What a morning!!!

[Strut10]

Started out my morning high on the back side of a ridgetop at the far northwest corner of the Strut10 Ranch. I had been hearing a couple toms there the last few mornings when I was hunting clear across the valley on another ridge. Figured I'd change things up a bit today. At first light, the only bird I could hear gobbling was across the next valley to the west.........off the Ranch and somewhere I don't go. He hammered a few times off the roost and once when he hit the ground then shut up. So I walked down the ridge and flopped up over the top to listen into the big valley to the east. As I was snapping a pic of a really gorgeous sunrise I heard a bird go off waaaay down the valley and across the other side. Then another bird. I waited to hear them again and it wasn't 30 seconds they went off again!! I knew exactly where they were. Two hard-gobbling birds in a field at 6:45 in the morning......... 3/4 of a mile away. So I took off. 10 minutes later I was easing up to the open timber flat that runs out about 30-35 yards to the field edge where the birds had been gobbling. I popped a couple clucks off a diaphragm and they came unglued...........about 100 yards to my left and out in the field. I flopped down against a nice sized maple yanked up the face net and turned on the red dot. It was over and I knew it. I yelped really soft and hit a cluck-purr-cluck and the pair rattled my hat!!! Then there were turkey heads and necks. Then whole turkeys. They walked up the edge, stopped and looked into the woods. Then they turned and went back about 10 yards and came into the woods......already in range at around 40 yards. First bird was at least a solid 2 year bird swinging 9 or 10 inches of whisker. Second bird had a hog rope!!! I'm guessing 12 inches and very full. I swung the dot off the first bird to the longer bearded one. Now, here's where I need my *** kicked. Had I tramped on the gas right there, I'd be posting pics of one heckuva mature tom. But........I like to watch turkeys strut and gobble and do turkey stuff. So, I figured I'd wait them out a bit before I ended it. They started walking to my left.......toward the brow of a valley. Of course I figured they're gonna go a few yards then turn and come on in, right?? Wrong. They got some stuff between them and me and dropped over the brow. No problem. I still figured they were either going to pop back up over a little more to my left or else go on back to the woods road I had come in on and walk it up in behind me. Either way....I was ready. Problem is... next time they gobbled they were 200 yards out in front of me headed out of the country. Why didn't I just tighten down??? Stupidity, I guess. Rookie mistake. I like to watch turkeys. I'd make a poor meat hunter. So I beat feet outta there and up over a big hill and down the back side. I had an inkling of where they might be going. I was right. As I came sliding down over into the top corner of one of our Fraser fir fields they cut loose at the bottom, opposite corner. Cool!! So I found a good place to sit down and gave a few yelps. Gobble-obble-obble!!! Cool!! So I got situated to shoot to the tractor road below the edge of the field and called again. They cut loose again...........from the woods below the field, headed up a little creek bottom and away. So.......up again and circling way wide, I crossed the bottom and got up on the face of the next ridge north, figuring that's probably where they were headed. I ended up sitting against the same tree I'd been set up on the last 3 days in a row. Only difference is that I'd started a 2 mile walk away this morning. Never heard the rotten, running boogers again. I was pooped and P-O'ed. I had enough and was leaving. Just a short pop up over the top and I was out in a long, narrow field with corner of some big oaks to cut through then a 1/2 mile downhill walk to the Jeep and I'd head home. But, just like a fisherman that always has to take "one last cast"....... ....... I had to sneak a little ways out through the mature oaks and pop the boxcall a couple times (the wind was picking up) before dropping off the other side to the Jeep. So I did. And a hard-gobbling bird cut loose about 1/2 mile the other way across a big wooded valley. Soooo..........around the top of the valley I goes.........back out into the far end of the long field. Hit the call again and the bird was still there and still mouthy. So I closed the distance as far as I figured the open timber would permit and flopped down against a big poplar across the field from the woods the bird was in. The field is only 30 or 35 yards wide right there. I figured I'd just call him to the edge and that'd be that. Called again, this time with a diaphragm. He hammered right back and he was twice as close as before. I beat right back at him with some choppy cutts and he cut me off. So I cut him off with some of my sleaziest hen talk and he roared back. For the 2nd time this morning.....net up, dot on, finger along the trigger guard. I waited about a minute and purred, then cluck-purred and he uncorked right over a little rise just inside the woods.....not 60 yards in front of me. Never heard the !#$%*& again. I mean, that was it. Finito. Caput. I sat...ready to shoot....for 30 minutes, scanning the woods in front of me for a head or fan tips. Zilch. He was right there!!!! Right freaking there!!!! Then blotto. I am certain that I did not spook this bird. He just turned off. Don't know if something else spooked him or what. But there it was. I got up and backed out after waiting him out for 1/2 hour so as to not get sloppy and do something dumb and queer my chances some other day. And then I went home for real.

It's been a long time since I walked so far and accomplished so little.....and had the system in "condition go" twice.

Oh, well..........at least I get to go huntin' again tomorrow.

[snapper]

Actually sounds like you had a fun day of turkey huntin'!

[toddyboman]

Heck of a day.....glad to hear I am not the only one that has had turkey in range and didn't shoot..... I too like to watch turkey be turkeys.......:D:D

Edited April 30, 2009 by toddyboman

[Casey]

Strut10,

That has happened to me so many times this year it ain't even funny. Yesterday I had two birds gobble to some of my best slate and mouth calling. They hooked, but when I got set up, I started to call again and didn't hear nothing. I hope I didn't bump them. After that I didn't even hear another gobble, sat there until 8:20pm to see where they roost and they didn't even gobble then.:mad:

I am going to back out of that place for a couple days and let it calm down.

[mike13candace]

Great story... That is a fun filled morning for sure..

[Rhino]

Well Strut...with only 1 bird in the PA bag limit there's no rush. Don't blame ya for trying to get the most out of the show. Been there before too...just not lately.

I know it's just a matter of time for ya so don't beat yourself up too much for trying to get the most out of your hunt...ahhhh make that hunts.

[Strut10]

Well Strut...with only 1 bird in the PA bag limit there's no rush.

Actually, Al, I've got 2 tags.

I'm having a ball not using them. :D:D