sorry kinda of late
08-04-2004, 08:39 PM
#14
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Central PA
Posts: 590
RE: sorry kinda of late
Thank you. He was a tuff number. 3 mornings worth. He heard what I had to offer, would sound off on the roost and then hit a strut zone. He'd talk to me on the limb but just wouldn't budge. Eventually he'd get a hen to come and it was game over.
Day 2 was the same, except I tried a move so I could at least get a look at him, but he got hinky and left. Not sure if he saw me, but I never saw him. I scouted the ridge after he had gone and found a strut zone... 125 yards down a step ledge from his roost area onto a narrow shelf. It was the weekend and Sunday hunts in PA are a no can do. I had Monday off and figured to make a early hike to the ledge, but only after borrowing a homemade slate call from a close friend. Afterall, he had heard what I had in my vest the days before.
Day 3, Monday came and at 0430 it was me, a hen decoy set at 25 yards on that shelf and a big maple tree to lean on. He sounded off at the first crow and I soft talked him into a frenzy with that little slate. It was foggy and soon I heard a fly down from my right. The problem with that was he, (the gobbler talking), was above on the ridge to my left. I peered through the morning fog to see a bird approaching... a hen! Awe, why me I thought... she's on her way to him up that ridge like before. I almost cut at her for a c'mere girl challange, but could now see that "hen" had a beard! The hen was actually a jake that was sneaking in to my calls... and unkowingly to his foam girlfriend. I played it soft with a mouth call and the big gobbler practically ran down the ridge to run that jake off. It was something to see. Half strutting back to his prize was where it ended... #5 shot at 4 steps off my decoys tail. It was a super good time, even if it did rain on our parade. Game on! The table that is.
Day 2 was the same, except I tried a move so I could at least get a look at him, but he got hinky and left. Not sure if he saw me, but I never saw him. I scouted the ridge after he had gone and found a strut zone... 125 yards down a step ledge from his roost area onto a narrow shelf. It was the weekend and Sunday hunts in PA are a no can do. I had Monday off and figured to make a early hike to the ledge, but only after borrowing a homemade slate call from a close friend. Afterall, he had heard what I had in my vest the days before.
Day 3, Monday came and at 0430 it was me, a hen decoy set at 25 yards on that shelf and a big maple tree to lean on. He sounded off at the first crow and I soft talked him into a frenzy with that little slate. It was foggy and soon I heard a fly down from my right. The problem with that was he, (the gobbler talking), was above on the ridge to my left. I peered through the morning fog to see a bird approaching... a hen! Awe, why me I thought... she's on her way to him up that ridge like before. I almost cut at her for a c'mere girl challange, but could now see that "hen" had a beard! The hen was actually a jake that was sneaking in to my calls... and unkowingly to his foam girlfriend. I played it soft with a mouth call and the big gobbler practically ran down the ridge to run that jake off. It was something to see. Half strutting back to his prize was where it ended... #5 shot at 4 steps off my decoys tail. It was a super good time, even if it did rain on our parade. Game on! The table that is.
