Had a great hunt Saturday in middle TN. Had two birds gobbling the best all year on the roost, and quite a bit after flydown. But, a hen went to them and shut that down.
After checking other spots without any luck, we came back around 9:00.
Dad & I were with Glenn, the 84 yr old that was able to kill one last week.
I had him facing behind, I was facing the way the birds had gone that morning, and dad had moved off to cover an adjacent field. Anyway, they NEVER gobbled.
After about 15-20 minutes, Glenn said, "I see them!"
I eased around my tree and saw 2 gobblers and a hen coming down the hill from about our 2:00, moving slowly left and slightly toward us. They were probably 100 yards or so. The gobblers were strutting.
They continued that path and went into a slight depression. Glenn had already told me to be the shooter, so I was getting ready, eve though I had to contort and lean around the tree (not easy to do at 57 and overweight).
The lead gobbler then stuck that head up. It was bright red with a long snood, and he was looking intently for the hen. I had my diamond reticle on him, and pleaded with him to take a few more steps and crest the hill. He wouldn't!
I just felt that he was too far, and hoped he would take a few more steps, so I didn't pull the trigger.
Anyway, they ended up going back across the field they had come and went into some cedars. They just milled around for probably 20 minutes, but no amount of my pleading with them had any effect.
In looking back, it is possible that they were seeing Glenn and knew something wasn't quite right, but we'll never know.
It was probably the best "non-gobbling" hunt that I have ever had. And had I not had Glenn facing our rear, I would have probably never known they were anywhere around.
After checking other spots without any luck, we came back around 9:00.
Dad & I were with Glenn, the 84 yr old that was able to kill one last week.
I had him facing behind, I was facing the way the birds had gone that morning, and dad had moved off to cover an adjacent field. Anyway, they NEVER gobbled.
After about 15-20 minutes, Glenn said, "I see them!"
I eased around my tree and saw 2 gobblers and a hen coming down the hill from about our 2:00, moving slowly left and slightly toward us. They were probably 100 yards or so. The gobblers were strutting.
They continued that path and went into a slight depression. Glenn had already told me to be the shooter, so I was getting ready, eve though I had to contort and lean around the tree (not easy to do at 57 and overweight).
The lead gobbler then stuck that head up. It was bright red with a long snood, and he was looking intently for the hen. I had my diamond reticle on him, and pleaded with him to take a few more steps and crest the hill. He wouldn't!
I just felt that he was too far, and hoped he would take a few more steps, so I didn't pull the trigger.
Anyway, they ended up going back across the field they had come and went into some cedars. They just milled around for probably 20 minutes, but no amount of my pleading with them had any effect.
In looking back, it is possible that they were seeing Glenn and knew something wasn't quite right, but we'll never know.
It was probably the best "non-gobbling" hunt that I have ever had. And had I not had Glenn facing our rear, I would have probably never known they were anywhere around.
!
