ok, hypothetical here. let's say that you guys are set up on a very large pasture, about 10 yards inside the woodline with a decoy 25 yards out. you've got one gobbling about 150 yards out, but you can't see him. He's not gobbling too much so you're not quite sure if he's coming to you or not.question- do you guys get in a position with your gun already up in a position to shoot,perhaps resting on your knee, or do you have it down in a position where you can grab it when you see him? I usually have mine on the ground and I pick it up at an opportune time when the bird has turned his head from me. experience last year has got me thinking that maybe i should keep my gun up to minimize movement(had a total of four birds come to me, makes it tough to move) but on the other hand sometimes I like to get on the friction call rather than the mouth call. just wondering how you guys do it.

My gun will be up and I'm turned so I'm in position for the shot...I will have my diaphram in my mouth but if he is coming, I don't call, he'll see the decoys...

If he hangs up, I purr real softly with my slate call, but it is laying to my right and I can do this without taking the gun down...

While I'm at it, anyone else thought about how cool it would be to have a slate call imbedded into the butt stock of your gun???

just buy a shooting rest for like 9 bucks at the wal mart and be ready all the time..lol

then u can have the stake in the ground and the gun on your knee and do all the callin you want...thats just what i do

gamespooker. you just experienced what i believe is the golden rule of turkey hunting, movement. in the situation you described i always expect the bird to be comming at me. put the gun up and ready cause he will pick up your movement from a great distance sometimes, and who knows when a turkey sneaks in from an odd dirrection and you are your gun is on the ground. i do what i can to have my gun ready and my call going at the same time too, even if it is uncomfortable, i can always drop my call or slowly set it on my lap, but picking up a gun from the ground risks a lot of movement.

Cant help ya... No green fields were I hunt

IMO you should always have the gun at least up and rested on your knee. As soon as you lay it down one will sneak in from behind.

Im not sure if I would have it actually in my hands "ready to shoot", but I would definetly have it "ready" to "ready to shoot", if you know what I mean. That tom might come right out of no where and if he catches you pulling that gun up its going to be very hard to sleep that night.

i would diffinately have it on my knee waiting for a shot

4 different scenerios

1. If I am using my camo clothes sitting next to a tree gun is in my lap - ready on me knee as I use an Ameristep foam padded knee pad to help keep the gun muzzle almost in the ready position pointing at the area I last heard that tom.
2. If he is real close and as you said open green pasture - gun is up & pointed in the last direction I heard him gobble. Why take the chance.
3. If I am sitting in one of my open ground rag blinds (those fold-up panel type)- gun is always in my lap as I know I can get away with very slow limited movement bringing the gun to my shoulder to shoot. I practice picking the gun up - move it to possibly take the shot - on all Jakes and hens who wander into my set-up. Those birds will tell you quickly if you screwed up - real quick
4. If in my turkey hut (full enclosed blind)- gun is resting on the side of the blind until the bird is in range - only thing tp keep in mind is to poke the barrel straight at the bird slowly as you poke the muzzle slightly out past the window of the blind.

I have learned the hard way very well - trust me those birds have eyes ya never thought they had! Do like you described - you are gonna be busted soon.

JW

nchawkeye:

I do about the same as you do. I am ready gun up a soon as I make my first call and stay that way until I shoot or give up on that location. Only I use just the mouth call when the birds are approaching.

I once set up decoys for a gobbler I heard which was a good 200 yards away only to have a different gobbler come into my decoys while I was clearing an area to set. (I am careful now since I once uncovered a copperhead)

Also I have had gobblers make a call from a hundred yards or so then come running full speed to my decoys after my first call.

Yes, sir I am gun up, positioned and ready.......Hoping the next movement will be recoil.....