I ahve a character Turkey on My hands

[ElkTurkMan]

Guys I have a strange Bird I am dealing with.  I believe he is the bird that I posted pics of when I shot that jake two weeks ago.  This bird prefers to hang out along the river edge, so from here on in he will be called the River Runner. 
Anyway, this whole deal with this bird started on Thursday.  I had the property to myself, and started out up front.  I heard one bird gobble, and promtly busted him off roost (LOng Story).  ANyway I didn't hear any other birds, and went to the back side of the property.  As I was getting out of the truck, I saw a Strutter just msing along a old loggin road.  I quickly got my gear, and made  ahuge loop to get in front of him.  I get set up and called.  Nothing, then 10 minutes later, GAAAAWWWLLL!!!!!!!, He sounds lie he's coming, I had to repostition around the tree, but I thought I was in business.  He gobbled one more time, and he was close.  I sat there for an hour an he never showed.  I still can't figure that one out.
  Round Two Yesterday morning. I went back to where I first saw him strutting thursday morning.  Didn't hear a thing at first light.  Then about 7:30, I hear him gobble to my left, not 100n yards away.   I imediately set up and he gobbles probably two-three minutes later, again he's getting close.  At this point I have not made a call.  So I know he doesn't know I' there.  Anyway I let out  a low yelp, and you guessed, the son of gun didn't show.  I know I shouldn't have made  apeep, but I just wanted to give him a little someting to let him know I was there, but it didn't work.  IMO this bird is educated! 
Round Three this morning. I got in there good and early, before the whipper whills.  I didn't make a peep.  Sure enough this bird gobbles at 6:58 am, and he's on the ground.  I am set up where he had been the previous two mornings.  Well today he's stays on the opposite side of the logging road and heads away from me parrellel to the river.  He's gobbling more today, than the past two days.  I recognize that he is moving a way so I make a big loop to try and get in front of him.  Anyway I ran right into him.  I came out and he was in front of me about 50 yards away.  He never saw me.  I'll never know how, but he didn't make me.  50 yards is just to far for me.  So I didn't take the shot.  Anyway he ended up gobbling all the way down to the river and shut up.    I think he went up into some planted pines, but in order to get in front of him, I would have made a ton of racket.  SO I just sat tight.  I though maybe he would cruise back through late in the morning, but he never did.  Tomorrow I am going back after him with a buddy of mine and his little boy.  We are going to get into two different areas and see what happens.  This bird would make a fine first bird for my friends son we'll see.  Anyway I'll report back tomorrow.

[mfd1027]

Hope you guys have some luck in the morning ,  Shane.   Love reading the story.   

[ElkTurkMan]

I got on there again this morning and didn't hear a peep.   I had my buddy set up in one spot and I went to another trying to get in front of the River runner, and If he was there he was quiet.  I did have a hen fly off roost adn land 15 yards in front of me.  That was neat, and I thought to myself "Live Decoy".  Anyway back to work tomorrow.  I'll try and sneak out one afternoon after work.     

[unclerick]

Yeah it's bird like him that makes the difference between a lucky hunter and a turkey hunter, time to put your thug on Shane and get out there after him.

[drenalinld]

Some birds don't play fair. I think most of the time they have hens we don't see, because too many times I've gone day after day on the same bird only to have him go opposite my different setups and then one day he's ready and comes right on in.

[harvester]

Good Luck on him when you get back out there.

[Remington924]

have you thought about not calling and scratching in the leaves? or using a strutter deke with 2-3 hens? sounds like what you need to me.

