No gobblers, but...

[bdbrown66]

I was hunting yesterday morning (Saturday the 26th). Heard a couple gobbles on the roost on out the ridge from where I was, but nothing close. Every 5 or 10 minutes I'd do some yelps to see if anything was moving my way. I'm hunting on the side of a ridge that's covered with trees and undergrowth, so I'm scanning out as far as I can see, watching for any movement. About 0930 I did a call sequence, and then turned to set my call down in my pack next to me. When I looked back up, there it was, 12 yards away. Caught me a bit off guard, because I had no idea he had come in. We stared at each other for a few seconds, and he began to realize that the joke was on him. Glad I was able to get my phone out before he snuck back out again. Didn't make a sound.

Dropbox

www.dropbox.com

 

[hunter24605]

It happens. Especially since my hearing went south.

 

[JD338]

Sometimes they don't make a sound, they just sneak in to assess the situation.

JD338

 

[bdbrown66]

Sometimes they don't make a sound, they just sneak in to assess the situation.

JD338

It was definitely coming to see if it could nab a fresh bird for breakfast. Totally stealthy.

 

[JD338]

I shot this one back in 2020. I got aggressive with my calling and pulled him away from a hen. He was silent and sneaking in. I was sitting at the end of a knoll and watched the entire show.
One of my best hunts ever!

JD338

 

[hunter24605]

Seems like I manage to call in about 1 coyote to every 3 turkeys

 

[JD338]

Seems like I manage to call in about 1 coyote to every 3 turkeys

We called in a coyote this year with your box call.
Unfortunately he was just out of range for the Longbeard #5's.

JD338

 

[NYDAN]

Amazing video. I am glad you were able to capture that file of the bobcat sneaking away.

Although I have seen many photos of bobcats from around here, I can't recall ever actually seeing one. That would be a thrill for me.

 

[DrMike]

Very neat video you captured. We don't have bobcats up here, but on several occasions I've had lynx come in. It is startling to be minding the business of hunting only to get that uncomfortable feeling that you were being watched. Looking about, there is a lynx close at hand. They are curious and able to silently assess all that is going on in their AO.

 

[grry10]

That was a very cool video. It is one thing to see something like that , but another to video it.

That is one thing I enjoy about spring turkey hunting is observing the different wildlife, even if I don't harvest a bird. One of the things I noticed this year is that the gray wolf population has really increased in this area of Wisconsin. Far more wolf tracks than turkey. Every trail that I walked had fresh wolf tracks and scat.

Our bobcat population has been on the rise for several years and we even get them in our yard, along with raccoon, opossum, fox, coyote, skunks, deer, turkey, and an occasional bear and otter. Most are caught on trail camera at night, but have had all of them in the daylight, just not as often.