encounter question
 

today....i was sneakin along a fence line looking for birds in the fields....and trying to strike a gobble....about 7am id have to say.....well theres a pasture...fenced in...cleard out....woods one both sides....i look down the far fenceline and low and behold....a strutting longbeard...i drop down immediatly....and sneak back and climb the 6 foot fence....kinda hard in turkey gear...but i did it.....he had no idea i was there....let out some calls.....i can see him strutting....walking around...ect....he looked around for my calls.....and after 15 20 mins he let one gobble out.....id call a series or 2 on a call or 2.....then give him the silent treatment for 10-15 mins.....hes strutting....walking around.....all in the same area....then he walked down the fenceline 10yds or so....came into the field jogging towards my fenceline...then walked back...strutted around more...walked around more.....i called another 2 or 3 series every 10-15mins....letting him know i see him....and im waiting for him....he got impatient and was slowly walking down the fenceline....when the herd of cows came BARGING up the pasture and wood line......and spooked him....i spoke to a guy that was walking through the same area the other day and he said he saw a big longbeard in the same area...but lost sight of him.....this longbeard is BIG.....big THICK beard....and i could see it between his legs when he walked.....big ole bird....i have tomarow and friday to hunt....weather looks perfect....he had no hens at all.....is that his "strut zone"??? i was reading field and stream this month and they say if you find the strut zone set up by it.......call how i did.....and wait....wait and wait....he will show........i think all the hens in the area are nesting....we call in lone hens there....and lone males...my buddy hunts across the gulley....what should i do?? my plan right now is to get there early.....atleast 40 mins before first light.....and just wait him out....calling how i did.....but this time ill be waiting there for him.....not 70yds away....think that would be my best plan of attack?? the birds are all pretty tight lipped...cant figure out why...mornings are cold....but day its warm...and nice today....tomarows nicer.....and warmer......any tips....ideas.....tactics....id love to roll him tomarow....hes a big ole bird....i know that rope is atleast 9....probably 10 or 11....i never hunted a strut zone...and think thats what i found.....thanx alot.......lemme know what you guys think

RE: encounter question
 

Set out a hen and jake decoy uphill from where he is strutting, along the tree line so he is sure to see it and you can be well hidden. A few yelps and he will come running, unless he is gay.
I am convinced that there are allot those too, gay gobblers that is! :)
R
Hank

RE: encounter question
 

dont own a decoy.....cant borrow one from anyone...i know all my friends have them....and dont use them.....they just know i will put it to use and bag a big ole bird with it....and the stores are whipped out.........and theres no...uphill.......this area is UP the hill.....its up on the flat......kickin myself for never buying atleast a hen decoy......i usually hunt thick woods....never need em...by the time the bird can look for a hen hes lookin down my gun barrel.....but not now...hunting fields and such........rah!!! im baggin me a bird!!

RE: encounter question
 

Getting uphill is just a personal observation of mine. Seems gobblers are much more ready to come up a hill rather than down it.

If it is flat, no problem.

However, while I am far from an expert, when it comes to hunting in semi open and fields, having a decoy or two will seal the deal when it comes to getting a gobbler to cross or come around the edge of a field. It is one thing for him to hear you, having some eye candy really helps.
R
Hank

RE: encounter question
 

I am fairly certain you found a strut zone also, only thing i can tell you is too get in there early and sit and wait for him to come out...although he may be henned up tomorrow.

RE: encounter question
 

Mauser,

Can you give a better description of the lay of the land?

I'm a little confused as to where you were sitting---inside the pasture fence, or outside?

Also, any idea where this bird roosts, ie. does he roost close and actually fly down into the field, or is there a fence crossing? If he flies down into the field, then a decoy would be great, especially before first light...

If he enters the field through the fence, you can hunt the crossing just like deer, and setup on that opportunity. The problem with pasture strut zones, is unless there is a disturbance---like your cows or other gobblers---the entire pasture is the strut zone, not just one area.

