2009 Turkey Hunt Contest Story and Photo thread...
- Thread starter GC
- Start date
My first Rios. Turned into a triple. I got 2 and Billy got one.
10 1/2 beard 1 1/4 spurs on one, and 10 inch and 1" spurs on the other.
10 1/2 beard 1 1/4 spurs on one, and 10 inch and 1" spurs on the other.
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Bucktail_Bob
New member
Taken on IL Public Land. This bird was hot, traveled a long distance to the call, he was in full strut the last 100 yds.
I was able to give him a 12 yd HEVI•SHOT FACIAL .... Felt so good!
21lbs
9 1/4 “ beard
¾” spurs
Benelli SBE
Remington® Premier 12ga. HEVI•SHOT Nitro Magnum 3 1/2 #5
Quaker Boy Grand Old Master Supreme Box Call
Quaker Boy World Champ Diaphragm Call
Carry-Lite Pretty Penny Hen Turkey Decoy
I was able to give him a 12 yd HEVI•SHOT FACIAL .... Felt so good!
21lbs
9 1/4 “ beard
¾” spurs
Benelli SBE
Remington® Premier 12ga. HEVI•SHOT Nitro Magnum 3 1/2 #5
Quaker Boy Grand Old Master Supreme Box Call
Quaker Boy World Champ Diaphragm Call
Carry-Lite Pretty Penny Hen Turkey Decoy
Well I did my scouting and had a pattern for when and were the turkeys rooste and feed. I set up my pop-up blind on a friday afternoon. Of course. They never even came close to doing what I thought they would do. I set for 5 hours and nothing. Then I get my binocs out and glass the area. I see them a mile away doing something totally new. (of course) All I could do is wait them out. As the sun set almost too low to hunt. I see them come back down into the trees that they had been roosting in. I decide when they get down into the trees. I'm getting out of the blind and out of there before they get into the trees. If they get into the trees before I can get out of the blind. They will see me as my blind was about 100 yards away and from the trees, they would have no problem seeing me. So here they came. They went down into the trees as I had thought. So I unzipped the blind. Got my stuff out and started to step out and pick up the decoys. Just as I step out I hear a putt. I look around and they did not fly up into the trees but came right up to me. I was busted and they turned and went back down into the trees. I was planning to hunt them the next morning but felt like I had been busted and it wouldn't be any good. But I decided to try it the next morning anyway.
The next morning I'm set up way before light. Three decoy hens and a decoy Jake. I set in the blind patiently waiting until I could barely see the trees. I could hear gobbles. I glass the trees and see they did in fact rooste there even though I was busted the night before. The rooste was about 100 yards away from me and my setup. When I can see them pretty good I start calling softly letting them know were up here. Then they fly down out of the trees and I can hear the hens trying to call them away from me so I let the call rip. It only took about 10 minutes after they were on the ground when I seen them working towards me. I keep calling but not overdoing it. Then they all walked up to me and my set-up. I see this nice tom out towards the front and lock eyes on him and watch. I get my cam-corder going on a tripod and start videoing this. He comes up to within 30 yards and I look a little left and see a much bigger tom coming. So now I have a very nice tom right in front of me and I decided I'm letting him go and take the bigger one if possible. I rotate the camera on the bigger one and by the time he works his way up to me to shoot. The first one is only 20 feet out in front of me along with several hens. I pan the camera back on him. Get some footage and then pan right back to the bigger tom. I set the camera on him in the viewfinder and raise my sotgun up and touch it off using 3 1/2" 12 guage hevi-shot. He went down like a rock. Didn't even flutter. But the hens jump up. Some fly off, some just run off a little. Others just stand there. so now I have this big tom down and I look back to the first spot were the samller tom was and he's still there. so I turn the camera back on him. I was using a pump shotgun and didn't pump a new round into the chamber after shooting the first tom. So then, The smaller tom turns and goes after the bigger tom that is laying there dead. I jack a new round into the chamber and this is only about 15 feet now away from the second tom. He ignores me and goes right over to the dead tom and starts to work him over. I get the camera turned back on him and shoot him also. Filled both my tags in one hunt. Got my first double on tom's. I have it all on video also. Two dead turkeys laying about 4 feet apart. After I claim the birds. I took some still photo's of the birds. The good o'l kansas winds came up by then and I had to find a place down out of the wind to even take pictures. I hope you like the picture. The smaller turkey weighed 20 lbs with a 8 inch beard and 1" spurs. The larger one weighed 24 Lbs. Had a 10 inch beard and 1 1/8" spurs. Very nice hunt. Hope you injoy.