He sounds Like "russel" if you boys from last yr remember him

[ElkTurkMan]

Whooped again guys,not just by River runner,but by a couple of his buddies as well. I am definately paying the fiddler for my early success this year.   This morning I got in to where river runner usually likes to sound off.  Didn't hear a peep there.Heard two other birds about 300 yards away on our property line.I got up to them and set up. They both were gobblinggood,but one bird was just plum going nuts.   These birds were right on our property line. Long story short they gobbled until they flew downand shut up.  Ihad set up about 100-150  yards from them and they gobbled at my soft tree yelps soI felt confident they knew where I was at.  Anyway about 7:30 I heard BOOM!!!!!!!!!!, just across the line, so I assume one of them took a ride in a pick up truck  this morning. I stayed there until 10AM, and never saw the other bird.I heard three other birds this AM,but they were across the river.  When I got up at 10AM, I went to where I thought they had roosted,and I discovered  a ravine between me and them perhaps that is why they didn't come my way.  I know some of you may wonder why I hung in there so late, even after hearing the other hunter shoot.  I just figured with the hens going to nest, that the one tom left may remember my calling and come looking for me later in the morning.  WIth no other birds gobbling on our property I figured what the heck. 
  The rest of the day was pretty uneventful.  I was about to call it quits at 5:30PM.  I hit my wingbone jut to give it one last try, and got a gobble, you guessed it,  down by the river.  ANyway as beat as I was, it went away real quick as I hauled but down that way.  When I got into the river bottom, I saw fresh gobbler tracks in the fire break.  A boat motor happened to fire up and the bird gobbled again, and he was close, I mean he sounded like he was within 75yards. I Jumped down at the first tree that I thought blended me in. When I got down there I didn't like the set up,just because if the bird popped out,not exactly where I was looking I wouldn't be able to adjust without getting busted.  So even with the bird this close I crawled about 15 yards behind  me to amore suitable tree. with  alittle bit better reaction time if need be.   ANyway this bird gobbled 2 more times, and shut up  .Each time he gobbled, he was in the same spot.  As Iwas sitting there the fatigue from the long day was getting tome. Also the deer flys were horrible the thermacell wasn't as  good on them as it was with the mosquitoes.  Also the tree I crawled to had rootssticking up all around, and I was not comfortable at all.  Anyway the gobbler never answered my call,(which makes me think this might me river runner),and the fatigue,bugs, heat, all got me.  I called uncle after 45minutes or so.  I really feel bad, but  I got beat plain and simple.  They say patience kills turkeys and I truly believe that and try to live that, but I couldn't hang in there another minute. I was having trouble keeping still,and every thing was just getting to me.  Tormorrow's another day. If given another oppurtunity at this bird, I'm not gonna make a peep,and I will do the leaf racking thing,along with a hen decoy.  I do consider it a small victory if it is river runner that he did answer my wing bone call, when I first located him.  I'll report back tomorrow.         

[ElkTurkMan]

Had a fantastic hunt today, didn't get to squeeze the trigger, but had agood cat & mouse game just the same.  I'll post more details of this hunt tomorrow.  I am dead tired tonight, and I have some work to do before starting the work week tomorrow.  Anyway I get more detailed tomorrow.  Today was perhaps one of the more enjoyable days I've ever had without killing a bird.  It was epic for me.     

[Remington924]

hawken, idk if this has ever been said before but ill let you in on a secret and possibly the easy "tip of the yr"lol
a plastic grocery bag tapped 4 times make the perfect scratching sound of a turkey, try and find and orange or brown green, something neutral so its not white and stick out or another color that would. or if it does paint it but the paint will were of after awhile. roll the bag tight aroung a stick and put it in your vest so it wont make a sound until ready to use then unfold and tap tap tap tap. it works, try it

[ElkTurkMan]

