Turkey Season 2013
- Thread starter MikeD
- Start date
The day started out horrible. I really didn't want to get out of bed this morning but I did. When I got to my hunting spot I realized I had left a lot of my stuff at home. I didn't have any of my mouth or pot calls, Just a couple of box calls. I don't know why, I just seem very unprepared this year.
I get to my pop-up blind at around seven. As I'm walking up I see a lone deer crossing the field in front of me so I wait a bit behind the tree line for her to work her way across. I'm already late to the woods so what's another few minutes? Once she crosses I scan everything for any signs of birds out in the open and proceed to set a couple hen decoys. As I get back to the tent I figure I might as well relive myself so I don't have to get up later and spook any birds. As I doing this I hear a commotion to my left and see a tom walk past me at less than 10 yards. I'm facing away from the tent and my gun is sitting just inside the door. Oddly he doesn't see me or whatever and just wanders off. I have no idea where they came from but they must have seen the decoys and ran right in, only a few seconds had passed since I set the decoys.
At this point I think I'm busted, I blew a nice gobbler I tried calling them back once I got settled but nothing, not even a gobble as a response.
About a half an hour later I see a group of turkey come out of the woods about 100 yards from where I'm set up. One of them is strutting around and gobbling. Wooot! I hit one of the box calls....no response. I hit it again.....no response. I figure what the heck so I pick up the other box call and give it a couple clucks. Boom, the tom starts gobbling like crazy and starts heading towards me. He starts to hang up about 50 yards out when another turkey back in the woods starts clucking. Not to be undone I hit the call every time I hear the other turkey, trying to drown her out. I must have worked because he kept coming towards me
At about 35 yards he stopped and started strutting. The 3 hens with him were in my decoys but he was hanging back. He was a little further out than I would have like but fearful he was going to head back towards the other turkeys in the woods I put the red dot on his head and let it fly. He went down like he had been hit by a truck. I hens ran in circles for a couple sends and then ran off in the direction they had come.
Damn it was a heck of a morning. He was a nice bird. One inch spurs and about a 9 inch beard.
The 835 with 3.5" Winchester supreme #5's really did the job. For those that have been on the forum for a while, this is the same gun I totally refinished last spring.
I already have him quartered and in the freezer. Half of the breast will be cooked up tonight.
I took some higher res ones with a better camera once I got back home, I'll post some more pics once I can get those of the SD card.
Lessons learned:
It's kind of bitter sweet. I turned out to be an awesome day but I only got to hunt less than an hour this year.
And for the record, the new call I posted previously was the magic one this year.
I get to my pop-up blind at around seven. As I'm walking up I see a lone deer crossing the field in front of me so I wait a bit behind the tree line for her to work her way across. I'm already late to the woods so what's another few minutes? Once she crosses I scan everything for any signs of birds out in the open and proceed to set a couple hen decoys. As I get back to the tent I figure I might as well relive myself so I don't have to get up later and spook any birds. As I doing this I hear a commotion to my left and see a tom walk past me at less than 10 yards. I'm facing away from the tent and my gun is sitting just inside the door. Oddly he doesn't see me or whatever and just wanders off. I have no idea where they came from but they must have seen the decoys and ran right in, only a few seconds had passed since I set the decoys.
At this point I think I'm busted, I blew a nice gobbler I tried calling them back once I got settled but nothing, not even a gobble as a response.
About a half an hour later I see a group of turkey come out of the woods about 100 yards from where I'm set up. One of them is strutting around and gobbling. Wooot! I hit one of the box calls....no response. I hit it again.....no response. I figure what the heck so I pick up the other box call and give it a couple clucks. Boom, the tom starts gobbling like crazy and starts heading towards me. He starts to hang up about 50 yards out when another turkey back in the woods starts clucking. Not to be undone I hit the call every time I hear the other turkey, trying to drown her out. I must have worked because he kept coming towards me
At about 35 yards he stopped and started strutting. The 3 hens with him were in my decoys but he was hanging back. He was a little further out than I would have like but fearful he was going to head back towards the other turkeys in the woods I put the red dot on his head and let it fly. He went down like he had been hit by a truck. I hens ran in circles for a couple sends and then ran off in the direction they had come.
