bamaranger
New member
Called a tremendous gobbler in today, watched him come through thin open hardwoods, clearly visible for 100 yds, DOWNHILL, only to miss him at 32 steps.
Lessons learned: ( I already knew this, but got a painful reminder this AM)
-don't shoot at a walking turkey
-don't shoot at a turkey that does not have his neck extended a fair degree
(putt if you have to to stop him and get his head up)
-pick a clear shot. I failed to see a fair size honey locust sapling half way to the bird, which did not help at all.
Lessons learned: the good news.
I was pretty bummed. I've been scouting and hunting like a mad man. I wanted to go home and cry myself to sleep, which I needed (sleep).
I did not. I walked back to the truck, got a snack and watered up.
Drove to another spot, where I'd located birds prior season. It was 10:00AM. Hot, way hotter than it should be for early April. I passed three trucks coming out on my way in. Told myself I'd listen and cover ground for an hour, then hunt back to the truck. (quitting time on public land is 12:00 noon).
At 10:45 a bird gobbled at a live crow. I closed in and called the first time at 11:00. No answer. At 11:20 he gobbled again, on his own. I called again, switching things up a bit with a mouth call. No answer. At 11:45, I tickled the homemade slate, a gift from my best friend, one more time and he ANSWERED, at half the distance from before! He WAS coming. Gun up, foot steps in the distance. There! Freeze, track, freeze, track. Then a blind spot behind a big tree. When he stepped out, I made DARN sure he was clear and lined up CAREFULLY.
Bang! Dead as a hammer at 40 yds. It was exactly 12:00 noon. Not as big as the one I'd missed, but......redeemed. I didn't mind the walk back to the Bronco in the heat all.
Lessons learned: ( I already knew this, but got a painful reminder this AM)
-don't shoot at a walking turkey
-don't shoot at a turkey that does not have his neck extended a fair degree
(putt if you have to to stop him and get his head up)
-pick a clear shot. I failed to see a fair size honey locust sapling half way to the bird, which did not help at all.
Lessons learned: the good news.
I was pretty bummed. I've been scouting and hunting like a mad man. I wanted to go home and cry myself to sleep, which I needed (sleep).
I did not. I walked back to the truck, got a snack and watered up.
Drove to another spot, where I'd located birds prior season. It was 10:00AM. Hot, way hotter than it should be for early April. I passed three trucks coming out on my way in. Told myself I'd listen and cover ground for an hour, then hunt back to the truck. (quitting time on public land is 12:00 noon).
At 10:45 a bird gobbled at a live crow. I closed in and called the first time at 11:00. No answer. At 11:20 he gobbled again, on his own. I called again, switching things up a bit with a mouth call. No answer. At 11:45, I tickled the homemade slate, a gift from my best friend, one more time and he ANSWERED, at half the distance from before! He WAS coming. Gun up, foot steps in the distance. There! Freeze, track, freeze, track. Then a blind spot behind a big tree. When he stepped out, I made DARN sure he was clear and lined up CAREFULLY.
Bang! Dead as a hammer at 40 yds. It was exactly 12:00 noon. Not as big as the one I'd missed, but......redeemed. I didn't mind the walk back to the Bronco in the heat all.