Rem 924 thanks for the tip, I'll try that.  I'm back after them tomorrow.  On Sunday of last week I wet back to where I had the gobbling turkey Saturday night, and sure enough he was still there.  I set up and figured I was in business.  This bird hit the ground and went to me, but was out of range and going along the river.  I backed out and gotin front of him.  He was coming and gobbling good.  I was set upin somecalf high grass.While I wassitting there,I started to second guess my set up.   Right along the river edge it was more open, and I figured the bird would prefer to walk over there. I decided to stay at the same tree, but just get to another sidewhere I could see the mor eopen area.  I got shifted around,and saw something directly in front of me.I thought at first it was a squirrel' tail in the grass, Nope, it was the bird. He boogered and gotthe heck out of dodge.  I could have took a shot at him flying but I didn't.  I cussed myslef for moving and  equally could not believe the bird gotthat close undetected.  Iwalked over to where the bird was at, and I am still a a loss and disbelief as to how he got in there without me seeing him.  I'm telling yeat the grass was only calf high, and if he would have been coming in walking normal, I would ahve seen him and killed him.  Anyway he flew back down the river to were I originally set up.  I went back there and half heartedly st up and called, and GAAAAWWWWLLLLLL.  I couldn't belive it.  So I set up and the bird would gobble, but never come in.  I called very sparingly and did nothing but cluck and purr.  The bird would never come in.  After an hour or so of this, I got up and very painstaikingly slow, got to where I thought I would ahve a better shot at him.  I moved maybe 75 yards awy, and the bird stopped gobbling.  I figured he had somehow made me.  SO I got up , and decided to see if I could find where he roost, and try to learn a little bit.  Ayway as I'm meandering around over there, he gobbles, and he is close, I mean close!  I just drop where I am at.  There is a blowdown to me left, and a small white oak directly behind me about 10 yards.  I craw to the whitre oak and set up.  I can see about 20 25 yards good in front of me no problem, but that is all I've got, and can see well to my right or to my left.  Anyway the bird gobble's again, and it about blows my hat off.  I can hear the bird walking, and he is to my left behind the blow down.  This was pure TORCHER!  He was 15 feet or so away, and I couldn't do  adarn thing.  Maddening I tell you!  I sat there and he just left.  I couldn't tell where he went.  I hoped and prayed he would make his way in front of me, but he never did.  I gave it 30 miniutes, and very slowly, got out of there.  I dodn't want to go to far, I just wanted to get some where with better visability.  As I am sneeking out of there, he gobbles again, but he is jsut across the property line and may bee 150 yards from me.  Then I hear a truck from the opposite property come flying down along the fence line.  I held my breath.  The truck just keeps going, I thoughtperhaps the adjacent land owners heard the bird and were coming after him, but apparently they were just making the round.  With the bird being far enough away, to wehre I thought  wouldn't sppok him, I went ahewad and set up where I thought I would be in business.  I got set up and started lighty clucking and purring like before and sure enough and hour later he gobble's and he is coming.  He ended up gobbling 3 more times snd got with 75 yards or so, and just lsot interest, and never showed.  He eventually left  and the last I heard of him he was across the neighber's pasture.  By this time it was 12:40PM.  I ahd been playing cat  mouse with this bird for 6 hours.  I wanted in the worst way to stay and just see if sooner or later he would come back, but I was drained.  I was so thirsty, and so hungry, that I was ahving trouble staying still.  SO I left.  I don't know if this is River Runner or not?  This bird gobbled like atwo yyear old, but acted older.  Who knows?  All I know is this was the best hunt without pulling the trigger I have ever had.   Sorry to ramble guys.         

[harvester]

Get back on him, good luck this weekend, maybe you can let him meet his maker in the moring.

[Remington924]

keep after him just like people turkeys have bad days, one day youll catch him off guard in a mistake...i always do sometimes it takes 4yrs (RUSSELL!)but i always do im setting up on for real hot jakes in the AM i cant see myself killing a jake but im going with two friends and limited hunting opportunites cuz i landed a great full time job and the kid is going to try and film it so im going to do it, i just hope i dont take to much heat from buddies for killing a jake but if the hunts fun who cares what they think i just hope i dont call in a tom for a buddy at one of my spots after i kill a jake and they get it not that i wouldnt want a friend to be fortunat becaus ei like to share the wealth and love taking friends and youths but id be a little dissapointed but hey i need a new jake fan so its on!

[harvester]

good luck on that remmy.

[ElkTurkMan]

No luck this weekend guys.  I have one more week before she closes next Sunday.  I'm gonna hunt a couple of days after work this week as well as next weekend.