After we finished yard work yesterday I asked the youngest boy if he wanted to go turkey hunting. It was mid afternoon. Between work, sports and the honey-do it was the first trip out for either of us. Knew of an area that has turkey but hadn't scouted it this year, so we were going in mostly cold. Get out of the rig and did the look and listen for a bit. Only a couple of deer on the hillside.
Started to head for a spot that looked good, a bush that stuck out into the meadow some. We're working the edge of a meadow sticking close to the brush. So we're moving slow and quiet. We're about 20 yds from our "spot" All of the sudden, flap, flap, crash off goes a hen from about 3-5 yds from us. After the initial heart stoppage I'm telling the boy HEN - HEN - HEN NO SHOT!!!!! As she flushed he brought his gun up and was tracking to make a wing shot. She went around the bush we were headed for and disappeared. We backed up into the brush and watched for a few minutes. No movement, no calls.
We backed out and set up the opposite direction a ways and did some calling. Heard a few distant yelps from the direction she went but no gobbles. Didn't see any more turkey either.
We stayed for a while but needed to head back for dinner.
My question for you more experienced turkey slayers. Did we waste our time staying in the general area? I was figuring seem as how it was a single hen and she appeared to be nesting that there'd be a tom loitering around somewhere near.