Fall success

[bluehat28]

I spent a lot of September scouting the area I would be hunting.Putting up trail cams, checking them, walking fence rows looking for sign.Opening

Saturday started out really warm and a good chance of rain. I got to my blind at 6am it was really windy but dry.I bumped a deer really close to my blind, that was cool.At 6:45 I started to call really lightly.Almost immediately clucking from behind me, 2 toms came over the hill At 30 yards. After turning around (This is why I use a blind)My season was over in Minnesota... 18.8lbs 7in beard. Is It April yet?

[engfish]

You demonstrated why scouting is so important. I'm assuming that you set up in the area where you did because your trail cameras and scouting gave you some information that they were in the area.

Congratulations, Bluehat. It's a great story and a beautiful bird.

[paceman]

very nice, congratulations! you worked hard and earned the bird.

[IlliniWalli]

congrats. nice fall bird!

[DonBo]

WTG! Nice job puting yourself in the right spot at the right time. A great fall trophy!

[bigbucks]

Congrats, very nice bird.

Been looking for mine & have a couple groups pretty well located. I failed on a snap shot at a bobbing head in the brush a week ago. I think that was a jake. I've just been too stubborn to give up a bow hunt to wait out a turkey. I like to get mine when I don't want to be in a bow stand.

[bigbucks]

Didn't anybody else fall hunt?

I looked a time or two more by myself with out seeing any before evening bow hunts, then spent a week mule deer hunting in WY. Took my son out last Tuesday. He doesn't like to sit in a blind & I'm not that stuck on it so we went running & gunning. Saw a total of 14, he should have had one on the ground that I could have shot. I saw it, told him to pop up & shoot, but he's inexperienced & was too cautious & didn't get a shot. Later he took a flying shot that was likely too far. I circled some & tried to push them to him, but they squirted out the side. He's not at all experienced at wing shooting, so that would have been a miracle.

Went bow hunting deer on Thursday night & had a big lone gobbler come by, but he saw me at 25 yards, as I was about to draw on him & flew away. I did shoot a doe a half hour later though.

Took my daughter out Friday night to the same place as Tuesday. Made sure she was in front this time when we popped over the hill. Yep, same place maybe a few yards further, but close enough was a bird. I told her to shoot, but other birds, 6 or 7 more, flew out of the corn & confused her & she didn't shoot at all. She's even less experienced than my son, so not surprising. We took off for where they'd flown to as it was a mixed group, with at least one brood in it. I figured maybe being the group was busted up we'd be able to pick one off roaming through the edge of the woods.

We got just into the edge of the woods & I heard wings in the treetops, 60-70' up. A jake I think, flew over & landed just behind a knoll maybe 60 yards in front of us. I tried to hustle her a long hoping to pop over the knoll & pop him, but he was gone. Tried to circle & push him to her, but never saw him again. Got back with her & started down a trail along the woods edge & I hear more wings in the tree tops. There it was flying almost straight over us, but high, it was a bit past as I was processing. She's not going to hit that, but I think I can. I swung on it, probably only 30-40 yards, like a slow moving goose & squeezed off a shot. It rolled & crashed to the edge of a small slough 50 yards away. It actually landed in a shallow beaver run. It was pretty well done, but I wrung it's neck. One more jumped out of tree a short while later, but it was too far & she didn't see it anyway. We drove around & cked a couple of other fields, but it was heading towards dark & she was done.

The bird was a young hen, probably from the 2012 hatch is my guess. Amazingly when I cleaned it there wasn't one pellet in the breast. I got lucky & hit it in the neck. That was hilarious to watch that thing tumble.

[DonBo]

Hey Rodd, that's the way fall hunting can be. It's a lot of fun when you're on the birds, but finding them can be tough. Glad you got the kids in on some of the action.

I have never shot one out of the air myself, but hope too someday.

[bigbucks]

Hey Don, it was a rush for sure. Waiting to hear the rest of your Black Hills hunt, sure you tipped over some more there.

[bigbucks]

Here's a pic of my bird. Doesn't look too bad considering it's already been breasted in this pic...