Note right up front: I tried to shorten this one, but didn’t want to leave anything out for when I transfer this to my journal, so grab a beer, this will be lengthy.
Yesterday ended a 5 day chase (4 days in a row) of a gobbler Dad and I managed to get under 60 yards 5 different times. 5th time was the charm.
The chase started last Sunday (day after opener), as we set up at daylight on the north side of our property where Dad had flushed 3 gobblers while running the English pointers a few weeks before. Despite hearing several gobblers on the roost, all were off our property and shut up when they hit the ground. We proceeded across the creek on our property to the east boundary and sat and called to no avail. Moved back across the creek and to the south end to a location we call the crossroads, over a slight rise from our little wood duck hole. Sat down and let out a soft yelp on my slate call and immediately had a gobbler answer near the pond dam to our southwest about 200 yards away. 3 roads intersect at the “cross roads” and Dad was in number 1 position with me sitting off to his left facing some thick stuff a turkey would never walk through. Turkey gobbles a few more times and we can tell he’s getting closer. He shuts up, so we figured he was coming. A few minutes later a hen comes jogging over the rise on what we call the “field trial road” and stops 10 yards from us. After a minute or two she eases on by us and heads on to the north. We both figure the gobbler is right behind her. I’m looking to the right scanning the roads hard for his head to pop up so I can alert Dad. Next thing I know I hear a stick break 20 yards in front of me, ya know in that thick stuff a turkey “would never walk through”. I cut my eyes to the left and right off the end of my gun barrel stands a gobbler, who is now 17-18 yards away. My hands are in my lap on the call with my gun propped on my knee. No bueno. He walks to my right towards where I think Dad may have a shot, but begins to angle away from us as he’s getting to the road. Steps out in the road at about 55 yards, walks over the hill, and gobbles several times as he walks away to the south. End scene. Turkeys 1 Hunters 0 for those keeping score at home.
To be continued...