The first year turkeys were fair game behind my house, I set up behind a deadfall as it was the only place I could set up in some shade. I had a tom replying but was on a slight hill above me and he wouldn't peek over. I started cutting real hard and fast with a box call trying to get him fired up and it seemed to be working as he was getting closer. I was looking up the hill when a hen jumped over part of the log and right into my lap! We both let out a squawk that frightened the tom let alone each other. That is the only year I was blanked out back.
Another time, same place except I was on top of the hill. It was about 10:30 and I was a little sleepy. I stretched out on a flat spot next to a tree. Suddenly, something woke me up. Somehow I didn't move anything but my eyelids. Standing next to me, so close all I could see were feet, a little bit of belly, and the tip of the beard, was a tom. I think he actually pecked me which what woke me up!
I didn't move a muscle until he turned and began to walk away. I slowly reached for my gun when I heard another tom begin to make alarm clucks. I grabbed my gun, rolled to a sitting position and too kind he first tom on the run. He had a 13 1/8" beard and took third place at the local turkey contest. He would have placed better but his spurs were broken and it was late in the season and he lost a little weight.
