what do I do?

[maineute]

I have permission to hunt a field behind a friends house in Maine, it is about 80yards X 150 yards, off of the back of their barn and is bordered by some really tall pines and hardwoods. I have a 2 ft tall blind set up against a large rock, in the back of the field, to stay away from the house. Opening day I was there very early set up my 2 decoys about 15-20 yards out in the field and waited. Birds were gobbling in the area for about 20 minutes when a gobble came from 30 yards behind me on the tree line. After 20 minutes I heard a hen kee-kee and fly down over my head and land between my decoys. She fed there for about 30-40 minutes with him still on the roost gobbling. I was frozen forever, waiting for him to fly down. She left the field toward where he was roosted and he flew down and gobbled on the ground behind some fur trees for 30 minutes. I never saw him. Another hen came into the field so I could not get up to try to sneak on him, plus I can go back. I am really not sure what I could have done different? I went back the next day and layed on the ground thinking that if they were there I could wait for the fly down and then sit up. They did not show, Any suggestions?

[hckyplayer8]

How often do you call?

You place your decoys out the second day also?

Do you know for sure that these birds like to call this little patch home or did you just strike it lucky the first day?

[maineute]

I did not call at all until she landed on the ground and then I would only call when she did, about every 10-15 minutes.
 
I did not put out decoys the second day. They were just not there.
 
I have 2 trail cameras on the field and I get pics of the hens 3 out of 4 days in the morning and randomely throughout the day. Not to many pics of the toms. The hens did not seem to mind the decoys, they both fed among them one for 40 minutes and the other for about an hour. They were doing figure eights around them. I took pics of the second hen after the tom left.
 
I stopped by there around 8 and one of the hens was in the neighbors field. I really don't think I was too lucky, I have shot 2 birds from the same rock.

[Cut N Run]

Since you've already had success at the spot, you're doing it right. Your story mentioned that it was opening day when gobblers are notorious for not responding well to calls because they've got plenty of live hens to tend to. I'd say keep hunting that spot periodically, but not too much, maybe every 4 or 5 days early on. Make sure you don't call too much or bust the flock off the roost either. Before long that gobbler will be looking for hens and will be more receptive to calling, especially later in the morning.

As for what makes them roost anywhere or move their roost site, who knows? I've had birds that were in a regular roosting spot for weeks all of a sudden move a half-mile away for no apparent reason. You just have to be there and be ready when the time is right.

Good luck tagging a good gobbler. Please post pics here when you get him.

Jim

[maineute]

Thanks for the info, Like any one, you wonder if you are doing something wrong.
I will post pics when I get one, even if it is a Jake.

[maineute]

I am an idiot, I went back in today, 1 hour before sunrise. kept my head lamp on too long, usually I shut it off a good distance from the blind. As soon as I got all settled in, a Tom flew off about 75 yards away and started to gobble. This attracted a Coyote, I could not tell what it was until 30 yards so I shot(I have a night coyote hunting permit) I hit it and it ran back where it came from. After an hour (Tom is on the ground) 2 hens flew down from the same tree the tom was in. 1 came in the field for a minute the other flew down into the woods. I stayed hoping that since they were scattered that they would come back to regroup. I called the bird that went back into the woods, back into the field, she stayed for a while and left. The tom had not gobbled for an hour around 7:30 so I decided to leave. I was putting my calls away and moving when out of the corner of my eye I saw the tom at about 80 yards, allready busted, he turned around and left. I am not sure what else I could have done wrong.
 
 I have decided to leave the blind where it is at and make another blind from brush farther away from their roost. Again I will have to wait another few days till I go back. Oh, and I will have to walk in in the dark with no light. Again, I feel like an idiot.

[RCTaylor]

welcome to turkey hunting. its always something, witch is part of the fun. just try to learn from it. and you'll be learning for years to come.

[kygobbler]

Don't feel bad maineute, we all have one or two dozen stupid mistakes while turkey hunting, it's just part of the game. Just stay after them.