BRUNCH-TIME GOBBLERS
You Can Outlast Toms
 EDITOR'S
NOTE: Once I hunted a smart gobbler that had whipped
every hunter who'd tried to take him for two consecutive
years. Bo Pitman, the lodge manager at White Oak Plantation
near Tuskegee, Alabama, usually would save a bird like
this for the two of us to hunt at the end of the season.
Another Tough Mid-Morning Tom:
This mature 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 a.m., 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 gonna sit still, be quiet and say
nothing,” Pitman explained. “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.".
Now I grinned, because I knew Pitman had analyzed this
situation absolutely right. Finally at 10:15 a.m., the
hens started moving down the hardwood draw with the
gobbler behind them. By 10:30 a.m., 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 the shotgun on my  knee,
got my cheek on the stock and very gently took the safety
off my Remington 1l00 3-inch Magnum. As I looked through
my scope, I could see the white crown of the gobbler's
head beginning to dart 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 a.m., 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.
TOMORROW: BIRD DOG TURKEYS
WITH DAVID HALE
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