Was on public land this morning where I thought I heard one gobble Sunday morning.
One was fired up not too far below the road (it keeps going so I knew the likelihood of someone driving in). It wasn't long until another vehicle drove in just as I was leaving the truck. I stopped him to let him know I was going after one in that direction for protection sake.
I knew there was a grass road that ran parallel to the gravel road about 150 yards in and the gobbler was below it not far. There was a stand of pines to my left and I decided to get just inside them where I could see the grass road at about 40 yds. Not a perfect setup but ok I thought. I hadn't called yet when I heard a hen to my right at maybe my 2:00. She got more aggressive so I decided to join in. He was torn up but not budging much. Soon I could tell that she was getting louder, and then all of sudden I see her running in the grass road from my right to left. I called aggressively, and she stopped and look my way, but started walking briskly again toward him.
Then all was quiet. I waited a good 30 minutes hoping he would fire back up. He didn't. I then spotted a tree about 20 steps up that would give me a better view of the grass road and decided to ease toward it. Before standing, I decided to see if I could elicit a gobble, and cutt sharply. Nothing. He had been jumping on cutts earlier, I figured he might have meandered off with her a ways.
I stood .... took 3 slow steps ... "is that a turkey in strut?" ... then a running turkey <fuming>!
I have only heard drumming a handful of times and the conditions must have been perfect. I can only assume that he had been drumming while he was strutting down there slowly working to me, and I hadn't heard it.
Oh well, it was exciting. Not sure what I would have done differently.
One was fired up not too far below the road (it keeps going so I knew the likelihood of someone driving in). It wasn't long until another vehicle drove in just as I was leaving the truck. I stopped him to let him know I was going after one in that direction for protection sake.
I knew there was a grass road that ran parallel to the gravel road about 150 yards in and the gobbler was below it not far. There was a stand of pines to my left and I decided to get just inside them where I could see the grass road at about 40 yds. Not a perfect setup but ok I thought. I hadn't called yet when I heard a hen to my right at maybe my 2:00. She got more aggressive so I decided to join in. He was torn up but not budging much. Soon I could tell that she was getting louder, and then all of sudden I see her running in the grass road from my right to left. I called aggressively, and she stopped and look my way, but started walking briskly again toward him.
Then all was quiet. I waited a good 30 minutes hoping he would fire back up. He didn't. I then spotted a tree about 20 steps up that would give me a better view of the grass road and decided to ease toward it. Before standing, I decided to see if I could elicit a gobble, and cutt sharply. Nothing. He had been jumping on cutts earlier, I figured he might have meandered off with her a ways.
I stood .... took 3 slow steps ... "is that a turkey in strut?" ... then a running turkey <fuming>!
I have only heard drumming a handful of times and the conditions must have been perfect. I can only assume that he had been drumming while he was strutting down there slowly working to me, and I hadn't heard it.
Oh well, it was exciting. Not sure what I would have done differently.
!
