What would you have done? I seek Mentors!

[IDturkeyfool]

To swpatryhunter, Dank and all,
 
It's Thursday and I've had time to access last weekend's events.
 
We hit climbed above the bird and moved in to about 75 yds.  He didn't gobble until just a 1/2 hr before sunrise this time - but when he did there was no mistaking this was the same bird.  Light tree calls affirmed his desire.
 
He moved off the limb.  I called with my best Gobble - He jumped all over me in responce - AND WENT SILENT.  I expected him to come in and had set my jake so that it would be seen first.  After about a half hour + we heard him far below us (200' down, 250 yds out and 60' below his roost) in the area where the Jake had spooked the week before.  He now was with hens and for the next hour I heard him move steadily towards and through the previous set-up location.
getting ahead of this bird would have require "Scotty to Beam me there" as the cover through the woods is sparce.
 
As the Boss moved away, the woods became alive with gobbles behind him.  As the day progressed we did see a single hen making her way to a ridge top from the "service" direction.  She accosted us with her clucking as she went by.
 
Here is what my buddy and I think may have happened - This bird is the bully of the woods, and last week I messed with his routine.  By setting up where we did, The Boss was able to "complete his rounds".  We suspect he met several hens as he moved through his zone.  The other toms simply wait until he is out of the way before sounding off.  All of the other Gobbles we heard were pretty far off.
 
This weeks plan - Move in - Shut up - Let him come  NO DECOYS, NO GOBBLES.  We plan to buddy hunt - set the caller significantly back in the direction of travel and call only if he hangs up.
 
This bird needs to be taken out (for the good of the woods, of course!)
 
- any thoughts (sarcastic or otherwise) will be considered.
 
The area we hunt is BIG.  Geography dictates where the bird will go we know, but after seeing the hen move through 350' of elevation change in pretty good time, I hope not to be wrong again!
 
 

[beardbuster]

is he with hen's?? if so try to call the hens to you using fall calls. or try to get aggressive with him cutting and cackling. but try not to bump him any more. wait till he fly's down then call and only call when he does, don't call to him answer him. fifteen birds in ten years between me and my wife. also many double's at the same time. give it a try it may work

[tracebusta32]

Get rid of the decoy and do a few light calls while he is on the roost, then mimic a flydown, cutt once or twice and he should be yours if your 75 yards from his roost.

[Dank]

ORIGINAL: IDturkeyfool

1...for the next hour I heard him move steadily towards and through the previous set-up location.
 
2.Geography dictates where the bird will go we know, but after seeing the hen move through 350' of elevation change in pretty good time, I hope not to be wrong again!

 
1.If that's not turkey hunting best summed up i don't know what is.
 
2.As for this part, you can pretty much hang that up!!! lol
 
All you can do for sure is just keep going. It's always fun and frustrating to hunt a particular bird (just makes success that much sweeter), coming up with new game plans of how your going to get him. It's all about the game!!! Good luck, and if you get a chance shoot straight.
 
 

[IDturkeyfool]

IDAHO UPDATE .... Another Weekend - and a BIG BUST.[:@]
 
We hunted East of Idaho City, ID both Saturday and Sunday (5/3-4) - Hard, putting many miles trudging up and down through 700' of elevation change - I heard not a single cluck, putt or gobble.  Where have the birds gone?
 
Prior to last weekend, we have heard as many as five Toms in a single day in our hunt area.  We have seen hens - I spooked a Jake.  Where have they gone?  Do the move up as the snow mooves up?
I do not think we called too much and we believe we are the only hunters working the area (only our tracks to be seen.)
 
Saturday was overcast but temps climbed to 60 from the low 30's.  The air was VERY smokey due to a prescribed burn some 5-10 mile from where we hunt - Could that move the birds?  (I doubt it as we jumped a deer.)  The smoke blew out as breezes during the day progressed.  Sunday started cold (26F) but warmed to 60+ and was crystal clear and still.  My Daughter heard on bird - more than a mile off below us.
 
It did get windy earlier in the week - up to 35MPH gusts so we worked draws on creek bottoms bu saw no sign.
 
I spoke with many of the locals - They said Turkey numbers are WAY down, one said he usually would see 75-100 a day through past winters - this year the most he saw at one time was 14.
 
I spoke to local USFS Rangers, both from the Hunt unit and from the National forest offices.  They are not seeing birds - or hearing of sitings this year.
 
I spoke to a Idaho Fish and Game Wildlife Biologist - He believes our winter was too harsh on them this year - siting a similar winter several years back.  THERE IS STILL SNOW ON NORTH SLOPES TO 2+ FEET AS OF THIS PAST WEEKEND.  In years past the snow is gone in March.
 
He also stated he has been hearing similar low turkey sitings from other hunters.
 
I asked if the wet weather last spring could have resulted in low poult survival rates, weather preditors could be responsible (lots of Wolf signs and typical coyote bobcat track sitings.)  The Biologist feels that non of these factors compare to harsh winter and we had lots of snow this year.
 
I'm about out of season - - -
 
 
 

[Va.ridgerunner]

What a cliff hanger. 
 
 
 Did you ever kill him?
Find a new bird?