SEIowaDeerslayer
Well-Known Member
...and I got a real fan today.
It had been a tough turkey season for me this year, with only getting to hunt 1 day during 2nd season and only getting to hunt mornings during 4th season due to a busy schedule. I was getting pretty burnt out, and threatened to throw in the towell but I saw that the weather was supposed to be nice this morning so I decided to give it one more try. I'm glad I did.
I made it out to my in law's farm about a hour before sunrise and the birds were on fire. I probably heard 20-25 different gobblers, and got set up about 100 yards away from a tree with 2 birds gobbling their heads off. About 15 minutes before sunrise they flew down out of the trees, and so did about 10 hens. The hens headed a different way from my calling, and the toms followed, just like they have all season. I quit calling for about 15 minutes and just listened, and then I heard some crunching behind me and some spitting. I slowly turned my head and there was a longbeard right behind me in full strut looking right at me. Well, he saw something he didn't like...obviously...and got up and flew away. Typical.
The birds that went off with then hens were still gobbling their heads off, so I decided I'd stick it out and see if I couldn't call in a tom that lost interest in the flock. I called very sparingly for about a half hour, and then to my left I heard the most pathetic gobble ever, like a teenage turkey going through puberty. 5 jakes came walking up through the timber, the front two in jake-strut. The front one "gobbled" again and I had to hold my laughter back. Hearing a jake try to gobble up close is pretty funny.
Its been a long time since I've shot a jake (my first turkey ever was a jake) and I usually always pass on them, but with the way my season had been going, and knowing this was the last day I would get to hunt, that cocky jake looked like a tremendous trophy.
The birds worked up through the timber and the cocky jake stuck his little head way in the air at 15 yards and I filled his neck up with hevi-shot. As I approached my bird, I felt a little bit of regret taking a jake, but then I thought about the bacon-wrapped turkey strips I would have for dinner tonight, and the fact that I was tagged out, and I was overwhelmed with happiness. I slung the 15 lb bird over my shoulder and headed to my truck.
This mega giant bird officially weighed in at 15 lbs 5 oz's. Had 1/4" spurs, and a 3" beard. He will taste great.
After I dressed the bird at my truck, I called my wife and let her know about my success. She then told me to bring home some mushrooms as well. I headed back into the timber and came out with with a little over a pound of some of the biggest yellows I've ever found. Grilled turkey and fried morels for dinner tonight! Time to focus on golf and fishing!
It had been a tough turkey season for me this year, with only getting to hunt 1 day during 2nd season and only getting to hunt mornings during 4th season due to a busy schedule. I was getting pretty burnt out, and threatened to throw in the towell but I saw that the weather was supposed to be nice this morning so I decided to give it one more try. I'm glad I did.
I made it out to my in law's farm about a hour before sunrise and the birds were on fire. I probably heard 20-25 different gobblers, and got set up about 100 yards away from a tree with 2 birds gobbling their heads off. About 15 minutes before sunrise they flew down out of the trees, and so did about 10 hens. The hens headed a different way from my calling, and the toms followed, just like they have all season. I quit calling for about 15 minutes and just listened, and then I heard some crunching behind me and some spitting. I slowly turned my head and there was a longbeard right behind me in full strut looking right at me. Well, he saw something he didn't like...obviously...and got up and flew away. Typical.
The birds that went off with then hens were still gobbling their heads off, so I decided I'd stick it out and see if I couldn't call in a tom that lost interest in the flock. I called very sparingly for about a half hour, and then to my left I heard the most pathetic gobble ever, like a teenage turkey going through puberty. 5 jakes came walking up through the timber, the front two in jake-strut. The front one "gobbled" again and I had to hold my laughter back. Hearing a jake try to gobble up close is pretty funny.
Its been a long time since I've shot a jake (my first turkey ever was a jake) and I usually always pass on them, but with the way my season had been going, and knowing this was the last day I would get to hunt, that cocky jake looked like a tremendous trophy.
The birds worked up through the timber and the cocky jake stuck his little head way in the air at 15 yards and I filled his neck up with hevi-shot. As I approached my bird, I felt a little bit of regret taking a jake, but then I thought about the bacon-wrapped turkey strips I would have for dinner tonight, and the fact that I was tagged out, and I was overwhelmed with happiness. I slung the 15 lb bird over my shoulder and headed to my truck.
This mega giant bird officially weighed in at 15 lbs 5 oz's. Had 1/4" spurs, and a 3" beard. He will taste great.
After I dressed the bird at my truck, I called my wife and let her know about my success. She then told me to bring home some mushrooms as well. I headed back into the timber and came out with with a little over a pound of some of the biggest yellows I've ever found. Grilled turkey and fried morels for dinner tonight! Time to focus on golf and fishing!
