First off, congrats to everybody that has harvested a turkey or two or three or more!! I have enjoyed all of the stories as I do every year!

This season has been a strange one, even though we're only 5 days into it, but the lack of gobbling during my 3 of my last 4 hunts has been a head-scratcher! Not sure if it's the lack of birds, weather, hens, etc, but it's been a challenge so far! The opener for me was one of the worst opening days I have ever experienced! I did not see and worst hear a single turkey! Sunday before church, a buddy took me, so I could try to call one in for him, and I heard 2 gobbles that morning, and that was it! I did manage to call in a jake, to which he wanted to shoot but ended up missing!! Ughhh!!! Yesterday morning, 30 to 40 mph winds and temps in the 30's! Need I say more! I did manage to tick off a big ole hen and bring her into my set up, but nothing more, she didn't have a boyfriend with her.

Today ended up being a bit different! Due to dad duties, I too my son to preschool and they had a little event for us there, so I couldnt make it out this morning, but when it was over, I made a dash to the woods. At 1015 hrs I get set up in a ground blind near where my trail camera has been showing a gobbler frewuenting on and off. Hit the slate call a couple times and set it down... couple minutes go by and hit it again, and GOBBLE!!! Give it a minute, and hit it again, GOBBLE!! He's closer and coming in too my right! Get the gun up and look out my right window and see the red, white and blue colors walking through the trees! Safety goes off, as I know he see's my avian x quarter strut jake and breeder hen and get steady! He gobbles and breaks into a half strut, behind some trees and a little far out. I could have shot and maybe would have killed him, but it woulda been iffy and i didnt want an iffy shot, i wanted a sure thing! Anyways, he then starts heading down hill and kind of circling my setup! Still no "good" shot oppurtunity, and I hit him with the mouth call, he gobbles and goes behind a slight little rise/hill just out of sight! Thinking he was planning a sneak attack on my decoy, I steady and get ready and then see him down the hill heading back up another hill walking away! I call to him, and he gobbles at everything I throw at him! After a little while goes by, still gobbling, I try to make a move on him and I it just didn't seem like he wanted to play, he gobbled at everything but moved away and then away for good, at 1135 hrs, hunt was over!

What happened? Turkeys being turkeys? Did the decoy scare him off? (He was atleast a 2 year old, full fan and beard), he didn't have any hens with him that I was aware of or could see!
It happens, Im thankful for a late morning hunt with more action in that 1.5 hour than I have in 3 other days combined, but dang its frustrating to have one so close, just to go away from you without presenting a shot! I thought for sure that decoy would have dragged him on in, but nope, i think it hurt me this time!! Smh! Any advice?

That said, congrats again guys! And still, best of luck with the rest of the season! I hope to get to update yall with my own pics and stories soon!! We'll see!!

That's hunting. Saturday hit a couple around 9, came right in, today heard nothing. Roll the dice.
V

if I had the answer I would be a millionaire

You said it best.. Turkeys being Turkeys..

I'm sure I'm the exception, but I've found in Va that 1/2 the time you are dealing with a sub-dominate bird and in many many cases that bird when seeing any other gobbler will often make the business decision that he might be about to get his butt whipped again and will turn tail and run. The reality is there is only one king of the mountain and everyone else isn't and they know that. I think that King of the Mountain will come into that decoy every single time because he has never lost a battle. I think the only exception is even a sub-dominate bird will come in and whip a Jakes butt, but the reality is unless you have a Jake strutting decoy with the Jake fan, he's probably not going to be able to pic out that 3" long beard in the front that you see on a Jake 1/4 strutt decoy.

About the best explanation that sums it IMOP, otherwise it's a turkey being a turkey.

HAH! Turkey hunting in a nutshell. Never the same day by day.
Just gotta find one that wants to die

Yea, pretty much sums it up......... Turkeys being Turkeys