Purity
The next morning I'm set up way before light. Three decoy hens and a decoy Jake. I set in the blind patiently waiting until I could barely see the trees. I could hear gobbles. I glass the trees and see they did in fact rooste there even though I was busted the night before. The rooste was about 100 yards away from me and my setup. When I can see them pretty good I start calling softly letting them know were up here. Then they fly down out of the trees and I can hear the hens trying to call them away from me so I let the call rip. It only took about 10 minutes after they were on the ground when I seen them working towards me. I keep calling but not overdoing it. Then they all walked up to me and my set-up. I see this nice tom out towards the front and lock eyes on him and watch. I get my cam-corder going on a tripod and start videoing this. He comes up to within 30 yards and I look a little left and see a much bigger tom coming. So now I have a very nice tom right in front of me and I decided I'm letting him go and take the bigger one if possible. I rotate the camera on the bigger one and by the time he works his way up to me to shoot. The first one is only 20 feet out in front of me along with several hens. I pan the camera back on him. Get some footage and then pan right back to the bigger tom. I set the camera on him in the viewfinder and raise my sotgun up and touch it off using 3 1/2" 12 guage hevi-shot. He went down like a rock. Didn't even flutter. But the hens jump up. Some fly off, some just run off a little. Others just stand there. so now I have this big tom down and I look back to the first spot were the samller tom was and he's still there. so I turn the camera back on him. I was using a pump shotgun and didn't pump a new round into the chamber after shooting the first tom. So then, The smaller tom turns and goes after the bigger tom that is laying there dead. I jack a new round into the chamber and this is only about 15 feet now away from the second tom. He ignores me and goes right over to the dead tom and starts to work him over. I get the camera turned back on him and shoot him also. Filled both my tags in one hunt. Got my first double on tom's. I have it all on video also. Two dead turkeys laying about 4 feet apart. After I claim the birds. I took some still photo's of the birds. The good o'l kansas winds came up by then and I had to find a place down out of the wind to even take pictures. I hope you like the picture. The smaller turkey weighed 20 lbs with a 8 inch beard and 1" spurs. The larger one weighed 24 Lbs. Had a 10 inch beard and 1 1/8" spurs. Very nice hunt. Hope you injoy.
Purity
TxGirl
New member
The Popup Bird
The gobblers around my parts where still acting henned up, so I set up a few of my game cameras around on my place to see if I could get any pattern from them. One of the cameras the turkeys where coming by it on a regular basis, in the mornings leaving a roost and going back in the afternoons, so I set up a popup blind in hopes of catching one of the gobblers. The last couple of weekends I sat in the blind and would call about every 15 minutes or so and never could get the gobblers to come my way and all I seen was hens walking right by within shotgun range.
Saturday afternoon my luck changed and during one of my attempts at calling, all of a sudden I heard a gobble and it was close and to the right of me. I had the windows on the right side closed because from the game camera they had been coming from the left during the afternoons, but I did have a little spot peeled down on one of the right windows just so I could peek out that direction. The bird was coming my way and I still could not see him thru my little peek hole, but finally I seen him and he was strutting around, so I let him get his fan between me and him and then peeled one of the right windows down and got the shotgun out and ready for action. I watched him put on a show for a minute or so and then let the shotgun do its part. I ended up with a 20 pound boy that had a 10 ½ inch beard and both spurs ¾ inch.
The gobblers around my parts where still acting henned up, so I set up a few of my game cameras around on my place to see if I could get any pattern from them. One of the cameras the turkeys where coming by it on a regular basis, in the mornings leaving a roost and going back in the afternoons, so I set up a popup blind in hopes of catching one of the gobblers. The last couple of weekends I sat in the blind and would call about every 15 minutes or so and never could get the gobblers to come my way and all I seen was hens walking right by within shotgun range.
Saturday afternoon my luck changed and during one of my attempts at calling, all of a sudden I heard a gobble and it was close and to the right of me. I had the windows on the right side closed because from the game camera they had been coming from the left during the afternoons, but I did have a little spot peeled down on one of the right windows just so I could peek out that direction. The bird was coming my way and I still could not see him thru my little peek hole, but finally I seen him and he was strutting around, so I let him get his fan between me and him and then peeled one of the right windows down and got the shotgun out and ready for action. I watched him put on a show for a minute or so and then let the shotgun do its part. I ended up with a 20 pound boy that had a 10 ½ inch beard and both spurs ¾ inch.
