Worked my tail off tonight and roosted birds at three different properties. Hopefully I can connect before 1:30 tomorrow afternoon.
Season ends here tomorrow. Was planning on going out this afternoon and tomorrow, but unfortunately my wife's uncle passed last night, so will be busy with family stuff....was not a good turkey season, weather was crappy, work was crazy busy, just didn't get the time to hunt like I wanted at all....but that is life I guess.....
called in 4 jakes to about 30 yards but they were too much in love with one another to get a clean shot. was going to be too risky. I have one week left.
I crawled out of the back of my pickup at 5 am Saturday morning. Shooting time was about 5.40 as I made my quarter mile walk to where I chose to set up - near where I roosted birds the night before. Light came quickly as I sat at the base of a large maple tree with my team 10 yards to my left. Gobbles sounded off in numerous directions. Soon a hen quietly worked her way behind the tiny pond and island of trees I sat in. Another hen worked over the hill from my left in the direction of my decoys. She was very vocal. A tom followed her. She aggressively approached Lil' Hussy. She puffed up and even strutted some as she purred and pecked on Lil' Hussy. But Lil' Hussy kept turning with her and that aggravated her all the more. She stuck around for a half hour, cutting, clucking, and yelping - all the while attracting more gobblers. The tom behind her seemed to take pause at the jake among my decoys. He held out 80 yards away, soon to be joined by another tom. The two white headed boys beat the crap out each other for 5 minutes as I watched with wide and hopeful eyes. Hollywood stood his ground as I watched the toms cautiously work in front of me and towards the vocal hen. I thought for sure they would go right to her and offer me a shot, but the closest one got was 55 yards. A bush diminished my thoughts of taking a shot at one. I was mindful of the gobbles approaching from my right. Two red heads popped out of the 2 foot high winter wheat and a chase quickly ensued. The toms didn't let those jakes even get close! All four red heads made their way over the crest of the hill away from me and to my left - where the toms had come from. As soon as they went over the hill I carefully took down Hollywood and put up Ms. Bobblehead. I heard the toms and/or jakes gobble as the ran off into the woods. I was hoping the toms would circle back around and come to the new all-girl-group. Sitting only minutes, gobbles became louder behind me and to my left. As a red head came over the hill, less than 100 yards away, I searched desperately for a beard...and there was a beard, and then another, and then another! Three new toms showed no hesitation as they sought the friendship of my new team. With the sun rising from my right, there blood red heads glowed. I hoped they would strut and give me a chance to draw...but they never did. While among my decoys 10 yards away, I slowly drew my Mathews bow. My draw was met with putting as the toms alertly, albeit not to quickly, walked away. As one slowed and turned to his left I pulled the trigger and released my arrow. The arrow wasn't met with any fluttering or flopping. It had hit the backbone and dropped the tom immediately! A LONG season with many days in the field ended perfectly - or so I thought - it improved. I got the chance to watch two juvenile palliated woodpeckers bark playfully in front of me. On my walk back in I jumped a doe on the edge of a field. She left behind a wobbly, wet, brown patch. Incapable to lift his head, this fawn was unable to stand with confidence. I took a picture from where I stood in hopes that mother would return soon to take care of her new fawn. I'm in awe of what I am allowed to see when I spend time in nature. Truly a day I hope I'll never forget. Sorry I didn't post sooner, but I had the wedding of two dear friends to attend to Saturday afternoon. After church this morning I went to my mother's where we celebrated my Brother's 40th birthday. An incredible weekend from start to finish.
You did awesome telling that story. Got my blood pumping for sure. Great tom! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
