Not more than two steps into the woods I got startled as two doe took off not more than 20 yards from me. As I hiked up the mountain I prayed to hear a gobble to lead me in the right direction, but there was no such luck. I finally found an open flat ridge top with plenty of acorns from last fall scattered about so I set up the blind and decoys and began calling. I yelped, cut, purred, and putted with my slate call. Then I tried the mouth call. Then both at the same time. The only bird to make a sound was the neighbor's rooster. 

After two hours in the blind and not a bird in sight or earshot, I decided to pack up and talk a walk of the property. I had never actually walked the woods so I thought it might be a smart idea to get an idea of the area I was hunting. As I walked through the woods, I searched for openings where the turkey might be, looked for roosting trees, droppings and feathers. All I found were more deer. Funny how it always works out like that - you go to hunt one thing and you see all the animals that are not in season.

I wasn't able to stay out too long because I still had to get to work on time. Last weekend I went out for opening weekend and had roosted the birds the night before. I sat in the blind with my hunting buddy as we talked back and forth with six or seven gobblers. About an hour later a hen was making her way right to our setup and walked within 10 yards of us - right through our decoy spread! That was exciting and encouraging. 

As I peered out of the blind into a nearby field I saw three Toms working their way towards us. They were coming in on a string taking the same path at the hen. The birds gobbled at every call we threw at them. My heart was pumping and I readied my bow and prepared to draw back on the birds as they entered the shooting lane. Unfortunately, that never happened. At 20 yards something spooked the Toms and they started putting. The birds then went about 50 yards out and circled our position, never presenting us with a shot. 

Bowhunting for turkey is not an easy task, but I'm not throwing in the towel or swapping the bow for the gun. My goal is to take at least one bird with my bow this year and if that means eating tag soup, so be it! Tomorrow is another day and I'll be back in the woods chasing those wise old longbeards. Hopefully, I can roost some birds tonight!