Turkey days

[strum]

Well I guess by now yall are wondering why I haven't posted any turks...well
they beating me down this year
first I lost my favorite spot
then my no. 2 favorite spot has no turk sign ..like they just packed up and moved
my no. 3 spot is about the same but at least im seeing some scratching now ..
But I have been on a piece of property that has a few birds and one smart ole tom in particular ( I've named him MR. Smart)
I called him in twice now and just haven't been able to seal the deal.
I have decided that he is decoy shy and will not come any farther when he sees the decoy/decoys..so I decided to try no decoy ..
well if I hunt this holler ,,,he's in that holler..so I set up in that holler then he's in this holler..yall been there..
I was headed out one defeated morn and heard him gobble way off in a holler so I took off after him..got with in 80 yards of him and he would not come..gobbled his fool head off too..gobbled at the crows..gobbled at some hammering going on in the distance. gobbled at the wood peckers. but would not come see me.. so we set up the next morning in a way that my buddy was the caller 50 yards behind me thinking we gonna fool him now. and wouldn't you know it. dead silent morning. nothing .. so im mad now ..I cant get him off my mind ..its him or me
Sooooo ill be out there at day break in the morn..waiting for Mr smart to gobble ..decided to set up with no decoy..hoping he will come searching and ill get on him..we shall see. one thing I can say is its been one of the most beautiful spring ive seen in years and even if I don't haul one home I am blessed to be able to get out there and witness God's glory!!!

[cb750]

It should just make the harvest of this guy that much sweeter. At least that what I keep telling myself. I'm glad to see I'm not the only one with that issue. I have two spots. One with tons of sign, but they seem to know where the property lines are when I'm around called two in but no dice
The second spot I hit this morning. The gobbler called back and forth with me. came down headed my way then went North instead of East where I was. An hour later he came back. Perfect. Nope. Then he went West. I finally was able to glass him. 300m onto someone else's land. Tried calling him and he disappeared. Looked huge.

I guess that's why its hunting and not shooting.

[R.J.]

Good luck ... sounds like a fun hunt so far !

[strum]

just got in..did a short hunt this morn because I got to go work some ..
not a sound.. to be continued

[UPSMAN]

Strum, I feel your pain. Had the same issue with one of my Florida birds. Smartest dang bird I ever set-up on. He left me pissed off every weekend. Spent all week thinking of how I was going to change my tactics for the next weekend. It took me the entire 6 week season but he finally made a fatal mistake on the last morning of the season. Good luck,and the no-decoy approach is the way to go for a smart bird.

[strum]

Ok guys I know you need something to read so here goes
set up yesterdaymorning..(redneck word)
just at dawn a crow calls..and I hear him 200 yards off maybe..
then a jake in a tree 50 yards from me..
Im watching to see the jake fly down and sure nuff ..as soon as I look the other way he did he never paid one bit of attention to my sweet little super hen yelp purrs..he just boogied on up toward the gobbler..%$#%$#
I started working on the gobbler ..
he gobble I would answer..not every time but enough to make him work my way..he gets 80 yards or so from me..i cant see him but I know he is on the ridge strutting back and forth.. he wont budge ..I tried the silent treatment ..I tried some nice purrs ,.I tried clucks ..yelps..cutttts ..didn't matter
he wasn't coming off the hill..
so by 8:30 I said ok big boy im coming to you then..
worked my way to the top of the hill thinking he was farther away but ..CLUCK
and there he was I had made it to a big ole oak and I don't think he knew what I was but he was pacing back and forth with his head bobbin like cwazy.. I may could have taken the shot once or twice but I wasn't comfortable so I passed.. he clucked 150 times seamed like and worked off the otherside of the hill ..I let him go and waited till I thought he was gone.(still could hear him clucking) looked for a place to set up for this morn.. well found a spot and was about to leave and CLUCK^%$^$& he returned!! there he was 50 yards away and im had.. so I froze and he turned the other way ..stood there for a bit then flew up in a tree..all I could do was sit a while..
finally I eased out of there..
see next post

[strum]

now this morning..i took my buddy..i set him where I started yesterday and I went to the top of the ridge location..
daylight came and I hear not one but 3 gobblers!! the plan was for my buddy to do all the calling and me sit tight hoping he would pace the ridge and I get a shot..
well a hen starts yelping 40 yards to my right rear(always where you can turn to see) then she starts cutting like crazy..i thought for a min it was another hunter,,i never heard so much cutting but then it settled down and I could hear her purr some and softly cluck etc..great..that should bring him in
the closest gobb I think was 150 yards or so.i was froze the hen was so close I knew any movement she would bust me ..well shure nuff she finally did ..
she flew off but the gobblers still were doing their thing..no fowl(pun intended)
well I stayed silent and my buddy did all the calling ..they never came
but that's two days of great turkey huntin and we will be back fri morning.
yall this has been a doozy of a year so say some prayers for me I need em..and please please don't pray for the turkeys

[UPSMAN]

Keep at it. Don't give him the satisfaction of laughing (gobbling) in your face. He will make a mistake and hopefully you will be there.

[georgiaboy]

Good luck Stan!!
Between work, church and she who must be obeyed i don't know if i will get back in the woods before the season ends.