Matthew 24:13 But he that shall endure unto the end, . . . . . . . . .
I had just stepped into a field that just looks like it was made for killing turkeys, but so had every place I have been the last 3 days. Even though its 10:00 I have very high hopes for this set because I have actually physically seen more turkeys between 10:30 and noon than I have at any other time of day.
It has been a rough three mornings. I thought hunting was supposed to be relaxing ,but the only word that sums up this years turkey season so far would be frustrating. Youth season was a bust even though we hunted hard from daylight till quitting time we had nothing but memories to show for our efforts.
April 9 th ,the first day of season started out with high hopes. First off there was no one else in the parking lot but me when I arrived so that almost gave me free range of this area. Second the forecast was for cooler temperatures than we have had the last few weeks.
In the darkness I made my way to my favorite place to start off the turkey season. I set out my Hunter’s Specialties hen and jake decoys and tucked myself back into the woods and waited for daylight. I absolutely love sitting in the woods and watching a new day come alive. The sights, and sounds of the woods waking up is something that will never get old to me.
A turkey gobble across the field from me brought me back to what I came here to do , fill a long beard with # 5’s. I started talking back to him on my Knight and Hale Glass Hammer ,but with no response. I tried soft calling, loud calling ,and medium calling but could hear him going the opposite direction than I wanted him to go so I broke out the big gun. I hit him with a VERY raspy split “V” diaphragm call, and he cut me off. A little more on the pot call and I hit him again with the mouth call, he cut me off again.
Now he is heading my way ,fast . Every time I hit the mouth call he cuts me off, and now there is another bird gobbling ,on my side of the field, and closer than the other bird. Now my heart rate increases and I start to anticipate the shot ,or which shot I’m gonna take.
The one across the field from me is sounding like he is going to be the first one to the party because he is closing the distance fast . He lets out a thundering gobble and I shift my attention to him ,but he never stepped out where I could see him. The foliage is much thicker than it should be at this time of year ,but I can hear him drumming so he is VERY close. Then silence. I hit the mouth call again and he is walking the opposite side of the field away from me. It sounds like the other gobbler is heading that way as well. Then all was quiet.
Several more sets throughout the morning results in nothing. The plan is to head back to where I started the day. Around 11:00 a hen with a long beard in tow came into the field 60 or so yards away ,but neither one had any interest or intention of coming any closer to me. I watched them for 20 minutes or so and they left the field.
The next morning I’m back in the same area ,but with a different game plan. Today I’m gonna get aggressive. Instead of sitting and trying to call the birds to me I’m going to be aggressive and go after them run and gun so to speak.
The first bird of the day heads away fast and though he is gobbling his head off , I can’t get in front of him. I chased him as far as I felt I could and gave up when I heard another bird gobble. I got as close to him as I dared and set out my hen decoy. Once again he got close enough for me to smell him, but never showed himself. These thick woods are killing me.
The next day as I ’m driving to my hunting area I decide to stay at the truck until daybreak and start hunting from there instead of going to the back side and hunting to the front.
To my surprise there is another truck in the parking lot when I pulled up. Two older guys were getting ready as I got out of the truck. They told me where they were planning in going and it worked out great because it was the exact opposite way that I was heading. I wouldn’t have to change my plans.
I head out across the field wondering why I have been passing up this great looking place for the last two days. I plan to listen for a gobble and then head out after him. I round the corner to find the two guys I spoke to earlier VERY far away from where they told me they were going to be . I chalk it up to them not knowing the area, so I back off.
I hear one bird gobble on the adjoining property and as soon as he flies down the woods go quiet. I sat for about an hour not really expecting to see or hear a turkey ,but more trying to come up with a plan ,and I think I have one. It may not be a good one ,but it’s a plan none the less.
I’m going to head back to the house, have some coffee , and get into the woods around 9:30. For one , turkeys that fly down and find a hen are usually looking for a new one by then and two I have been seeing them at this time of day.
I’m at a farm that I have kinda sorta scouted this year. Read that I walked across one field and saw a few tracks and that’s about it.
The farther back onto the property the better it is looking. This area is made up of winter wheat and CRP fields on the ridge tops sloping of to steep ,deep, hollers , and a few stands of pine. The fields are anywhere from 50 to 80 yards wide and 100 to 300 yards long. I had been trying to get one to gobble without any luck at all
When I stepped into this field I just knew this was the place. I quickly deploy my decoys and look for a place to disappear for the next few hours. I tucked back into the brush and started calling softly on my Knight and Hale Lonesome Hen push pull call.
I had been there calling less that 5 minutes and I heard something behind me , then I heard it again. I SLOWLY turn my head and see a red head and a fan 10 feet behind me heading to my right ,out to the edge of the field.
He went behind a honey suckle bush so I turn , and point my gun where I expect him to come out. The next thing I know he is right THERE ! Several thoughts are going thru my head. I need to make a decision and fast. I cant decide whether to shoot , club him with my gun barrel , or just grab him !
I aim my 870 Super Mag(in Big Muddy Buckbrush camo) right at his head and then aim up just a little bit. At this range with my HS Undertaker choke and 3 ½” shell if I aim right at him Ill blow a giant hole in him. When I pull the trigger he goes out of sight. I was not sure if I blew him to smithereens or missed completely .
I jumped up and ran the whole 8 feet to were I saw him last and there he was dead. I roll him over and am VERY disappointed when I see that I just shot a jake ! I had been so frustrated , and this all happened so fast I never really sized him up ,but it’s a little to late now.
I take a few pics , send a few texts and off to the truck I head. I’m really bummed out that it was a Jake but as a friend of mine pointed out , it’s a turkey ,it’s dead , and I killed it so it’s all good.