critterdown
New member
Well this is a story about our families normal easter weekend. My brother, My nephew and Me (uncle paul) have made it a special weekend for years now. I was eight when i got my first gobbler on easter sunday morning. So that is why i am so partial to that weekend. A few years ago my nephew got his first gobbler at eight years old on the saturday before easter. This year we had not really planned a hunt but i work offshore and dont get to hunt as much with my nephew. My brother had told him they could go fishing or he could come hunting with uncle paul. Well he choose to go on a hunt. He has killed three birds this year and is a great young kid that loves his hunting an conservation. It was a cool morning nice sunshine as the robins and owls started sounding off at daybreak. My nephew looks at me and whispered. That is the turkeys alarm clock. So we sat and waited for a little more light Me and my brother. My nephew was standing with his hoot tube in his hand just waiting. I knew the turkeys as i had chased them the week prior. I looked at him and told him to let it rip. He gave a hoot an just like clock work the gobbler hammered. He looked at me with the excitment of a kid in a candy store. He whispered its two of em. We proceeded to a bottom and crossed a creek to get set up. The turkeys where hammering hard and we had gotten in place. I looked at him sitting beside me with his mouth call in mouth and i noticed he was breathing a lil hard. He said it was hard work walking those hill and creek bottom. His lil glasses kept fogging up and i told him to clean em and get ready. I let him give a couple soft calls and the birds hammered once again. He whispered get ready uncle paul. The birds pitched out and put on a show strutting and drumming in a beautiful bottom. While we were takin in the moment of God's beautiful creation, the birds just would not cooperate. This went on for hours, we would climb the hill and cross the bottom sit up again still no luck. We had made it 3.8 miles from where we left the four wheeler and it was about 0930 and the birds went silent. Though with a lil disappointment we had a good hunt and he really enjoyed his easter morning. We agreed to pick up and get back home for the sunday meal. As we headed out i would let the little man call and we would move on. We had almost made it back to the four wheeler when we stopped to call one last time. Nothing happen, We made about five steps and a crow hollered and then the gobbler hammered. His eyes lit back up and he was grinning like a possum eatin sawbriars. He said they are waiting on us at the fourwheeler. We didnt have much time so we sat down on side of the road and i let him call to the turkeys. We had only been sitting for maybe ten minutes when i seen em come wabbling down the road and struting. He was to shoot one on right i was gonna shoot one on left and they were closing in fast. i told him get ready and i heard the safety click to fire. When they came from behind the tree i whispered take em. He let a shot go at the same split second i shot. Both birds folded like rag dolls. He jumped up and screamed two in one shot. LOL! He didnt know that uncle paul shot also. I told him i shot to and he just screamed a double with uncle paul. When we got through with the high fives and hugs. We went to look at our trophies. It was two good birds one with a double beard 9" and 8 3/4" with 1" spurs and the other bird had 10 1/2 " beard with 3/4 in spurs. We had made another great memory on another great easter. We have never predator hunted although i will be home tomorrow and me and the lil man are going to the camp for another weekend of turkey hunting and we bought us a e call and we are going to try to get us a yote. I hope to put more pics maybe we can double with a yote and a bird. JUST REMEMBER TAKE A YOUTH HUNTING. MEMORIES IN THE FIELD NEVER FADE!!!!
http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww291/critterdown/turkey001-1.jpg
http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww291/critterdown/turkey001-1.jpg
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critterdown
New member
knockemdown
New member
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gifEXCELLENT pics and stories so far fellas /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif
BOstreet
New member
23APR09 Public Land 22lbs,9in beard, 3/4in spurs. 870SuperMag, 3 1/2in no.5's
After 3 weeks at Fort Sam Houston I was ready to get home to Missouri and begin my 2009 Spring Turkey Season /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif. The first day I was able to go was Thursday and after a co worker stood me up I was off to a late start /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif but I was soon rewarded with a distant gobble. I made my way cautiously toward the ridge I heard the gobble come from. Several gobbles and I thought I had him pegged down so I planted myself what I figured was a good 100+yds away. Immediatly a hen busts from her roost 50yds away. I figure, that may not have been a bad thing. No gobbles had me wondering if I miss calculated my movements though. I then noticed a bird roosted about 65-70 yds away in the vicinity I had expected the gobbler to be. I made only a couple very soft tree yelps and bit the mouth call. I sit in silence and notice a far off ligtning strike that finally gave way to a low rumble. All of a sudden a gobble rings out 40yds in front of me, as I ever so slowly lean a few inches to the right to see the gobbler located behind a large tree 15yrds between us. The turkey I was watching yelped. I had a nice landing pad between the gobbler and the hen and prayed he would use it. As I was starin to see through the tree in front of me I hear the hen fly down to my left and immediatly the gobbler prepares to fly down to meet her. I prepare as well and raise my gun as he flys down to my anticipated landing zone. What I didn't anticipate was the 3ft drop in elevation 40yds away at the end of of the landing area /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif. The gobbler disappears on landing and I start to panick, I just knew that hen would take him away and around the other side of the ridge. I quickly soft yelped, silence, I waited minutes which seemed like hours and finially I see a fan at 30yds. The gobbler turns his tail towards me and I position myself for the shot, I then notice the hen is 20yds and in the wide open looking at me. No problem as he turns and enters a perfect shoting lane, I roll him over /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif. 0640 and back at the truck by 0700 not a bad return home present for this old Army boy.
