RE: Close encounters.....
I had decided to take my brother Erick in law turkey hunting for the first time about 6 years ago. I was very carefull in describing how quiet and still he needed to be. So a bird gobbles on roost and at fly down he continued to gobble every once in a while. I could hear hens with him and had a feeling when he was done with his hens he would come looking for us, he had answered the few times I had called in the last hour. We sat there a total of two hours when I heardthe bird spit right behind us I smiled and started to let Erick know not to move or make a sound. Before I cold worn him He let out with a very loud "Big bird right behind us, big bird, big bird, big bird". The bird was out of there. As he walked up a hill behind us but out of shooting range I could see the biggest set of spurs I had yet to call in silloueted against the sky.5 minutes later when I had gathered myself enough to talk without creating family problems I asked him why he had talked. His answere was "It scared me" I have yet to take him turkey hunting again maybe someday I will. I can handle somebody missing, or moving at the wrong time on a silent bird, or shooting the wrong bird, but talking with a bird at 7 yards is hard to forgive. I am working on it maybe another six years might do it.