Caught in the open

[Jaybird]

I had scouted a large piece of Public, and located a roost area I decided to hunt a couple of days later when season opened. After a long walk in the dark, and not sure where I was exactly, I plopped down, and waited for day light. I started calling, and shortly got Gobblers to answer clear across a water filled deep ravine, that I had driven by earlier to get where I was. So I started walking back to my truck to relocate my set up closer to roost. I stop to hit my box to see if they are still on roost, and 2 Gobblers hammered back at me not 150 yards away in a stand of 3 trees by my truck that hadn't called before. I am standing on the wrong side of the ravine trying to figure out how to get to these birds, being I will be in plain sight crossing the bridge, when a Tom breaks out of the tall grass heading right at me going in a full speed run, while his buddy is still Gobbling on roost. I figure he will stop at the ravine, and I should get the opportunity to slide behind a small tree, but no, the horny devil flaps across the ravine with no effort intent on getting to me before his buddy. I am now standing in the open, watching him looking for his Hen 50 yards away. My only chance to get behind the small tree is, if this bird walks behind a small sapling blocking his view, which he did. As I kneeled down, grabbing my gun from the tree, he heads diagonal behind a small hill. I pivot my body facing a line of bushes 20 yards from me, because I know he is going to follow those bushes up the hill towards me for cover. I picked a thin spot in the bushes I figured he would show up at, and froze in shooting position with no cover at all. I notice him starring at me thru the bushes for maybe a minute before he continues walking to the spot I picked out, and he died. The only reason I killed this bird is I was experienced, and trusted my leafy wear camo even though I was in the open. One of the stories I like telling newer hunters, who move to cover, when they see a bird versus freezing in place till you can move without being seen.

[Greyghost]

Jay bird that is great advice. I don't know how many times I got caught so to speak in an area with little cover and just stood there behinde a small tree or bush. Although getting the gun up and holding it till time to shoot can be arm and shoulder challenging.
Even if good cover around and hearing a bird say 100 or so yards I believe a lot of hunters get caught moving into a set up and then wonder what happened. Even if I am standing by good cover and get a response I have come to just freezing for a while to I am sure what is happening. Shot many birds standing up.

Again great advice, thanks.

[Hoobilly]

yessir that is good advice

knowing when to move is as good a tip as knowing what to call

[HuntnMa]

Just another reason why you kill turkeys
Thanks for the advice