Had a pretty good morning in Vermont this morning, despite not actually getting a shot at a longbeard. I hunted in Rutland County, with my girlfriends grandpa (he can't call and needed a caller) and managed to locate and setup within 150 yards of 3x different longbeards roosted together. They gobbled their heads off while on the roost, then flew down in the wrong direction. They began to circle us, and while waiting for them to circle, I managed to call in a nice jake, and 3 hens. The jake started putting at 10 yards, and stood there while I was trying to get him to leave. I hit him with a stick, hoping he would leave and not disrupt the path of the 3x gobblers I was working. He left, and then 5 minutes later a coyote came in within 60 yards and stared. About 30 minutes later, the gobblers started responding again on their way to us, coming in the other corner of the field. Then a minute later 3x shots ring off less than 100 yards from us..........[:@] 2x gobblers flew off over us, and whoever shot snuck out of there quick. We saw a flashlight earlier, and he must have figured he would move in and let me do the calling for him. Oh well, we saw a lot of birds, and had a nice morning.
Can't wait till Thursday morning, I am headed to Bradford County, PA on Wednesday night to hunt Thurs, Fri, Sat on some family property. There are quite a few down there, and I will have 2x weekends in a row to hunt them, than I will hunt VT for the rest of May on the weekends.
i got skunked...no luck in my minimal 3-days of hunting, but it was some consolation i found upwards of a pound of Morel Mushrooms while i was out...tastes every bit as good as turkey
Well I just got back from a 3 day hunt in PA. I didn't tag one, however called in 2x gobblers for my father. My main goal was to get him one, he spooked the first while trying to get positioned for a shot when the gobbler was only 50 yards out. This was a real big bird and gobbled probably 75 times for us, and strutted in the whole way, he put on a real good show for us. The second one we spotted feeding on leftover acorns and bugs in a hardwood flat, so we setup about 75 yards away and I put up decoys. I only purred a few times and clucked a few times, so he would look at the decoys and he came running right in. Dad shot him at 40 yards and he didn't even flop. He had a 9 1/2" beard, 3/4" spurs, but only weighed 15lbs. He had a full fan as well so he wasn't a jake but it looks like he did lots of breeding early and his wing feathers were worn down a good inch or more from strutting around. I will post pics later today when I have time.
This is so hard to do but I have to say, after 9 mornings in Missouri woods and 4 full days in Wisconsin...for the first time since 1977, I have to say I was totally blanked. I feel bad cause I let the contest team down. It wasn't for lack of effort.
We endured the following:
1) Buddy got bit by a copperhead the second evening of season
2) We had 6 killing frosts in MO during the season
3) Was 24 degrees on the first day in wisconsin
Rick...I hunted Opening Day NH last week with one of my sons. We have seen quite of few birds in and around a few fields. My son tagged his 3rd and largest Tom in the last 4 years. His season was over before 6AM....Sooooooo, we'll be headed back this Sat am with a few friends and hopefully will report back with good news......
__________________
Sign in my VFW Post:
It isn't the price you pay to join, it's the price you paid to be eligible.
Team #9, how was your opener???
