superstrutter

This bird is driving me crazy. I have been chasing this particular bird the entire season and with several close encounters that have come out in his favor, I am down to three days to get him. I can take one more turkey in La. for my limit, and I have been solely devoting my time towards this bird. I had a close encounter with him yesterday evening and he seems to always be a step ahead of me. I set up close to where I thought he was going to roost. He always, and I mean always, goes to roost at 7:30. Well, he decided to show up yesterday at 7:50, just the time I was packing up to leave. You can probably guess the outcome. To add insult to injury he flys up about 100 yards away and gives me two gobbles as I'm walking off just to let me know that I have been beaten again. I have had him within 50 yards of me two different times but couldn't get a clean ethical shot. Just when I think Ihave himfigured out he does something completely different.He gobbles good on the roost and on the the ground for a while, but will not come to any calling. He will not gobble in the afternoon. The gobbles yesterday were a rare exception, but he was just laughing at me. Hopefully I will get the last laugh. If I don't get him, he deserves to live. I have this turkey on film strutting just a few days before the season opened. I watched and listened to him for weeks. I thought he was going to be an easy one to get, boy was I wrong. I could go on and on with the encounters I have had with this gobbler, but that would take too long. Every time I go hunting I have some kind of encounter with this bird. I feel like I am now on a mission to destroy,but I will be almost as happy if I don't end up getting him. I will just look forward to do battle with him next year. The one I killed was actually larger than this one and very seldom gobbled.He was even more stubborn.I really thought he would be the one thateluded me so often, but that wasn't the case. Anyone having an experience like this?

jepcho

Not me man. I always go for the one that will be the easiest kill. Lol. Good luck with the next 3 days. Hope to hear your story of how you killed him soon!

Hooker

I know how you feel man. Where I hunt, there just aren't that many turkeys, so when I find a bird, I hunt him hard. I've hunted this one bird all season. He is the only gobbler I have seen or heard. I have set up on him every weekend so far this season andhad him within 50 yards once, but could not get a shot off b/che was directly opposite of where my barrel was pointing and I had 3 hens within 10 yards of me. Never got a shot. I swear, something has always gone wrong with this bird. This being our last weekend to hunt here in LA, I hope we can both get our birds, but if not, I know I will look forward to hunting him next year.

r33h

Hopefully you'll get him and we want to see the pics!

I have one sorta doing the same to me. I've had him within 30 yards one time and almost 10 yards another time! He seems to get right on the otherside of a tree and I don't get a good clean shot at him! I am hunting on my father-in-laws property and I have told him that I am going to burn that tree down to the ground!

Stick with it and I am sure you will be the victor! Best of luck!

Arrowmaster

It sounds to me as if you and the bird have each other patterned. I would try something off the wall. Do you use decoys? If so maybe try and do the breeding hen and jake decoys. Or maybe set up closer to where he will roost and not call, just wait. Maybe not putting decoys out and not call ambush him. Maybe if you have a buddy that can help by setting him 30 yards away from you in the opposite direction the gobbler comes from and have him call. Try to get aggressive with him as well. They are quite a few things you can do. Lets face it if you kill this gobbler you will have mixed emotions. 1 being pumped because you scored and 2 feeling sorry for such a great competitor... Just my thoughts...

TROPHYHUNTER25

good luck

txjourneyman

If you do kill him, and I wish you luck with that, you will miss having him around next year!

superstrutter

I had him close one time with a decoy, but he would not commit. I have set up near his roost several times only to have him roost somewhere else. I blew a good opportunity Wednesday waiting at his roost. I went this morning and as usual he was gobbling good on roost. Two dogs came through barking and that messed me up. The next time I heard him gobble,he had somehow crossed the pipeline without me knowing it, he was a over a hundred yards away going in the opposite direction. I'm going to set up near where he has been roosting the past few days this weekend and not touch my calls. When I call at this bird he shuts up. As for the buddy thing, that's a great idea, except my deer hunting partner does not turkey hunt. I may tagteam with the man who owns the property next to mine Sunday morning. I'm telling you, I've tried just about everything. This is one smart bird. If I get him, it will be going to or coming from his roost. I have nothing to lose with only 2 days left. I agree, it will be a little bittersweet if I end up killing him. This is why I will be fine if I don't. We'll just do it all over again next year.

superstrutter

I have the same problem. Normally I'll have a couple of gobblers each year, so I'll basically hunt just those two. If you don't get them fairly early, it gets pretty tough by the end of the season. I used to have a bunch of turkeys on my place, but clear cutting in the area has cut down the population. I still usually manage to get my two bird limit every year, but it's not that easy. Good luck in getting your tough bird. Maybe we will both have good news this weekend. Like you, I will be finr if I don't get him. That will just give me something more to look forward to next season, like it's not already enough.