So, it's been a few years since I turkey hunted. I'm in the military and being stationed in Alaska was great for obvious reasons but each May as I sat in a stand hunting black bear, I had mixed feelings. I was excited about being in a place with so many big bruins but I also felt like I should be somewhere else, somewhere like the eastern hardwoods I grew up in, with a diaphragm in my mouth, waiting for some stubborn Tom to pop his head up.
When I moved to upstate New York in January the first thing I unpacked was my turkey calls and I started practicing. It came back to me pretty quickly and on opening morning I had two gobblers answer my first clucks of the season. They kept gobbling every few minutes for about half an hour when I heard the worst sound I could think of...a real life hen walking in front of me, right between myself and my quarry. Sure enough, I heard two more gobbles out of each of them and then nothing...they were gone.
Day two, again, found me sitting in some brush at the edge of a large field with a Tom yelling his head off. This bird was hot and he was coming across the field right to my decoys. I had the shotgun to my shoulder and was just waiting for him to come in range. Again, a terrible noise disturbed my ears. This time, the farmer that owned the land I was hunting (with his permission) was on his tractor and coming into the field. The Tom was gone. Bad luck again but it's still early.
Day three...a new spot and another hot Tom. I was in a small clearing on top of a short but steep hill above a small stream bed. The bird was in the stream bed, not 75 yards in front of me. I spent over an hour talking to him but he just wouldn't leave the stream bed. Finally he shut up and left...ok, I guessed he just didn't want to come up the hill. I'll give him a day or two and try him agian.
Two days later, I was there again and he answered my call from the same stream bed. This time I circled him to the downstream side and set up at the edge of the hill, with my decoy down in the small valley and my back to the clearing. The bird was hot and ready and he was coming to me. After about ten minutes of silence I let out a quiet cut and from ten feet behind me the bird gobbles, scaring me out of my camoflage bibs. I was busted and pissed. He went right into that clearing he refused to go into two days earlier and came in from behind.
Frustrated, I picked up my decoy, put my call in my pocket and a dip in my mouth and headed for my truck. About half way there I got stopped in my tracks. A Tom gobbled at me from his roost in a tree above me. What is a Tom doing in his roost at 8:30 in the morning? I turn around trying to find the bird and just as I do he flies from the tree behind me. I turn and like a seasoned grouse and ptarmigan hunter I dumped him in the middle of logging road in front me. A perfect head shot on the wing, only a few pellets in his breast. I couldn't have done much better if he had strutted in like he was supposed to. After the bad luck, I suppose the turkey gods decided I deserved an easy one. Oh well, maybe next year I'll get to shoot one on the ground. Meanwhile, when does grouse season start. I'm ready.
congrats on your bird
you stated your stationed in Northern NY?
would that be Ft drum?
good hunting and yes we have some strange birds up there,
Welcome to NY.
yep, Ft dumb...er Ft Drum, NY. I like it here but I do miss Alaska.
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no comparison ot Alaska,
and thank you for your service,
i have a piece of land that borders ft drum, on rt 3.
hear you guys doing whatever you do all the time,
Congrats on your bird. All of that frustration you experienced is what makes this sport as exciting as it is. If they were all easy, we'd be getting bored, but there are always surprises. both good and bad.
Congrats on getting your bird. I spend all my time in the woods, but this year didn't get to hunt. I watched and helped other folks get their birds. Next year I will get my chance. I will make sure of it...
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The best of luck in all your hunting endeavors!!!
God Bless,
Dave
The most bizarre turkey season of my life
