My Daughter's 2nd Gobbler
04-23-2012, 06:06 PM
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Southwest Kansas
Posts: 95
My Daughter's 2nd Gobbler
Took my 13 year old and 8 year old daughters turkey hunting this weekend. Sat in the ground blind Friday & Saturday trying to get my 8 year old a bird without any luck. The birds were not using that field any more.
By Sunday morning we had had enough of just sitting in a blind, so my 8 year old went with my dad while my 13 year old and I headed out to find some birds. We located several gobblers on the roost and moved into position. They answered my calls but went the other way after flying down. We heard gobbling to the west and north of us so we set up in a small clearing where a large draw comes in from the north and joins the creek. I decided to use only a single hen decoy.
After about 30 minutes of calling, I had two birds answering and moving closer. The finally showed up to our left on top of a very steep creek bank. I figured that there was no way that they would come down the steep bank but I was wrong. The birds came down the bank and ended up on our side of the creek. We were then treated to a very amazing show. The dominant gobbler fanned out and began to strut, slowing moving toward the decoy. It was very obvious that he wasn't just running to the "hen" but that he was showing off for her. He would take a few steps, spin around, and then take a few more steps. How he did not see me and my daughter sitting against the tree or hear our heavy breathing or thumping hearts, I really don't know.
I tried numerous times to get the gobbler to break strut but he was so engrossed in the decoy that he just kept strutting his stuff. He finally got to the decoy and spun around again. When he did, I clucked, yelped, and everything in between to get him to raise his head. He broke strut and raised his head just enough to give my daughter a shot. I didn't even have time to tell her to shoot before her 20 gauge boomed and she dropped the bird only 17 yards away. The tom had a thick 9 1/2" beard and 1 1/8" spurs. Better than either one of my gobblers this season.
Definitely an enjoyable and memorable hunt. Enjoy the pic.
By Sunday morning we had had enough of just sitting in a blind, so my 8 year old went with my dad while my 13 year old and I headed out to find some birds. We located several gobblers on the roost and moved into position. They answered my calls but went the other way after flying down. We heard gobbling to the west and north of us so we set up in a small clearing where a large draw comes in from the north and joins the creek. I decided to use only a single hen decoy.
After about 30 minutes of calling, I had two birds answering and moving closer. The finally showed up to our left on top of a very steep creek bank. I figured that there was no way that they would come down the steep bank but I was wrong. The birds came down the bank and ended up on our side of the creek. We were then treated to a very amazing show. The dominant gobbler fanned out and began to strut, slowing moving toward the decoy. It was very obvious that he wasn't just running to the "hen" but that he was showing off for her. He would take a few steps, spin around, and then take a few more steps. How he did not see me and my daughter sitting against the tree or hear our heavy breathing or thumping hearts, I really don't know.
I tried numerous times to get the gobbler to break strut but he was so engrossed in the decoy that he just kept strutting his stuff. He finally got to the decoy and spun around again. When he did, I clucked, yelped, and everything in between to get him to raise his head. He broke strut and raised his head just enough to give my daughter a shot. I didn't even have time to tell her to shoot before her 20 gauge boomed and she dropped the bird only 17 yards away. The tom had a thick 9 1/2" beard and 1 1/8" spurs. Better than either one of my gobblers this season.
Definitely an enjoyable and memorable hunt. Enjoy the pic.
04-23-2012, 06:35 PM
#3
Typical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Tuscaloosa AL
Posts: 609
Great bird and story!! Got a 6 and 3 year old daughter, can't wait until their old enough to bust one!! Took my 6 year old youth weekend just so she could hear one, we had a great time. Congrats again, that's awesome!!!
04-26-2012, 02:45 PM
#10
Spike
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location:
Posts: 5
Well done! Pretty exciting times!
My 10 year old just got his first. Here's the video: http://youtu.be/XYm3-DkQLSo?hd=1
My 10 year old just got his first. Here's the video: http://youtu.be/XYm3-DkQLSo?hd=1