ANYFISH'S Season E.

[ANYFISH2]

Season E is the latest I have hunted turkey, I expected things to go differently than the early A and B seasons I have hunted before, this was more of a hunt than expected.

Tuesday started it off, I decided to bring my daughter, Abigail, with as for some reason I can't read a calendar right. I thought the 8th was Wednesday and didn't take off from work. So I waited until the kids got off the bus and grabbed Abby and ran to the woods. We got the blind set up near what has traditionally been a roosting area, most set this for the next morning. It sure was nice to have Abby carry things in, what trooper for 7 years old. We settled in and I made the first of the calling with the Cherry Bomb. Right away a hen answers back. Both Abby and I start to look for the birds. Minutes later the hen walks 8 yards to the south of us. Abby was excited,so was dad. Unfortunatly she was the only bird we would see.

Wednesday starts off with a thud. I wake up a little late and arrive at the farm about 5 am and by the time I get everything together it is getting quite light out. I make it a hundred yards down the trail just to kick 3 turkeys off their roost! Well needless to say I see zero birds all morning from various locations. I head home about noon to meet the kids off the bus as it is early release day. Today is my son, Isaac's turn. Being 5, I figure I will wait till about 5 to go to the blind. We arrive on time and get set up. Like Tuesday we call, but hear nothing today. A stick snaps about 5:30, I grab my sons leg and tell him to quite his Ipod and stay still. Isaac proceads to throw the Ipod down on top of our gear making a awful racket! We look back just in time to see a turkey running the opposite direction! Our day ends shortly after 6:30 as he has had enough of the wood ticks.

Thursday, well not much to say here, no birds seen while posted, and no gobbles all day long. This is turning outto be a very tough season!

Friday, I decide to get to the farm late and just chase gobbbles, if any. Well not until sunrise do I hear a gobble. It is close, I grab the gear and set up. An hour later or so 2 jakes and a hen walk through, paying no attention to me or the deak. Woo who, I just doubled my sightings for the season. After awhile I switch up locations to no avail. I decide about 8:45 to take a drive and try to spot some birds. I drive to my original location to see 4 males milling around 200 yrds onto the nieghbors property. I swing the car around and head back , park out of sight and make a dash to toward the edge of the property. I set up about 100 yds off the property line, in a small meadow connecting to the field they are on. I belly crawl out about 15 yds and stick the hen decoy out and crawl back to a aspen tree. I first call with the Cherry bomb. I can see the birds have worked closer and are looking toward the call. They then turn and begin to walk away. Darn it! I wait 5 minutes and call again, no response and birds are out of site. Well I am sitting here until I have to leave at 1 I decide. I wait a short 5 minutes and call again this time with a raspy hen diaphram. No response. Not a minute later I see a cherry red head bobbing on the meadow edge. Here they come, ah carp, I forgot my face mask! East sun is shining bright on my face. I think thier going to bust me. Well the first Jake passes slow in front of me at 10 yrds, he has just a tuff for a beard, I'll wait and check out the rest of the birds. Second bird has a longer beard but deffinatly a jake, he stops right in front of me at 12 yrds. I continue to check out the other 2 both are very similar jakes. I look back at the first bird to see him get a little jumppy by the hen and start to walk straight away, the other 3 turn with him. Well I decide jake #2 is my bird as time is running out, I settle and squeeze, the turkey rolls over and never flops again! OH MY, my first ever wild turkey, after 3 years and the toughest start to a season I have had, I finally get my bird. Not a big tom but just as special to me! I love hunting these things, I was hooked from day one.

Here he is.

Sorry for the long post, but I am still thrilled.

[Archerysniper]

Long posts are great they relive the excitement,Congrats on a trophy. Anyone can kill a whitetail but a turkey will truly challenge you.

[paceman]

Awesome story! Congratulations! Thanks for sharing.

[rbs]

Great job!

[pumper317]

Congrats, awesome story, and a great bird!

[DonBo]

Great hunt, nice photo. That first bird is pretty special.

[sticknstring]

That's a beautiful bird - congrats on your first!

[Borch]

Congrats.

First birds are special for sure.

[nbadger23]

Great job and a nice bird! It's neat that you brought the kids with, ipods and all :-) I am also a big fan of the long write ups as they really give a better picture of the hunt.

[ANYFISH2]

Thanks guys/gals. This bird is certainly special, over the past 3 years, I have past on several Jakes, missed a mature Tom, and past on a large tom 6 yds away because I thought the brush between us was to thick(took alot of grief for that). So opportunites have been plenty, just wasn't meant to be, until Friday.

My kids always want to good hunting and fishing with us, dad dosen't get them out enough though. I am still a little selfish sometimes. Turkey hunting seems like the best opportunity, hunting wise, to get them out. The weather is mild, hunting out of a blind, and typically see plenty of game to get them excited. The Itouch (not Ipod) is almost a must though, at 7&5, expecting them to sit quiet and still for 3-4 hours with nothing, is a recipe for disaster!

Thanks again.

[mws4dux]

Great story, congrats on the bird!