Hello everybody I am new to this forum and wanted to share my season with all of you. I was lucky enough to to know at least a person in all three seasons so I was able to get out even after I shot my bird.
I drew the first season tag and scouted my propert around Newaygo county, Michiganfor birds. I spotted two Toms the night before the first season and decided to set up on them in the morning. The birds came in as planned but the lead tom poked his head out the side of the tree I was sitting on. I could have grabbed him he was so close. So naturally the bird gave some putts and started walking away nervous. Luckily, the second bird had no idea what was going on because he had not seen me and he continued to come out into the field to check out my decoy and the rest was history. The bird had an 11 inch beard and a little over 1 inch spurs. So, within 20 minutes my season was done and needless to say I still had the itch to continue hunting. BTW that is my future wife in the pitcure with me in which she missed a bird with close to a 12 inch beard but she will get one next year!!!
Lucky for me my cousin who isnt as into turkey and turkey calling as I am asked me if I would call for him. I of course couldnt turn that down and as soon as his season started (he had the second season) I was back out there trying to get him a bird. We hunted a a firend of his land which I had NO clue where the birds were but luckily we were able to get some calling around 5 in the evening. I tried and tried to bring these two Toms in for about an hour with no luck. They were holding up in a field and didn't want to come into the edge of the woods. Fortunately for us a small group of jakes started to respond to my calling and came closer and closer as time went by. This ticked off one of the Toms we were calling to and he came strutting right in at us. One of the most beautiful birds I had ever seen and my cousin was not pulling the trigger! I kept telling him to shoot and show that Tom who is BOSS! 30-yards no shot-25-no shot-20 no shot-15-no shot-10-BAM and the nice Tom flopped to the ground. I stood up and cheered for my cousin cause this was his first mature Tom hes taken. I asked why the heck he had waited so long to shot and then he showed me the shell. He was using 7 1/2 shot loads that he uses for small game. He said he grabbed the wrong shells but didn't want to tell me till after the hunt. Regardless another bird down in my 2008 season. The Tom had a 9 1/2 inch thick beard with 1 inch spurs.
Finally the third season came and my buddy Jeff got a tag for it. He had never gone turkey hunting but all year long I tried talking him into trying it out and finally I convinced him. I had been seeing some birds at a small farm not far from my house and got the courage up to ask the landowner if we could hunt. She said of course you can cause they are eating to much of the feed for the cows any how. The morning came and the birds were sounding off from the roost right where I had been seeing them go the last 3 weeks. Unfortunately I had never been on this propert either and there was fences up all OVER to keep the cows in and I had no clue where the turkeys crossed. I got some gobblers going but once they flew down they hooked up with their hens and they shut right up. We saw them come towards out directions which was south but they were still about 80 yards west. I shut up for about 20 minutes and waited. We saw nothing until a nice bird was fanned out looking at us about 75 yards away. I called two sequnces to let him know we were still there and then he dissapeared. We waited about 15 minutes and nothing. This propert was VERY hilly and the birds could vanish so quickly but could also appear out of no where. We were set up between to hay trailers on top of a hill in a field and I took a look behind us cause I heard one gobbling and wanted to make sure it wouldnt sneak up on us. While I was looking I felt Jeff kick me and I turned around to see a nice Tom strtting about 10 yards away. I told Jeff to shoot and I could hear his heart beating. Boom and the third and final bird of my season-calling was over. Jeff ran to the bird and hollerd in excitement. One of the most rewarding hunts I have been on and I was glad I could help him get his first bird. The bird had a 9 1/4 inch beard and a little over 1 inch spurs. Not a bad first turkey!!! We then got a gift card and gave it to the landowner to show our appreciation. I hope we can go back there next year!!! Thanks to all who have read my season and I hope yours has gone as well as ours!!!
2008 Spring Season
