Last year I hunted a group of birds consisting of 4 jakes, one mature tom and 4 or 5 hens. Numerous times myself and my sons were setup inside 100 yards on these birds but could never connect. This year I had scouted several spots and had yet to hear a gobble and rarely saw any birds driving the roads and was beginning to worry. Tuesday morning I went to check on last years players and heard a couple gobbles. Tuesday night I went back and watched 4 or 5 toms (too far to tell what they were), one was missing the center of his tail and only had 3 or 4 feathers on either side.
Wednesday morning I settled just inside an outer corner of the wood lot. Just like last year the gobbling began and I could pick out several hens in the trees near me with the gobblers 120 yards away. Toms hit the ground first and several hens glided in my direction and one went into the field behind me. Although I had several hens in gun range the toms never offered a shot and followed the other hens away from me and the field. I left these birds alone and did a loop of the area and when I returned they were in the field. (should have sit tight) As I was sneaking into position to call I noticed a coyote emerge from the far wood line, then another came out. I watched through the binos as they stared at the birds then decided to slip back into the woods. Once I settled in to call just like last year they could have cared less and worked their way back to the woods.
Wednesday night I got a little closer and was able to see they were 4 mature toms with one missing the middle of his fan. Thursday morning I was settled in at 5AM on inside corner 50 yards closer from the day before. The woods is a narrow strip 100-200 yards wide and you can't slip in very far without getting busted. I could pick out one bird almost immediately and at 5:22 the first gobble rang out right where they were the day before. 50 or so gobbles later they hit the ground and by now I had picked out 5 hens in the trees around me. 2 glided to my left and went into the field behind me. Moments later the 4 toms were in sight heading from right to left and things were looking great but just like yesterday they seemed to want to head away from the field. There were still several hens in the trees in that direction. They slipped behind some trees, I got the gun up, safety off and when they came from behind the tree I thought they were too far and too close together and wasn't going to shoot. They gobbled a couple times standing there. Finally they started moving again leaving a clean but long shot at one. Desperation took over and I let one fly and was ecstatic to see flopping as birds exploded from the ground and the roost. 52 paces later I had my hands on him. Farthest poke I've ever taken without cursing myself afterwards.
Wednesday morning I settled just inside an outer corner of the wood lot. Just like last year the gobbling began and I could pick out several hens in the trees near me with the gobblers 120 yards away. Toms hit the ground first and several hens glided in my direction and one went into the field behind me. Although I had several hens in gun range the toms never offered a shot and followed the other hens away from me and the field. I left these birds alone and did a loop of the area and when I returned they were in the field. (should have sit tight) As I was sneaking into position to call I noticed a coyote emerge from the far wood line, then another came out. I watched through the binos as they stared at the birds then decided to slip back into the woods. Once I settled in to call just like last year they could have cared less and worked their way back to the woods.
Wednesday night I got a little closer and was able to see they were 4 mature toms with one missing the middle of his fan. Thursday morning I was settled in at 5AM on inside corner 50 yards closer from the day before. The woods is a narrow strip 100-200 yards wide and you can't slip in very far without getting busted. I could pick out one bird almost immediately and at 5:22 the first gobble rang out right where they were the day before. 50 or so gobbles later they hit the ground and by now I had picked out 5 hens in the trees around me. 2 glided to my left and went into the field behind me. Moments later the 4 toms were in sight heading from right to left and things were looking great but just like yesterday they seemed to want to head away from the field. There were still several hens in the trees in that direction. They slipped behind some trees, I got the gun up, safety off and when they came from behind the tree I thought they were too far and too close together and wasn't going to shoot. They gobbled a couple times standing there. Finally they started moving again leaving a clean but long shot at one. Desperation took over and I let one fly and was ecstatic to see flopping as birds exploded from the ground and the roost. 52 paces later I had my hands on him. Farthest poke I've ever taken without cursing myself afterwards.
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