience.

First bird was an Osceola in S FL that acted similar to the OP's birds. No decoy in an orange grove, played with him all morning. I actually left after hearing or seeing nothing for over an hour, only to have him gobble when I got back to the truck! Got back into the grove and set up, called to him and he fired up. I shut up and he gobbled again 5 min later in the same spot. I then called with my mouth call and slate together to orchestrate 2 hens. within a few minutes here he came looking for the hen but hung up at 40 yds and got worried when he didn't see her. Shot him under an orange tree.

Second Bird was the opener in SC. He was roosted off a high ridge and I was slightly above him on a woods road. He gobbled well on the roost, flew down and came in quiet. I saw him at 45 yds and he got on the road in full strut and from my angle he was behind a tree for what felt like an eternity just strutting, looking for the hen. Again, no decoy. I was shaking like a leaf but was also scratching the leaves and purring with my mouth call. He eventually broke and came a few yards closer and I killed him at 38 steps.

Third bird again in SC was an evening hunt. He came in with a buddy while I was working another gobbler that was going nuts but would not leave his hen. They came in silent and the first time I knew they were there was when they blew my hat off at 25 steps after I cut at the other bird!

Killed him at 15 steps, guess he didn't have time to get suspicious! Could have killed his buddy but left him for another day.

Fourth bird was in SC (tagged out now) and killed him with hens in a swamp bottom after he followed the hens from the roost. Got around them and got in front of where they wanted to be. Called one time and he came in first in full strut pulling the hens along. Killed him at 30 or so steps. No decoy.

This is a great thread and great question, I will be interested in other responses!

[MT elk slayer]

I would agree, whether it is a turkey, elk, deer, waterfowl, rifle, bow, shotgun. Every animal that I have harvested gives me that last second look before I let the projectile fly. Every one of them, I whisper to myself, "you f-ed up" and let it fly, I can almost imagine every one of their faces as I look back on the walls of my house. Every look, in their own way or another has been that "OHHH Sh*t" look and then dead.

[Marc]

How about the famous "bubble cluck?"

Bird walking in, makes that searching "Putt" (known infamously on this forum I believe as the "bubble-cluck").

Easy solution if the bird is obscured from view, I answer him...  I do not really think it matters that you answer him with the same "bubble-cluck" and I will often use a contented cluck or yelp to let him know I am there...

The conundrum occurs when that bird is not quite in range, and in plain and open view...  He gives you that searching "Putt," and you have to decide what to do.  Answer him in plain view, and he will likely pinpoint the sound and possibly make you (or at least become very nervous cause there is no hen there).

Don't answer him, and he is wondering what "ate" the hen he is looking for...  And likely book.

Generally (in my experiences), they will make that "putting" sound several times looking for the hen (which can develop into the "alarm-putt") and I try and wait for the bird to walk behind some obscuration before answering...  The more nervous the bird, the more relaxed and contented I try and sound...  Admittedly, I have lost my share of birds in this situation due to answering too late or too soon, or for reasons that likely nobody would or will understand except the turkey...

Hearing that bubble-cluck is a sound I both love and hate...  Means there is a bird coming, but it also means he is a bit nervous about the situation...  (At least in my limited experience)

What do you all do when you hear that sound???

[g8rvet]

The closest wingshooting experience to turkey hunting for me is calling in a flock of honkers.  Can't let up until they are in range, because they like to flare off, so the excitement builds as they close.  It is not that hard to call them from a half mile or more away, but it can be a bear to get them that last 50 yards.  Putting a flock of mature honkers in your lap is every bit the accomplishment of fooling an old Tom, because the geese are older and there are more eyes looking for trouble.

If you see one flock a day, it makes for some excitement. Of course if there are lines of them, it is no different than hunting a butterball factory.  If you mess up, another goose/Tom will be along in a few minutes.

I don't know what a bubble cluck is. I assume it is that sound that is not quite an alarm putt, but not exactly a soft happy cluck. 

[tha bugman]

The one thing I hate is when he goes to checking his wings...the jig is up and I am going to have to make a decision.

[BHMTitan]

The one thing I hate is when he goes to checking his wings...the jig is up and I am going to have to make a decision.

Yep - when they straighten up and refold their wings, they're about to walk away.  Decision time for the shooter!

[Tail Feathers]

I also hunt without decoys.  I've shot a couple in strut because they wouldn't come out of it.  Some I've clucked to get them to periscope their head up. 
Most of them I shoot when that head comes up and they begin to get that nervous look on their own when they can't find that hen they came looking for.

[g8rvet]

I got on youtube before the season started and paused a bunch of videos on birds.  Some were nervous and getting ready to leave and some were relaxed.  I had about 10 videos and got my daughter to watch maybe 30 seconds of each one to see some body language on the birds.  It did not take that long to do it and I hope she learned from it.  I think there is a feel you get where it may be hard to describe, but you just know it by the bird's body posture and such. 

When we were working a bird this past weekend, I told her this bird is nervous and is on high alert, but he does not know we are here.  He is looking for his buddies, for a hen and for the buggers that scared him a few days ago very near here (my nephew and BIL).  She did great and he did feed off, but she did not scare him, just never presented her a shot I was comfortable with. 

[Marc]

The closest wingshooting experience to turkey hunting for me is calling in a flock of honkers.  Can't let up until they are in range, because they like to flare off, so the excitement builds as they close.  It is not that hard to call them from a half mile or more away, but it can be a bear to get them that last 50 yards.  Putting a flock of mature honkers in your lap is every bit the accomplishment of fooling an old Tom, because the geese are older and there are more eyes looking for trouble.

If you see one flock a day, it makes for some excitement. Of course if there are lines of them, it is no different than hunting a butterball factory.  If you mess up, another goose/Tom will be along in a few minutes.

I don't know what a bubble cluck is. I assume it is that sound that is not quite an alarm putt, but not exactly a soft happy cluck.

I actually think geese are smarter, and there are more eyes on you...  But there are generally a lot more geese as well.

The "bubble-cluck" was a sound discussed in depth on a couple of threads previously.  I assume it is that searching "Putt" sound that they make looking for another bird...  That same putting sound can easily turn into an alarm putt, and it seems to indicate a low degree of alarm or nervousness.