Just had to share the story of taking my buddy out to get his first bird. We managed to get a 3 day weekend, and beat feet to the east side just in time to watch a flock go to roost from 600 yrs without disturbing them. A couple of toms, jakes, and a scattering of hens worked they're way from the creek bottom on private land across the road along a bluff to their bedroom. It was the same place I shot my bird last year, and I knew we had a fighting chance. So, we drove out, taking the opportunity to glass them up as daylight faded. Next morning found us set up at 4:30, with him taking the high ground, and me the low below the bluff. In 20 minutes they got to talking, in the trees ahead of us, we were confident that this just may happen. Then as if by some stroke of luck, a tom thundered just above my buddy 20 yrs to the left. It was my cue to start the morning ritual to softly call and coax the birds out of the trees. 2 minutes after sunrise, that tom flew down in a semi circle landing 25 yrs behind a tree. This afforded my buddy to make a quick adjustment, and be ready when the bird stepped out. Mr. Thunderchicken took 2 steps out and BOOM, his brand spanking new shotgun has now been christened. I've been lucky enough to have some pretty sweet set ups on some birds, but none so textbook as this.
Lessons learned:
1. Birds will use the same roost year after year.
2. Watching them roost is worth it's weight in gold.
3. The early bird gets the worm. Or in the case the early hunter gets his bird!
