Decision Time: An Occurrence Somewhat Near Owl Creek Bridge

[Brian Lovett]

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

An Occurrence Somewhat Near Owl Creek Bridge

Stop me if you’ve heard this one in turkey country: “Those birds usually fly down and walk right through the front yard every day.”

Sure they do. Except for the day you’re stupid enough to sit in someone’s front yard and try to kill one.

But there I was in Alabama one morning, hearing about the gobblers that came up from the hollow and waltzed right through Charlie’s spacious front yard every morning. In fact, I was told, I could probably sit on the porch and shoot one that day.

My host meant well, but I’d have no part of it. I was a turkey hunter, and by God, I was going to hunt turkeys. So I slipped through the timber, eased as close as possible to two roosted gobblers, uttered soft tree yelps and waited patiently … until the birds flew down, walked up the hollow and then strutted through Charlie’s front yard.

I worked some turkeys at other spots the next two days, but hunting was tough, and my friends and I were getting desperate. The longbeards of Charlie’s yard always stuck in the back of my mind. Could lightning strike twice? Would I be dumb enough to actually sit in a guy’s front yard and wait on a turkey?

What would you have done? Post your decision below.

Click here for Lovett's decision.

Can't use a mouth call? Click here to find the solution!

[TRapper]

i i don't think i would have sat on his porch, but probably would have sat on the edge and been where i could shoot them as they started to come to the yard

[Steve_In]

That is funny. My niece-in-law kidded me about turkey hunting. She got mad at the gobblers robbing her bird feeders so she went to scare them off. They just looked at her so she picked an ornamental rock up an pelted one of them. If she could hit one with a rock how hard could it be to kill one with a shotgun?

Under your circumstances I would try to cut them off between the yard and flydown point or set-up where they went after leaving the yard. The porch and a comfy chair complete with a good hot cup of coffee sounds inviting. Oh yeah, do they make robes and slippers in camo?

[bamabirdbuster13]

i had some birds that used to walk on our fenceline in the front and side yard but they wouldnt follow the hens into the back yard .. they only did this for a short amount of time after we moved into the new house that was built on old farmland these birds prolly used to strut all over.i set a blind next to a pile of fill dirt and when the birds would strut in the hay field id run down and set and wait. i felt pretty dumb as my mom and dad would sit and watch from a window.. so i just let them b like pets... let em walk in my yard not anybody elses tho let em have it

[Cut N Run]

I'd be out there dressed like a lawn jockey if it gave me a crack at taking turkeys that used his lawn...especially if they didn't play by the rules and come to calls in the woods. Maybe you could use the birdbath for cover. Does Mossy Oak make a Boxwood or Azalea pattern?

Jim

[Myakka Chuck]

Pretty dang funny, Mr. Cut 'n' Run. but I'm with Steve and TRapper: cut 'em off between the roost and yard, or after they leave the yard.

Reminds me of having dinner with a friend and his wife in their TX ranch house before we were to drive 2 hours the next morning for a 3 day spring hunt. I'm eating fine cooking and drinking finer wine, look out the window, and 5 gobblers follow a hen just outside the window. "what are we getting up so early and driving so far for tomorrow? Let's set up down by the creek (where they roosted) and kill one tomorrow!". But the sweet lady thought of them as her personal pets and would hear none of it. Turns out she didn't feel the same way about the deer that fed on her herb and vegetable garden.