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What's the closest you've had a mature strutter?
I went out this morning, and was at one of my exclusive honey holes. The wife convinced me to go there this morning, even though it costs me about 35 minutes of sleep.
I wasn't disappointed, as I had one all fired up on the roost. Only one problem...the one that came in quiet from my offhand, which had worked down a slight gully until clearing the only knoll higher than my tree. He decided to spit-n-drum & gobble 30 degrees behind me, keeping two large oaks between us. He high-tailed it outta there after about 15 seconds, not sure if he was spooked by me or the thought of the bird that was gobbling. He never putted, and I acutally worked him from about 75 yards for over an hour. He eventually wandered off, and I walked off the distance between us...SIX paces. I've never had a mature tom THAT close before...boy, what an absolute thrill... Yeah, I was screwed, even though the gun was up and in the ready position. At that range, even with a red-dot scope I didn't contemplate a left-handed shot, as the gun throws a slug pattern. Afterwards, I postulated that I probably wouldn't have taken a right-handed shot, he was just too close. I harvested one last year at 12 steps, and that was closer than I would have liked...off the same property [8D] How close have you had a mature strutter? |
RE: What's the closest you've had a mature strutter?
my first year turkey hunting I had a gobbler strutting around my decoy 5 steps. I didnt know what drumming was, so I thought that crazy sound was him rapidly stomping his feet. I was so nervous I missed him. My cousin, who got me started in turkey hunting, still doesnt let me live that one down.
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RE: What's the closest you've had a mature strutter?
7 steps on Tues. Incredible to hear the rattling or drumming sound when he gobbles that close.
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RE: What's the closest you've had a mature strutter?
It was 6-7 yds, one of the 1st times I ever turkey hunted. A buddy of mine was the avid turkey hunter and called in 2 mature birds that close. I never knew how much more you could hear them spit and drum and stuff that close.
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RE: What's the closest you've had a mature strutter?
Id say about 5 yards. I shot one this year at that distance.
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RE: What's the closest you've had a mature strutter?
I killed a beautiful bird a few years back that was in full strut for my decoy. I pulled the trigger when he was 6 ft. from me. Thing is, I almost missed him! Remember at 6 ft., the pattern from a turkey choke is onlya couple inches or so wide. I decided to aim a little off to the side so that I wouldn't blow his head clean off. That bird died sure enough, but I couldn't find a single pellet hit on that toms head and neck. Maybe he died from the blast percussion! He weighed 24 lbs. and had 1 5/8" spurs!
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RE: What's the closest you've had a mature strutter?
I had this guy come up from behind me, strut past my left shoulder, while following a hen on the way to my decoy set-up. Distance was about 5 feet!! Talk about having your heart jump out of your chest hearing that spit and drum comming from behind you, and end up being that short distance away!![:-]
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RE: What's the closest you've had a mature strutter?
17 steps.:)
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RE: What's the closest you've had a mature strutter?
Had two hens pass meatfour feet away while i was on my belly (in a wheat field, on the edge)monday.I ki-ki runed the hens and they came pretty quickly.Last time i had seen the hens they had three longbeards with them. I waited and waited and waited. Just fixing to move and then i heard them spit and drum. i let the first one walk by at about six feet. Almost took a shot a him, then i heard the other two spit and drum. so i dropped the second one at about four feet! 23 lbs 10in beard and 1.5 spurs! Man i was shaking and breathing so hard!
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RE: What's the closest you've had a mature strutter?
Well, Last year was my first year hunting and I shot my bird at 12 paces, but this year when I was calling for my buddy I got closer then ever to one when the boss tom in our woods was coming into the decoys and came from my side and stopped less then 5 paces from me... too bad it was also only about 1 stepout ofmy friends shooting lane when it spooked and high tailed it in the other direction... sure wish it would have been my season not his!
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RE: What's the closest you've had a mature strutter?
last year, closest I had one strutting....... the barrel is 28" and he was less then a foot from that, say maybe 3 feet away. One more step and he would have been on the wall had he cleared that tree. Two dominants chased him off before he could clear the tree. Of course, the slow one to leave is hanging on the wall instead! :D;)[8D]
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RE: What's the closest you've had a mature strutter?
If I told you you wouldn't believe me!Onefall my buddy and I were on his farm setting traps. I was carrying a five gallon bucket with gear that weighed about 20 pounds. We set a few and were walking towards a spring in the edge of a field. There was a big rose bush growing right in the middle of the hollow. So,I asked him if he wanted to go left or right. He told me to go to the left.I got halfway around the bush and glanced down and there set a tom. He was about a foot away from my boot. He looked like he was setting on a nest of eggs.
I slowly turned around towards my buddy and said, "there's a gobbler right here at my foot, do you want me to catch him?" He laughed and said, "Yeah get'em." So, I slowly set the bucket down and reached down and grabbed him by the front of one wing and the neck, and broke his neck! My buddy couldn't believe it! He thought I was joking. He had a 9 5/8" beard and 3/4" spurs. But, when we skinned him out he only had a few dry leaves in his craw. He would have probably starved to death. |
RE: What's the closest you've had a mature strutter?
