Opening Day success
04-18-2005, 01:48 PM
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Harford Co Maryland USA
Posts: 4,966
Opening Day success
I almost didn't make opening day. I was in the hospital all night the night before suffering the agony of passing kidney stone pieces -- they tell me I've still got a pretty big piece that hasn't finished it's route yet![:@]
Even though I was drugged and everyone warned against it, I came out to Garrett county like I always do for the Opener. I knew I had done the right thing the evening I got here when we saw a dozen turkeys (10 hens and 2 gobblers) out in the field from the front yard of where I was staying.
That's where I headed this morning. After hearing no response to owl calls and some very light clucks, I decided to just stay put.
Just after 6am, a gobbler bellowed out from about 50 yards below me--scared the heck out of me 'cause I wasn't expecting one to be there. Immediately there were 3 or 4 other turkeys behind me all gobbling in response to him -- and then the little harlot hens started up. I saw 3 roosted and watched them fly down right behind me. One hen stayed about 20 yards out and we "talked for 20-30 minutes while the gobblers and other hens were just over the hill no more than 60 yards distant. After 45 minutes of this "din", it suddenly stopped as if somebody had turned off the switch.
I waited for 15 minutes or so and then slowly crept over to the edge of the woods and saw a tail fan just over a rise in the field. As I attempted to make one final step to a suitable tree, one of them caught me and the whole flock took off! [:@]
I decided to move a mile and a half down the road.
Once there, I set up in a likely looking location, set out a deke and commenced calling. For about an hour, I only heard occassional gobbling from some distance, but eventually I saw a red head coming my way. I clucked a couple more times and he cautiously approached, I saw a decent beard and when he stopped at 32 paces, I dropped him! He was poleaxed!
He weighed 20lbs even and had an 8" beard and 1 1/2" spurs. And I still have the rest of the week left!
Even though I was drugged and everyone warned against it, I came out to Garrett county like I always do for the Opener. I knew I had done the right thing the evening I got here when we saw a dozen turkeys (10 hens and 2 gobblers) out in the field from the front yard of where I was staying.
That's where I headed this morning. After hearing no response to owl calls and some very light clucks, I decided to just stay put.
Just after 6am, a gobbler bellowed out from about 50 yards below me--scared the heck out of me 'cause I wasn't expecting one to be there. Immediately there were 3 or 4 other turkeys behind me all gobbling in response to him -- and then the little harlot hens started up. I saw 3 roosted and watched them fly down right behind me. One hen stayed about 20 yards out and we "talked for 20-30 minutes while the gobblers and other hens were just over the hill no more than 60 yards distant. After 45 minutes of this "din", it suddenly stopped as if somebody had turned off the switch.
I waited for 15 minutes or so and then slowly crept over to the edge of the woods and saw a tail fan just over a rise in the field. As I attempted to make one final step to a suitable tree, one of them caught me and the whole flock took off! [:@]
I decided to move a mile and a half down the road.
Once there, I set up in a likely looking location, set out a deke and commenced calling. For about an hour, I only heard occassional gobbling from some distance, but eventually I saw a red head coming my way. I clucked a couple more times and he cautiously approached, I saw a decent beard and when he stopped at 32 paces, I dropped him! He was poleaxed!
He weighed 20lbs even and had an 8" beard and 1 1/2" spurs. And I still have the rest of the week left!
04-19-2005, 02:32 PM
#9
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Heaven IA USA
Posts: 2,597
RE: Opening Day success
Way to rock and roll 
(pun intended)!! You know what they say, " a rolling stone gathers no moss."... Okay enough already with the bad kidney stone jokes.... I bet you dropped that tom like a "stone"....sorry I just couldn't resist! 
You know your addicted when you go out even though you are feeling bad...
I really enjoyed your story!
Congratulations!
(pun intended)!! You know what they say, " a rolling stone gathers no moss."... Okay enough already with the bad kidney stone jokes.... I bet you dropped that tom like a "stone"....sorry I just couldn't resist! You know your addicted when you go out even though you are feeling bad...
I really enjoyed your story!
Congratulations!
