Life has a way of compressing opportunities. Between work, family, church, and other commitments, my opening weekend of turkey hunting was a scant 3 hour window.
A bevy of roost gobbles got the blood going, but on this un-scouted ground, I was unsure as to the birds patterns and likely routes.
So I dropped my pack, posted up agains a big bull pine and let the melodrama of sunrise play out.
The first hen hit the ground about 300 yards out. Soon after 3 other ladies joined her and then, a boss of a tom. It was going to be a tall order to get the big guy away from the hens.
Every time I hit the call, he thundered back. The progress was slow but progress towards me non the less
At about 100 or so yards, the game was picking up. Quite clucks and purrs were met with double responses as the big guy was getting hot and bothered. Hell, this might actually happen
If you've ever had the next thing happen to you in the turkey woods that happened to me at this point, you'll understand how it makes every hair stands up on the back of your neck.
The gobble came from another bird no more than 50 yards behind me. The second gobble lit up at the first cluck from my mouth call and I knew the bird was on top of me.
Crunch, crunch, crunch noises from the underbrush and the bird was less than 10 yards on my left.
Head radiating, glowing red, blues and whites. Where was this forlorn lovestruck lady he had been hearing? Her knight in shining armor was here to whisk her off her feet
Having a tom come in silent, only to rattle your cage at your feet has to be one of the most electric experiences I've ever had hunting. Being so focused on another set of birds and then only having seconds to react to the interloper, I can only hope others get that same experience this turkey season
Good luck out there!
so many of life's surprises can be bad, but every once in awhile...
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