HuntingNet.com Forums - I think I finally got the hang of this...

Yesterday was the first day of late season in Michigan I went out last night about 4pm, walked some fields and ran into the landowner's son. He was out for a ride on his gator, looking for fishing holes on the river. He apologized because he didn't know I was out hunting. BiNo problem, I say, because I was only out trying to figure where the birds are hanging out and to try do some roosting later in the evening. So we shot the breeze for about ten minutes and then he took off. Then I walked the property from end to end (166 acres) and at about quarter to six, decided to check out the woods where I know birds hang in thicket. I walked in about 50 yards from the thicket, let a some yelps with the diaphragm, and I heard gobbling so loud I thought the bird was in my back pocket. I took about three jumps and dropped at the foot of a big oak tree. I yelped once more, but no gobbles. So I set up, and started some soft clucks and purrs. Five minutes go by, and I see not one, but two red heads walk out of the thicket toward me. A clucked a few more times, and the lead bird came around a tree right into my sights about 30 yards away. I presented him with a load of #5 hevi-shot, which did the job. The results: 9" beard, 1" spurs, 27 lbs.

This was my 3rd bird, and the shortest hunt I've ever been on. Two hours of walking, and 15 minutes of hunting.

Bill