Got to get out scouting/listening with my three brothers for a little while yesterday morning. We heard a couple at first light and went to look for others. We heard what sounded like three on the ground about an hour after daylight. I thought they were in a large clear cut, so we drove around to check it out. We got as close as we dared in the truck and then got out to listen. It was quiet for a while, so my brother did a little calling on a pot to try and locate these birds. The creeks were roaring so loud through the 700 acre clear cut that the pot call was drowned out and we didn't hold out much hope of finding them. I decided to try the new Constantine trumpet hanging around my neck. The first few clucks were abruptly cut off by at least four gobblers. I couldn't help myself, I let out a couple yelp sequences each honored by multiple gobblers! We were amazed how the trumpet sound carried and echoed back off of the wood lines with such authority. It was getting out there much better then the glass pot call. The pot call was much louder up close but was not getting a response and was not echoing back to us that we could hear above the roaring creeks. Not the case with the trumpet. I could not believe how that thing echoed back from the ridges and canyons and was easily getting gobbles from over a half mile without playing it hard at all. We walked closer to the birds down a lease road to see about taking some strutting pics. I happened to see a red head at about 100 yards headed our way. We had to squat down in the middle of the road just as a long beard and a little jake buddy come out in the road and proceeded to walk up in our face looking for the hen calls coming from the trumpet. We were four wide in the wide open 15 steps from the long beard and jake. They did not spook but only kept searching for the "hen". We were cramping and shaking from being in a squatted position for what seemed like for ever. They finally wandered off and we were able to stand. We watched a couple of monarchs strut and gobble under my deer stand for a solid hour. My brothers promised not to hunt there opening weekend when I am in the GA/SC swamp. NOT!!!
My first field experience with a trumpet was a real eye opener. Learning how to run one in the truck and in the house I thought of them as a close up call or a finisher, but I can tell you they will get out there with little effort!!
