The Bad Bird Bible Chapter 5, Verse 1- Will Primos

"One of the worst bad birds I had to try and take was a bird that lived on Moss Hill, a big hill with three smaller hills in front of it," Will Primos, the owner of Primos Hunting Calls in Jackson, Mississippi, commented. "To get to Moss Hill, you had to go down a gravel road, park your car, go over these other three hills and then set up on the gobbler, which was the approach that everybody had used. These hunters all had hunted this bird by going to him before daylight, trying to get in close and calling him.

"On the morning I decided to hunt him, I waited until daylight. The woods were very dry, and I knew the turkey would hear me coming. I walked slowly, taking one step and with my other foot scratching in the leaves. Then I'd take another step and with my other foot scratch in the leaves. The tom would gobble every time I'd scratch in the leaves. I wanted to sound like a hen turkey going to him.

"I was on private lands. But I certainly wouldn't advise anyone to use this tactic when hunting on public lands because you'd sound too much like a turkey. On this day, I knew no one else was hunting that gobbler but me.

"When I got to the edge of the last ridge, just before I thought the gobbler would see me, I scratched in the leaves with my hands as I sat down. I clucked one time and scratched two or three more times. Then I quit making any sounds.

"The gobbler flew from the ground into a tree about 80 yards away on the same ridge where I was. He gobbled about eight times like he was mad. I think he was aggravated because the hen wouldn't come all the way to him. After he gobbled, he pitched off the limb and flew down about 30 yards from me off to my left. He was so close I had to wait until he stepped behind a tree before I picked up my gun. When he stepped out from behind the tree, I bagged him.

"I believe that turkey was sharp and realized that when he flew up in that tree he should see a hunter or the hen. However, when he couldn't, he evidently felt safe enough to pitch off the limb and fly in where he'd heard the hen last. Remember, all that bird had heard was my walking in the leaves and scratching the leaves and one cluck. I hadn't called to him like the other hunters had or gone to him at the same time of day. Also since I didn't pressure this bad bird, he felt comfortable coming to me."

To learn more about hunting turkeys, go to Night Hawk's homepage and click on hunting books.

For more information on Primos Hunting Calls, go to www.primos.com.

TOMORROW: THE BAD BIRD BIBLE CHAPTER 6, VERSE 1- STEVE STOLTZ

Check back each day this week for more about The Bad Bird Bible ...

Day 1 -The Bad Bird Bible Chapter 4, Verse 1- Preston Pittman
Day 2 -The Bad Bird Bible Chapter 4, Verse 2- Preston Pittman
Day 3 -The Bad Bird Bible Chapter 4, Verse 3- Preston Pittman
Day 4 -The Bad Bird Bible Chapter 5, Verse 1- Will Primos
Day 5 -The Bad Bird Bible Chapter 5, Verse 1- Will Primos

John's Journal