ORIGINAL: Criggster If I told you you wouldn't believe me!Onefall my buddy and I were on his farm setting traps. I was carrying a five gallon bucket with gear that weighed about 20 pounds. We set a few and were walking towards a spring in the edge of a field. There was a big rose bush growing right in the middle of the hollow. So,I asked him if he wanted to go left or right. He told me to go to the left.I got halfway around the bush and glanced down and there set a tom. He was about a foot away from my boot. He looked like he was setting on a nest of eggs. I slowly turned around towards my buddy and said, "there's a gobbler right here at my foot, do you want me to catch him?" He laughed and said, "Yeah get'em." So, I slowly set the bucket down and reached down and grabbed him by the front of one wing and the neck, and broke his neck! My buddy couldn't believe it! He thought I was joking. He had a 9 5/8" beard and 3/4" spurs. But, when we skinned him out he only had a few dry leaves in his craw. He would have probably starved to death. As for my closest, I would have to say about 10 yards, and that was really damn close! |
RE: What's the closest you've had a mature strutter?
I'd have to say 5 feet as well ,and I missed when my arrow ricocheted through my folded window on my blind ,i made the mistake of not having my window down completely and I had the bird lined up with my pin on my bow ,but forgot that my arrow was actually below the folded window and drove the arrow completely through it .The bird strutted and walked off into the wood's knowing something just happened ,but didn't know exactly what .
nubo |
RE: What's the closest you've had a mature strutter?
5 feet. Man, what a rush!!! Have a bird that close, on full strut, and gobble! All but blew the hat off my head. Oh, and incidentally, I center punched that rascal. My first bow killed turkey ever. Lots of fun!
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RE: What's the closest you've had a mature strutter?
Yes really ,that close and i blew it .I couldn't believe that I never took that gobbler ,I swore he had a arrow pass right through him .I had heard a noise when I released my arrow but couldn't figure it out ,until i was folding my blind up and seen the hole in the window .I really thought I had hit this bird and it drove me crazy trying to figure out what had just happened .There was actually 2 big gobbler's and both were in strut one about 5 feet and the other about 10 feet ,both were very impressive bird's and I blew it LMAO now! but I almost cried then .
Sorry I was so wrapped up with telling you about these bird's ,I forgot to congratulate you on your great bird ,way to go .It's a rush for sure when that bird's almost crawling over you for sure .Congrat's again. nubo |
RE: What's the closest you've had a mature strutter?
It's not quite the same as strutting, but one spring evening when I was out scouting before the season, I saw some turkeys coming my way along the edge of the woods. There was a washout alongside the field as the field turned into woods, so I jumped down into the washout and laid on my back. I was maybe a foot below the field edge, just lying between the field and the beginning of the woods. The washout also made an opening into the woods. Pretty soon, the turkeys got to where I was laying, and I had one tom stand at the edge of the washout, probably 12 inches from my chest as I lay looking up, gobble and then launch himself off the washout edge into the woods through the opening to go to his roost tree. Then the rest of the flock also flew into the woods and roosted, too.
The memory of hearing that turkey standing over me, gobbling, is something I will never forget. The gobble just thundered. I thought I could actually feel the air throb as he gobbled! Some turkeys have quite the voice! As far as strutting toms, I'd say 22 yards, but this spring my wife and I had a tom struttin' and drummin' aboutforty yards away, for probably 15 minutes, before he moved off. That was the best drummin' I'd ever heard, and it went on for sooo long!! |
RE: What's the closest you've had a mature strutter?
About 20 ft.
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RE: What's the closest you've had a mature strutter?
Several years ago when my son was still pretty little I took him out to get his gobbler and called in a hoss that circled around us and stood almost next to me gobbling and drumming.
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RE: What's the closest you've had a mature strutter?
About 2 feet, here's one of his pictures - that's my knee in the photo, I could have kicked him...
-fsh  |
RE: What's the closest you've had a mature strutter?
OK, now THAT'S cool!
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RE: What's the closest you've had a mature strutter?
ORIGINAL: fshafly2 About 2 feet, here's one of his pictures - that's my knee in the photo, I could have kicked him... -fsh
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RE: What's the closest you've had a mature strutter?
That IS very cool ,I know all to well how you felt at that very moment.
nubo |
RE: What's the closest you've had a mature strutter?
7 steps,really glad I bought that red dot!!!!!Hes now getting ready to go on my wall.
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RE: What's the closest you've had a mature strutter?
my first gobbler ever snuck up from behind , he was 3 feet away.....got him, but this season, ihad one palm frond between me and him and i couldnt move, he saw me shaking like leaf, lol....i was so busted, lol.
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RE: What's the closest you've had a mature strutter?
i've had a hen actually step on my extended leg to get past me....dragging a gobbler...so....i'd say he was three...maybe four feet away...i know...your gonna ask why didnt i shoot?!?...i dunno...lol...
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RE: What's the closest you've had a mature strutter?
Had a group of jakes and toms come in Wednesday. The biggest long beard stopped behind a screen of brush, to my right (I'm right handed) and sent the jake to investigate the deke. I'd about decided to try a left-handed shot through the brush when the jake walked into my lap. At three feet he decided he didn't like me or the deke and alarm putted. I paced it to the long beard after they hauled butt - five yards.