April 11, 2012 Jackson county
4” beard
½ “ spurs
16 pounds
I had just stepped into a field that just looks like it was made for killing turkeys, but so had every place I have been the last 3 days. Even though its 10:00 I have very high hopes for this set because I have actually physically seen more turkeys between 10:30 and noon than I have at any other time of day.
It has been a rough three mornings. I thought hunting was supposed to be relaxing ,but the only word that sums up this years turkey season so far would be frustrating. Youth season was a bust even though we hunted hard from daylight till quitting time we had nothing but memories to show for our efforts.
April 9 th ,the first day of season started out with high hopes. First off there was no one else in the parking lot but me when I arrived so that almost gave me free range of this area. Second the forecast was for cooler temperatures than we have had the last few weeks.
In the darkness I made my way to my favorite place to start off the turkey season. I set out my Hunter’s Specialties hen and jake decoys and tucked myself back into the woods and waited for daylight. I absolutely love sitting in the woods and watching a new day come alive. The sights, and sounds of the woods waking up is something that will never get old to me.
A turkey gobble across the field from me brought me back to what I came here to do , fill a long beard with # 5’s. I started talking back to him on my Knight and Hale Glass Hammer ,but with no response. I tried soft calling, loud calling ,and medium calling but could hear him going the opposite direction than I wanted him to go so I broke out the big gun. I hit him with a VERY raspy split “V” diaphragm call, and he cut me off. A little more on the pot call and I hit him again with the mouth call, he cut me off again.
Now he is heading my way ,fast . Every time I hit the mouth call he cuts me off, and now there is another bird gobbling ,on my side of the field, and closer than the other bird. Now my heart rate increases and I start to anticipate the shot ,or which shot I’m gonna take.
The one across the field from me is sounding like he is going to be the first one to the party because he is closing the distance fast . He lets out a thundering gobble and I shift my attention to him ,but he never stepped out where I could see him. The foliage is much thicker than it should be at this time of year ,but I can hear him drumming so he is VERY close. Then silence. I hit the mouth call again and he is walking the opposite side of the field away from me. It sounds like the other gobbler is heading that way as well. Then all was quiet.
Several more sets throughout the morning results in nothing. The plan is to head back to where I started the day. Around 11:00 a hen with a long beard in tow came into the field 60 or so yards away ,but neither one had any interest or intention of coming any closer to me. I watched them for 20 minutes or so and they left the field.
The next morning I’m back in the same area ,but with a different game plan. Today I’m gonna get aggressive. Instead of sitting and trying to call the birds to me I’m going to be aggressive and go after them run and gun so to speak.
The first bird of the day heads away fast and though he is gobbling his head off , I can’t get in front of him. I chased him as far as I felt I could and gave up when I heard another bird gobble. I got as close to him as I dared and set out my hen decoy. Once again he got close enough for me to smell him, but never showed himself. These thick woods are killing me.
The next day as I ’m driving to my hunting area I decide to stay at the truck until daybreak and start hunting from there instead of going to the back side and hunting to the front.
To my surprise there is another truck in the parking lot when I pulled up. Two older guys were getting ready as I got out of the truck. They told me where they were planning in going and it worked out great because it was the exact opposite way that I was heading. I wouldn’t have to change my plans.
I head out across the field wondering why I have been passing up this great looking place for the last two days. I plan to listen for a gobble and then head out after him. I round the corner to find the two guys I spoke to earlier VERY far away from where they told me they were going to be . I chalk it up to them not knowing the area, so I back off.
I hear one bird gobble on the adjoining property and as soon as he flies down the woods go quiet. I sat for about an hour not really expecting to see or hear a turkey ,but more trying to come up with a plan ,and I think I have one. It may not be a good one ,but it’s a plan none the less.
I’m going to head back to the house, have some coffee , and get into the woods around 9:30. For one , turkeys that fly down and find a hen are usually looking for a new one by then and two I have been seeing them at this time of day.
I’m at a farm that I have kinda sorta scouted this year. Read that I walked across one field and saw a few tracks and that’s about it.
The farther back onto the property the better it is looking. This area is made up of winter wheat and CRP fields on the ridge tops sloping of to steep ,deep, hollers , and a few stands of pine. The fields are anywhere from 50 to 80 yards wide and 100 to 300 yards long. I had been trying to get one to gobble without any luck at all
When I stepped into this field I just knew this was the place. I quickly deploy my decoys and look for a place to disappear for the next few hours. I tucked back into the brush and started calling softly on my Knight and Hale Lonesome Hen push pull call.
I had been there calling less that 5 minutes and I heard something behind me , then I heard it again. I SLOWLY turn my head and see a red head and a fan 10 feet behind me heading to my right ,out to the edge of the field.
He went behind a honey suckle bush so I turn , and point my gun where I expect him to come out. The next thing I know he is right THERE ! Several thoughts are going thru my head. I need to make a decision and fast. I cant decide whether to shoot , club him with my gun barrel , or just grab him !
I aim my 870 Super Mag(in Big Muddy Buckbrush camo) right at his head and then aim up just a little bit. At this range with my HS Undertaker choke and 3 ½” shell if I aim right at him Ill blow a giant hole in him. When I pull the trigger he goes out of sight. I was not sure if I blew him to smithereens or missed completely .
I jumped up and ran the whole 8 feet to were I saw him last and there he was dead. I roll him over and am VERY disappointed when I see that I just shot a jake ! I had been so frustrated , and this all happened so fast I never really sized him up ,but it’s a little to late now.
I take a few pics , send a few texts and off to the truck I head. I’m really bummed out that it was a Jake but as a friend of mine pointed out , it’s a turkey ,it’s dead , and I killed it so it’s all good.
April 11, 2012 Jackson county
4” beard
½ “ spurs
16 pounds
