Turkeygirl Posted May 2, 2006 Report Share Posted May 2, 2006 Well maybe it just wasn't my time to get a turkey but I trust you all for some encouragement and hunting advice. I went and set up this morning on some turkeys I heard roost last night. They flew down where they had flown up from, an open swamp with an atv trail through the middle. I could hear that guy from yesterday cranking on his hen call a hundred yards or two behind me. So I decide to get up and walk out where I saw the turkeys go; I see one cross the swamp and go behind some brush, I think into the woods. I'm almost to the other side of the swamp when i hear GOBBLE come from the top of the ridge up behind me. So I high tail it into the woods and onto this old logging trail which winds it's way around out to the gravel pit, which is where the ridge is near. I stop part way on the trail, give a few yelps and GOBBLE! He sounds closer so I sit down against a tree and wait. He gobbles once more than stops. Next thing I know I hear a ruckus in front of my up the hill and see a turkey coast over my head and down behind me towards the other side of this swamp/creek towards more woods. I'm sitting there fuming because someone must have spooked him, I suspect that guy. Well I wait about half an hour then quietly work my way towards where the turkey went. I stop, give a few yelps and GOBBLE! So I cross this swamp into the woods, then I hear this guy on his call about 30 yards from me maybe! I'm mad now and there is no way this guy is going to cut in on me, but he is basically racing me for it. Well I cut over and in towards where I heard the gobbler, give a few yelps then listen and try to decide where I should go. Then I hear putt putt putt and I look up and about 25-30 yards from me up in a Beech tree I see bright red waddles, it's Mr. Gobbler! I get my gun up because he looks like he's about to take off and I've got this guy around somewhere, and bOOM! I shoot but the turkey flies off down into the swamp/hemlocks. There were some branches in the way which took alot of my shot. I slowly again work towards where the turkey went, wait half an hour in a spot and call again then nothing. As I'm heading home, I decide to take a round about way, kind of towards where the gobbler may havegone and then I hear andsee a turkey take off out of a tree, it must have been the same turkey! I decide to call it quits and I leave the woods. This last time he flew off, he went off towards a ridge alongside some fields. Now my question is, what do I do tomorrow? Is the bird going to be in the same area where I last saw/spooked him or is he going to move? I have a class tonight so I don't think I'll be able to get out and try to roost him. Is he going to be quiet tomorrow and quit gobbling? Should I change-up my calls tomorrow? Please, tell me anything, I'd love to get this guy, I think he's the same one I've been chasing for 3 years now and I have no idea if that person is going to be in there tomorrow or not. I am thinking setting up in the morning by that ridge where I saw the turkey fly to and just listen, but I don't know if he'll attempt to go back towards that ridge by the gravel pit or what! Aaahh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgbennett6 Posted May 2, 2006 Report Share Posted May 2, 2006 Re: Bad luck morning Keep your chin up it happens, I personally would mix up my calls give him a day or two off, an get a little closer to where he flies down......he might eb a little tight lipped but with persistance you'll get him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkeygirl Posted May 2, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 2, 2006 Re: Bad luck morning I'm not really sure where he was even roosted this morning, whether he was with those hens I saw fly down and moved really fast up to the ridge by the gravel pit, or if he was roosted up there already.....gosh, I just want to be in the right spot tomorrow morning and not have to run around the woods fighting this other hunter,ugh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
borch Posted May 2, 2006 Report Share Posted May 2, 2006 Re: Bad luck morning Now might be a good time to hit that state land you scouted earlier. It's midweek and a few days removed from the opener. Plus you are experiencing significant pressure from the other hunter for the same bird. I'd at least scout the state area tonight to see what it looks like. Another option based on your available time is to start on the private land and then hit the state land mid morning if you don't score right away. Often pressure really lets up by 8 am and toms will still be there and may even be more active and vocal later in the morning. Good Luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redbeard Posted May 2, 2006 Report Share Posted May 2, 2006 Re: Bad luck morning They forget about the shots quicker than they forget seein' humans..............Borch summed it up pretty much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkeygirl Posted May 2, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 2, 2006 Re: Bad luck morning Well I won't be able to get to out to scout tonight because of class, and tomorrow I have class in the morning so I'll only be hunting until about 8:30am, so I'm going to probably end up hunting the same land as today. So should I go in the area where I last saw the gobbler, or go where I started out this morning? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrWiggely Posted May 2, 2006 Report Share Posted May 2, 2006 Re: Bad luck morning How far from you was he first thing in the morning? If he was close (inside 200 yards) I would go ahead and go in the same spot but go a little deeper in. Maybe another 200-300 yards before I set up and work from there. Good luck. Wigs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkeygirl Posted May 2, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 2, 2006 Re: Bad luck morning When I first heard him, he was several hundred yards from me. I'm just wondering, is he going to return to the area where he first was to find his hens tonight or stay in the vicinity where I last saw him fly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VermontHunter Posted May 3, 2006 Report Share Posted May 3, 2006 Re: Bad luck morning Keep at it Ruth,, it's eventually got to pay off, atleast that's what I keep telling myself.. Besides, the woods are great this time of year... Good luck and press on.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hi-Tech RedNeck Posted May 3, 2006 Report Share Posted May 3, 2006 Re: Bad luck morning If it were me I would try to talk to this other hunter you have had some encounters with. It seems the two of you have been pretty close to each other in the woods which can leed to a disaster. I know of a couple of guys around here who have been in turkey hunting accidents, one of them is now blind. Last year another guy was killed right here in Dryden. There aint a turkey out there worth getting in an accident over. Give the Tom a couple of days off then go set up on him on his travel route. Do not call to him until you are positive he is on the ground and then call only sparingly. Take it a little conservative for a little while and see how he reacts. Start slow and see he resonds, if he continues to gobble keep calling if he shuts up slow it down. HTR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted May 3, 2006 Report Share Posted May 3, 2006 Re: Bad luck morning The bird will likely be roosting in the same area. Sounds like you didn't hurt him. I suggest you take borch's advice and give the state land a try and let that bird rest a day or two. Next time I'd mix up my calls too and move in closer under the cover of darkness like wigs suggested. Bummer about the other guy moving in on you like that. For your sake, I hope his hunting time is limited from here on out. If it makes you fell any better, one of my close friends missed the 1st 2 birds he shot at this year and still managed to kill some birds before our season ended. Hang in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted May 3, 2006 Report Share Posted May 3, 2006 Re: Bad luck morning Sounds like a lot of pressure on one bird. Think I would also follow borch's advice and give the state land a try if I were you. Good luck TG. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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