BOWHUNT FOR THE RIO GRANDE
by Robert Hoague

Day 1 - The Last Stand

Afternoon:
The River Ridge: At 2:30 I drove to the river area. I hid my truck in some cedars 150 yards from the ridge and walked to the blind. A few minutes after 5.00 I heard a gobble that I figured was 300 yards off. I used the Woodhaven aluminum slate and called to him with excited cuts and yelps. 

The next gobble was closer. I called right away with a short volley of cuts and yelps.

The next gobble was a blaster, he was only 50 or 60 yards away. He was coming on down. Then I saw the one thing that could mess this deal up. A hen walked into view on the ridge.

The gobbler popped out of the brush between me and the hen. I already know the distance to that tree he is standing by and that is 36.5 yards (on the Nikon Lazer 800). He was in full strut and I could hear him spitting and drumming. 

This was a big longbeard and he was showing his stuff. The hen walked straight at him. 

I zoomed in as the hen got to the the strutter. Check the beard on this big Tom. 

Surprise! The hen kept walking.

And the longbeard went into the cedars after the hen. The time in my camera read 5:38.

I didn't call at him. I think my chances on seeing him again are better if I don't do anything desperate.

The remaining part of the afternoon I saw 4 hens pass through and go down the ridge toward the roost trees. With all these hens in the area a gobbler has to show up if I hang in. And I will.

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