RE: encounter question
 

i actually have no clue where he roosts....ill be my arse its somewhere close....he was there by 7am...they havent been flying down till 630ish id say....and my buddy from the other side of the gulley heard him gobble a few times early on...and head up that way.......i was inside the fence......i couldnt tell if he was inside it with me the whole time...or passing back and forth....the fence is only a few months old.....and some birds can get under it simple....and others walk into it all day and wont go through.....but he had no problem doing what he was doing.....he was IN there with me at one point...the pasture is woods and field......fenced in....then there are more real hay fields outside the pasture to one end......the other end is a gas line.....and the sides are woods.....the gobbler stayed on the woodline..and seemed to like working a little knoll in the woods....just beyond the field edge.....it was the highest place.....and the sun was gleaming right on it......it was like a stage for him.....i doubt he will be henned up....i know anyhtings possible but ive yet to see a bird with hens back there....7am he should had his hens all around him....being boss tom like that he should roost with a dozen of them...he was there all alone..just strutting when i snuck up on him.....the woods arent open....its a hardwoods ridge.....some small shrubs ect here and there.....not all a field....he was mainly in the woods himself.....but still visible from any direction being so high and in a clearing in the woods....i think im just going to have to sneak in there well before first light.....hopefully i can call him right up there....tomarow i got all morning to wait on him.....ill pack water and just hang tight......get in early....get COMFY.....take an extra cusion....and just wait....hes welllll worth the wait.........when i talked to the other guy that saw him he pointed to that very same spot when i asked where he saw a bird.......keep the replys coming.....ill keep reading till i goto bed.....then ill post my results in the morning.......thanx guys

RE: encounter question
 

Mauser,

Sorry, when I think of "pasture", I envision rolling green grass spaces. I sometimes forget that many farmers also enclose part of the woods for shade access---you would think someone in Animal Science wouldn't forget such things...

With your more complete description, I would bet 9/10 that the clearing is a primary strut zone. Gives a good vantage point. If he wasn't gobbling much though, he probably isn't the boss, especially if he doesn't have hens. Probably a big 2 year-old waiting in line...

If you're going to setup in the strut zone, my best advice is to let him come to you in a complete ambush. Get comfy and don't say a peep. Sounding off before he gets there may be bad, especially if there is a bigger bird in the area with hens.

And if he won't come without calls, well then there's always Friday ;) . I feel it's always better to play it safe first, then go aggressive, on private lands. And I personally hate not running that call, but sometimes that's what ya' gotta' do to fill a tag...

S&R

RE: encounter question
 

yep....most of it actually is woods.....its all pretty new....before the farmer just had the cows in a little REAL pasture area....a few trees here and there...but mainly a grass field....but he expanded it this year.....and the cows travel clear across a creek...down and up VERY steep hills.....and were over malesting my turkey hunt...boss tom or not....he looked big.....definetnly a shooter for me....it would only be my 3rd bird....i just dont want to shoot a jake..or my tag would been filled first light saturday....i find it odd that he didnt have hens....and that he wasnt gobbling.....but all the birds are tight lipped...saturday they were going absolutely nuts.....and it was POURING rain....this whole week been nicer then saturday....a bit cooler though.....pressure isnt all that great.....i mean..saturday there were a few hunters there....and a few shots....but since then its been me twice....and my buddys yesterday....they park at the barn..walk to the woods and sit down....they arent big turkey hunters...first year for them....my one buddy did roll one saturday though...first light im going to get up to that fence....listen for them to sound off....if i dont hear anything ill set up by where he was strutting.....only one direction he can come from....the that narrows it down......he cant roost in an open field.....and i bet he roosts right on the edge of that ridge 100yds away....flys down...and thats his first stop on his rounds......thats on the way to the fields...he probably stops there to garther hens....and wake up.....i hope he does that tomarrow....he will have someone waiting on him....not exzactly the hen hes wanting.... but a stiff load of copper #5s will greet him.....2yr old 10 yr old.....doesnt matter...hes got a nice rope on him....and already gave me one exciting hunt.....thats all its about......that hour or so i watched him i had my neck all cocked crooked.....man i got the worst kink in it now!! but it was all worth it....many times it looked like he was going to commit...that got the ole ticker goin good....thanks alot.....ill let you know what happens tomarow........

RE: encounter question
 

I'd setup right where you saw him really early. Just call like you said and wait him out. He'll show. I bet if you do this you will be gettin on hear tomarrow and tell us how you got him! Good luck!!

