I hate turkey hunting...

I decided to start the day by Cadillac. I get in at dark, right before sun up and I sit. As soon as it get's sort of light, two birds gobble...and they are close! I looked across the ravine and two birds are roosted within sight of me!! I watched them while they would occasionally gobble. I used a soft yelp and cluck, just once hoping that it would convince them to fly down towards me. They eventually flew straight down and, after a moment or two, I called lightly. The next thing I knew I heard them gobbling what seemed like forever away. Couldn't be the two birds that I JUST saw! I waited, convinced that they were coming in silent. and waited. and waited. Nothing. The two that I heard a good distance away WERE the two that came off roost. I tried to circle around them but never found them. I tried the rest of the property but nothing. Why do I keep turkey hunting?!

Close, but no cigar...this is frustrating

Ok, so I started the day by the old cow pasture. I figured I would try and call the birds while they are in the roost and give them an offer they couldn't refuse and they would fly down to me instead of the other side of the river. Ah, the best laid plans... No turkeys to be heard, seen or ...well, no turkeys. I did run and gun for about three hours in the cow pasture. I did manage to see a bunny though. She hopped up to about 2 feet away and then when she realized that I was there she almost had a heart attack. So, I decided to move over to Cadillac side. Same thing...run and gun for a while but nothing. I decided that I was going to get my blind out of the woods. So, I drove from the Cadillac side over to the other part of the property. Guess what I saw!! Two birds on the horse farm next door. So I boogied over and jumped out of the truck. I made my way around the backside of the horse farm, while still on our property, and started to call. Immediately they both came back with gobbles...and they were close! Game on!! The birds kept answering me back but sounded like they were walking back and forth. Not really coming closer. I worked the birds and would sneak a bit closer and work, then get closer and work. They wouldn't come any closer...the next problem is, I was running out of time. At 11:55 I decided that they weren't coming in to me and I snuck up the hill to see why. There was a fence separating my property with the horse farm. Perhaps that's why...not sure. I'll be back at them tomorrow.

Turkey - lot's of talkin.

I started out the morning near Stand 4. That's where I went in last Saturday and put up my blind. It's at the bottom of the field where the birds were roosting and hanging out last year. I got there before the sun, went into the blind and just as it was getting light I let out a few soft tree calls. I didn't hear a thing but waited for about 45 minutes. I eventually popped my head out of the blind and, from behind me, I could hear gobbling. Sounded like it was coming from the old cow pasture. I got out of the blind and made a bee line for the old pasture. As I approached from the down-hill side I could hear the gobbles loud now. I belly crawled to a bush on the edge of the hill that led down to the creek bottom. I sat behind the bush and started to call. As I did, the gobbles immediately answered. GAME ON! Well, this went on for some time but the gobbles didn't move...they stayed in the same spot. So I belly crawled out and tried to make my way around to their flank to the right. Sat for a bit and called...same thing...they kept answering back but wouldn't move. Ok, so this time, back in the center and I slid down the hill on my butt, keeping the bushes between me and the gobbles. When I got down further I sat up next to a bush and started calling. Again, they answered but wouldn't come closer. This time, however, I could hear a hen with them. So she and I apparently had a conversation too. She would talk back to me...then they boys would cheer...then I would talk and they would cheer. This went on for at least an hour or so...but they wouldn't move. I have been talking to these turkeys for about 2 1/2 hours now. It was time to try something drastic. I backed out and went all the way to the left where I could get into the creek bottom without being seen. It was thick but I managed to find a spot. Again...called and they answered. It was then that I realized that they were on the other side of the river. That's why they weren't coming in...they didn't want to cross the river. This went on for a short time and then they just shut up. I waited for about a half hour or so...but nothing. I backed out and continued to work around the property but never heard or saw anything else. Well, aside from another blind, which I'll assume is Bob's. It was set up in the swamp. I'll be back at it on Thursday. This time, right to the pasture. I want to see if I can call the birds to my side of the river from the roost.

Took a walk...

Obviously since the season ended there hasn't been much going on. I took a walk today up by the tower. I wanted to see what was up past the hill and look for sheds at the same time. I didn't find any sheds but I didn't realize that it flattened out at the top and that there were houses behind the apartments. It looks promising...lots of acorns. There are what seemed like heavily used trails (not deer, people...bikes...atv)...but it still may be ok. It was a beautiful day for a walk.