I was slippin' along a longearth bermthrough a stand of open pines where I knew gobblers liked to strut.I saw a big tom strutting.I backed up layed down,and eased down the opposite side.I crept down 85yds.I stripped off my vest(Didn't want to look like a humpback with the decoys,and make noise with some of the calls),got my favorite call,and eased back up the edge of the hump,and peeped over.
He was still there strutting.I waited until he was facing away or behind trees,and inch by inch got back on top of the dirt.Belly down and gun ready.He was about 65yds.I got settled in,and watched him strut for awhile.He was on the edge of my shooting range.

I knew I might be able to get him,but didn't want to wound the bird,and also had taken a few,so I wasn't going to be greedy.I decided to call to get him to come closer.He gobbled at me a few times,and then went to feeding around,and strutting more.All together about 40 minutes went by,and he only moved side to side back and forth inabout a 25yd section.He started responding a little better,and I was working him up..then I went to cluck,and it must have come out all wrong,because he folded up,ducked his head,and ran like the wind![:@]

He left me sitting there just going...What in the world?He won!Has anyone else made a mistake like this before.I'm almost scared to cluck anymore.[8D]I don't know why else he would have ran...[&:].I have taken several birds before,and this was a first for me.

Talk about snatching defeat from the jaws of victory!The only other thing I can figure is I was supposed to be at a B-day party @ 2pm,which meant I had to leave @ 1pm,and it was exactly 1pm when he ran off.He must have intercepted my wife's call @ 12pm when she was trying to motivate me to come on.