Once I hunted a smart gobbler that had whipped every hunter who’d tried to take him for two consecutive years. My friend, longtime expert turkey hunter Bo Pitman, found a bird like this for the two of us to hunt at the end of the season. This ole bird usually flew to the roost with his hens every evening and often remained with them all day. He also would walk away from a hunter who tried to call to him. After three days of hunting this tom, Pitman and I caught up to him where he roosted with his hens above a small creek in a hardwood strip between two fields. We tree-called to him at first light and never called again. With binoculars, we watched the gobbler fly-down after his hens already stood under his tree. From before daylight until 9:00 am, we watched the turkeys feed about 150 yards from us.

“Don’t you think we ought to call to the bird?” I asked Pitman. But Pitman whispered, “No, because that’s what everyone else has done who hasn’t killed this tom.” “Don’t you think we could sneak out of here and try and get a little closer to that turkey?” I asked. Even through Pitman’s headnet I could see him grin as he answered me with, “Yeah, we can do that. But that’s what everyone else has tried who hasn’t bagged this turkey.” Somewhat frustrated now, I said, “Well, what are we going to do?” “John, we’re going to be just like the Tar Baby in the Uncle Remus’ story about B’rer Rabbit,” Pitman explained. “We’re gonna sit still, be quiet and say nothing. Either the turkey will come down this hardwood draw between these two fields and walk toward us, or when he gets through feeding, he’ll walk out into those fields away from us. So, I think we have got a 50-50 chance of taking this bird, if you’ll sit still and stay quiet.”

I realized Pitman had analyzed this situation absolutely right. Finally at 10:15 am, the hens started moving down the hardwood draw with the gobbler behind them. By 10:30 am, five hens stood in front of me with the gobbler less than 30-yards from my stand. “When he steps behind that tree, make your last adjustments, and get ready to take the shot when he steps out,” Pitman whispered. Finally when the gobbler’s head went behind the tree, I slightly moved my shotgun on my knee, got my cheek on the stock and very gently took the safety off my gun. As I looked through my rifle scope, I could see the white crown of the gobbler’s head darting back and forth behind the tree as he fed. Finally when in full view, the tom lifted his head to look for his hens. I squeezed the trigger. By 11:15 am, I walked out of the woods with my turkey. Many times you can take one of those late-morning gobblers if you’ll stay on your stand long enough to let the bird walk to you.

To learn more about hunting turkeys successfully, visit John E. Phillips’ Amazon book page at https://www.amazon.com/John-E.-Phillips/e/B001HP7K6O. For even more information from many of the top turkey hunters and callers, go to the book, “Turkey Hunters’ Bible,” https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007HT1IUS/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_taft_p2_i7
available in Kindle, print and Audible. You may have to copy and paste this link into your browser. (When you click on the book, notice on the left where Amazon says you can read and hear 10% of the book for free). On the right side of the page and below the offer for a free Audible trial, you can click on Buy the Audible book.