RE: stay put or run n gun??
thanx guys....
guess ya'll would pretty much play it by ear how i do when im hunting there...
i almost sealed the deal today...715 i had a bird come in...long story short he saw something he didnt like or was just down right nervous...i saw his body before he saw me...gun up..saftey off..solid as a rock...that red head popped up a couple seconds later and immedatley was head bobbin...he got REAL nervous looking and ducked back behind a big oak..i figured a few soft yelps on the mouth call would settle him down...he bolted...i know he didnt catch movement...when he was head bobbing i was FROZE...ive never had one not calm down if i remained frozen...or atleast give me a good shot...
i could have probably killed him...but was concerned with the brush and wanted to see the full beard...could see he had a good paintbrush but wanted to see the whole thing..for the sake of having a cleaner shot...all i could see was the head and neck and base of the beard...
about 9 i went over to where he was and i feel alot better about not firing. it was thicker than it looked...looked OPEN when i was focused on him...but i had a hair left and right and that was it...
he never alarm putted..but got outta dodge in a hurry...i actually had to check my gun to make sure i didnt fire and miss and didnt realize it lol...
only 2 things i can think of...i was slightly silhoeted from his angle...though, under a hemlock tree and had alot of brush behind the hemlock i probably still stuck out slightly...happened so quick i couldnt get a better angle for myself...and i think he knew exactly where the hen SHOULD been and knew right away there wasnt a hen there...when i made the hen calls he knew something was REAL fishy...i think it was a mix of both....i know he didnt catch noise or movement from me...i know that.
dad always taught me to setup so they have to be within range to look for the hen...and call just enough to make them come in looking for the hen....mainly because we dont hunt with decoys...it works...we rarely ever have one hang up...they either come or they dont...but this bird didnt like something he seen or didnt see....
hopefully get after him and his buddies a day or 2 next week unless i kill on saturday at home...had to come back early for lunch and a meeting for training next year...