My 50 yard morning
 

It actually began last night when I watched a very nice Tom
and a hen in the bottom of my field until 7:20pm when they
slowly wandered down into the woods. This was what appeared
to be at least a three year old bird with a long heavy beard
enough to get me excited. I waited until it was nearly dark
and went down to try to roost him. No luck, he had lock
jaw. This morning I rolled out of bed and headed down to try
my luck. I was half way down the field when he gobbled twice
in response to some geese honking on the river. I thought I
knew about where he was and headed into the woods with
a specific tree in mind to set up . Half way to the tree and he gobbled one more time. This time I wasn't so sure of his location and he sounded
a bit closer than I expected---but having that tree already set in my mind I continued, while scanning the tree ahead for him. Fifty yards before the tree
I spot him and I'm pretty sure he spots me as well. I back up slowly
20 yards out of sight and set up. Then I hen I have not seen
starts clucking and she's right there 20 yards away. Well,
she flys off in a couple minutes and the Tom follows shortly.
I'm sure they flew across the river.

So off I go , jump in the car and head to a new location about
5 miles away. When I get out of the car I hear a gobble as I'm
loading my gun. He's quite a ways away, so I walk several
hundred yards across a field and set up between that field and another
that is about 50 yards from me thru open woods. When I call
at least two birds gobble still a couple hundred yards away
but they sound pretty wound up. Lots of gobbles and a
little calling 1/2 hour latter two hens are visible in the field opposite me about 80 yards out, another ten minutes and two Toms show up in
the same area, strutting and gobbling but not interested in
leaving the two hens to come another 50 yards closer to me.
Then another bird starts gobbling on the other side of the field.
Another 10 minutes and they all drift off away from me into the woods.

I go to check a third spot, just step out of the car and try a call
a hen responds and within 5 minutes I call her into about 50 yards.
When she decides something isn't right and drifts away.

It's now 6:30 am and I head for home to get ready for work,
I call it my 50 yard day---50 yards to close , 50 yards too
far away and 50 yards just for fun. No bird to carry
home but in my mind still an excellent morning of
Turkey hunting.

That's what hunting is all about!

A great morning even though you didn't get one

That is exactly what it is about.. You never know what they are going to do.. But, at least you now know where they are. If you can spend some extra time in that last area and wait until the hens go to nest you may be able to get one of them..

Man I wish I was still in the game! (Our season is over)

Played with the same birds again yesterday morning. Could have taken a Jake at about 40 yards but passed, still having too much fun. The one
Tom I saw got within about sixty yards. Still with hens and reluctant
to leave them.

I realize that latter morning might be better, unfortunately that four
letter word that all Turkey hunters dread "work" keeps getting in
the way.

Six more mornings ahead of me to see if one of them will make a mistake.

Thanks to all for comments /input.