After 3 weeks at Fort Sam Houston I was ready to get home to Missouri and begin my 2009 Spring Turkey Season /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif. The first day I was able to go was Thursday and after a co worker stood me up I was off to a late start /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif but I was soon rewarded with a distant gobble. I made my way cautiously toward the ridge I heard the gobble come from. Several gobbles and I thought I had him pegged down so I planted myself what I figured was a good 100+yds away. Immediatly a hen busts from her roost 50yds away. I figure, that may not have been a bad thing. No gobbles had me wondering if I miss calculated my movements though. I then noticed a bird roosted about 65-70 yds away in the vicinity I had expected the gobbler to be. I made only a couple very soft tree yelps and bit the mouth call. I sit in silence and notice a far off ligtning strike that finally gave way to a low rumble. All of a sudden a gobble rings out 40yds in front of me, as I ever so slowly lean a few inches to the right to see the gobbler located behind a large tree 15yrds between us. The turkey I was watching yelped. I had a nice landing pad between the gobbler and the hen and prayed he would use it. As I was starin to see through the tree in front of me I hear the hen fly down to my left and immediatly the gobbler prepares to fly down to meet her. I prepare as well and raise my gun as he flys down to my anticipated landing zone. What I didn't anticipate was the 3ft drop in elevation 40yds away at the end of of the landing area /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif. The gobbler disappears on landing and I start to panick, I just knew that hen would take him away and around the other side of the ridge. I quickly soft yelped, silence, I waited minutes which seemed like hours and finially I see a fan at 30yds. The gobbler turns his tail towards me and I position myself for the shot, I then notice the hen is 20yds and in the wide open looking at me. No problem as he turns and enters a perfect shoting lane, I roll him over /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif. 0640 and back at the truck by 0700 not a bad return home present for this old Army boy.
plumbob
New member
I've only lived here in NC since Oct., but have killed me a bird this morning.. Here is the story.
Breaking daylight we are standing in a field where my buddy had heard some birds yesterday morning. After standing there a little bit, we finally here one sound off, and he couldn't have been 100 yards in the woods. We get set up, let out a few calls, and we hear more birds starting to talk around us. Finally one behind us won't stop, the closest one has shut up, so move in on the other one. After we get set up, this bird is getting closer, I just know it is going to happen. Well the bird gets in close enough for Rocky to see him, but he bears off the way we came. So we went that way.
We get back close to the field and hit the call again, and this turkey goes nuts. He is hot, and he wants this hen to come to him. He would not come out of the field in the woods, just tearing it up in the field. So we cut the distance again.
We set up in a small corner of the field and give out a call. Here he comes, I can see him, strutting all blowed up.
It is a jake! Normally I wouldn't shoot a jake, but we had worked so hard for him, I haven't got anything in NC yet, he putts like he is getting out of there, so I shoot. I must have pulled my head up or something, cause I gave him a load of pellets in the breast
, thats going to be fun to pick through
It was a great hunt, the little guy acted like he owned that peice of land, and we had a great time. Now the pics
I was leaned up against the log in the back
He was standing just to the right of the tree
Hero shot
Breaking daylight we are standing in a field where my buddy had heard some birds yesterday morning. After standing there a little bit, we finally here one sound off, and he couldn't have been 100 yards in the woods. We get set up, let out a few calls, and we hear more birds starting to talk around us. Finally one behind us won't stop, the closest one has shut up, so move in on the other one. After we get set up, this bird is getting closer, I just know it is going to happen. Well the bird gets in close enough for Rocky to see him, but he bears off the way we came. So we went that way.
We get back close to the field and hit the call again, and this turkey goes nuts. He is hot, and he wants this hen to come to him. He would not come out of the field in the woods, just tearing it up in the field. So we cut the distance again.
We set up in a small corner of the field and give out a call. Here he comes, I can see him, strutting all blowed up.
It is a jake! Normally I wouldn't shoot a jake, but we had worked so hard for him, I haven't got anything in NC yet, he putts like he is getting out of there, so I shoot. I must have pulled my head up or something, cause I gave him a load of pellets in the breast
, thats going to be fun to pick throughIt was a great hunt, the little guy acted like he owned that peice of land, and we had a great time. Now the pics
I was leaned up against the log in the back
He was standing just to the right of the tree
Hero shot
bhw
New member
Rock & Roll Gobbler
The second day of New York State’s 2009 turkey season had me driving one-and-a-half hours to my all time favorite location. The landowner granted me permission ten years ago and my fondest turkey hunting memories have occurred at this farm that nestles up to Lake Ontario. The hunt that occurred on Saturday May 2 just may have been the most memorable to date…
Due to the fact that I do not have exclusive permission on the tract, I arrived extra early at 4:30 AM. Unfortunately, one of the traditions of this area is to hear other hunters emitting owl hoots in the pre-dawn darkness. Today, however, no man-made owl hoots were heard. In fact, no gobbling from the roost was audible either. Perhaps the locals knew something I didn’t… perhaps the farm was devoid of birds this spring!
There I sat, reminiscing about hunts from past years, as the time slowly passed. “If I was back home, My birds would be gobbling right now” I thought to myself. Boredom set in quickly. I glanced at my watch and it was 6:00 AM. My father, in his 80’s, was going to arrive and hunt with me at 9:00 AM. Three more hours, without seeing or hearing a turkey, and then I hear Dad beep his horn – it’s our signal that he has arrived and will make a short walk to a set up location. It felt good to know Dad was there.