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RE: What's the closest you've had a mature strutter?
brush against my blind......
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RE: What's the closest you've had a mature strutter?
ORIGINAL: maytom I had this guy come up from behind me, strut past my left shoulder, while following a hen on the way to my decoy set-up. Distance was about 5 feet!! Talk about having your heart jump out of your chest hearing that spit and drum comming from behind you, and end up being that short distance away!![:-]
Nice to have a scope when that happens huh:D |
RE: What's the closest you've had a mature strutter?
ORIGINAL: fshafly2 About 2 feet, here's one of his pictures - that's my knee in the photo, I could have kicked him... -fsh
Dude were were you hunting???? |
RE: What's the closest you've had a mature strutter?
Mr. Longbeard -I was scouting in a public hunting area on a Sundayduring spring season at the time with the wife (no Sunday hunting in MD, as you know).There is much more to the adventure, toldin a post a few years back. I "aggravated purred" with a mouth callafter the bird crossed in front of us, and he camegobbling around the tree right up to me, fire in his eyes, and making mevery nervous.
 He started to leave and I got up and went to him, expecting him to alarm, but he went right into strut and started to purr back to me real loud.  The bird and I began to circle each other, bothof usdoing aggravated purring. This is neat I thought, but I've seen enough turkey fights to know what happens next, and I ran to a tree with the bird chasing me. I snapped a few more photos of himon my ass as I tried to stay ahead of him:  I have wrestled mature gobblers before in cannon nettrap and transplant operations, and more than once I entertained the thought... When I was down to just a few pictures left on the camera, I yelled to the wife to come and get the camera. When she stood up, the bird alarm putted and left in a flash. No doubt he had considered me a rival, I was wearing a black t-shirt with a red logo at the time (SOMETHING I WOULD NEVER DO AGAIN, HAVINGCONFRONTED TWO SUNDAYPOACHERS A FEW YEARS AGO). The wife (whowatched all this from ~40 yds away) threatened to never eat turkey again if I hunted this bird. I didn't go back... But I can truthfully say when Istage a gobbler fight, it'sfrom personal experience! - 'twas the adventure of a lifetime. -fsh |
RE: What's the closest you've had a mature strutter?
..dead and in hand about to 31 inches
but i shot a jake at about 10 opening week..not mature but fried turkey sounded good |
RE: What's the closest you've had a mature strutter?
15 yards... Really didn't give him a chance to get any closer:D
Now I had 2 jake like 5 feet from me once with no face mask and no gloves on... That was pretty cool!!! |
RE: What's the closest you've had a mature strutter?
ORIGINAL: fshafly2 Mr. Longbeard -I was scouting in a public hunting area on a Sundayduring spring season at the time with the wife (no Sunday hunting in MD, as you know).There is much more to the adventure, toldin a post a few years back. I "aggravated purred" with a mouth callafter the bird crossed in front of us, and he camegobbling around the tree right up to me, fire in his eyes, and making mevery nervous. He started to leave and I got up and went to him, expecting him to alarm, but he went right into strut and started to purr back to me real loud. The bird and I began to circle each other, bothof usdoing aggravated purring. This is neat I thought, but I've seen enough turkey fights to know what happens next, and I ran to a tree with the bird chasing me. I snapped a few more photos of himon my ass as I tried to stay ahead of him: I have wrestled mature gobblers before in cannon nettrap and transplant operations, and more than once I entertained the thought... When I was down to just a few pictures left on the camera, I yelled to the wife to come and get the camera. When she stood up, the bird alarm putted and left in a flash. No doubt he had considered me a rival, I was wearing a black t-shirt with a red logo at the time (SOMETHING I WOULD NEVER DO AGAIN, HAVINGCONFRONTED TWO SUNDAYPOACHERS A FEW YEARS AGO). The wife (whowatched all this from ~40 yds away) threatened to never eat turkey again if I hunted this bird. I didn't go back... But I can truthfully say when Istage a gobbler fight, it'sfrom personal experience! - 'twas the adventure of a lifetime. -fsh This bird wasn't imprinted on humans was he;) |
RE: What's the closest you've had a mature strutter?
Not likely as he spooked when my wife stood up.A mature bird ina public hunting area, go figure.
-fsh |
RE: What's the closest you've had a mature strutter?
fshafly2--what a thrill that must have been!!
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RE: What's the closest you've had a mature strutter?
I thought of another close tom. One spring when I was scouting, I called two hens and a strutting tom to less than five yards away. I was on one side of a fence and he was on the other. We were up on a ridge in an area where the ridge was clear. It was a glorious spring day--warm and sunny--and that tom stood there, spitting and snapping into strut for about ten minutes, before the hens got bored and wandered off. I never heard any drumming, but I can still recall the sound as he would crack those wings into position. I didn't have a camera along, but the mental picture is still in focus and indelibly etched in my mind!!
I did have a hen within three feet of my Doghouse blind for about an hour once, too, but that's not a strutting tom. |
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