You sure can especially if the conditions are right and that's what I had Tuesday morning.
In the woods about 5:15 and walking to the blind in pretty visible light even though the sun is far from up maybe a little moon factor whatever it was easy to see all across the field to the blind. On approach I heard a soft yelp about 60 yrds from my Hemlock tree and was afraid I might have been busted. Quickly dashed into the cover and got set up for fly down. Down in the valley past the yellow signs a gobbler went off and then another. To my right and right behind me not 20yrds a bird did a loud yelp that softened into the usually tree calls. This sparked a hearty gobble from the tree right next to it. Hmm is that my heart is there a thunder storm coming in? Carefully moving to a pot call that killed the opener bird I mimicked the call of the first hen to my right. Double gobble from the gobbler behind me was followed by a yelp, yelgobble a few more trees away. Typical of a jake. Loveley I have at least three birds within 20yrds on roost waiting to fly out into the field in front of me. The hen began a soft yelp or two and I could tell she was moving on the branches all the while the hefty gobbler and the yelp/gobbler are sounding off. I added in a nice non prvoking yelp series on the slate followed by a purr. Now things heated up as about 80 yrds away out steps a tom into the field and he turns my way while letting out a gobble and puffing into a full strut. He continues my way for 10 or 15 yrds then as luck would have it a hen appears behind him and of course heads the other way. I do a quick yelp of 4 notes and he spins around while the gobbler behind me reminds me he's there with a gobble that provokes a yelpgobble from Junior. The gobbler on the ground lets out again then turns back to follow the hen. I did a cluck followed by a purr and broke into a yelp that softened back to another purr. Gobbler whom I can see has a fantastic full beard turns and at a half strutt came straight at me leaving the hen to her own demise and widowhood.
Comes a time when you got to put your money where call is and this bird committed and heck I aint out there bird watching so I let Old Nogiantor send him a $4 swarm of hot tungsten. Dropped like a stone leaving a pile of feathers just about exactly 6 ft from the pile of feathers from Monday's bird. Never did get to see the birds behind me but as soon as jumped up pumping another one into the chamber several more birds ran into the field where the dead bird had first appeared to take off in flight.
I was gonna try hold off to see bigger spurrs for the contest but this guy was good looking bird and I'd sold him a bill of goods he bought so I sealed the deal on a classic hunt pulling a gobbler off a visible hen and others just in the woods. Greed got the best of this guy
Some morrels too!
In the woods about 5:15 and walking to the blind in pretty visible light even though the sun is far from up maybe a little moon factor whatever it was easy to see all across the field to the blind. On approach I heard a soft yelp about 60 yrds from my Hemlock tree and was afraid I might have been busted. Quickly dashed into the cover and got set up for fly down. Down in the valley past the yellow signs a gobbler went off and then another. To my right and right behind me not 20yrds a bird did a loud yelp that softened into the usually tree calls. This sparked a hearty gobble from the tree right next to it. Hmm is that my heart is there a thunder storm coming in? Carefully moving to a pot call that killed the opener bird I mimicked the call of the first hen to my right. Double gobble from the gobbler behind me was followed by a yelp, yelgobble a few more trees away. Typical of a jake. Loveley I have at least three birds within 20yrds on roost waiting to fly out into the field in front of me. The hen began a soft yelp or two and I could tell she was moving on the branches all the while the hefty gobbler and the yelp/gobbler are sounding off. I added in a nice non prvoking yelp series on the slate followed by a purr. Now things heated up as about 80 yrds away out steps a tom into the field and he turns my way while letting out a gobble and puffing into a full strut. He continues my way for 10 or 15 yrds then as luck would have it a hen appears behind him and of course heads the other way. I do a quick yelp of 4 notes and he spins around while the gobbler behind me reminds me he's there with a gobble that provokes a yelpgobble from Junior. The gobbler on the ground lets out again then turns back to follow the hen. I did a cluck followed by a purr and broke into a yelp that softened back to another purr. Gobbler whom I can see has a fantastic full beard turns and at a half strutt came straight at me leaving the hen to her own demise and widowhood.
Comes a time when you got to put your money where call is and this bird committed and heck I aint out there bird watching so I let Old Nogiantor send him a $4 swarm of hot tungsten. Dropped like a stone leaving a pile of feathers just about exactly 6 ft from the pile of feathers from Monday's bird. Never did get to see the birds behind me but as soon as jumped up pumping another one into the chamber several more birds ran into the field where the dead bird had first appeared to take off in flight.
I was gonna try hold off to see bigger spurrs for the contest but this guy was good looking bird and I'd sold him a bill of goods he bought so I sealed the deal on a classic hunt pulling a gobbler off a visible hen and others just in the woods. Greed got the best of this guy
Some morrels too!