RE: encounter question
 

well guys....just got in.....well..i got in there early...530ish....sun dont htink about rising till about 6...found his strut marks from yesterday..set off of them 15yds behind and right....the fenced in pasture is to the left....his zone is on the left of me and front....615ish its light......not hearing a peep....so i let out a soft series....nothing....625 i see a bird drop out of the tree...right on my flat....then another to the same spot..75yds infront of me....then 2 flew down across the gully....never saw them...never made a sound....they hit hte ground and a hen went nuts...yelping her head of...louder then any ive ever heard.....10 mins later i hear leaves crunching infront of me....one left coming toward the strut zone...one right....probably 25-30yds away...get up and ready...gun toward the strut zone on the first opening....head in the middle so i can see both ways....its real thick 10yds infront of me....lots of bushes....just over a turkeys height...waiting waiting.....then the hen let out a weird cluck.....wasnt an alarm putt.....i know that sound all too well....it was a rolling cluck like clllllllllllllllluuck......kinda somethin like that.....it was a wieeeeerd sound....she was probably 20yds to my right.....the other bird was 15-20yds to my left from the sounds in the leaves.....after that i heard nothing......nothing at all....i didnt even BLINK.....i know she didnt see me.....i think she was just mad another hen was in her terf trying to steal her bird....the other bird WAS my gobbler.....hour later i got up and walked that direction slowly and quietly.....i found strut marks in the leaves the whole way to me...fresh...and fresh scatchings where i heard both birds coming.....dont know why they left....the hen must not wanted to be there.....walked that top flat.....allll scratched up...nice open hardwoods flat....but they roost 100yds infront of me in a big oak......right where i betted my arse they did.....dont know what to do tomarow....sneak back in and wait them out again....only dont call....or what....my buddy left 15 mins before i did....and saw 2 gobblers and a hen in the field by the road 300yds away....i had them gobbling around 9 he said i got htem to go off 4 times...i thought i heard them..but traffic on the road was heavy this morning....he called and told me....i waited a while....then they made their way to another set of woods.....ahhhhhhh this turkey hunting!!! love it.....but its frustrating!!!!! any ideas for tomarow?? i can set up on the other side of the gully where the other 2 flew down too.....and probably sneak around the roost a little bit.....but that open field kills me....i cant do much more then that.....any ideas??

RE: encounter question
 

I'd try just about the same thing as you did this morning. It almost paid off for ya didn't it? Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

RE: encounter question
 

mauser, i just got in from my first morning, got a nice tom on my own land, came running in with another gobbler, i coulda taken both with one shot but i dont like to kill alot of birds off my land, i kill the state's birds, i like seeing mine in my fields. i'll post pics, he's not my biggest bird, but he's decent.

if i were you i'de keep trying to coax him out of his strut zone, he is being so stubborn cuz of that other hen, he has a girlfriend already, why come to you? if your buddy is willing, have him sit 50-100 yards behind you and call, if the birds cautious he'll come to your buddy and wait just out of his range, but right in range for you to roll him. i gotta go breast my boy, but i'll take some pics for ya.

-sam

RE: encounter question
 

congrats cant wait to see the pics.......today he didnt make it to the strut zone...but the hen did take him away....i have a feeeling she was there yesterday but i didnt know.....think ill try to get a better angle on them....and not let them see me all morning.....i know htey had to watch me from the roost for an hour.......i got comfy.....relaxed....drank water......set out the calls.....moved a few logs quietly.....didnt make noise but i had no idea they were RIGHT there.....i bet htey watched.....so tomarow i think ill sneak in a diffrent angle....and try to get on them.....im nuts getting up at 445 tomarow....i got prom that night till 5am saturday morning!!! but im doing it....i got the best girl in the world....she told me to hunt saturday!! ahah...but im not going to.....too many yahoos will be out there.....and ill be BEAT....we will come back here and sleep......nice of her to offer though!!....

RE: encounter question
 

Mauser,

I would try one of two things:

1) Setup closer to their roost, now that you have verified the general trees. Get between him and his strut zone, and call very softly and sparingly. Getting between him and his hen should lead him to you first, but if this hen is aggressive (as it sounds) she may come to him if you overcall. Be cautious.

2) Setup at the same area and do not call. Calling spooked the hen, who took your gobbler in tow.

In actuality, I don't think you can really overcall a gobbler. It's like a good girlfriend...you never get tired of her calling and asking you to come over for some "quality time". Now as for the hen, that's a completely different story...sorta like having 2 or 3 girlfriends...even if you get away with it, one of the women is always the "top hen"...;)

Good luck.

RE: encounter question
 

Congratulations, your turkey scored:
24.25 + 12 + 11 + 20 = 67.25

scored my bird, here are the pics

RE: encounter question
 

!

RE: encounter question
 

!

RE: encounter question
 

damnit the pics are to small, hold on...

RE: encounter question
 

thanx for the tips..im going to TRY to sneak past that brush..and the woods open up there...nice hard woods...trees thick enough he will have to come lookin in range...but thin enough he cant hide forever.....nice bird too.....pics are small but i can make them out.....congrats!!! that hen sure did sound mad...ill do the same in the morning..just closer....let out one soft series close as i can get at the same time....and let them fly down and hope he comes to find me.........hes gota be a big ole bird.....

RE: encounter question
 

fixed those pics up some, i cant stand computers