Quick Afternoon Turkey Hunt

My turkey season started today, and I was able to sneak in a quick afternoon hunt. I decided to go out on some property where a couple buddies of mine had heard some gobbles a few weeks back. I wasn't able to hit the woods until 5pm, so I had to adjust my tactics accordingly. I set up at the base of a cluster of trees, which concealed me pretty well. There were a couple larger trees around, and hopefully I would be able to draw my bow while these were between a turkey and me. I decided to hunt on top of a ridge, which was bordered by a swamp, a pasture, and a corn field. Birds frequently roost in this area, and I know that lone toms tend to roost on the highest ridge in a given area. This ridge seemed to have all of the above characteristics. Late in the afternoon, most toms are with hens. Because of this, I hoped to catch one on his way back to his roosting area, and not necessarily call one in. I kept my calls pretty laid back, just soft and short series of yelps every 15 minutes or so. As the afternoon turned into evening, I had yet to hear a single gobble, other than the local pet jake. I think part of the reason was that fence was being built for a cow pasture not too far from my spot, and may have kept the turkey's out of the area. About 8:30, I packed it in and headed for the truck. With a month of turkey season left, I did not let this outing discourage me. After all, any time spent in the woods is time well spent.