This past spring I got to hunt some in SC. The overall habitat was hardwood, swamp, pines, fields that seemed to blend perfectly together. While I was there the birds which were in great numbers hung in the pine with some hardwoods that bordered the swamps. The swamps were impossible to hunt due to high water, that is one could walk in it but would make a lot of noise getting through it to the dry places that the turkeys hung out in.
The first day turkeys sounded of, about 12 of them. But once on the ground got with the hens that I seen coming out of roost and flying and walking to a few of the gobblers. During the rest of the morning called in some hens and about 9 jakes. Took a break for lunch and headed back out about 1400. That afternoon called in a couple more hens and jakes. Had a couple gobblers answer my calls but never came.
The second day heard 11. Again almost same results as the first but this was a different part of the property. About 130 I got a response from a gobbler about 100 yards out through a pine hardwood area. Got set up and made one more call on the box with no answer. I just put the box down and about 5 minutes seen a white head coming in about 40 yards out. Lucky I had my gun up and focused where the bird appeared from as it was fairly open. The bird came in looking nervous. When he cleared a small tree about 35 yards out I pulled the trigger.
The third day heard 7 on roost and again same results as the first 2. After lunch break got set up about 1400 along an edge of a field and woods. Set out a jake and standing hen decoy. About 1530 seen a long beard coming just inside the wood line. He got to about 50 yards to my left when he spotted the decoys. He stood there for 5 minutes maybe a little longer just looking at the decoys. He then made a turn flicking his wings up and acting nervous. I made a soft call and he gobbled, but he kept going. He headed around the far left corner of the field and then did not see him. A couple minutes went by and he gobbled again behind the far right corner of the field. I then gave a couple soft calls, but nothing. I just sat there relaxed when to the right of the field that a woods road came down around and past me about 30 yards I caught movement. It was a gobbler coming down the road acting very cautious. Well his mistake was he kept coming and about 30 yards out the firing pin hit the primer.
Earl