Turkey Hunters

[TomBow]

I'd like to be able to say that my wife and I both bagged turkeys, but we blanked. It was tough compared to last year, very limited gobbling on most days, birds not moving to us. Friday--no birds seen, limited gobbling far away, saw 5 deer including 3 bucks with 2" of antler-starter nubs on their heads, one sniffed the decoy and didn't like the way it smelled. Saturday, cut the day off short, almost no gobbling. Heard one gobbler down hill from us, then heard hens yelping and he shut right up. Sunday--Lots of gobbling, had a hen come in, yelped almost constantly, 1 gobbler came in, then attacked 1 of 2 OTHERS that came from the opposite direction, then 2 jakes, came in and left right away after seeing the decoys, 1 3" bearded gobbler came in, then heard them gobbling 100+ yards away but they wouldn't budge. Monday--6 jakes came in at 7 AM, saw the decoy and stopped in their tracks, wife almost got a shot but they were bunched too tight for a safe shot. Then it rained, started at 8:30 and we left at 9:30. Tuesday--2 or 3 gobbles, windy all day. Spotted 2 jakes out in the field, they saw us and ran into the ravine. Never heard or saw another bird all day. Maybe next year. Good luck to all hunting last season--suggestion, forget the decoys, make them look for the hens.

[Surface Tension]

I hunted the last season and boy where the birds reluctant to move.
Well except for one.
Watched a Tom strutin 60 yards away for half an hour. He didnt want anything to do with my decoys cuz he was lookin at the real thing. Next morning I set up where he liked to do his strutin, was the same place a hen liked to enter and exit the field.
The Turkey Gods have smiled upon me,,,, AGAIN. 5 for 5 on the turkey count/ratio but who's counting.

Turkeys were gobblin but not movinn for my hunting partner. After a few days of patterning their behavior it was clear the Toms wernt moving and had to setup on their morning gobble spot. He found the "spot" and was to setup there the last morning. Still dark and leaning on his backrest tree after setting out the decoy. Too bad it was the same tree the bird was roosting in. A few flaps of its wings and its an easy mile glide to the bottom of the big valley.

[wooly1]

I bagged the biggest bird of my 20 years of turkey hunting. Last season of the year, bagged Thur. May 22. It was a 26# tom with 10" and 30 mm spurs. A true tree hanger.
I thought it would be tough hunting that season with the leaves, mosquitoes and ticks. Had no choice due to receiving a surplus license.
The bird I shot was the fifth tom I saw that morning. First a small 5" bird tom came into my decs. Didn't have a good shot even though it was a close as 10 feet from me at one point. Yes 10 FEET. Then I got busted by three jakes coming in and I thought my morning was over.
Was contemplating my next move when a gobbler sounded off and I realized the game was still on. Spotted a head peering over the crest of the field hill 125 yds + out. Made some yelps and reluctantly he crested the hill. At that point he sounded off with a gobble and proceeded to strut in from that far out.
Man I thought he would never get to me. By the time he got to within range my shotgun barrel was doing figure 8s and my heart was a thumping.
Bagged him at 8:15 am. What a rush. Classic turkey hunt just like in them thar videos.