At 9:15 AM, I left loose with a loud series of yelps from my Two Timer Infinity Latex mouth call. To my astonishment, a hearty gobble immediately followed. I repeated the call and he answered again. Confidence ran high as my lone hen decoy was awaiting the arrival of a real turkey. Each time I called, the Tom would answer and he was getting closer with each thundering gobble.
There was one slight problem… the wind had picked up and my decoy was spinning around and around. Unnatural in appearance, but at least it would get the gobblers attention. By now, the gobbles were within 30 yards. The Tom was approaching through a thick and wide hedgerow between two fields. When I finally saw him, at 20 yards, he was in full strut. I wondered how he made it through the brush in that fashion. My 870 was raised and poised as the gobbler made his way into the field. Then the unimaginable happened… My cell phone rang. Hardly anyone, except for my wife, calls me, so I forgot to turn off the phone. It was my wife. You know how I knew? I have one of those personalized ring tones and her tone is “Every little thing she does is magic” by The Police. I lowered my left hand and frantically tried to squelch the sound – to no avail.
Now picture this… The phone is now acting as a PA system blaring The Police, the hen decoy is spinning as if to the music. What does the gobbler do? He starts to spin in full strut! I couldn’t believe my eyes. I took advantage of his maneuvering and took aim and dropped him on the spot. He turned out to be a frisky 2-year old bird with respectable stats: 18 lbs, 1” spurs, and a 9” beard.
It took me a few minutes to register all that had just happened. When it’s all said and done, I need to credit the untimely phone call and the dancing decoy for another terrific memory at my favorite turkey spot!
Bird # 2...
Friday, I was up at cottage in the same spot where I shot the bird on the second day.
This guy sounded off at 5:20 and was about 100 yds away. Every time I yelped with my mouth call, he would double and triple gobble, cutting me off each time. He was in no hurry to approach. I tracked his progress by the sound of his gobbles. At one point, he drifted away, so I pulled out my slate call and did some fighting purrs and that turned him back towards me. At 6:30, I finally saw him in the woods in full strut. He came in to 35 yds and I let him have it...
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o138/ange2515/09izzy2wall-1.jpg
The second day of New York State’s 2009 turkey season had me driving one-and-a-half hours to my all time favorite location. The landowner granted me permission ten years ago and my fondest turkey hunting memories have occurred at this farm that nestles up to Lake Ontario. The hunt that occurred on Saturday May 2 just may have been the most memorable to date…
Due to the fact that I do not have exclusive permission on the tract, I arrived extra early at 4:30 AM. Unfortunately, one of the traditions of this area is to hear other hunters emitting owl hoots in the pre-dawn darkness. Today, however, no man-made owl hoots were heard. In fact, no gobbling from the roost was audible either. Perhaps the locals knew something I didn’t… perhaps the farm was devoid of birds this spring!
There I sat, reminiscing about hunts from past years, as the time slowly passed. “If I was back home, My birds would be gobbling right now” I thought to myself. Boredom set in quickly. I glanced at my watch and it was 6:00 AM. My father, in his 80’s, was going to arrive and hunt with me at 9:00 AM. Three more hours, without seeing or hearing a turkey, and then I hear Dad beep his horn – it’s our signal that he has arrived and will make a short walk to a set up location. It felt good to know Dad was there.
At 9:15 AM, I left loose with a loud series of yelps from my Two Timer Infinity Latex mouth call. To my astonishment, a hearty gobble immediately followed. I repeated the call and he answered again. Confidence ran high as my lone hen decoy was awaiting the arrival of a real turkey. Each time I called, the Tom would answer and he was getting closer with each thundering gobble.
There was one slight problem… the wind had picked up and my decoy was spinning around and around. Unnatural in appearance, but at least it would get the gobblers attention. By now, the gobbles were within 30 yards. The Tom was approaching through a thick and wide hedgerow between two fields. When I finally saw him, at 20 yards, he was in full strut. I wondered how he made it through the brush in that fashion. My 870 was raised and poised as the gobbler made his way into the field. Then the unimaginable happened… My cell phone rang. Hardly anyone, except for my wife, calls me, so I forgot to turn off the phone. It was my wife. You know how I knew? I have one of those personalized ring tones and her tone is “Every little thing she does is magic” by The Police. I lowered my left hand and frantically tried to squelch the sound – to no avail.
Now picture this… The phone is now acting as a PA system blaring The Police, the hen decoy is spinning as if to the music. What does the gobbler do? He starts to spin in full strut! I couldn’t believe my eyes. I took advantage of his maneuvering and took aim and dropped him on the spot. He turned out to be a frisky 2-year old bird with respectable stats: 18 lbs, 1” spurs, and a 9” beard.
It took me a few minutes to register all that had just happened. When it’s all said and done, I need to credit the untimely phone call and the dancing decoy for another terrific memory at my favorite turkey spot!
Bird # 2...
