I know this a bowhunting forum, but I thought I would share this since, well, it's an odd series of events Of course things can't just be simple for me PA's fall turkey season opened today, and I decided I would go out and do a little doe and turkey hunting in the morning. I pretty much have a flock nailed down, and it just so happens it's near where I have a decent doe watch, so I decided I would head to that stand, and if the mood struck me, I would hit the ground. The weather was warm, breezy, and very unlike our typical October/November transition weather, but hey, I'm not complaining (I'm a cold wuss). No deer were sighted, but I did hear the group of turkeys fly down around 7:30. Shortly after, I look to my left, and I see another hunter walking aimlessly through the woods, making a few yelps and looking in the trees (while wearing blue jeans and a carhart jacket). He wasn't trespassing on us, but he was on the neighbors, but I left it at that with intentions to contact our neighbors. Around 8:30, I decide to go closer to where I heard the flock fly out of roost. I thought I might be able to get in closer, and get a better position on a nice bench at the top of the ridge. I had nice fanny-style pack with me, but I didn't want to lug it through the thick stuff, so I took what I needed and set the pack down with intentions to return and get it. Well, I made it down a ways, and sure enough I busted the flock I figured I would sit it out a ways, and use this to my advantage as they regrouped. Sure enough, they began to regroup, and I had a few about 40yds from me but in too thick of cover. They were yelping with some serious intensity as they attempted to bring everyone back (mind you, I have NO blind). Finally, one breaks lose, and works her way up the hill parallel with my. I'm basically crouching in the woods now, and as she went behind a tree at 17yds, I drew back, but she must of not been all behind the tree, because she caught me (hunting these birds on the ground with no blind is FRUSTRATING), and bolted the rest of the way up the hill. Anyways, the rest of the flock made there way down the other side of the ridge so I decided to go back and try to head them off, but I wanted to take the gun this time. On my way back out, I'm looking for my pack, and well, it's gone. I'm thinking to myself "there's no way I misplaced this in a FIELD." Sure enough, it was gone. Only thing I can think of is the guy I saw earlier stole it. Now I'm furious Luckily I had most of the contents with me, but he made away with a decoy, and one of my slates, as well as 3 Nitro shells. So at this point, I'm steaming. I go back to the house, drop the bow off, and get the gun. I decide that the only way to make this day a little better is to try and get a bird down. So I'm walking up to the food plot, and I get there, and crap! The flock has already made it back up to the top, and they're moving not more than 50 yds from me, and SOMEHOW, they didn't bust me (wearing fluorescent orange). So, I have an idea of where they're heading, and so I loop around, get in front of them, and wait. After a while, there's still no sign of them coming, so I decided to get a little more aggressive. I start walking toward where I last saw them very slowly. As I near the top of the plot, I can hear them purring, and scratching. Right as I go to squat down, and position myself, one of the hens spots me doing so. She gets nervous, I kept a low profile, and she miracuously returned to feeding. So at this point I'm stuck AGAIN. In the middle of a logging road litteraly sitting there. Two jakes were in the group, and they broke off from the main flock and passed me on the right about 30yds in, but it was too thick to get a shot, and frankly, I was too worried to try and move. So, after a while, I'm thinking it MIGHT be safe to stand up and get an idea of where the flock is now. As I do, I get to see them now moving BACK the way I came, but on the other side of the thick strip of timber and into a pasture. So, I immediately walk parallel with them, and using the strip of woods as cover. I get around to the other end of the pasture, and begin sneaking in through the end of the strip (mind you this is also the end where my truck is parked). As I get right to the edge of the pasture, they're literally 40yds and closing (how they didn't see me again is beyond me). So I quickly squat down (thankfully our hayride wagon was conveniently there to serve as my blind). I got the gun into position, once the lead bird stepped into the opening at 15yds, I let her have it. She dropped not 10 yds from my truck. Definitely not my biggest, but she will eat VERY well, and I LOVE run and gun hunting turkeys. Plus for once, I was able to win a cat and mouse game with a turkey. It was a lot of fun. She weighed ~10.5lbs (I know, tiny).
Congrats Matt.... I can't wait for Monday to set-up in a new area on my honey hole property.... I think I finally figured out where the bucks are and there has been a group of gobblers with 1 stud tom in the area!
Thanks, guys. Story actually gets better (sort of). Turns out it was my uncle who took the pack, and he called asking if I was the one who misplaced it. So good news is I'm getting that back, bad news is I'm THINKING it was my uncle who was trespassing, and that's a shame.
Congrats on the bird! I used to be obsessed with turkey hunting. I too loved the running and gunning technique. Now, I just stick to deer from Oct thru Jan. I might have to put the bow down one day and go chase some turkeys. It certainly can be adventurous.
I don't usually hunt them in the fall, but since I taggedd my buck already I decided to give it a shot (no pun intended).
Congrats on the bird & getting your pack back. I too love fall turkey, but rarely get in more than a day's hunt cause I'm bowhunting.
Yeah same here. Bowhunting takes priority, and really, I've only been turkey hunting for 2.5yrs now. This was my first fall hunt going specifically for birds. Now maybe do a little late fall fishing
