Guest TennesseeTurkey Posted April 8, 2010 Report Share Posted April 8, 2010 Ive been hunting HARD the last few days ince TN's season opened last Sat and man Ive had to go ao few rounds with this bird Ive named Ted because, well I have no reason.... he's just Ted lol.... Saturday.... I had to work opening day so I didnt get out that morning but due to some fast driving and easy jobs I got off about 2pm... I get to the property at about 4 pm and set up in a huge field full of old feathers and some fresh turkey doo.... call every so often and hear nothing for an hour so I decide to go up the side of the mountain out of the field inbetween two ridges. I look at both ridges and look for the biggest trees to try to set up close to maybe getting a shot at one going to roost... I go up the ridge to the right calling every 15 or so mins and nothing... all of a sudden in the middle of the silence a bird (not sure what kind) does whatever kind of bird call it was doing about 10 times very loudly and very sharp and BAM Gobbler coming down the ridge to the roost...only.... the other ridge to my left... dang it, I went to the wrong ridge... so I start to call and he answers my every move until I start hearing hens with him calling at me so I start to cut them off and be fairly aggressive and the hens pull him away and the go back to where they came from back up the mountain. Monday.... Morning time and I make my way to the end of the field between the two ridges and owl hoot.... BAM... gobbler 100 yards from me to the left so I set up just 80 yards below him just out of view with the B and SHE Mobiles... he hammers on for another hour and finally I see hens fly down, and they all go to the left of me around the ridge to go off the other holler.... well I quickly get up to head them off but my 3 more set-ups were all behind him. so I thought to myself, boy Ill fix your chicken this evening I know where you want to roost and you're mine... That evening.... I make a LONG walk up that huge ridge and get set up at about 4 calling every 15 minutes and finally at 6:30 I hear footsteps in the leaves just out of sight round the ridge going downhill. I quickly get around to the other side of the tree facing downhill and call softly and BAM... here he comes... he gets just barely out of view and the safety is off (he was actually about 30 yards but because of where I was on top of the ridge he couldnt see anything since we were at the top). SO he loses interest when he dosent find anything (my decoys) and starts back downhill and for a second I think that Ill make a move to get to where I can see him walking downhill so I click the safety back on to move and then it hits me. I HAVE A GOBBLE SHAKER! I pull out the shaker and gobble and he cuts me off gobbling himself and now he's making a b-line for me.... he pops up full strut head in all of its full blue red and white glory, put the bead on him and pull the trigger!... no bang.... stupid me forgot to take the safety back off... so I have to take my thumb out of the thumbhole stock to click it off and he see's me.... so hurriedly I click it off take aim and..... BANG.... he flops.... (or so I thought) next I hear a loud cluck, I stand up to see him walking away and I quickly take another pop shot at him and this time he takes off flying across the property.... I was so mad words just can't explain.... so I mourningly take up my decoys and walk back to the truck. Tuesday morning and evening.... I set up close to his normal roosting place both morning and evening with not sight of sound of him. Thursday morning.... I walk to the end of the field again and owl hoot and BAM he's on the mountain side where the mountain meets the ridge... I walk up the opposite ridge up the mountain side around to about 100 yards from him.... set up and start calling to him.... he gobbles at everything he hear almost on the roost... so fly down time comes... and he heads down the ridge back to where he flew down from his old roosting spot! I didnt have anymore time to chase him any more this morning but hus days ARE numbered! on a side note... I am so freaking sore from walking up and down those ridges its not even funny! great way to get in shape... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesse8953 Posted April 8, 2010 Report Share Posted April 8, 2010 Sounds like you got him figured out,I hope he falls for the madhatter pot call! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TennesseeTurkey Posted April 8, 2010 Report Share Posted April 8, 2010 Sounds like you got him figured out,I hope he falls for the madhatter pot call! That thing has gotten a work-out the last few days... Ive also almost worn out 2 mouth calls! lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TennesseeTurkey Posted April 9, 2010 Report Share Posted April 9, 2010 BTW its amazing how many type-o's you can make when trying to type fast.... I did pass High School FYI.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybear Posted April 9, 2010 Report Share Posted April 9, 2010 Good story....sometimes the best plans take days, sometimes weeks to unfold the way they're supposed to. Some "Teds" are just meant to get under our skin another season.:wacko: Good luck tagging your bulletproof gobbler. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkeygirl Posted April 9, 2010 Report Share Posted April 9, 2010 Good luck KT! Keep after him....there will come the time he'll slip up and it will all fall into place....with the bird flopping on the ground! I chased a wary gobbler that I had missed like the first day last year....hunted him 8 days straight and finally caught him in a field...his bearded lady friend left and he was left for me take home over my shoulder:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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