Did I Blow It?

[LA Longbeard]

Went out this morning. Couldn't get anything to answer owl hoot so I waited until it began to get light and crow called. Though I heard an answer in a deep hardwood bottom surrounded by pine plantation. I eased down a two track road that goes into the bottom. The gobbler began to get fired up as I walked in. When I got where the pines and hardwoods met I slowed down knowing the bird was roosted close by. I snuck up and around a huge oak near the road a plopped down. Almost immediately I heard a putt. Looking around I spotted the bird about 55 yards away (measured later). I soft clucked a time or two and he answered back. He kept looking around but seemed confused. He stopped making any noise and changed his position on the tree. I could see him clearly the whole time as he sat there for about 20 minutes. He then pitched out a little further up the bottom from me (out of sight of course) and proceeded away from me. After moving about 100 yards he gobbled several times. I moved towards him some, repositioned and yelped. He answered a couple of times and then went silent. Never saw or heard him again. Do you think I spooked this bird too much? I inspected the tree he was in and with the amount of droppings nearby it was obvious it was a well used roosting area. I hope he comes back and I can get in front of him next time. Advice?

[Cut N Run]

I don't think you screwed him up permantenly. You didn't send him off putting, though he may be a bit more wary now. From doing something like that myself, I probably would have either found a good set-up near the roost where you could return in there extra early & sit tight and don't call to him until he flies down, or I would have scouted the area he went to looking to find the first strut zone he went to and found a good location to hunt that zone. Then you'd be trying to coax him to a place he already wants to come to.

Good luck & let us know how it goes.

Jim

[ylpnfol]

this time of year the bird is there for a reason, he feels comfy there, probably has hens meet him there, he'll be back, just try to slip in as close as possible w/out spooking him again.....had the same thing happen to me a few years back, the first time i hunted a place, slipped in on gobbling bird, look up about 80 yds and there he is in tree, then i really messed up & called, he sat in tree til 8:30, pitched out, gobbled as he went away, same as yours..... killed him 2 weeks later 75 yds away.....

[turk2di]

I'd say if he sat there another twenty minutes..he wasn't sure. Probably didn't blow it. But it is that time of pre-season that one shouldn't go tromping around in your hunting spot. Scout with eye's & ear's[;)]

[LA Longbeard]

Sorry Turk, I didn't clarify that I was actually hunting. Season started in MS last Saturday.

[LA Longbeard]

I went back later in the day and set up a blind just off the logging road about where he flew down to. I am going to try to slip back in real early and maybe set a decoy on the road and wait. May take a few trips to catch him there one morning.

[retranger]

Naw,,,,,,,he'll be around. Good luck next time[:)]

[WillowRidgeCalls]

If you go back to that area in the morning, don't go to that same tree, you'll want to stay back a 100 yards or so, and if you have other calls to use switch calls. Most times birds have about 3 roost areas and if you bugger a bird out of one they tend to stay away from it a few days.

[Duke0002]

A hen decoy might be a good idea with your new set up.  Likely he was looking for a hen when you called.  When he didn't see it, he moved on to greener pasture.  Good luck!

[TURKEYBOSS]

IT DOESNT SOUND LIKE U BLEW IT, HE PROBABLY COULD SEE DOWN WHERE YOU WERE AND DIDNT SEE ANY HENS WHERE THE NOISE CAME FROM AND FLEW DOWN THE OTHER WAY WHERE HE PROBABLY COULD EITHER SEE HENS OR ATLEAST KNEW WHERE THEY WOULD BE.....