A day with a lousy start but ended up with a good finish
05-27-2013, 04:26 PM
#1
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 221
A day with a lousy start but ended up with a good finish
Hunting Wild Turkey/A day with a Lousy Start but ended up with a Good Finish
Woke up too early today at 5:30 AM. It took me up to about 6:30 AM by the time I got dressed up and ready to go. Not used to this early timetable.
I was determined to get myself one turkey Jake or Tom today at a spot I know there is still enough birds around.
I was silently going to my natural blind and a gobble startled me what sounded to be within 15 yards of me.
I instinctively froze. After about 5 minutes of not moving I backtracked and made a bee line for my blind about 60 yards to my left. Whew made it.
I sat and relaxed hoping that all is well and the Gobbler didn't see me. No use calling now as I know he must be very close, should be just behind that brush pile.
Well about 15 minutes and there still no sign of a bird. Maybe I should give a call and see where he's at. I was fuzzing about on my backpack to get my slate call and here he appears right in the open and close enough. I hurriedly swung my gun and before I can pull the trigger he was already in the air. I need more coffee. Once everything settled down I paced where the bird was and to my surprise it was about 65 yards. A mixture of being excited and not yet fully awake I guess.
30 minutes on the natural blind I've got to move and decided to check out the trail where I usually see birds.
First bend I see a black turkey right on the trail about 40 yards away. I quickly find the nearest cedar and hid in it. I stayed hidden for about 5 minutes but the Turkey seemed to have disappeared. So just like an inexperienced hunter would do I had to take a look. Of course the black bird is still there and spotted me first this time. I don't know why I revert to these old habits. I definitely need more coffee.
On my way back home I am laughing at myself thinking this is just a big joke this day is full of mistakes.
9:30 AM I had a full breakfast and another cup of coffee, and was ready to go again by 10:00Am.
This time I am going for that smart shy big Tom behind my place. I expect him to be out in the newly planted field.
We see each other eye to eye 80 yards apart about the same time and I'm frozen on my tracks in the shade. He walked slowly and make it inside the bush.
I'm right in the open so I might as well continue walk, this is just not my day.
I kept a steady stride never stopping always in the open and made a circle around the 20 acre bush. I decided to sit 200 yards behind the bush from where I last saw the Tom. 15 minutes later I give a series of loud yelps on the mouth call then again after 10 minutes. I know he won't come to this call as proven before but maybe another will and I wanted him to know he is safe I'm 200 yards away.
11:15AM on my way back home I made sure I sneak in the woods to check the opening where I saw him last time. Whoa he's in the open just another 10 yards from where I saw him last, still about 80 yards from me. I rerouted so I could go to him as directly as I can using the trees for cover. If he doesn't move I can come within 20-30 yards.
I'm at the edge now I'm looking at the plowed field and wheat field no bird. Where did he go? Ok I'm not going to make the same mistake this time I'm going to wait it out. He's got to be here.
Not 2 minutes later I see a red head sticking out about 3 inches above the wheat field. I've got the proper gear this time no more video as I purposely left it in my back pack.
No need for more video on this one anyway as it is the same turkey I had videoed before. It was an easy 30 yard shot.
I just happen to have a picture. 23 Lbs.(bathroom scale) 10 inch beard and 1.25 inch matching spur, and they are sharp.
I should mention just before I headed out at 10:00AM I got an email from my 9 yr old grandaughter urging me to get a Turkey because they really liked the turkey bacon I gave them last year. You could say that it turned my day around.
Good luck to those still hunting.
louie
Woke up too early today at 5:30 AM. It took me up to about 6:30 AM by the time I got dressed up and ready to go. Not used to this early timetable.
I was determined to get myself one turkey Jake or Tom today at a spot I know there is still enough birds around.
I was silently going to my natural blind and a gobble startled me what sounded to be within 15 yards of me.
I instinctively froze. After about 5 minutes of not moving I backtracked and made a bee line for my blind about 60 yards to my left. Whew made it.
I sat and relaxed hoping that all is well and the Gobbler didn't see me. No use calling now as I know he must be very close, should be just behind that brush pile.
Well about 15 minutes and there still no sign of a bird. Maybe I should give a call and see where he's at. I was fuzzing about on my backpack to get my slate call and here he appears right in the open and close enough. I hurriedly swung my gun and before I can pull the trigger he was already in the air. I need more coffee. Once everything settled down I paced where the bird was and to my surprise it was about 65 yards. A mixture of being excited and not yet fully awake I guess.
30 minutes on the natural blind I've got to move and decided to check out the trail where I usually see birds.
First bend I see a black turkey right on the trail about 40 yards away. I quickly find the nearest cedar and hid in it. I stayed hidden for about 5 minutes but the Turkey seemed to have disappeared. So just like an inexperienced hunter would do I had to take a look. Of course the black bird is still there and spotted me first this time. I don't know why I revert to these old habits. I definitely need more coffee.
On my way back home I am laughing at myself thinking this is just a big joke this day is full of mistakes.
9:30 AM I had a full breakfast and another cup of coffee, and was ready to go again by 10:00Am.
This time I am going for that smart shy big Tom behind my place. I expect him to be out in the newly planted field.
We see each other eye to eye 80 yards apart about the same time and I'm frozen on my tracks in the shade. He walked slowly and make it inside the bush.
I'm right in the open so I might as well continue walk, this is just not my day.
I kept a steady stride never stopping always in the open and made a circle around the 20 acre bush. I decided to sit 200 yards behind the bush from where I last saw the Tom. 15 minutes later I give a series of loud yelps on the mouth call then again after 10 minutes. I know he won't come to this call as proven before but maybe another will and I wanted him to know he is safe I'm 200 yards away.
11:15AM on my way back home I made sure I sneak in the woods to check the opening where I saw him last time. Whoa he's in the open just another 10 yards from where I saw him last, still about 80 yards from me. I rerouted so I could go to him as directly as I can using the trees for cover. If he doesn't move I can come within 20-30 yards.
I'm at the edge now I'm looking at the plowed field and wheat field no bird. Where did he go? Ok I'm not going to make the same mistake this time I'm going to wait it out. He's got to be here.
Not 2 minutes later I see a red head sticking out about 3 inches above the wheat field. I've got the proper gear this time no more video as I purposely left it in my back pack.
No need for more video on this one anyway as it is the same turkey I had videoed before. It was an easy 30 yard shot.
I just happen to have a picture. 23 Lbs.(bathroom scale) 10 inch beard and 1.25 inch matching spur, and they are sharp.
I should mention just before I headed out at 10:00AM I got an email from my 9 yr old grandaughter urging me to get a Turkey because they really liked the turkey bacon I gave them last year. You could say that it turned my day around.
Good luck to those still hunting.
louie
Last edited by huntrfishr; 05-27-2013 at 06:17 PM.
05-28-2013, 02:01 AM
#4
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Maine
Posts: 12,564
Congrats on getting it done! A real nice bird too! The hardest part of turkey hunting for some of us is that so called waiting game. Being persistent and sticking to it pays off a lot of the time.. Nice story to read as well..