Damn it was a heck of a morning. He was a nice bird. One inch spurs and about a 9 inch beard.
The 835 with 3.5" Winchester supreme #5's really did the job. For those that have been on the forum for a while, this is the same gun I totally refinished last spring.
I already have him quartered and in the freezer. Half of the breast will be cooked up tonight.
I took some higher res ones with a better camera once I got back home, I'll post some more pics once I can get those of the SD card.
Lessons learned:
- Pee before you get to your hunting spot and/or never leave your gun out of reach, no matter how little chance you feel there is of seeing something.
- Always set the decoys last as they might bring birds in before you are ready
- Keep mixing it up with the calls, just because one doesn't' work does not mean that another on e in the stash will be magic that day.
It's kind of bitter sweet. I turned out to be an awesome day but I only got to hunt less than an hour this year.
And for the record, the new call I posted previously was the magic one this year.
Nice bird Mike, congrats!
Ha! Morning wood...
MikeD said:
Just got a new box call. Made from Cherry and Walnut. So far it's the nicest call in my collection.
Ha! Morning wood...
congratulations MD. That's a fine lookin' gobbler.
Looks bigger than any I have gotten.
I have not been able to go this year, and spring season isn't looking very hopeful at all, but I'm getting some nice pics on the trail cam.
Just look at the beard on this one
Looks bigger than any I have gotten.
I have not been able to go this year, and spring season isn't looking very hopeful at all, but I'm getting some nice pics on the trail cam.
Just look at the beard on this one
Thanks guys!!
Good luck Dan , Rip and to anyone else making their way out this year. I may go back and do some calling for some of my friends just so I can get back in the woods a bit. We're only allowed one tag here for the spring hunt. In the fall we can buy them til the quota's are met for each area.
John we need to see more of your trail cam pics.
Honestly the name is what made me buy it. It was just too funny to pass up. The fact that it turned out to be the key this year was a bonus.
Good luck Dan , Rip and to anyone else making their way out this year. I may go back and do some calling for some of my friends just so I can get back in the woods a bit. We're only allowed one tag here for the spring hunt. In the fall we can buy them til the quota's are met for each area.
John we need to see more of your trail cam pics.
LAZY EYED SNIPER said:Ha! Morning wood...
Honestly the name is what made me buy it. It was just too funny to pass up. The fact that it turned out to be the key this year was a bonus.
I don't want to hijack the topic, but I did see my first brown bear on the camera this week too. Just wanted to share that pic while I was at it.
Truth is, I haven't been able to hunt this year, and I'm only able to check the camera about once every 7-10 days because of everything else.
That's pretty bad in my book. You're way too busy if you're too busy to hunt. :?
rjpoog1989
20g
Very nice bird Mike! Congrats and those are some good lessons learned that I hope to take with me if I do get out in the woods this year.
Nice birds John...how big would you guesstimate that bear is? They say there's no bears here in my neck of CT, and they also say there's no mountain lions either. However there was one at my ex's house last year in her backyard. And my farmer buddy said there's bobcats here! wooo. coyotes, bobcats and turkeys oh my!
POOOOOP!!!!! Dag nabit!!
So I'm here in the field callin in 4 toms and a hen is dusting the ground or nesting? But anyhow....I been callin em in since 6am...7:30 rolls around and a big ole dump truck pulls in and proceeds to dump a load of manure. Nicely done chooch! They all booked out!
AAAAAARRRRRRRGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!
So I'm here in the field callin in 4 toms and a hen is dusting the ground or nesting? But anyhow....I been callin em in since 6am...7:30 rolls around and a big ole dump truck pulls in and proceeds to dump a load of manure. Nicely done chooch! They all booked out!
AAAAAARRRRRRRGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!