Friday, I was up at cottage in the same spot where I shot the bird on the second day.
This guy sounded off at 5:20 and was about 100 yds away. Every time I yelped with my mouth call, he would double and triple gobble, cutting me off each time. He was in no hurry to approach. I tracked his progress by the sound of his gobbles. At one point, he drifted away, so I pulled out my slate call and did some fighting purrs and that turned him back towards me. At 6:30, I finally saw him in the woods in full strut. He came in to 35 yds and I let him have it...
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o138/ange2515/09izzy2wall-1.jpg
kymailman98
New member
Can someone explain to me, in a way that an old man can understand, how to post a pic on here. I save my pics to my computer, but can't get them to post on here.
Eat_the_rich
New member
I hunted every day of opening week and only heard a few gobbles, but never saw a gobbler. Had at least 3 hens come to my calls, but no longbeards. These birds around the house are way over pressured.
Made a change in scenery and made it to my deer stompin' grounds up north Missouri on Friday 24th, up early on Sat. and heard 3 gobblers. No luck, they went south to the neighbor's property, but the day wasn't a complete bust. I heard them circle back around the the far corner of my place at around 8:30am and it was too late to do anything about it today, they were moving way too fast for me to catch up and would be on my other neighboor before I could get there. I could only listen and learn and scheme a better plan for tomorrow.
Sunday morning bright and early I moved to the location I heard them the previous morning and set up on a long hay field with woods on both sides. 3 hen decoys and me all snuggled in against a big black burr oak, waiting for the boys to show.
About 7:30am 3 hens showed up in the end of the field just feeding about 250yrds, with the wind blowing in 25-35mph gusts, I didn't know if they would be able to hear me? I called as loud as I could and they finally saw my spread and headed my way. Picking their way along slowly but surely they cut the distance in half when one of the previous days gobblers announced his approval and headed out of the woods to my right.
He met the hens at mid field and strutted right in behind them. This is perfect! I thought, if those hens don't spook, they are going to lead this big boy right to my spread! Sure enough, the hens kept coming, circled my decoys and the boss hen jabbered up a storm at my hen decoy, while the gobbler cut her off double gobbling. As the hens moved off to the right, the big tom came in sideways to my jake decoy with his head canted toward the jake and just about to thump him when I dropped the hammer, POW!
He weighed in at 24lbs. 11oz, 11" beard, 1 1/2" spurs, one of my biggest birds to date.
Great morning, exciting hunt! Thank you Lord! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif
I'm not as good lookin' as these 2 fellas, that's why I wanted to include them in the photo. They are my future of hunting buddies, Garrett 4 and Tucker 7, my nephews. It won't be long guys and Uncle Chris is gonna teach you every trick he knows!
Winchester 12ga.model 1300, Truglo gobbler stopper choke and fiber optic sights, 3" winchester supremes #5's
Made a change in scenery and made it to my deer stompin' grounds up north Missouri on Friday 24th, up early on Sat. and heard 3 gobblers. No luck, they went south to the neighbor's property, but the day wasn't a complete bust. I heard them circle back around the the far corner of my place at around 8:30am and it was too late to do anything about it today, they were moving way too fast for me to catch up and would be on my other neighboor before I could get there. I could only listen and learn and scheme a better plan for tomorrow.
Sunday morning bright and early I moved to the location I heard them the previous morning and set up on a long hay field with woods on both sides. 3 hen decoys and me all snuggled in against a big black burr oak, waiting for the boys to show.
About 7:30am 3 hens showed up in the end of the field just feeding about 250yrds, with the wind blowing in 25-35mph gusts, I didn't know if they would be able to hear me? I called as loud as I could and they finally saw my spread and headed my way. Picking their way along slowly but surely they cut the distance in half when one of the previous days gobblers announced his approval and headed out of the woods to my right.
He met the hens at mid field and strutted right in behind them. This is perfect! I thought, if those hens don't spook, they are going to lead this big boy right to my spread! Sure enough, the hens kept coming, circled my decoys and the boss hen jabbered up a storm at my hen decoy, while the gobbler cut her off double gobbling. As the hens moved off to the right, the big tom came in sideways to my jake decoy with his head canted toward the jake and just about to thump him when I dropped the hammer, POW!
He weighed in at 24lbs. 11oz, 11" beard, 1 1/2" spurs, one of my biggest birds to date.
Great morning, exciting hunt! Thank you Lord! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif
I'm not as good lookin' as these 2 fellas, that's why I wanted to include them in the photo. They are my future of hunting buddies, Garrett 4 and Tucker 7, my nephews. It won't be long guys and Uncle Chris is gonna teach you every trick he knows!
Winchester 12ga.model 1300, Truglo gobbler stopper choke and fiber optic sights, 3" winchester supremes #5's
Well this is the second bird I harvested this season. Season started Friday May 1st in Vermont. I took a nice 17.5 pound bird on the first day. On Monday, May 4th, i took this one.
