Not so Fun Experience

[Hobbes_mobile]

Covered a ton of ground yesterday trying to find a bird on new ground in a region here in MT that I haven't hunted. I stopped as a last ditch effort in one last place a couple hours before dark and got a bird to respond close to a gravel road running along a creek in the mountains. Two yahoos in a side by came along stopping every 300 yards or so and running a box with a I was trying to set up on him. I don't think they'd heard him (just not so perfect timing)and he never made another peep since they stopped within 100 yards of him. They even stopped within 50 yards of my truck and did their box call thing.
However, they finally left and a short time later I heard a hen clucking along the creek. Assuming that he'd be roosted close by, I planned to return this morning well before fly-down. I spotted the two side by guys about a half mile or so down the road still listening for gobbles when I left, so knew there was potential for things to go south if he gobbled after I left.

This morning I left the house at 3 AM so I could be there by 5 with sunrise at 6:07 and shooting hour starting at 5:37. While it was dark I slipped to the top of the ridge where he'd gobbled from yesterday and in line with the clucking along the creek. I hoped he was out along the ridge and I'd be between him and hens on the creek. Still no gobbles at 5:30 and no other hunters. At 5:35 he gobbled on the creek and I slipped up just above him and a jake. His location meant that the gravel road along the creek was between us. The other side of the creek was similar because the road switched back after a bridge 75 yards past him to my right then ran along the opposite side. I could hear hens also, so knew that he'd require some patience.

At about 5:55 he flew down and went quiet. At about 6:05 I could hear a vehicle coming. I was hoping the worst they'd do is drive by (not see him) and he'd just stay quiet a little while, but I knew he had to be close to the road. They were driving really slow and I'm not sure if it was the side by or not (I'm guessing that it was) due to the creek noise. They had made the switch back and I thought they were about to turn up the mountain when BOOOOOM! They shot either the tom or the jake (if they didn't miss) from the road. I couldn't see them, so I suppose there's potential that the shooter got a legal distance off the road but I doubt it. Shortly afterwards two really weary hens came by. They wasted no time getting back down hill, I'm sure they had their head on a swivel since they drove past my truck before shooting.

[Hoobilly]

That stuff ticks me off!
Sorry that happened to you

That’s a lot of time and driving and have some citidiots mess you up sucks

[guesswho]

I once saw a well known competition caller shoot one out of his truck window in Fort Benning. I was roughly 150-200 yards away and watched him through binoculars.

[Grumpy]

That's too bad that stuff happens but it happens with geese, deer , antelope and elk. Some guys don't belong out hunting.

[timbrhuntr]

Ya that sucks had guys on an island I hunt drive by and shoot a tom from the road that I was working ! Also I doubt they are citiots more like hillbillies

[ncturkey]

Man that is trouble. I have had guys stop near where I was hunting one day and crow or call. They knew I was in there hunting. I usually try to get pretty far off the road when I hunt. But when you got a bird close to the road it is hard not to try and hunt him.

[soiltester]

a parked vehicle always seems to attract those that don't know the way