Conclusion: Taken to the Woodshed

[Ben Sobieck]

In Decision Time, Editor Brian Lovett shares a scenario from his 20+ years hunting turkeys. Each hinges on a critical decision. Post what choice you would have made, then see how things actually turned out.

Conclusion: Taken to the Woodshed

Against my nature, I planted my butt by the woodpile and vowed to wait. When the birds gobbled 150 yards to the north, I thought about moving but resisted. And believe it or not, after about 15 minutes, a jake, four hens and the Woodpile Gobblers appeared at the field edge and started walking toward me. Before long, two hens and the jake were 20 steps away. With gun up and safety off, I waited for the strutters to appear over a small rise.

Then I saw the gobblers out in the hay field, chasing hens 100 yards away. What? Within seconds, they did a large circle around me, got behind me in the woods and headed to the neighbor's place, gobbling at my calling with every step. They'd done an end-around past the pile.

Huh. Maybe those gobblers read mystery novels ... or at least turkey hunting magazines.

What decision did you make?

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[Gobblerman]

I guess the obvious question for me to ask is, "did you call to those birds as they were on their way to the woodpile?"   ...If so, it sounds to me like a classic case of call shyness (even though I have been assured that there is no such thing by others apparently much more knowledgeable about turkeys and animal behavior than myself....seems that all of those studies done about "learned behavior" in living organisms have no basis in the turkey hunting world!)  [:)]
 
Like I said in my response to this scenario....I would have made sure that, if I called to them, it was soft enough that they couldn't possibly hear it!  [:D]
 
Jim

[Brian Lovett]

Tree-yelped at 'em once, and yelped at 'em twice when they were on the ground but still well out of sight. When they popped into view at about 120 yards away, the calling ceased. Then they did the end-around in the field and continued on their way.
Checked on them this spring, but they weren't around. I did encounter another particularly annoying turkey, however!

[Gobblerman]

I just HATE those birds that have E.S.P.!!.........[:)]
 
Jim

[Brian Lovett]

I'm not especially fond of them, either!

[Gobblerman]

Unfortunately, their numbers seem to be on the increase....at least in this part of the turkey world...........
 
Jim