Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 12:13 am Post subject:
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First I would like to say congrats to eveyone on the board. Haven't had time to post lately justs been reading a few minutes before I go to bed.
Our season opened Sat. I woke up to the sound of rain hammering away at the roof. I opened the front door it was pouring rain so I went back to bed. Finally went out around 10am checked a few spots and called it a day.
Monday I had to take my son to school so I didn't get into the woods until 8:30am. The birds were gobbling pretty good. I was able to get above them and with some pretty aggresive calling managed to pull the whole flock up the ridge to me. I see a tail fan then a bbig fat red,white and blue head. I thought I had my head down on the stock when I shot. Birds went flying in every direction including the tom I was shooting at. Upset I made my way to an open field I knew they like to visit. Let the woods calm down started calling every now and then. About an hour later here came a gobbler sneeking back into the field. 18lbs,9"beard,3/4"spurs
Tuesday morning I was in the woods at 5:30am sitting in a great listening spot. just waiting for the woods to come alive. And they did jsut not on the mountian I was on. I could hear birds gobbling everywhere. But none close to me. I knew there was a ton of birds on this mountian. Finally a bird gets cranked up a couple hundred feet below me. I knew he would be heading to an open gas line to our right so I headed in that direction. I was going down hill and he was coming up. We step out into the logging road about the same time. I froze and he just melted back into the woods. I was angry for bumping the bird so I went and set on the gas line I knew he was headed for got comfortable and start calling.
Called for about an hour when a bird gobbled to my left about 80 yards away. That gobble got one cranked up to my right about 150 yard away. I eased my gun up and waited thinking the bird to my left would show any minute. 30 mins. later nothing then I see 2 gobblers below me about 80 yards they didnt see any hen and feed across the gas line into the woods.
Getting tired I pack my stuff up and a bird starts gobbling to my right again so I head toward him. I make a big loop and get above the bird but he was going down the ridge. I eased down through the woods can see were they had been scratching and a bird gobbles to my left and right. the one to the right is the closest so I head toward him. Finally pressed my luck to much and bumped the birds. I believe his hens. Figuring the jig is up I would head toward the bird I heard gobble to my left an half our earlier. hike up the ridge back to the gas line. Call a few tomes nothing. Then a bird gobbles right were I was just at.I hadn't used my other box call that I got from Craig the sweet talker. I get it out of my vest yelp 4-5 times. Ol tom gobbles I yelp 4-5 times he gobbles. By now its about 10:30am. having played chess with these birds all morning I gathered my gear and ran away from the gobbler about 50 yards to the other side of the gas line. Yelp 4-5 times he gobbles put the sweet talker down get my gun up and wait. He gobbles again I don't reply a few minutes later he gobbles again nothing again from me. Finally he couldn't stand it I could tell he was coming. I could hear a bunch of birds scratching up the ridge. Then I see 7 jakes. And can hear one strutting to my left eased my head that way and there are 3 gobblers one strutting about 30 yards. He steps behind a tree I swing the 870 around he steps out and was greeted with a load of Winc. #5's.turkeys went flying everywhere. The ol sweet talker called in 7 jakes and 3 toms and I could hear turkeys still scrathing up the ridge right before I shot at 11:10am. This hunt was great because I worked all morning and it payed off.
19lbs,5/8"spurs,3beards 8",7 3/4",7".
Letting this mountian rest I head to another farm Wed. morning. I ran into the other man that has permission to hunt. We talked he has hunted all week on this farm an hadn't killed but knew where the birds had been gobbling. To make a long story short we hunted together that morning chased a gobbler for several hours. I wanted to climb the ridge circle around in front the bird and be above him but the old man didn't. You know where the gobbler went.Thats how wed went.
This morning I was sitting on that ridge waiting for ol Tom to come strutting by me. The woods didn't look right I was about 250 yards south of where the gobbler and his hens was yesterday. After waiting till about 9am and hearing and seeing nothing decided to walk the ridge thats when I can see were the birds had been ealier that morning and this was the ridge I was supposed to have been on. Mad at my self not knowing where the birds had went. I decided to drop of the mountian and hunt back to the truck.If I had been on the right ridge the entire flock would have walked rigth past me!
This was great but nothing looked right.I walked and walked and walked some more. I was lost. Well kinda I knew if I kept walking I would hit the road sooner or later. I came to a 1/2 acre field thought it would be a nice mid morning strut zone and was right I grabbed the gobble starter yelped a few times nothing. Still lost take a step into the field and about 80 yards up a fire road there is a Gobbler strutting. Ease back into the woods and Yelp a few time he still strutting but not budging. I see 3-4 hens walk across the road and he is right behind them. I give them a few minutes going to try and get ahead of them. I eased around till I could hear them scratching in the leaves then a hen bust me and start putting but not leaving. I knew Ol Tommy was close by take one step and 3-4 birds take off. I started cutting real loud on my mouth call and yelping nothing. I take a step around a big oak tree and there is the gobbler 35 yards looking around for his hens. I put the sites on him and he is goes down hard. Take a few minutes to replay what just happed in my head. Relax a few minutes. gather up my bird and still lost. I was in the National Forest and knew I would hit the paved road sooner or later. I had walked to far to back track. When I hit the paved road I was 7 miles from the truck.(DON'T ASK)It was well worth the walk though!
16lbs,7"beard,3/4"inch spurs.
Its has been a great week I have had been in the game just about every day I have been in the woods!
I will be headed to SC in the morning to hunt with some good friends. Really looking forward
