Hang in, did your best ,continue on... We had a freeze last night 28 degrees now and the suns been up.
I walked for hrs today. Eliminated the place due to lack of sign. I did however see a turkey and found eggs, walked up on two giant snapping turtles, and saw two bald eagles.
I give up on turkeys. Finally got one in range at about 25 yards on a side hill. Put the front bead on him and fired. Clean miss high. I didn't even get angry about it at this point. Wounded one with my bow, missed one with bow and missed with the 870. Gonna lick my wounds and probably go get a beer and lunch. Maybe do some fishing and dream of deer season.
Been 2 yrs? since I killed a turkey (joined a contest on another form, yes OND the contest curse is real!) season started last Monday, been out 3 times all public, lot of birds most on private. yesterday sat near a roost, most gobbling I've heard in a long time. 4 times I had deer blow at me and give turkeys plenty of warning I was there. Sat closer today, way more people around, turkeys flew over my head and headed too private. Have 7 tags, ate tag 1 when Friday closed. Ive had 2 great, 10yds and 8yds, encounters with jakes. 1 monster black snake. Learning more every trip, the roost Tom has a routine, yesterday I found him again after 10am, 1/2mile from roost, 1 of his bodyguard Jakes spotted me moving, gave him time, moved closer, hes coming to calling, I reach in pocket to check time on phone, 12 cut off, cant find phone, tired go into panic. Had to get up and go back to truck....phone was in vest. Found him again today after 9, was coming to call, locals on dirt bikes riding blacktop, put him into silent mode. Love hunting Toms, very frustrating, but when it all comes together, nothing better!
A great synapse of what my first weeks looked like the past 3 years...lol Can't beat the experienses on a great spring morning though, good luck!
Friends are priceless! Buddy called last night and asked if I had been out Turkey hunting. Told him I had set a blind up on my farm yesterday, but hadn't been out yet. Asked if I wanted to go to one of his spots. I said heck yes.. 7:15 this morning Turkey season ended.
My opening morning ended early. A wet beautiful morning. One lone tom gobble way down the hill. I had watched 2 vehicals pull into hunt camp on next road over. Thier back line borders our lower section. I called hoping to get him over on to us. He returned gobbled once and 20mins later BANG! 15 mins after that a doe and 3 yearling bolted out of the gully on their place and ran across the farmers field infront of me. 10 mins after that both trucks left. Oh well, I left not long after due to underestimating just how cold it was. I was WAY under dressed. A Fun short morning . Oh was snorted at just as I reached the blind.
Back at it at coop blind .All quiet but just had a single deer walk trail behind blind and straight to the one the fisher destroyed. 9:14 am ,note he was walking at a good clip. Barely got his mid section snapped I'd seen a single hen in field above me a couple of days ago. Hope a toms in the area. Though the woods floor isn't as tore up as normal this time of year.
Called in a hen and I'm having a wonderful conversation with her 36 mins and counting. Trying to get her to bring in a Tom. She's been vocal enought and I've mimicked her well .Throats soar though..lol She's bugging around the blind. 4 ft away. Walking talking decoy
She just finally left, a hen up in sanctuary called her and there was no getting her to stop. 30 mins of hunting left . I learned a few new vocals and she approved . Don't need to bag one to have fun and less work! BTW. I'm back at morning blind.
Literally surrounded by distant,not too distant, gobbles. Thought I had at least 2 coming my way until, hawk sqeeching overhead. Yah, a huge Goshawk circling the woodlot just calling and calling. Everything disappeared. It is the biggest one I've ever seen. They nest here yearly. For size, crazy swift hunters in the woods and FAST! Another fine morning. Successful in hearing more Toms and seeing areas they are roosting. Surprised at how many different roosts , so Toms are locked down on specific hens. Big groups seen late wibter have broken up. Actually earl for here, as with manythongs like the green upand brush/ tree flowering. Will be back outin a bit.
Hhmmm.just watched 8 jake walk across tbe middle of a, 1/4 mile, plowed field then hay then plowed. They didn't even flinch at calls. Where did they go without stopping once? Right to the ground blind on land where the tom was shot yesterday. They stopped there and seem to be " milling around". Note to self ,check crop if I bag one. Mob of jakes theater big I feel bad foray the mature toms inthe area. I've seen some nasty attacks over the years from just a few. Movements are about to change. All corn fields are getting drenched in liquid gold..I pray the winds remain N/W .
