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bamaranger · April 24, 2024, 04:28 PM

-23April, #17
I'm back in the Big Hollow again, in the general locale where I took that good tom last week. At dawn, a bird sounds off to the the SE, I'd estimate about exactly where that saddle is where I killed the bird. He gobbles twice in the twilight, maybe a bit further S than the notch, but I could get there. I hold off, that's a long way across, perhaps there's one closer. I keep thinking I hear one drumming, but no gobbles erupt close. OK, off we go. I cross to the other side and stop short of the notch. It's a good 30 minutes later, I'll check this bird with a crow call, and out comes the old wooden Olt, bought when I was a teenager. I caw away, gosh that old call sounds good....and I get a gobble!

Only problem....it's over where I WAS, not where I am. Jeez-0-man

. OK, so we go back. While I'm crossing back, either that bird, possibly another, gobbles from a wee bit higher, that would have been VERY near where I started....I remember thinking I heard drumming....maybe I did. I top out, stick a decoy on the woods road, and begin the call and wait process. Nothing. I stay put, close to two hours, and do not hear a gobble on this original spur ridge side. What DO I hear, .....another gobble over opposite, south of the notch. Can't win for losin'.

I stay planted 'till 12:00 and call it quits.

-Hunt #18, 24April
Back in the Big Hollow.....again. This morning I walk all the way out the spur and off the nose of it, to a little bowl shaped draw where I suspect the culprit from yesterday was holding. I've killed a good bird here in years past, and had several others strut nearby w/o getting a shot. I've not been here in several years, but I find the old single wire fence that leads there and walk right to it in the twilight. I settle in where I've sat before and am no sooner down then I hear gobbles WAY off to the east, almost out of hearing. Probably a bit closer than what it sounds, but still way over there....I'm not even sure it's on the lease. I stay put. No turkey noise close, but I am about where that bird was yesterday. I begin to call and wait. Close to three hours later, I can stand no more. My butt is sore, my legs trying to cramp, I've got to move. Heck it's close 10:00AM, .....leave early, get lunch for morale purposes.

I haven't walked 50 yds when a hawk screeches overhead and a gobble snaps out within 150 yds. It's not out towards the bowl, it's back in the thicker stuff, essentially what was behind me. I'll never call a turkey through that. I move 30-40 yds or so through the little thicket and to more open woods on the other side and drop against the nearest decent sized tree. No pads, no slate call, too close, I pop in a mouth call, get the gun up and yelp......nothing. I stick it out for an hour and a half, 'till after 11:30, but hear no more turkey noise. Huh, just the way it is sometimes. I don't think there's anyway he saw me. I am tickled I had his pattern sort of figured out, he's on my list.

Highlight of the day, while walking out up top, I spy a shed antler, 3pts. Smallish, 1-1/2, maybe 2-1/2 yr old deer. I've got a 5 gallon bucket of sheds I've found, and I'll add this to the collection, marked with the date and locale.

April 24, 2024, 04:28 PM	#31
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,332	hunts #17 & 18 -23April, #17 I'm back in the Big Hollow again, in the general locale where I took that good tom last week. At dawn, a bird sounds off to the the SE, I'd estimate about exactly where that saddle is where I killed the bird. He gobbles twice in the twilight, maybe a bit further S than the notch, but I could get there. I hold off, that's a long way across, perhaps there's one closer. I keep thinking I hear one drumming, but no gobbles erupt close. OK, off we go. I cross to the other side and stop short of the notch. It's a good 30 minutes later, I'll check this bird with a crow call, and out comes the old wooden Olt, bought when I was a teenager. I caw away, gosh that old call sounds good....and I get a gobble! Only problem....it's over where I WAS, not where I am. Jeez-0-man. OK, so we go back. While I'm crossing back, either that bird, possibly another, gobbles from a wee bit higher, that would have been VERY near where I started....I remember thinking I heard drumming....maybe I did. I top out, stick a decoy on the woods road, and begin the call and wait process. Nothing. I stay put, close to two hours, and do not hear a gobble on this original spur ridge side. What DO I hear, .....another gobble over opposite, south of the notch. Can't win for losin'. I stay planted 'till 12:00 and call it quits. -Hunt #18, 24April Back in the Big Hollow.....again. This morning I walk all the way out the spur and off the nose of it, to a little bowl shaped draw where I suspect the culprit from yesterday was holding. I've killed a good bird here in years past, and had several others strut nearby w/o getting a shot. I've not been here in several years, but I find the old single wire fence that leads there and walk right to it in the twilight. I settle in where I've sat before and am no sooner down then I hear gobbles WAY off to the east, almost out of hearing. Probably a bit closer than what it sounds, but still way over there....I'm not even sure it's on the lease. I stay put. No turkey noise close, but I am about where that bird was yesterday. I begin to call and wait. Close to three hours later, I can stand no more. My butt is sore, my legs trying to cramp, I've got to move. Heck it's close 10:00AM, .....leave early, get lunch for morale purposes. I haven't walked 50 yds when a hawk screeches overhead and a gobble snaps out within 150 yds. It's not out towards the bowl, it's back in the thicker stuff, essentially what was behind me. I'll never call a turkey through that. I move 30-40 yds or so through the little thicket and to more open woods on the other side and drop against the nearest decent sized tree. No pads, no slate call, too close, I pop in a mouth call, get the gun up and yelp......nothing. I stick it out for an hour and a half, 'till after 11:30, but hear no more turkey noise. Huh, just the way it is sometimes. I don't think there's anyway he saw me. I am tickled I had his pattern sort of figured out, he's on my list. Highlight of the day, while walking out up top, I spy a shed antler, 3pts. Smallish, 1-1/2, maybe 2-1/2 yr old deer. I've got a 5 gallon bucket of sheds I've found, and I'll add this to the collection, marked with the date and locale.