Ryan Tucker

Well, I slipped back down to South Carolina for a couple of days. My hunt was actually a thousand times better than my first 3 days though I did not take a bird. The first morning for about an hour I had 2 birds gobbling at 65 yards. Couldn't get them to close the deal. Then that afternoon I had a bird gobbling in the swamp for over 3 hours, but he never would come to me. I didn't know the property well enough to attempt a move. In some heavy fog the second morning I had 5 longbeards trotting towards me and gobbling like crazy. At 50 yards they stopped to check out my jake decoy at the time I thought they were deciding how they wanted to whip him. At the moment a bird about 100 yards behind them from the same direction they came gobbled. They turned to look in his direction then trotted out another 30 yards into the field. The would gobble at me as they left, but it was a softer less aggressive gobbling. I wasn't to bummed because I now thought they stopped to see if my jake decoy was the big boy they were afraid of who was obviously coming in the same direction. He was gobbling as I tried to call the other 5 as I watched them ease away. So I thought I might have a shot at him. He passed by me at about 75 yards with some hens, strutting and gobbling at me but he never tried to leave the hens.

I got up and moved and the minute I sat back down and called I had another bird gobble at me. It turned out to be 2 longbeards and the closed the distance fast, however they froze at about 65 yards turned and went to their left. They would gobble as they dropped down into the swamp. I went after them and had them gobbling at me for the next hour, but I couldn't get in front of them not make them turn around to come see me. That night I called in 4 jakes around 5:30 and then another 2 around 6:30, but the hunt ended birdless. My friend did manage to take a bird the second morning. I hate not getting one, but if I could trade the 3 day hunt last week where I managed to harvest a turkey for the gobbling and interaction I experienced this hunt I would.

I leave for Texas on Friday. Gobble, Gobble!!!

Pat_Ely

Welcome back Ryan. Man ya gotta love all that action. The trigger pull is just the bonus. Good luck in Texas. I am leaving for NC on the 8th of April which will be my first hunt of the season. Pat