Almost got an Osceola Turkey this morning at Green Swamp
03-21-2012, 10:29 AM
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 5
Almost got an Osceola Turkey this morning at Green Swamp
Today was my first time turkey hunting. I walked about a mile from my truck and was set up well before sunrise and enjoyed the sunrise and the forest coming to life. I was using a box call and slate but was getting no replies as first. I did hear some gobbling a long ways off though.
At about 9am an Osceola hen trotted about 10 meters from me, beautiful bird...I saw a little beard but decided to wait and watched it walk by. It never saw me.
I didn't see anything after that but that gobbling kept drawing my attention. So I walked in his general direction. I stopped ever 100 meters or so and tried calling him. All of a sudden he was hooked on my calls, I quickly moved to a field of palmettos between me and him with the tree line on my right. I put out a decoy and sat against a tree. For the next 30 minutes or so he'd gobble and I'd yelp,cut and cluck... all passionate like...he kept getting closer and closer...finally it sounded like he was less than 50 yards away but I still couldn't see him. Then nothing, no sound but the wind blowing in the trees, woodpeckers, birds that sounded like a dog squeaky toy and insects...but no gobbling. Every few minutes I'd do three quick clucks, nothing. Then a strong gust blew over my decoy. I sat there for what seemed like forever, but was only 5 minutes or so. I clucked a few more times and nothing. I decided it was game over. I started to squat up, I rose up 4 inches and I saw a beautiful Osceola jake just inside the tree line about 25 yards away. I froze, he looked right at me, spun around and bolted back into the forest.
I cursed myself and tried to cluck him back but he was halfway to Alabama by then. I dejectedly grabbed my decoy and walked back to the truck.
At the check station they said to NEVER move once you hook a gobbler, that they stop gobbling when on final approach. It may take an hour, but just be patient.
Lesson learned, if I had waited a few more seconds or minutes, I would have had a perfect 15 yard broadside shot of the elusive Osceola.
All in all, an AWESOME morning in the woods
At about 9am an Osceola hen trotted about 10 meters from me, beautiful bird...I saw a little beard but decided to wait and watched it walk by. It never saw me.
I didn't see anything after that but that gobbling kept drawing my attention. So I walked in his general direction. I stopped ever 100 meters or so and tried calling him. All of a sudden he was hooked on my calls, I quickly moved to a field of palmettos between me and him with the tree line on my right. I put out a decoy and sat against a tree. For the next 30 minutes or so he'd gobble and I'd yelp,cut and cluck... all passionate like...he kept getting closer and closer...finally it sounded like he was less than 50 yards away but I still couldn't see him. Then nothing, no sound but the wind blowing in the trees, woodpeckers, birds that sounded like a dog squeaky toy and insects...but no gobbling. Every few minutes I'd do three quick clucks, nothing. Then a strong gust blew over my decoy. I sat there for what seemed like forever, but was only 5 minutes or so. I clucked a few more times and nothing. I decided it was game over. I started to squat up, I rose up 4 inches and I saw a beautiful Osceola jake just inside the tree line about 25 yards away. I froze, he looked right at me, spun around and bolted back into the forest.
I cursed myself and tried to cluck him back but he was halfway to Alabama by then. I dejectedly grabbed my decoy and walked back to the truck.
At the check station they said to NEVER move once you hook a gobbler, that they stop gobbling when on final approach. It may take an hour, but just be patient.
Lesson learned, if I had waited a few more seconds or minutes, I would have had a perfect 15 yard broadside shot of the elusive Osceola.
All in all, an AWESOME morning in the woods
03-24-2012, 02:36 PM
#3
Typical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Tuscaloosa AL
Posts: 609
Hahaha!! We've all been there! They were right when he's quiet, my dad always used to say "he's up to no good". When they get that close I would quit calling also, just try scratching in the leaves if anything. Sounds like your well on your way to getting a bird! Good luck!
03-30-2012, 07:01 PM
#4
Fork Horn
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Dixie County FL
Posts: 161
That's what it's all about, Rainmaker. The thrill of getting one up close when you least expect it is what gets my heart pumping like nothing else. Turkey hunting is a magical time in the woods. The more I learn about them, the smarter they become & the harder they are to get close to. The last 2 I killed came in totally silent & they blind-sided me. They came from the exact opposite side that I expected.Every single hunt is different, enjoy!!!
03-31-2013, 05:29 AM
#6
Spike
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Florida
Posts: 2
Ya it's definitely a learned skill you acquire by those experiences in the field. I have been busted as many ways as you can imagine. Over calling, under calling, gobbler strutting out of range saying you come to me and there's no cover to cut the distance...if I'd only set out a decoy before he flew down!
There are many challenges with the terrain like swamps where these Osceolas seem to love.
Keep at it and you will get better each time. The main thing is to keep at it. Once you start to kill a few you will be hooked...ocd like.
I have killed several 150 class whitetail deer and they never made me shiver with excitement as much as the bird I killed Tuesday morning at the West Green Swamp. He weighed 19.5 lbs, 9.25" beard, and 1.25" spurs. It went down in classic fashion. Snuck into him while gobbling on the roost. Saw. Him fly down and called him in for a 35 yard head shot.! Exciting stuff.
Good luck
There are many challenges with the terrain like swamps where these Osceolas seem to love.
Keep at it and you will get better each time. The main thing is to keep at it. Once you start to kill a few you will be hooked...ocd like.
I have killed several 150 class whitetail deer and they never made me shiver with excitement as much as the bird I killed Tuesday morning at the West Green Swamp. He weighed 19.5 lbs, 9.25" beard, and 1.25" spurs. It went down in classic fashion. Snuck into him while gobbling on the roost. Saw. Him fly down and called him in for a 35 yard head shot.! Exciting stuff.
Good luck
03-31-2013, 05:44 AM
#7
Spike
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Florida
Posts: 2
one more thing
If you get your chance at a gobbler you should eliminate all possibilities of a miss by installing a rifled sight on your shotgun barrel and sight that bad boy in on paper at various ranges. This will tell you how far you can reliably kill the bird and give you the confidence knowing your shot pattern is centered with your sights. Experiment with different shot sizes between 4 and 6 as well as diff manufacturers. Bring a shoulder pad I'd you are shooting 3 1/2" they kick!
I use a True Glo sights but there are many other good ones!
I use a True Glo sights but there are many other good ones!
04-03-2013, 09:08 AM
#8
Fork Horn
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: THE BOONEDOCKS
Posts: 454
Sounds like a purty good hunt rainmaker. I gotta make it out there and give it a go. I seen a nice Gobbler 2 different times durin gun season. Hopefully can get in there and get him. Also thinkin about hittin the Upper Hills wma for turkey...heard theres quite a bit of em in there.
