Hello
Well I tagged out on the first day of my Season here in WI. I called one in for a friend of mine on Saturday April 24th. And called two in for my little sister on Saturday May 1st. It was my Little Sister Gena's first time Turkey hunting. Gena missed the first bird that I called in for her, and couldn't get the second gobbler in her scope. But we both had a great time in the woods together. She got one the next morning wile hunting with her boyfriend.
Now as for myself I had been listening to a group of 5 gobblers and a few hens for the last four mornings before my season which opened Wed May 5th. I was not able to roost thease birds Tuesday night due to Lamaze classes my wife and my self are attending. A friend of mine Mike Miller was planing on hunting with me and I told him to be at my place at 4:15 AM. Well when 4:15 rolled around good ole Mike was nowhere to be seen so i called his place and left a message telling him I was giving him untill 4:30 and I was leaving. Wouldn't you know he never showed. So off I went with out him. It is only a 5 minute drive to the spot. I parked my truck and had almost reached the location I was planing to owl from when my cell phone whent off in my pocket. It was vibrating and startled me pretty good. I had the sound turned off thank god.
Well It was Mike on the phone and he told me he thought I said 4:45 AM and he would wait for me out on the road. After I talked to him I made my way to a high spot in the field and let out a who cooks for you, I was answered instantly by all five gobblers and a hen who cut and cackled back at my Owl. I must say I had never heard a hen answer a locator call before. It was a perfect morning. The temps were in the high 30's and it was calm and still under a giant full moon that hung in the western sky. I made my way in the moonlight to the opposite side of the plowed field. I would be set up directly across from one gobbler. The rest of the birds would be down further and across from me. As I located a huge oak setup tree a real bard Owl started in, and the gobblers would answer every call he made. It was music to my ears. This went on for about a half hour, I just sat back and took it all in. At around 5:15 the small song birds came to life and were flying and landing within a few feet of me. The birds I was set up on flew down at 5:30ish every day so I decided to let the one across from me know I was there. I let out a soft series of tree yelps... No answer. He was gobbling at the Owl but paid me no mind. I repeated the soft tree yelps every five minutes Untill 5:30, And was never answered. At 5:30 I listened carfully for the birds to fly down. At 5:30 The gobbler across from me gobbled and was on the ground. I failed to hear any of the birds fly down. I was worried that if I called to loudly the hens would pull them all away so I stayed subtle with my calls. Eventually they were all in the feild but down further to my right. I could not see any of them due to the rise in the fields center. Fearing I was lossing them all, I started to crank it up. A couple gobblers got fired up and would answer every thing I did but would not come a step my way. After about 20 minutes they all ended up at the other end of the field. I got out my cell phone and gave Mike Miller a call. He was already half way in on the field road and I told him to come on in and meet up with me. Once we hooked up we decided to sneek down the edge of the field and close the distance on the still gobbling birds. We covered over half the distance and decided to try them from an inward bend in the field. Mike stayed back and I whent ahead untill I felt I was risking getting busted. After setting down I let out a few yelps. GOBBLE! GOBBLE!. They were still there just around the bend. Mike worked them on his aluminator and within a few minutes I spotted two gobblers working their way up the edge towards us. I seamed to take forever but they finally arrived at 20 yards and gave me a good veiw. I sized them both up and picked the bigger looking of the two. At the sound of the blast the one in my scope dropped in a heap. After a few hoots and hollers we walked up and looked my bird over.
A respectable two year old, 20 lbs 6 ounces, 8 5/8 inch beard, 7/8 and 3/4 spures. Score for Team 10 53.875 Not a monster but still a trophy to me. It was a great morning, but I was kind of sad to be done so fast.
Mike and I
Maytom, There's Me and my big gobbler
