Well, I headed out to pubic (I mean public lol) land for the Turkey opener. Judging by the number of headlamps I knew it would be a party. I get set up in my spot and start to freeze praying for the sun to come up. Not hearing any gobbles I started to get worried, but then I heard the thunderous sound. Followed by them flying down several minutes later in the "wrong" direction. The tom and hens show up 42 yards in front of us just barely skirting the other hunters. Perfect! I let my brother-in-law have the first shot. Miss... Unfortunately he does not have the proper shotgun and was pretty bummed out.
Well, time to relocate. The rest of the day was spent trying to navigate other hunters and locate birds. It appeared many, if not all of the birds got pushed out from everyone else pressuring them, and another hunter missing a tom as well. A few hours later I finally located a tom and was making a play. About 1 hr into the setup and him only 100 yards away things were looking good when all of a sudden I see his head jet up and him acting nervous. In an instant he was gone, running away. I turn around and I see two guys walking through the meadow behind me. Shoot!
I decided to stick it out till the end continuing to hunt the whole day and even camp out of needed. Well, several hours later I noticed a red head in the distance hiding in some of the thickest nastiest stuff. Between the wind and the pressure, he wouldn't talk at all. I had to loop around which took about an hour to close the distance. I slipped into the area he was hiding and spotted him skirting out. It was too late and his fate was sealed.
Well, time to relocate. The rest of the day was spent trying to navigate other hunters and locate birds. It appeared many, if not all of the birds got pushed out from everyone else pressuring them, and another hunter missing a tom as well. A few hours later I finally located a tom and was making a play. About 1 hr into the setup and him only 100 yards away things were looking good when all of a sudden I see his head jet up and him acting nervous. In an instant he was gone, running away. I turn around and I see two guys walking through the meadow behind me. Shoot!
I decided to stick it out till the end continuing to hunt the whole day and even camp out of needed. Well, several hours later I noticed a red head in the distance hiding in some of the thickest nastiest stuff. Between the wind and the pressure, he wouldn't talk at all. I had to loop around which took about an hour to close the distance. I slipped into the area he was hiding and spotted him skirting out. It was too late and his fate was sealed.
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