teeroy
Life Member
this has by far been the toughest turkey season for me yet. i put in more days trying to fill this one tag, than i have spent on birds my whole turkey career. bird numbers in my area are way down, not sure why. with the drasticlly less turkey numbers i'd been seeing, i shelved my plans to go bow only this year, and got my 4th season combo tag. in years past, i have posts about turkeys trying to kill me with suicide missions. i almost sent my partner in the contest a pm last night, appologizing, and stating that it looked like i was going to be skunked.
the last morning found me snuggled under a pine tree, 20 yards from a group of dust bowls. at gobble thirty, there were birds sounding off, but nowhere near me, and on land i didn't have access to. after awhile, i decided to try to take a nap, and after half an hour, i woke up, to still no birds. i crawled out from under my tree, to see 2 velvet bucks, a doe, and a badger across the fence from me. after i spooked them all off, i made a search for shrooms on my way out (shroomin is going worse than turkey hunting for me). after another pointless search, i got in the truck and went for breakfast. on the way home, i went to what used to be my best spot. after some calling with no results, i went to looking for asparagus. (the only thing i can find, this year). as i went along, checking my patches, i decide to make one more pass around a property that i have seen a few birds on, and have been skunked on, this season. there is a strutter and a couple hens on one side of the creek, and i can make a sneak on the opposite side, and might get lucky. as i creep along the creek, and before i slip into full-on-sneak mode, a hen busts out ahead of me. i think "oh crap, i'm screwed (not my exact wording. and i hear wingbeats behind me. i swing around and raise the benelli, and she starts puking lead all over creation. on my third and final shot, i finally slow down enough to get the bead out ahead of his beak, and down he goes. ofcourse, there was a feeder stream, with about a foot wide path of water in it, and my bird plunks himself down in the middle of it. after he gave me a shower, and i get water over the top of my boot, i stand in the field with the bird i thought would never get. i had all but given up, and i was about to go home and pack it in for the year, and i got lucky. not a textbook hunt, by anymeans, but i'll take it. 25+ pounds, what should have been the shortest spur, was 1 1/16, inch, and the other was broke off at 15/16, beard was 10 9/16
pics to follow
the last morning found me snuggled under a pine tree, 20 yards from a group of dust bowls. at gobble thirty, there were birds sounding off, but nowhere near me, and on land i didn't have access to. after awhile, i decided to try to take a nap, and after half an hour, i woke up, to still no birds. i crawled out from under my tree, to see 2 velvet bucks, a doe, and a badger across the fence from me. after i spooked them all off, i made a search for shrooms on my way out (shroomin is going worse than turkey hunting for me). after another pointless search, i got in the truck and went for breakfast. on the way home, i went to what used to be my best spot. after some calling with no results, i went to looking for asparagus. (the only thing i can find, this year). as i went along, checking my patches, i decide to make one more pass around a property that i have seen a few birds on, and have been skunked on, this season. there is a strutter and a couple hens on one side of the creek, and i can make a sneak on the opposite side, and might get lucky. as i creep along the creek, and before i slip into full-on-sneak mode, a hen busts out ahead of me. i think "oh crap, i'm screwed (not my exact wording. and i hear wingbeats behind me. i swing around and raise the benelli, and she starts puking lead all over creation. on my third and final shot, i finally slow down enough to get the bead out ahead of his beak, and down he goes. ofcourse, there was a feeder stream, with about a foot wide path of water in it, and my bird plunks himself down in the middle of it. after he gave me a shower, and i get water over the top of my boot, i stand in the field with the bird i thought would never get. i had all but given up, and i was about to go home and pack it in for the year, and i got lucky. not a textbook hunt, by anymeans, but i'll take it. 25+ pounds, what should have been the shortest spur, was 1 1/16, inch, and the other was broke off at 15/16, beard was 10 9/16
pics to follow
