Ever had one of those birds

[Deer slayer]

He gets tomorrow off and maybe Friday. I might go after my other enemy on Friday night and come back for this jerk Saturday.

[Deer slayer]

With this bird I have tried the first 3 Yelp. I didn't even consider number 4. Tonight I could hear a gobble about a half mile away. He never showed up. He gave a good yelp and him he gobbled and then I shut up. Next gobble I hear from him he is a ways away. Who knows if its the same bird.

I am getting to know him well but hard to say with a gobble a half mile away. It didn't help that we spooked birds going in to get set up. It was kind of crazy. We set our stuff down I set up two decoys walk back to the wife told her where to sit look up and there is a bird about ten yards in front of us. I don't think it was him but didn't get a good look. It popped and ran away. Who knows what else was with it.

I have become obsessed with these two birds.

[yelp]

How are you locating them?

[MtnMuley]

My advice 

Four methods to try: 

#1  set up, call loud enough for him to hear you.  Put your call away and wait.  Let him get all worked up and he will break.

#2 Call aggressive get him worked up then shut up and wait

#3 Call get him to gobble then you move away from him  yelp again and sit tight. 

#4  Call get him gobbling , silence for 5 minutes..Use gobble call and gobble after you yelp...then wait and watch.

Dead bird walking

LOL, Why did you have to mention that ole #4 ?

[Deer slayer]

How are you locating them?

When I go after work in the evening after I walk in I will sit for a few and listen. If I hear nothing I will give a short series of yelps. If no reply I move to where I want to set up. Then sit there again for a while before I call. Then the game begins. The last few evenings I didn't hear anything gobbling until about 6:15.

I am at a Jr. High track meet in Yakima and wondering what my two birds are doing. Right now I would just getting set up.

[kevinlisa06]

Pattern him and bushwhack him when he's in range

[Deer slayer]

I know that's what I need to do but I have this itch inside me that makes me think I need to call them in. I don't know if that's what is making this game so much more fun or not. I have shot bigger birds than them but its the challenge after loosing the battles with them.

[Deer slayer]

Went after the other bird tonight. First heard him a long ways off. Brought him to what I would guess to 100 yards. He strutted and strutted and strutted while gobbling. He wouldn't come any closer. He went the other way and then circled around and came right back at me. Next thing I know he goes to roost. I hate him.

[kevinlisa06]

Well any luck?

[Deer slayer]

Just got home. He roosted higher on the ranch. Had a jake in the kill zone this morning. He actually put on a good show. My bad on working the wrong group this morning. They left the ranch and ended up roosting off the ranch. So another words the war continues. I am very close to asking one of these pros on here if they would like to join me for a weekend of hunting. There is some very successful turkey hunters on here. I am sleeping in tomorrow and maybe taking the wife tomorrow evening. There is high winds in the forecast.

[Limhangerslayer]

Keep at him, he will lose his ladies and be vulnerable then.  How you tried to find him mid day?

[Deer slayer]

He usually is off the property mid day. I think someone feeds him. Both of these birds seem to be changing their pattern constantly. They are really making wonder about my turkey hunting abilities. I decided to sleep in today and do chores around the house. Happy wife more future turkey hunting.

[turkeydancer]

Not unusual for hunted birds to change somewhat, but they will still be in the area and as said "vulnerable" when the hens are breed and nesting ... patience is what kills most birds.

[Deer slayer]

So due to loosing a friend a couple weeks ago and other things going on I haven't been out much. A couple weeks ago I played the game with him and almost made the kill. Stupid yote ruined that set up. I decided not to shoot the yote in fear of spooking the bird from the area.

Been after him a couple times since but it was a no deal. I would hear him about a half mile away.

So I decide to run out and do an evening hunt for him. I set up in a spot he often works. Little windy that made it hard to hear much. At about 6:45 I hear him fire off. I figure out about where he is and decide to cut the distance. Of course on my way he shuts up. I give him a couple excited yelps and he fires off what I believe is 150 yards out. I walk up to where I think he should be and couldn't hear or see him.  I give some yelps and guess what, he is down where I called from last time.   I decide to sit down right where I'm at and see what he does.

He gobbles about a 100 yards out and I don't say a thing. He hammers again at about 75 yards then again at 50. This whole time I'm not saying a thing. He comes off to my left gobbles at 30 and comes into view. I have his head and then he goes behind a little knob and then comes out the other side at 25 yards in strut. He comes out partially and picks his head up and looks around. I shoot and he folds up.

I have never worked a birds for five weeks to be beat this many times. It was a pretty neat experience.


I should add that he had a little over a 9" beard. I was alone so field picks were hard. I used a Phelps mouth call. 

[Mfowl]

Nice work! Congrats! You tangled with that bird for a long time. Must feel good to settle the score!