I was surprised when the first morning of the 2016 spring gobbler season began, and I failed to hear any gobbling from roosting turkeys. This proved to be, especially, accurate when I thought back over the last two weeks. I had heard birds every morning I scouted. I went out in the mid-morning on hikes and hear gobbling! Oh well…that is why this interest is called hunting!
I crossed from one hill to another early hoping to hear turkeys on the back side of the ridge. I called, and I heard a very distant gobbling. I thought could that bird have heard my calling? The rule is ..Go after the gobbling bird! I took a few stesp and heard a shot. Was the shot where the bird was gobbling from?
The second morning was met with thunder, and lightning. I monitored the radar closely before deciding to the rain should be close to completion by starting time. Off I went!
I was walking up slope when I heard a vehicle moving slow on the road where I was
parked. A hunter emerged blowing a crow call hoping to stir up a gobbler. I continued moving up the hill.
I heard a gobbler far off, and immediately moved towards the bird. I eased into the woods where he had gobbled. I called and was met with a thunderous gobble. I set up before calling again. Gil-obble-obble-obble. I was about a hundred yards from the bird. All was silent, and I heard the wings flying down. I waited. More silence.
The setup was textbook… close; open woods; a grassy old logging road to strut on, but the turkey failed to show. I, eventually, circled around to hear a hen.
I began a tour of the area. The vehicle hunter had left, but another hunter had three decoys set up in a field. I returned to the site where I had heard the gobbler to search for morels, field sketch, and take photos.
After some time I circled low along the side of the hill before angling towards the ridge. I was, now, farther down the same ridge where the gobbler may had went. I eased up slowly calling periodically. There it was… a gobble.
I moved and called again, and the big boy answered. He began gobbling occasionally on his own as I set up. All seemed to be going well, but he moved along another ridge in pastureland and away from me. This land was posted.
Maybe tomorrow morning???
Nice postt thanks for sharing
Thank you