MNbird down for team #2(pics added)
04-27-2006, 11:55 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: St. Cloud MN
Posts: 354
MNbird down for team #2(pics added)
Well it was a short hunt for me on my first day hunting in MN. The weather was great and there was no other place I would rather be. The evening before I tried to put some birds to bed but they just wouldn't cooperate. So I headed to a piece of public ground that has produced for me on several occasions. I slowly worked my way into the woods listening for any gobbling activity. Every 200 yards I’d stop and owl hoot. After 4 spots I finally got an answer off across a ridge on property I didn’t have permission to hunt. So I decided to set up in an area nearby that has had a lot of turkey activity so far this spring.
I got set up without making a turkey sound and by this time 5-6 gobblers were sounding off. All of them a long ways off at this point although I hoped there may be one closer that wasn’t talking yet. I took out my Purdy slate over glass and did a few soft yelps to see if there were any silent birds close by. Nothing! I gradually increased the volume and I heard one of the distant gobblers closing the distance. I switched to my Quaker Boy Grand Old Master box call for just a little more volume. Man he liked that as he answered ever time as well as some of the other birds. He had hens with him as one was really starting to make a racket. I imitated her and she wasn’t happy about it. She was yelping and cutting aggressively and I let her have it right back with the box call and my HS Strut diaphragm. In a few minutes I could hear them walking in the leaves along a creek at the bottom of the ridge but they were working to my right and behind me. I turned my head to the left and attempted to throw my calls that direction. It worked as they started to then move left. The hen popped out about 38 yards away and yelped and purred as she fed along the ridge. The gobbler took another minute or so to show himself. He did so in full strut and when he broke strut I sent a load of #5 federals his direction from my Stoeger. Just like that the tom was down for good. I looked at my watch and it was 6:15 am. I stepped it off at 41 yards. The time at the patterning board paid off again.
He was a nice 2 year old bird with 7/8” spurs, a 9 ¼” beard and weighing in at 19 lbs even. Tomorrow morning, and the rest of the season for that matter, it’s my son’s turn.
I got set up without making a turkey sound and by this time 5-6 gobblers were sounding off. All of them a long ways off at this point although I hoped there may be one closer that wasn’t talking yet. I took out my Purdy slate over glass and did a few soft yelps to see if there were any silent birds close by. Nothing! I gradually increased the volume and I heard one of the distant gobblers closing the distance. I switched to my Quaker Boy Grand Old Master box call for just a little more volume. Man he liked that as he answered ever time as well as some of the other birds. He had hens with him as one was really starting to make a racket. I imitated her and she wasn’t happy about it. She was yelping and cutting aggressively and I let her have it right back with the box call and my HS Strut diaphragm. In a few minutes I could hear them walking in the leaves along a creek at the bottom of the ridge but they were working to my right and behind me. I turned my head to the left and attempted to throw my calls that direction. It worked as they started to then move left. The hen popped out about 38 yards away and yelped and purred as she fed along the ridge. The gobbler took another minute or so to show himself. He did so in full strut and when he broke strut I sent a load of #5 federals his direction from my Stoeger. Just like that the tom was down for good. I looked at my watch and it was 6:15 am. I stepped it off at 41 yards. The time at the patterning board paid off again.
He was a nice 2 year old bird with 7/8” spurs, a 9 ¼” beard and weighing in at 19 lbs even. Tomorrow morning, and the rest of the season for that matter, it’s my son’s turn.
04-27-2006, 02:05 PM
#2
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location:
Posts: 500
RE: MNbird down for team #2
Congrats on a great MN hunt. Bet you wish it wasn't over so soon, though. Still, it's nice to be able to look forward to a great turkey dinner!!
Wish I was hunting Minnesota right now. I saw about a dozen turkeys as I was driving today, 4 jakes, two strutting toms, a strolling but not strutting tom and various hens. Man, was that hard to take! Oh well, there's always next year, Lord willing.
Wish I was hunting Minnesota right now. I saw about a dozen turkeys as I was driving today, 4 jakes, two strutting toms, a strolling but not strutting tom and various hens. Man, was that hard to take! Oh well, there's always next year, Lord willing.
04-30-2006, 08:41 AM
#7
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Neenah Wisconsin USA
Posts: 61
RE: MNbird down for team #2(pics added)
Nice job, This is my 2nd year coming over to MN from WI for a 4 day hunt!
Your DNR/State Park employee's are 2nd to none compared to ours hear. Not nockin' the job that the WI people do but yours will go over & above to find out what you need! You have a perfect set upwith the primitive camp sites @ your public hunting areas.
I hunt inzone 349 next month May 7th Thur 11th outside Houston MN can't wait! It's a Sunday Thur Thursday hunt, I'll have the place to myself ? I did last year but during the archery season later in May.
I then have a tag for WI zone #3 right across the river nearBoscobel, I can camp on anystate owned island on the Wisconsin river. There is public landcalled theWisconsin River Parkway, it's nice but getting built up w/houseson bordering properties.
Your DNR/State Park employee's are 2nd to none compared to ours hear. Not nockin' the job that the WI people do but yours will go over & above to find out what you need! You have a perfect set upwith the primitive camp sites @ your public hunting areas.
I hunt inzone 349 next month May 7th Thur 11th outside Houston MN can't wait! It's a Sunday Thur Thursday hunt, I'll have the place to myself ? I did last year but during the archery season later in May.
I then have a tag for WI zone #3 right across the river nearBoscobel, I can camp on anystate owned island on the Wisconsin river. There is public landcalled theWisconsin River Parkway, it's nice but getting built up w/houseson bordering properties.
05-03-2006, 09:16 PM
#9
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Brainerd Mn. USA
Posts: 419
RE: MNbird down for team #2(pics added)
Good going Borch! Thursday was a nice day to be out in the woods wasn't it. I started my hunt here in Mn.on that friday as I couldn't make it out on thursdayand sat for 3 days in rain! It never quite rainingfrom 6:00 pm. thursday thru all day sunday! I took a jake on late sunday morningafter not hearing anything gobble at all on saturday or sunday.Lousy weather.
