horntagger

Saturday - April 10, 2004
Four Hens, and One Gobbler

DAY ONE – THE CONCERT

Friday - April 9, 2004 roosted four hens at the North end of the slough at around 7:45 p.m. and could hear a fifth bird go to roost to the South in the slough around 8:00 p.m.

Have scouted the area out at the fencerow at the southern end of the slough, lots of tracks and few feathers in a sandy area between two wheat fields that they seem to dust in a lot.

Saturday – April 10, 2004 me and Tyler my 9 year old son and his fourth youth season parked behind the grain bins at the north end of the property and at 5:30 a.m. headed to the fence row on the other side of the wheat field away from the slough making are way to the southern fence and heading back West to the slough and stopping along the fence row in the sanding area missing the fence.

We setup the new Double Bull Import Blind, and the Jake and Two Hen Decoy’s about 10 yard in front on a small rise just west of our location and the direction I had guessed they would come from and settled in at 5:45 a.m..

Tyler really liked his new blind. We practice pointing at the decoys with the gun so he could get use to aiming out of the blind.

Around 6:15 a.m. the Gobbler started gobbling and kept going about 70 yards away and visible from our location. We watched him with monocular gobbling his head off. Calling just few times, since he was still in the tree. Each time he would cut my calling off, so I stopped and he continued to gobble his head off at least 20 to 30 more times, until we watched him set his wings and glide in our direction.

I started calling aggressive as soon at he hit the ground, but is was only a few minutes and he gobbled at the north end of the slough. My only guess was the hen’s did not like my calling and took him out the opposite way. The next time I watched him was strutting on the north end of the wheat field until he went out of site. Only spotted one hen because of the wheat.

Tyler said his favorite part of the hunt was the gobbling and at 10:00 a.m. he said he was ready to go. Day one ended without a shot, but with one of nature’s greatest concerts.



Sunday - April 11, 2004
One Gobbler

DAY TWO – OUT SMARTED

Sunday – April 11, 2004 me and Tyler my 9 year old son and his fourth youth season and 2nd day of the youth season parked behind the grain bins at the north end of the property and at 5:30 a.m. headed to the fence row on the other side of the wheat field away from the slough and at the last location I watched him strut before going out of site the day before.

We setup the new Double Bull Import Blind again, and the Jake and Two Hen Decoy’s about 10 yards away and in the planted corn field just along the edge of the wheat field.

This time it was very windy and we kept the blind closed up until the first gobble at 6:15 a.m., but could not see him. He only gobbled a few more times, but could not be sure because of the wind. It sounded like he was in the same location. But, this time he headed to the South end of the slough and in the direction we had set up the day before.

I told Tyler that the gobbler just outsmarted me. This time Tyler was a little sleepier and told me at 8:00 a.m. he was too sleepy to hunt. So we headed out and that ended day two and the end of his fourth youth season. Still no tag filled in the four years but, one shot, two close calls, and lot’s of gobbling.

This was the first time hunting a new place since we lost our hunting land in which I would count in the hundreds of turkeys in the fall and dozens of gobbler sounding off in the spring.

It is hard to find a place with turkeys, and easy access and easy walking for his young legs. Made for a lot more difficult hunt since this was all open county with very few wild turkeys but, without any disappoint what so ever since, Tyler said he enjoy the weekend, the gobbling and the new Double Bull Import Blind.

He has been practicing his mouth calls everyday since.

Will attempt to fill my tag during the week and take him during the weekends.

cj5

sorry to hear you guys didnt get one. oh well, better luck in a week right! my 7 year old and i got his first on saturday. but your weekend was not wasted. atleast you were able to go out and enjoy the youth season we are lucky enuff to have here in mo. i think its a great thing for the kids. better luck to ya on the 19th