Here's the situation. Decided to head back to the place where I took my first one on Friday. Got their about an half hour before daylight. Set up my 3 decoys, 2 hens and a jake about 15 yards to the front of where I was sitting. I started calling at about first light (5:30). Heard no gobbling. About 6:30 I heard a couple birds gobbling, one below me and one off to my left. Continued calling for about an hour off and on, but couldn't get either bird to commit. Packed up my gear and headed to a different location about a mile down this dirt road. Being that it was a weekday, there weren't many hunters out. Second spot didn't look too promising except for a bunch of moose sign! Headed to my favorite spot for my 3rd stand of the day. Getting out of the truck, i immediately heard gobbling just inside the woodline. I snuck down into the woods, just off the road and started calling. The bird sounded like he was moving further away. I went back to the truck and got my vest and decoys and planned on getting ahead of this bird and setting up in a field at the end of this woodlot. There is a nice logging road down this woodlot, so i could make good time and be pretty quite about it. However, i could not get ahead of this bird without making noise. I got about 400 yards into the woodlot where there is a nice clearing and sat down. I kept hearing this gobbler ahead of me the whole time. I figured he was above me, maybe 75 yards or so. I sat down and hit my glass call, and he answered!! I was getting very excited to think this bird may come down the hill. I called again and heard another bird gobble below me! Now I had 2 birds gobbling at my every call. I put in a diaphragm call, just in case one of them got into sight. I did not have the time to set up my dekes. I was on my own. The bird above started sounded closer. I estimated him to be about 65 -70 yards above me at this point and getting closer. I put away the glass call and gave him a few yelps with the diaphragm. He was very interested. I kept thinking, "okay, where is this bird"? He's got to be almost in sight. Finally I caught sight of him, fully fanned out and gobbling about 45 yards in front of me. He kept getting closer with every one of my calls. He just passed a tree about 30 yards away and stuck his neck out. This was the chance I was waiting for. I let the 3" federal fly out of my Mossberg, and the bird landed in a heap of feathers. Very clean kill, no suffering which is the way i like it. The bird ended up being 18.5 pounds with and 8 1/2 inch beard, and 5/8" spurs, my biggest bird to date. Sorry for no "in the woods pictures" but I was by myself and didn't have a camera. This is the first year i have ever tagged out in the first 4 days. I am now going to dedicated 100% of my time to getting my 11 year old his first long beard. Hopefully by this weekend, he'll be posting his own bird and story on this thread. He love to read predatormasters.
Thanks for reading
BOstreet
New member
Mother's Day 2009 25lbs, 10.5 in beard, 1.25 in spurs
My second bird took me the full length of the 2009 Missouri Spring Turkey Season. I am exhausted, having so much fun has never been such hard work. I have one story posted so I'll try a shorter version of this one.
I got home Sat night around 10pm from a long day at the St Louis Zoo with the wife and granddaughter when I realized I had left my truck with all my gear and shotgun sitting in the parking lot at work 25 miles away. So instead of taking an hour to go get it I called a hunting buddy 5minutes away and ask to use his shotgun.(Good Buddy) The next morning I head out with a borrowed shotgun steel shot and no calls except my voice. So far not sounding like I as was going to close out my season with a bang. I set up in a wooded drainage on a corner of a field next to the gobblers favorite roosting spot. Day break brings a surprising silent response, one gobble way off to the left sends me packing. Naturally, I get hundred yards away and a bird starts gobbling near my first set up. I ease back into my original spot and let out a feeble tree yelp with the old vocal chords, the response was what I'll say was a thunderous response(most likely just gobbled on his own). I sit silently, I spotted what looks like two jakes on a branch about 70yds away. I don't know how they materialize the way they do, I had studied that same branch several times earlier. They are silent, while a gobbler spends the next hour gobbling every 5 minutes about 150yds out of sight of me and those birds. I don't see him fly down but I can tell he is now on the ground and working towards my field. Now he is in the field and from my vantage in the drainage I can't see him but he is closer. I know I need to get him close with the borrowed gun and only steel shot so again I attempt a solf lipped yelp. His heads pops up in front of me, he stuts and keeps looking my way. One of the birds roosted next to me flys down, its a hen with what looks like a 3in beard, the next one follows flying down to my right between me and the gobbler. I make my move raise the barrel and bang flop. Thank you Lord for another great season,for the time spent in your beautiful woods, for friends and hunting buddies, and providing meat for the table. Amen
plumbob
New member
Now you have to get the feel for this one.
It is May 6th 2009. In the mountains of WV, it has been raining for what seems like weeks. I am down here in NC, getting ready to head home for a few days for some turkey hunting. From every report that I get, the season is bad, birds are shut up, nothing is happening. So what do I do? I make the 5 hour trip to WV.
Waking up on the 7th at 4 am, I am greeted with thunderstorms and rain, I get ready and head on out. During the 30 minute drive to the 25 acres we own, I am wondering what I am doing, it is raining hard, storming, but I keep on going. I get to the spot, I forgot my flashlight /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif Well its 300 miles away, so I am sure I know my way around. I can hear the creek roaring, so I have to go the long way around.
