Team 7 Check In
#21
RE: Team 7 Check In
Man, that Big Tom in the above picture has kicked my butt! I just can't seem to get him patterened! If I'm there at 3:00 he was there at 1:00, if I go early, he's there late! I think I'm gonna have to sit all day to kill him. My season ends on the 30th. So I am very limited on time. I think I'll be able to go on Friday. Any suggestions?
#22
RE: Team 7 Check In
No luck for me so far. California has been getting hammered with rain all year, and when I do go out in the rain I can't get anything to respond to calls, so I end up hiking the hillsides and trying to find some toms to set up on and usualy don't find anything.
I'll keep tryin'
I'll keep tryin'
#24
Fork Horn
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Charleston SC
Posts: 412
RE: Team 7 Check In
No birds for me yet. I chose muzzle loader for my IA hunt. I've never used a muzzle loader before and didn't know when I'd get a chance to again. I had the best hunts ever and learned a ton. I had 1 bird I could take ( chose not to take any jakes) and I blew it. I'm such a loser ! Shot and missed and then wished I'd had a regular shot gun. No Bama birds either. Saw 2 jakes and would have loved it if my dad had been able to get one. Oh well, still have a few weeks left, will see what I can find in WA and OR.
#25
RE: Team 7 Check In
Hey,
Sorry I did not check in sooner. I was out for the first day this past Saturday and should have something posted in my journal this evening. No luck yet but it was a fun day regardless.
Sorry I did not check in sooner. I was out for the first day this past Saturday and should have something posted in my journal this evening. No luck yet but it was a fun day regardless.
#26
RE: Team 7 Check In
Tagged my first SD merriams on Thursday afternoon. not much size on those black hills turkeys though. weighed 16 lbs, 8.5" beard and both spurs were 3/4". looks like my 2nd bird will be the one entered in the contest
#27
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Northern VA
Posts: 200
RE: Team 7 Check In
I hit the woods for a couple of hours before work this morning. And, like every other morning, no gobbles. Well, perhaps one in the far distance. I had a nice set-up and listened to song birds and squirrels until about 7:30, when I headed back to the truck. On a whim, I decided to swing by some fields where I’d seen them displaying last year. It’s posted, but at this point I would have been happy to see a turkey. As I got to my turn, I looked to my right and saw a flock in a field. I swung around, dodged the school buses and commuters, and took another peek. At least three fans. I drove past – no posted signs. I turned around again and pulled in behind an abandoned building. I grabbed the binocs and snuck up to the corner. Seemed like a flock of 8 or 10, with at least two long beards displaying. They were about half-way across the field (100 yards or so) and feeding away towards the back. No houses real close, nobody seemed to be paying any attention to them or me. I decided to go for it and explain later. There was a hedge along the road and down the right side. I geared up and took off, passing a sign that said: Town of Grafton Recreation Area. Since I was recreating, I figured I was good to go. I glanced toward the field – empty. There was a little knoll, which I hoped they’d fed over. I was pretty sure I didn’t spook them. I picked my way through an overgrown orchard behind the hedge and got almost to the end. There was a small break in the hedge and I could see a lone hen, standing sentinel out there about 80 yards. I set up and began calling. After a few minutes I saw a white head pop up behind another knoll almost to the woods. He strutted up to the knoll and proceeded to parade back and forth. I called some more and he started towards me. He made it about fifteen yards and then stopped, turned around, and headed back. I called again and a hen popped up over the knoll. She led a parade towards me and when she got closer, I could hear her cutting and yelping. She was clearly annoyed at the interloper who’d managed to turn her boy’s head. I cutt right back at her and she got fired up, giving me a piece of her mind. As she led the gang closer, she angled off out of my sight, giving me a chance to get into the 870. Then she turned and crossed in front of the opening, about 40 yards out, still complaining. Another hen followed her, and then a jake did his best to look impressive. His brother was right behind him, more hens, and then I could see two white heads bobbing, fans displayed, coming behind them. Everyone decided to mill around together, testing my cardiac system. Finally they separated out and I put the dot on one of the strutters. When I had a clear shot, I took it even though he was strutting towards me. He went down under the influence of 12 ga. Hevi-Shot Number 5’s. The others milled around, the jakes and other strutter continuing to display. My boy started flapping a bit and I decided I had to go get him. I was reluctant to move since I didn’t want to spook them; I still have another tag. I eased out and let them see me. They moved off towards the woods and I went over to get my guy, forty-two paces away. He’s a two-year-old, 18.5 lbs., 7/8” and 1” spurs, and a 10” beard. It was a fun encounter (well, for me at least). Being in the right place at the right time, and getting lucky, helped.
#28
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Dutchess County NY
Posts: 281
RE: Team 7 Check In
Hey guys, sorry for not checking in lately. I have been hunting hard since May 1 st. I took a week off from work. Out every morning and hearing gobbles all around. But couldn't get any in close enough for a shot. I was getting very frustrated to say the least. Every morning I would find two toms on the same roost half way up a big ridge, I would call and they would gobble from the roost but after they pitched down they would stay up top and walk the ridge to a food supply. Any way on day 13 I got permission to enter the land from the ridge top and set up 80 yards from where I thought they were roosting, half way between the roost and the food source. Well I only gave them a few soft tree yelps and clucks at 5:00 am and they gobbled. Now I just shut up and waited. Sure enough they pitched down parallel to me at 50 yds. 5 or 6 hens and two long beards. Long story short they headed to the food source and I connected with a shot at 45 yds.
He weighed 19 lbs 2 ounces
1 spur is 1 in and 1/16
the other is 1 in and 1/8
the beard is 9 and 1/2 inches
total score is 19.125 + 10.625 + 11.25 + 19 = 60
He weighed 19 lbs 2 ounces
1 spur is 1 in and 1/16
the other is 1 in and 1/8
the beard is 9 and 1/2 inches
total score is 19.125 + 10.625 + 11.25 + 19 = 60
#30
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Dutchess County NY
Posts: 281
RE: Team 7 Check In
Thanks masshntr, congrats on your bird, definitely anice bird. I do have pics butI always have a hard time loading pics on this thing. It tells me the file is too large. By the way I got the second bird a week later 17 lbs 9 inch beard and 1 inch spurs.
PS where are all the birds for our team, were in last place now!
PS where are all the birds for our team, were in last place now!