Good hunting experience. Questions.......

[BobCo19-65]

Yesterday, my friend and I went out for a hunt. We were on public land. It is very vast though, and there really isn't much hunting pressure. We didn't even see another hunter driving in or out of the area. The area that we hunted was on top of a very steep ridge. We started from the top and I can't imagine going up or down the ridge quietly. The weather was a little rainy and the winds were brisk.

We hunted an area for the first hour of light in a spot that I had a Tom going last year. We saw five hens there but didn't see or hear any Toms. We decided to move. Around 300 yards from our original spot we heard a Tom and decided get closer and set up our decoys. I believe we were about 100-150 yards away from him.

I gave a yelp, and the Tom responded about 5 minutes later. I waited about 5-15 seconds and gave another yelp. This went on for about an hour to an hour and a half, and his intervals for responded ranged from about 5-15 minutes. I always called back after about 5-15 seconds with a yelp or cut/yelp. I also gave an occasion purr, soft cluck, but didn't seem to get response. I was using a Primos Frictionite call, and my friend was not calling.

After about 1 1/2 hours the Tom stopped calling. I then seen movement about 80 yards away from a slightly different direction. Coming right at the decoys. When he got behind a bunch of trees, I put the call down and got my gun up. He kept walking. Then at 70 yards or so he stopped behind a fallen tree. And looked around. He stood motionless for about 15 minute (may have been ten). I couldn't hold my gun in position and more. And very careful put my gun down,I grabbed my call. I gave a very soft purr and a few soft clucks. The bird started walking very slowly. I thought he would circle around the fallen tree and come in. But he kept walking toward the direction I originally started calling (not directly away from me). I couldn't see him after about ten yards from where he was stopped because of big tree in front of me so I really had no idea that he was leaving the area. If I knew, I would have given a few more calls. It was my friend that told me afterward.

What would you have done differently.

I found this to be a very good learning experience for me. And it gave me some confidence in calling in a bird. I don't feel bad for not getting him and had a terrific time in the woods. I am very new to this and have never gotten a turkey, but I feel like I just got one step closer. Thanks.

[RattleSnake1]

It kinda sounds to me like he was looking for that bird. What kind of decoy set were you using? i.e. Alert Hen, Feeding hen, Hen/Jake, Hen/Jake breeding pair?? Also, what brand of decoys? I use FeatherFlex for their flexibility, and the way the move a little with the slightest breeze. Just the way it went, it seems he was LOOKING for that hen, but he didn't see your decoy/s which may have been more his fault than yours. From his line of sight from behind the fallen tree, could he have even seen your decoy/s?? If not, that's probably why he just walked away, because if he had, you probably would have gotten one of those thundering gobbles that you feel reverberate through your body....lol You're getting there, and you were only just a LOOK away from your first bird I think. Good luck to you and keep trying, you're almost there!