I skip hunting on our steep 25 acres, there is nothing on it anyway /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif and go onto another farm. I am hunting this blind, no scouting, last time I saw turkeys here was about 13 yrs ago. I am just listening for gobbling or anything.
I keep moving around, trying to get a bird to sound off, when about 0630, the bottom drops out! The rain is coming down, thundering and lighting, only thing I can do is get under a tree and wait it out. After being soaked to the bone, I move back toward the vehicle.
I am jsut topping the last hill before it drops off into our 25 acre property. All of a sudden, I hear something, is that a gobbler? Yep it sure is. In our 25 acres that doesn't hold any game /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif So I move on down to a old grade, and see if he will talk to me. I yelp a few times, nothing, then I give him some excited cutts, and he lets loose. I know he is not going to come up this steep hill, so I move down to a 4 wheeler path, that cuts down into the holler.
Getting to the path, I set up and yelp a little. He gobbles, back where I just was at! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif I scoot across the ridge about 30 yards, moving toward him. He gobbles again, he is coming! I just sit down, he is just thundering coming my way. I give him a few purrs on the slate, and here he comes. At about 25 yards, he raises up, looking at that blob, wondering what it is, and that blob puts a good shot on him.
He ends up being a double bearded beard, around 3/4" spurs, don't know how much he weighed. I was always told if I could find a bird by himself, gobbling, it would be easy. I wouldn't say it was easy, but it was the fastest I have every got one in. He was the first WV bird I had every killed. I got into turkey hunting while stationed in MO, I had just got a jake the week before in NC.
I hunted the next two days, never heard or saw another one. The only bird I heard, was the only one I killed.
It is May 6th 2009. In the mountains of WV, it has been raining for what seems like weeks. I am down here in NC, getting ready to head home for a few days for some turkey hunting. From every report that I get, the season is bad, birds are shut up, nothing is happening. So what do I do? I make the 5 hour trip to WV.
Waking up on the 7th at 4 am, I am greeted with thunderstorms and rain, I get ready and head on out. During the 30 minute drive to the 25 acres we own, I am wondering what I am doing, it is raining hard, storming, but I keep on going. I get to the spot, I forgot my flashlight /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif Well its 300 miles away, so I am sure I know my way around. I can hear the creek roaring, so I have to go the long way around.
I skip hunting on our steep 25 acres, there is nothing on it anyway /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif and go onto another farm. I am hunting this blind, no scouting, last time I saw turkeys here was about 13 yrs ago. I am just listening for gobbling or anything.
I keep moving around, trying to get a bird to sound off, when about 0630, the bottom drops out! The rain is coming down, thundering and lighting, only thing I can do is get under a tree and wait it out. After being soaked to the bone, I move back toward the vehicle.
I am jsut topping the last hill before it drops off into our 25 acre property. All of a sudden, I hear something, is that a gobbler? Yep it sure is. In our 25 acres that doesn't hold any game /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif So I move on down to a old grade, and see if he will talk to me. I yelp a few times, nothing, then I give him some excited cutts, and he lets loose. I know he is not going to come up this steep hill, so I move down to a 4 wheeler path, that cuts down into the holler.
Getting to the path, I set up and yelp a little. He gobbles, back where I just was at! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif I scoot across the ridge about 30 yards, moving toward him. He gobbles again, he is coming! I just sit down, he is just thundering coming my way. I give him a few purrs on the slate, and here he comes. At about 25 yards, he raises up, looking at that blob, wondering what it is, and that blob puts a good shot on him.
He ends up being a double bearded beard, around 3/4" spurs, don't know how much he weighed. I was always told if I could find a bird by himself, gobbling, it would be easy. I wouldn't say it was easy, but it was the fastest I have every got one in. He was the first WV bird I had every killed. I got into turkey hunting while stationed in MO, I had just got a jake the week before in NC.
I hunted the next two days, never heard or saw another one. The only bird I heard, was the only one I killed.
knockemdown
New member
OK guys & gals...
GC and myself are going to try to get a VOTE thread going for everyone to decide the 2009 contest winners. There are some SUPER prizes donated for this year!
We are going to shorten the deadline for entries from the slated June 30th time until the end of this week, June 20th at midnight in order to expedite the voting and get prizes shipped in a timely fashion...
SO, if you've got pictures & a story yet to post up, NOW IS THE TIME!
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gifTHANK YOU for your entries so far and GOOD LUCK /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
GC and myself are going to try to get a VOTE thread going for everyone to decide the 2009 contest winners. There are some SUPER prizes donated for this year!
We are going to shorten the deadline for entries from the slated June 30th time until the end of this week, June 20th at midnight in order to expedite the voting and get prizes shipped in a timely fashion...
SO, if you've got pictures & a story yet to post up, NOW IS THE TIME!
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gifTHANK YOU for your entries so far and GOOD LUCK /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif